Echo Moment: Ghost Moves’ Haunting Debut Album
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- October 21, 2023
“The lyrical theme of the album is predominantly about life on Earth. The beauty of it at times, and the absurdity of it at others (particularly at the moment). The song The Sun That Meets The Sign is the only fictional song on the album, written as the soundtrack for an imaginary sci-fi film (which may yet be written)”
– Dean Bowmer, Ghost Moves
Ghost Moves was formed in 2020 by Dean Bowmer, Andrew Munro, and Jake Powell in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire area of the UK. They have been creating the band that is now known as Echo Moment for the past three years after being in groups like Jackal’s Backbone and One Toy Soldier (Ghost Moves, 2023). Now, Ghost Moves is ready for the world to hear them.
Pieces of Echo Moment may remind listeners of long-gone punk rock eras from the late 1970s. Ghost Moves have certainly taken notes from punk staples like The Jam and The Undertones, such as the edgy guitar riffs heard in their opening track, “I Feel Fine”, featuring Valentin Cavanna on saxophone. One could infer that the title is a nod to The Beatles’ track under the same name. Throughout the album, there are some further hints that suggest the Liverpool quartet were a major inspiration. For example; in some of the guitar melodies, drum rolls, and vocal choruses in “One More Glimpse At Happiness” and in “The Influence Of You” – perhaps, also a song about the influence of their musical heroes? I also noticed it in their closing track, “Pictures That Are Worth The Wait.” It’s like some of the essences of The Beatles have been dropped into their tracks and blended in with Ghost Moves’ own sound. In “The Sun That Meets The Sign,” the heavily processed vocals remind me a bit of the late ‘60s psychedelic era. The pulsing guitar, however, has more of a classic/indie rock vibe to it, reminiscent of bands like Blur and Muse.
Listen to ‘Echo Moment’ by Ghost Moves on Spotify:
“We understand many listeners may feel it’s more like a mixtape at times with different styles going on, but that’s cool with us. We’re all into a lot of different stuff, like Progressive Rock, New Wave, Metal, Britpop, Electronic, Hip-Hop, etc, so such a response was probably inevitable”
– Dean Bowmer, Ghost Moves
Creative experimentation is key to Ghost Moves. In their third track, “Decades,” there’s an interesting bit in the beginning where they sample parts of radio songs and some lovely, crackly distortion for a few seconds. The song discusses the nostalgia of listening to ‘oldies’ on the radio station and maybe even hints that we’re in a new era where the radio is no longer important. This is shown by lyrics like: “We’re just chasing it back like a maniac” and “When you’re chasing the track/There’s no going back.”
In the end, there’s more distorted chatter, creating an illusion that a live radio signal is slowly bleeding into the song. Unconventional processes are prioritised to create something truly original; Ghost Moves has done this very well. The last 30 seconds or so of “Black Dog” – surely influenced by Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” – features a filter panning out to the left and right sort of spiralling into the listener’s spatial field, creating a kind of audio vortex. There’s a growling electronic bass that comes alive as the drums go on, like some kind of intense musical undergrowth on the move as the song ends.
If you fancy a mixture of nostalgic Beatles-esque rock and ‘70s punk paired with ‘90s indie rock, this will be your jam. Ghost Moves plans to go on tour soon, so make sure to stay tuned on their website and social media platforms; Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter (X). Get in touch with the IAMUR team for coverage, reviews and interviews here.
