★★★★☆
Four Stars
Mysterious London producer, Ghost Culture, has debuted with a spectral eponymous album. Contorted and disfigured basslines drone into grinding disarray, as whispered vocals drift over the sonic chaos. He describes himself as emerging from the London fog, but after a late night listen it’s fair to say it’s more the other way round.
Track after track draws us into the mists of Ghost Culture’s gloomy and seductive netherworld. The man on the shadowy cover is 24 year old producer James Greenwood. Initially his credentials were scant, confined to the dark recesses of bedroom synthesizers and optimistic SoundCloud uploads. But after making a name for himself at the Phantasy Label, he was offered his big break by boss Errol Alkan. The result is captivating.
The opening track ‘Mouth’ weaves undulating strands of laidback beats into a curt finish before segueing perfectly into the stand out track ‘Giudecca’. It’s an addictive and catchy tune that mixes dark gloopy beats with an accessible dance floor feel. The album gets mellower mid-way with ‘Glaciers’. It feels like a ponderous recycling of the promising start and as such, is the only low point. It finishes, however, with the delightfully loopy ‘The Fog’, a suitably murky and mysterious end to a murky and mysterious album. Overall, a strong effort that promises much for the future.
