Holy Ghost/Static On The Wire

It might be tempting to say that Holy Ghost! fresh from the studio with a debut EP, nearly three years after the widely loved and praised Hold On are back. It might be tempting to say, that is, were it not so demonstrably wrong. Holy Ghost! arent back, mostly because theyve been here quite visibly the whole time. While most outfits watch as their profiles wane in the periods between releases, Holy Ghost!s recognition with critics and audiences has only grown, aided mostly by a steady output of remixes for a whos who of dance music MGMT, Cut Copy, Moby, Phoenix and, more recently, LCD Soundsystem and the hook-laden I Will Come Back. With Static on the Wire, Holy Ghost! take a break from reconstructing their peers and DJing around the world to offer their ever growing audience their own distinct musical vision.

And from the titular opener, its clear that vision involves moving things beyond the nu-disco sonic parameters of Hold On. Holy Ghost! have lightly combined an affinity for both the old from 70s and 80s funk-inflected R&B to glittery disco to synthy new wave to analog instrumentation as well as more modern sounds from the dance floor. Static on the Wire jumps right in with funky basslines and percussion beneath a glossy veneer of keys and guitar work from labelmate Juan Maclean; Say My Name serves as a viscous, spaced-out and seductive mid-tempo journey; I Will Come Back is bathed in old-school synths and late-nite dancefloor bliss; and I Know, I Hear is propelled by handclaps and catch-you-by-the-collar vocal melodies.

With this hotly anticipated debut collection of songs, Holy Ghost! yet again prove why they're one of the most closely watched and heralded outfits by music lovers both within and far beyond the parameters of the electronic community. Static on the Wire is a testament to the stellar outcomes that result when these two talented, dedicated musicians create music built on their reverence for the roots of dance music, creative explorations of new electronic sounds and passionate love for analog warmth.