Ghosts Outside

As the driving force behind indie-electro darlings The Beta Band, Steve Mason always demonstrated a remarkable affinity for unorthodox production techniques and sly, unexpected fusions of straight-ahead folk rock with an dizzying array of styles, including acid house, dancehall, and minimal electronica. Mason tapped famously eclectic reggae producer Dennis "Blackbeard" Bovell to create Ghosts Outside, a dubbed-out reworking of his otherwise understated 2010 solo release, Boys Outside. Bovell is no stranger to England’s underground rock scene, having produced records for post-punk legends like The Slits, The Pop Group, and Orange Juice. On Ghosts Outside, Bovell brings his singular style to bear on Mason’s quirky electro-pop, producing a satisfyingly traditional dub album that isn’t sonically dissimilar from some of his classic early-‘80s releases like I Wah Dub and At 10 Downing Street. Though Mason’s songs form the source material for all the tracks here, this is essentially Bovell’s show. And while Mason fans will want to explore Ghosts Outside, its foremost appeal is as a classic-sounding dub release.