Released early last month, upcoming artist, Sometimes Ghosts, made his emergence onto the music scene with his debut release. An ambitious and vibrant new offering, Sometimes Ghosts introduced us to the world of his immersive and eclectic artistry through the release of his self-titled debut album. With 2022 marking his arrival; Sometimes Ghosts is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer, hailing from Northern California, who should no doubt be on your radar as an exciting new artist to watch. Writing and performing under the alias Sometimes Ghosts, the talented Dan Kennedy is ready to take the world by a storm.
With a unique and eclectic brand of artistry, that spans across an array of genres from indie, to alternative, to synth, to pop; Sometimes Ghosts delivers music, and stunning soundscapes, that are filled with infectious melodies, vibrant arrangements, and seamlessly layered vocals. Accompanying the rich sonic world, Sometimes Ghosts further showcases his artistic depth and talent through the thoughtful and emotive lyricism that runs throughout; seeing him dive into themes that explore universal experiences and emotions of love, loss, longing and time. A stunning debut release, Sometimes Ghosts is a perfect example of the incredible talent Sometimes Ghosts has to offer. Written, performed, recorded and produced entirely on his own; the album gives us a taste of his skill as a multi-talented artist, and his prowess as a lyricist, producer and performer. With every inch of the project his unique creation, this truly brings us deep into the world of his artistic psyche, and wholeheartedly reflects him as an artist in an authentic and candid manner.
Diving into the album as a whole, the record is an eight-track compilation of songs, spanning a little over 20 minutes. With an eclectic and slightly offbeat energy, the album can be described as a juxtaposition of emotions; giving off an energy that is both intimate, yet bold and expansive, and melancholic, yet filled with a sense of hope and optimism. And feeding into this, the record focuses on an overarching narrative, spanning the length of the album; with it telling the story of two people, one who dies and leaves the other behind.
Working through these emotions as we make our way through the album, we get our first glimpse of this on track number one; So, I Send You. Steeped in a more melancholic and mournful energy, So, I Send You starts the album off with one of the characters on their deathbed. Opening with a gentle and soft instrumentation, it is soon accompanied by forlorn vocals and a lamenting sonic brass element; ending with some light and distant voices in the background, giving the sense of something fading away. This is swiftly followed up by track number two, the title track, Sometimes Ghosts. As hinted at in the title, Sometimes Ghosts is all about them passing on, and the emotions that come along with that. With a bolder synth element, the track begins with a delicate and instrumental, reflecting the sorrow and loss that is felt. As the song marches on, it steadily builds until it reaches an explosion of vibrant sounds and emotions as the chorus hits; perfectly reflecting the angst, anger and heartache that accompany loss.
From there, the story continues as we work our way through the rest of the album. We see the partner lost in a world of grief, and experiencing an array of emotions. Stuck in the past, and unable to move on, they are left to reminisce and remember. This is particularly evident on the more indie, alt-pop track, Tired Wind, with the lyrics “I don’t know what is real or what’s pretend/ floating through these days that never end”.Continuing like this, we see the various sounds and energies reflect their grief-stricken and changeable moods and emotions; with them eventually deciding that they would rather be reunited than keep going on like this.
A stunning, and heart-breaking story of love and loss; the album and songs come with several meanings, with the story still open to interpretation. An incredible debut release from Sometimes Ghosts, he is no doubt one of 2022’s emerging artists to watch.
Listen to Sometimes Ghosts HERE
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