Geelong acoustic duo Ghost Orchid – composed of two celebrated indie artists from different bands: Matt Wilkinson (LEEDEN) and Nathan Mossop (The Vainz) – have got a bit of a Vance Joy vibe and we’re also tipping they’re into Fleet Foxes (if not, they should be).
The pair’s self-titled debut record contains ten songs named after rare flowers (including the standout title track, which could get confusing): ‘Ghost Orchid’, the song, is resplendent with glorious spectral harmonies supplied by Libby Leissner and Stephanie Wolf Matthews.
Footsteps squelching through gravelly terrain, bird calls, a whistling refrain, mini-orchestra playing off in the distance and did we just hear a blowfly buzzing by? – ‘Bloom’, the record’s opening instrumental, sets an outdoorsy scene.
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“The rolling mist rolls in across the waves and so it begins…” – what a cracking opening line! Thigh-slappin’ barnstormer ‘Fire Lily’ is a deadset dancefloor-filler with its persistent, stomp-box beat and truly peaks once additional, “Hey! Hey!” enter the mix (that’ll be when the loose do-si-dos kick off). Mossop’s masterful, frenetic guitar playing deserves special mention here.
Closer ‘Corpse Flower’, with its emotive piano stabs, trails out like a triumphant conga line disappearing over the horizon – jubilant brass leading the way.
Overall this is blooming marvellous stuff from Ghost Orchid. File under: ones to watch.
Listen here.
Release date: 22 July