Ghost Wave

While largely another act in a long list of rock ‘n’ roll revivalists, Ghost Wave have picked and chosen what works for them and rinsed it until it almost sounds pure again. They won’t escape the debate for or against revivalism itself, because their influences are so apparent (and mostly go by the last name Kilgour), but it helps that no one is likely to mistake them for any of the acts they have used as a springboard on their debut EP.

Over seven songs as effervescent as they are Spartan, Ghost Wave employ lackadaisical guitar, propulsive bass and echoing vocals blanketed in a hazy hue of post-production, which while nothing new, still sounds fresh thanks to the confidence in their songwriting. It’s something that isn’t often exhibited from a new band, who are usually still searching for the kind of 20/20 vision that Ghost Wave already seem to have.

Opener ‘Sounds’ is the perfect example of just how fully formed they have arrived. It gives listeners a taste of everything that awaits them, including the limitations to their template. Even over this shortened set of songs, the psychedelia that envelops a lot of the finer aural details gets a little repetitive. Thankfully though, when the acoustic guitar breaks on ‘Gold’, ‘Hippy’ speeds up proceedings, or ‘Shade’ slows them right down again, it’s obvious that there are more ideas on the table than first meets the eye.

Having said that, the intoxicating simplicity of ‘Sunsetter’ is so perfectly realised, amalgamating everything from Surf City and David Kilgour’s solo sets to early Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, that it’s hard to describe it as anything other than a bona fide pop hit. ‘On A Breeze’ and ‘Mood Ring’ are cut from the same cloth, but opt to jam where ‘Sunsetter’ remains on track.

The most important thing this EP achieves is that it makes you want more. There is a lot of potential here to change shape in a way that doesn’t comfortably fit a mould, but rather gives them a chance to sit alongside the bands they so clearly love. From the sound of Ghost Wave, there’s no reason to think they can’t achieve that.

Read more: http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/utr/review/CID/480/N/Ghost-Wave.utr#ixzz1calqP8L5
- Under The Radar

With some of the momentum of the Clean, urgent droning vocals and pure psychedelic guitar jangle, this debut EP by Auckland-based three-piece Ghost Wave touches a lot of familiar places - you could add JPSE and some of the Manchester guitar bands to those reference points - but they do it with such economy and style it comes off as joyous ... and the sound of a band on a mission.

The first single from this peppy seven-song collection is the shimmering, unashamedly poppy Sunsetter which lifts its sights from shoe-gazing into a summery swirl of guitars and airy vocals.

The longest piece here - at just four minutes - is the darker psyched-out trip of Mood Ring which sounds closer to Krautrock of the 70s.

They aren't afraid to pull themselves back for Shade (the Clean/David Kilgour with surf guitar), then let fly with the quasi-industrial attack of the thrilling Hippy at the end which is urgent rock and - like everything here - doesn't outstay its welcome.

Tight, smart and more than just the sum of their influences, this is a band with an impressive and wide-ranging debut which more than just hints at the better which will undoubtedly come.

From the trippy opener Sounds, they deliver on all fronts.

Stars: 4/5
Verdict: First time out trio impresses on a slightly retro but exciting debut

- TimeOut / elsewhere.co.nz - NZ Herald

Seeing as it’s cold outside and whatnot, what better to offset autumnal chills (aside from soup and a scarf) than a sun-baked song from jingly-jangly New Zealanders, Ghost Wave? Taken from the band’s eponymous debut EP, flagship single, ‘Hippy’, should inject a little warmth and levity into your dark October day.

Sticking to a temperate theme, if ‘Hippy’ were a sunbed on the crowded seashore of lo-fi indie music, it would come sandwiched somewhere between Wavves, Real Estate and – Ghost Wave’s Antipodean affiliates – Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Which is by no means a bad thing, because, like Wavves ‘Post Acid’ or Real Estate’s ‘Easy’, this louche little number exudes rays of ragged psychedelia and simple, untroubled charm in the most winsome of ways.

And – while it doesn’t exactly burn with UMO’s brighter light of originality – it does what it does, and does it well. - CMU