If you’re unfamiliar with Elijah Ghost, his new project Ghost gives you a proper rendition of what you’ve been missing out on. Produced entirely by EPVR and accompanied by nostalgic visuals edited by Elijah himself, the record has a mass of content to follow up on.
Opening up with “Don’t Fuck With Ghost,” the introduction sets the tone with a twist. Starting with a melodic, ballad-esque solo vocal, things seem unclear to what direction they will go in. With a sudden cut-out, the chant “Don’t fuck with Ghost, you’ll feel sorry” slaps across and the real track flows in. Tranquil guitars slide back and forth, with smooth acoustic drums tapping in the rhythm. Elijah drives in effortlessly breezing alongside with a drowsily alluring flow, spitting lines about his troubles and worries.
Next up is “Sharpshooter.” The tempo is slow, however this fits the seductive bass and psychedelic keys. Despite the tone of the track being nonchalant, dark lyrics from Elijah such as “Shadows covered the face, they already picked up your tomb” clutch you by surprise, contrasting the atmosphere during a listen. Third up comes “Right Back,” picking up the pace. With dark yet mellow notes, the melody slithers in like a python, subtly leaving you on edge. Ghost kicks in with solid bars wrestling the instrumental.
Following this is “Sixth-Sense.” Using a smooth sample of “Monobraue” by Schwan & 2ZG, the track is lethargically easy-going, the words “Baby I love you, and I want you forever” oozing into your headphones. Elijah breezes over the indulging violins with a perfectly equal tone, whilst keeping the flow streaming with ease.
“Bob Probert vs. Elijah Ghost” may be minimalist, but it never bores. Consisting of little to no percussion and a stripped back Rhodes melody on a loop, the beat lays down the perfect bed for storytelling. Ghost’s constant raps keep the pace of the track fresh and continual, with constant reminders of his hard work on lines like “I’ve been stepping steady through some heavens and some blessings.”
After this comes the pre-released single “Set Up.” Racking up a fair amount of plays, this track is a gem that current fans will already be familiar with, however it gives a insight to new listeners on what Elijah Ghost is really about. The pace is much faster than any previous tracks on the record, with agile percussion slashing efficiently alongside the enchanting bells, casting down an alluring result. Ghosts brisk hook; “Step up, set up, wet up, get up” may be basic, however it works well, wrapping around your brain in a loop for hours.
“Ghostface” finishes off the project. Again, this song dons a more natural approach, taking live instrumentation instead of electronic production. With swoozy trumpets as backing, Elijah outs phonies in the scene with lines like “I was selling out on merch on the first day, you was selling out cause your whole gang thirsty,” his lines punch right to the point, finalizing his project with a message.