Ghostly International US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: As they mark over two decades of collaboration, HTRK continue to thread past and present with a new, upcoming reissue of Rhinestones. First self-released in 2021, the album marked a stylistic turn for Standish and Yang, embracing a sparse and haunted approach to songwriting inspired by gothic country and Western folk minimalism, contrasting their earlier dub-punk dramatics. More emotionally forthright as their records go, it drifts over echoic acoustic textures, hushed vocals, and a characteristic metronomic pulse, conjuring a shadowy, intimate atmosphere. A landmark release epitomising their noted progression out from minimal-wave origins to "gentler, more inviting" territory, Rhinestones motivated a quiet resurgence for the band. This reissue follows the 2024 repress of their debut Marry Me Tonight and the collaborative 'String Of Hearts' EP, with reinterpretations from peers like Loraine James and Liars, reaffirming HTRK's strong creative orbit.

Review: The exalted dream-pop-and-more duo of Nigel Yang and Jonnine Standish (HTRK) were originally a trio, with bassist Sean Stewart making up a third part of the Australian team's membership. Marry Me Tonight (2009) was as such the only album HTRK recorded from start to finish as a trio, as well as, coincidentally, being the only HTRK record to bear the co-productive stamp of Rowland S Howard (The Birthday Party). With the band racked by the devastation of both Stewart and Howard's deaths in the years after this album's release, HTRK's second LP is the last in an era: unlike their romantic recencies, early 'Hate Rock' was marked by enveloping blankets of industrial grunge-verb, with the instrumental shadow of post-rock looming larger, and with comparatively reticent and sparsely included vocal performances by Standish. Ghostly now reissue the record in what now functions as a compelling look back on HTRK's relatively steelier start.

Review: Galcher Lustwerk, the Cleveland-raised, NYC-based producer, has carved a unique lane in deep, low-key post-hip-house since his 2013 debut 100% Galcher. Through smoky, stream-of-consciousness vocals evincing an ability to both produce and locute, his work blends funk, rap and r&b into hypnotic club and after-hours four-scapes. On Information, his Ghostly International debut, Lustwerk refined his tech-noir house corner. Live drums and jazz sax added fresh texture, while Lust's trademark narrative cryptologes evoked dimly lit dives, fleeting encounters, and an all-round shadowiness. 'Cig Angel' and 'Another Story' pulse with the sonic linguals of mumble-core film and salivatory softened production, while 'I See A Dime' races forward with syncopated lyrics and daring bongos. True to an enciphered ethos, Lustwerk plays with perception: "Information doesn't equal knowledge."

Review: Portland, Oregon's Graham Jonson urges our hurries once more with Heard That Noise, an anemological study in ascendant post-rock and psych. Jonson crafts intimate, zigzagging and west windy songs, ploughing the grey, sludgy boundaries of folk, pop, and noise. Following a subtle tangent from SoundCloud renown to 2021's The Long and Short Of It, he now follows that record up through a desultory reflection on breakups, memory, and creative rediscovery; Phil Elverum, Dijon and Nick Drake glance through the sonic cloud cover as ancestral muses, while the record blends warmth and discordance, where sweet ballads unravel into distortion; serene moments jolted by sonic "jump scares."

Review: Swedish duo Studio's debut album, released in 2006, is a masterful blend of genres that defies easy categorisation. Drawing from Balearic beat, disco, and krautrock, the album offers a refreshing take on contemporary music. Opening the LP, "Out There" sets the tone with its expansive, atmospheric soundscapes, inviting listeners into a world of lush melodies and intricate rhythms. As the album progresses, tracks like 'West Side' and 'Self Service' showcase the duo's ability to craft infectious grooves, seamlessly merging organic instrumentation with electronic elements. The closing piece, 'Indo', serves as a contemplative finale, leaving a lasting impression with its hypnotic progression. This album stands as a testament to Studio's innovative approach, offering a timeless listening experience that continues to resonate.

Review: Swedish duo Studio's debut album, a groundbreaking fusion of Balearic textures, Krautrock grooves and post-punk aesthetics gets a reissue here, nearly two decades on from its initial release in 2006. The hazy, expansive production feels perfectly at home on this format, with the "fog" vinyl subtly matching the hazy warmth and depth of the pair's intricate arrangements. From the shimmering guitar lines that drift through the opener to the hypnotic rhythms that define the album's centrepieces, every element is given space to resonate by Dan Lissvik and Rasmus Hagg. Choice.

Review: London's Loraine James has built her signature sound through a mix of refined composition, gritty experimentation and intricate electronic programming. Under her Ghostly International alias Whatever The Weather, she explores emotional temperature and environment. Her second full-length offers a warmer tone compared to its predecessor by moving from an arctic cover photo to a desert scene. Mastered by Josh Eustis, the album blends hypnotic atmospheres and rhythmic textures with diaristic field recordings. The lead single, '12-C,' weaves melody and texture into a soul-stirring groove and is exemplary of James' imaginative and genre-defying approach.