Sometimes I just know I’m going to like a release well before I ever get to put the actual media into the appropriate player and listen to the music. The judgement relies on the æsthetic of the artwork, the care which has obviously been taken. A lack of hyperbole in the press release also helps. Ghostdrums pretty much ticked all the boxes well before I heard the sounds. My promo release version came in two different formats – CD-R and a copy of the actual release format – a USB memory stick housed inside a cassette case. The stick contains a flash site via which you can navigate through the tracks and also watch a bonus video for ‘Morning Sun’. The video itself contains minimal vanity shots of some impressive vintage sound gear – tape delays, cassette players, oscilloscope, tone generator and the like. It’s a perfect backdrop to the twinkling, music box led track which loops through a gentle chordal progression with a simple synth kick drum and electronic organ backing.
The other three tracks utilise a similar palette of minimal electronics, sine waves, live drums looped and cut up and live percussion. Pete Gauzzelli is Ghostdrums and his background is as a drummer, which can be heard in his sturdy rhythms. Much of the other sonic information is utilised rhythmically as well, melodies remaining simple both structurally and timbrally. A Socialist bent can be seen in the track titles – ‘The Internationalist’ and ‘Red Thread’ in particular. Perhaps this reflects the idea of a 21st century folk music, built on universally accessible technology to be shared with the world. Ghostdrums is a greatly engaging example of acoustically/digitally based, blended, electronically manipulated bedroom-folk. I recommend it highly.
Adrian Elmer
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