Ghosts of Social Networks is the brain child of Nathan Till. Based in Manchester, he is backed by Nico Maccarinelli (drums), Andrea Gobbi (bass) and John Miles (guitar). After selling out the iconic Castle Hotel, they’re back with their new EP ‘My Lucifer’
We’ve lost count in recent years the amount of bands announcing Radiohead as an influence. It’s almost as if they want the kudos without any real connect. Ghosts of Social Networks, thankfully, and boldly, lay bare their Radiohead influence for all to see.
‘My Lucifier’ has the all the left field spirit of ‘In Rainbows’ and ‘Hail To Thief’ but, with a Yorke-esque vocal at his distinguished best days of ‘OK Computer’. Lifting the EP opener above just a Radiohead pastiche though are the Will Sergeant style guitars. They’ve taken, the already dark Bunnymen and distorted them further to sound incredibly fresh for 2019.
The combo of Bunnymen and Radiohead rears its head again on ‘Don’t’ Let Me Down’ on what, can only be described as a take no prisoner banger.
‘Master Disguise’ and ‘Drone’ demonstrate a world beyond the aforementioned though. The cascading riffs suggest a love of early Electric Soft Parade and the warped world of Mansun. ‘Drone’ achieves in 4mins what Foals have never quite managed, meaningful and menacing art rock! The brooding sense of violence and Till’s Jeff Buckley-esque vocal create an isolated and dangerous landscape. All the while, the melodic sense of lost classics from Thirteen Senses or South permeate to keep the merest chinks of hope alive.
This is by no means a masterpiece. However, such is the boldness already, this creative journey might just produce one.
*Image courtesy of Jennifer Beatrice