New Ghost, a dynamic act bridging genres, has released their highly anticipated album, A Dagger in Every Tide, on September 6, 2024. Following a captivating performance at Portals 2024, the band showcases an expansive and rich soundscape that traverses through various musical styles, including alternative rock, shoegaze, and post-rock.
The album opens with 'Like Lazarus,' evoking nostalgic images reminiscent of a child's journey into Lavender Town. The track smoothly introduces listeners to the band's comforting warmth and sincerity, drawing comparisons to influential bands such as Copeland. This initial offering sets the tone for a project that is both vast and emotionally resonant.
The energetic "Cherry Violence" offers an engaging contrast, blending alt-metal and shoegaze with a unique identity while nodding to Deftones’ heavier influences. As the album progresses, tracks like 'Viscera' and 'Dreamsong' display a masterful interplay of delicate celestial vocals and powerful guitar fuzz, showcasing the band's versatility. A cohesive storytelling thread runs throughout this album, with personal narratives that reflect profound emotional experiences. The song 'Wayfarer' stands out by deviating from the established alternative rock framework, reinforcing New Ghost's artistic depth.
Vocalists Chris Anderson and Ellie Richards create a soothing atmosphere that enhances the album's narrative complexity. The grand finale builds to an epic crescendo, making for a reflective closure that prompts the listener to engage in subsequent playthroughs. New Ghost's A Dagger in Every Tide is a triumphant exploration of sound that appeals to dedicated fans across a robust array of sub-genres, earning it a score of 9/10 from critics, such as Andy Calder of Noizze.
For those interested in diving deeper into their sound, the album is available for pre-order here.