Home / Arts and Entertainment / Ghost: Mystical Japanese Psych Reissued
Ghost: Mystical Japanese Psych Reissued
21 Sep
Summary
- Early 90s albums capture mystical Japanese psych titans.
- Ghost performed in unique locations like fields and ruins.
- Albums feature solemn psychedelia and confounding improv.
Drag City has reissued three seminal albums from the Japanese psychedelic band Ghost, originally released on the P.S.F. label in the early 1990s. The self-titled debut, 'Second Time Around' (1992), and the live document 'Temple Stone' (1994) are now available, preserving the group's most mystical period.
Ghost, formed in the 1980s, established a unique identity by performing in non-traditional venues such as fields, ruins, and caves, eschewing typical rock clubs. This approach contributed to their reputation as an "arcane religious sect" rather than a conventional band.
Their music is described as solemn psychedelia, opiated folk rock, and experimental improvisation. Lead singer Masaki Batoh noted that their creativity comes from external sources, stating, "Music falls from highest sphere. We don't make music. It's born naturally." This ethos permeates their reissued work.
The reissues highlight Ghost's distinctive sound, which includes elements of folkadelic sway, garage rock, and ritualistic tones. Comparisons have been drawn to artists like Popol Vuh and the experimental jamming of the Taj-Mahal Travellers, showcasing Ghost's unique place in psychedelic music.
