Ghosthandfister – Ghosthandfister
ODD records 2010
What an amazing debut. Ghosthandfister is a perfectly formed record which sounds timeless by virtue of it overtly referencing categorical music from every decade since the 60s. However it has to be said that this particular soundtrack of the omni-age is probably most situated in the pre-rave industrial 80s (sans metal riffs).
The album cohesively melds a Laurie Anderson/Miss Kittin vocal aesthetic with booty-shaking bass bombs and trip-hop accents. Over this add rising and falling barely-tonal weirdness with a liberal sprinkling of striated guitar playing and you’ve got a great party record.
Some might find much of the lyrics genuinely disturbing, women used as serving utensils, carriage class anxiety and stewardess domination, mutual body modification, BDSM and the notion of anyone from Brighton going to space. However, Gilda Maurice has an amazing voice, there is something deep, knowing and velvety in its quality and yet despite the subject matter it remains uniquely un-sleazy.
It’s rare that dark (read pitch black) danceable mental-pop has been done this well, either recently or in 80s. While this album doesn’t contain the sounds of the future one really wishes the past sounded this good.
Ghosthandfister – Ghosthandfister by Odd Recordings
The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. – Aristotle
