More about: Holiday Ghosts

In the search for a definitive embrace of New Wave nostalgia, Holiday Ghosts’ latest album is the answer. With choruses that wouldn’t sound unusual in a song by The Cure, Holiday Ghosts is the future of alternative eighties-inspired hits. After their 2022 Credit Note EP, which marked the band’s engagement with punk rock, Absolute Reality provides a more expansive exploration of the genre together with the age-old joys of musical nostalgia. 

Absolute Reality starts as it intends to go on with its explosive opening track ‘Rocket’. A jolly guitar riff breaks into fuller instrumentation in this initially playground-suited song. Holiday Ghosts encapsulate the more whimsical and nostalgic aspects of their sound, cleverly blending this chirpy motif with darker and increasingly angsty lyrics. Though the guitar lines aren’t anything revolutionary, there’s definitely an art to recreating the sound of sixties rock ‘n roll with such youthful, New Wave-inspired energy.

"There’s something undeniably likeable about the band’s unique take on alternative rock, culminating in music perfect for a summer soundtrack infused with nostalgia..."

Subsequent tracks ‘Favourite Freak’ and ‘Again and Again’ maintain this upbeat tempo, with the former introducing Katja Rackin’s effortlessly nonchalant vocals. Whilst the relentless stream of upbeat guitar riffs might seem repetitive, it intentionally cements Holiday Ghosts’ decided aesthetic. There’s something undeniably likeable about the band’s unique take on alternative rock, culminating in music perfect for a summer soundtrack infused with nostalgia. 

After the pleasantly calmer feel of ‘Limbo’ and ‘Blue’, interrupted by the fiery hand-picked guitars of ‘Vulture’, Absolute Reality returns to its impressively energetic momentum. This waltzy interlude is vital, however. Once again the band’s vocalists are given an opportunity to shine, with a charming rawness reminiscent of artists like Kimya Dawson. There’s a comforting homemade feel to both slower tracks like ‘Blue’ and more energetic moments seen in ‘Vulture’. Funky bass lines initially sound improvised, with their repetition and development maintaining the feel of a casual live jam session. 

Absolute Reality’s titular track appears in the last three songs on the LP. It highlights the dexterity of Holiday Ghosts as they shift from their predominantly nostalgia-packed upbeat rock to an eerie blend of monotone vocals that hint at a degree of experimentation. Uncanny lyrics like “I missed the bus, so I use my feet” combine simplicity with surrealism, demonstrating the band’s modern twist on New Wave absurdism. 

Absolute Reality finishes with one of its most fascinating tracks: ‘Big Cold River’. Softer acoustic guitar kicks off an oddly calming yet surreal end to such an explosive fourth album. Dissonance blends with beautiful vocal harmonies, which are considerably less raw than before. “I choose my disguise, but I cannot leave this beating heart behind” sing the band. ‘Big Cold River’ summarises the intent of the entire album – a cathartic expression of anger, love and heat that harks back to musical nostalgia. ‘Big Cold River’ is so calming, in fact, that it almost feels as though the rest of the album serves as a build-up to this final emotional release. Though this would brashly overlook the aesthetic and musical charm of Absolute Reality’s preceding tracks, there’s something to be said for this shocking but peaceful dive into Holiday Ghosts’ ‘Big Cold River’. 

Absolute Reality shines amongst Holiday Ghosts’ earlier repertoire. It provides the perfect mix of the band’s typical songwriting with more experimental tracks that see further contentions with surrealism, dissonance and instrumentation. It’s an impressive reminder of Holiday Ghosts’ excitingly raw engagement with their influences, resulting in a collection of charming tracks perfect for an alternative summer soundtrack. 

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More about: Holiday Ghosts