Ghost Games

On Ghost Games, D.C.'s guitar-free quartet Apes create a sound that acts as a window to an alternate world, some strange dimension where Black Sabbath and Deep Purple team up to create a dense, swirling storm of organ, impossibly fuzzy bass, and soaring vocals. This effort is a showcase for Apes' ability to write dynamic, shifting songs that find the band pairing sparse arrangements with heavy dirges of organ and Moog with a feeling that has decidedly less garage influence. Instead, Ghost Games finds the group making a decisive shift toward a darker, heavier, and more atmospheric psychedelic influence. A notable change on this record is vocalist Breck Brunson replacing Paul Weil. Brunson's versatile falsetto is a perfect accompaniment for Apes' sound, effortlessly soaring over the wall of low-end fuzz while delivering the irreverent lyrics that the band is known for. "Practice Hiding" and "Info Ghost" really show off the dynamic tones at work on the album, with the interplay between Brunson's voice and the organs creating an effect where the high notes seem higher and the low notes feel impossibly low, filling the entire sonic spectrum. "Beat of the Double" and "First Light" have a lush and atmospheric feeling thanks to a more bare-bones arrangement that allows the reverb-rich organ and synthesizers to fill up the space, creating a vast, dark soundscape for the listener to get lost in. With Ghost Games, Apes have expanded their sound and pushed their brand of experimental art pop even further than before, making this one of their most exciting and enjoyable works to date.