by Ljubinko Zivkovic (@zivljub)
The change of scenery for musicians can often bring a completely new outlook on music, and at the same time, very often, with that new outlook comes a change in musical direction. Whatever Elizabeth Still and David Hand did musically before they moved from the bustling city streets of Liverpool to the hills of Shropshire was probably something completely different (they say it was much louder) than what they came up with as Haress on Ghosts.
The move also prompted a kind of musical collective setting, with Haress contracting and expanding depending on a session, with the duo joined by David Smyth (Mind Mountain, Kling Klang) on drums, Chris Summerlin (Hey Colossus, Kogumaza) on guitar, the pair also having played on Haress' self-titled debut. Since Ghosts was recorded during the infamous lockdown, two other players from the first album - Thomas House (Sweet Williams, Charlottefield) on vocals and Nathan Bell (Lungfish, Human Bell) on trumpet, added their parts remotely.
It doesn't make any difference what sounds they came up with before, because the moment “White Over,” the opener starts, you realize that they have given this album a very proper name. Ghosts is clear, simple, very slow vocal post-rock that seems to have picked up where Low decided to move somewhere else from. When “Time To Drink” sets in, you are reminded how good Godspeed! You Black Emperor can sound when they slow things down, or how good Sunburned Hand of Man can be, when they throw a pinch more melody into the proceedings.
As if the real ghosts were present through the recording of the whole album the music on other these and the other five compositions here sound as if they are possessed by presence that at the same time presents elements of pastoral beauty, but also of something more shadowy and nocturnal, like on “I Think, I Think”. Whatever is the case, with Ghosts, Haress show that there is still imagination and life in post-rock.