Ghoul

Ghoul released their debut EP A Mouthful Of Gold in January - hosting a free download on their Myspace. I remember for the first few listens, Ivan's vocals really annoyed me - muted falsetto cries with grunt, or something. Like Antony Hegarty, who I find really irritating if I'm not in the right mood for him.

I've been listening to the EP again this past month. Namely because people kept telling me about them and I finally caved and revisited the release. I don't usually do that. Most of the time i'll decide if I like something or not and then my mind is firmly made up. But this time. Who knows. People were persuasive. I am glad though, because I've been really enjoying it. Then I saw them live a month or so ago and they were really engaging!

What I like most is their un-sydney'ness. Sydney's music community is very focused on DJs and dance production, and while Ghoul have a heavily produced Atlas Sound vibe, they're still trying to keep things a little different. Theirs is a cluttered, abstracted sound sometimes jarring math rock and sometimes floaty and ambient. Every time I go out to a place that isn't my local pub (poached pears and cider = perfect post friday night family dinner), I hear bad disco remixes and way too many 10 min long Emperor Machine edits. Dear Sydney, please get a grip. So while I'm still not sold 100% on the vocal lines, I think Ghoul write good songs and have real potential to build themselves into one of the rare Aussie bands with international appeal - alongside their DIY peers My Disco, Seekae, Bearhug etc. Someone has to fill Wolfmother's boots.

'Swimming Pool' Ghoul Mp3 [z share]

(Download EP and additional tracks here)

Come see them on Monday if you can.

If you can't make it then, my amazing flatmate Katherine (she of Greedy Hen) is showing her new film at the MCA while they perform a live soundtrack as part of Vivid and Creative Sydney. The show is called low-fi & loving it and is free from 8pm on June 11th and it will be amazing.