Motorik
Sub, 2020
8/10
A Welsh collective who arrive with a debut album here, Ghostlawns embrace a formula that’s part guitar driven rock, part key focused ambitiousness and entirely intoxicating in its dizzying execution.
“Breaking Out” starts the album with plenty of electronic ambience as a buzzing display of frisky percussion and alt-rock ideas enter the sleek opener, and “Guppy” follows with a synth fueled adventure that sounds right at home in the ‘80s with its dance-rock appeal.
Toward the middle, “Akademie” move softly, with calm synth amid warm guitar lines in the subdued climate, while “Y Gorwei” finds a dreamy place to reside, where plenty of atmosphere and melody reside amid a shimmering backdrop. “Friday Sky”, the album highlight, then recruits mystery and some spacey sounds as post-punk nods align with a very modern day electro-pop feel.
At the end, “Pen mae’r adar yn canu” offers the sounds of birds alongside a hazy execution of blurry vocals, and “When In Cathays” finishes the album with plenty of playful electronica and a more dense landscape of exciting rock gestures.
An excellent starting point for these Cardiff residents, the members have impressive resumes that includes playing in outfits like Right Hand Left Hand, Gulp, Gentle Wood and others, but let’s hope Ghostlawns continues to thrive, cause there’s much potential in their attention to melody, rhythm and groove on Motorik.
Travels well with: The Holy- Mono Freedom; Kidsmoke- A Vision In The Dark