EP Review: Swoon Lake Bring ‘”Ghost Folk” To Haunt
Swoon Lake’s Like Being In A Mouth is an oddly befitting title for this shattering three-track EP. Often, the words we wish to say and the true emotions we want to convey stay in our mouths rather than out of them. Hence, in just three songs, this band has created music that is so real in its composition, it enters your soul to hold it through its dreams and tears. The ambiance of the EP is unsurprising considering this band calls their music genre “ghost folk”.
What makes “ghost music” Could it be the mystical blend of xylophone and guitar? Could it be the delicate heaviness of Melodie Stancato’s vocals? How about eerie lyrics on sleep paralysis? The answer is all of the above. Swoon Lake have coined “ghost folk” as a genre that hits you like a “gateway drug”. In it, you enter a surreal world where, although you are yourself, you are also a heightened version of “you”. The music makes you feel distant enough from your being to be observant like a ghost or someone whom has passed on to see life for what it is.
Track By Track Review:
I Might Shout: You ever feel like you have fallen into a dream? Like one minute you are walking and the next you are literally falling in you dream. This song oddly capture that very real, but fantastical sentiment by having an strange but hauntingly beautiful syncophony of guitar, xylophone, and vocals. The song stunningly captures every ounce of hurt and confusion one feels when their “uglier sentiments” make them want to SHOUT! Ironically, Stancato’s voice is gentle like a singular drop of rain falling to the ground.
Narcolepsy: This song is my favorite because of how deeply personal it was to the artist. Stancato suffers from sleep paralysis, which explains why this song has a dreamy, horror vibe to it. Rhythmically it feels like a frozen fantasy as Stancato’s soft voice observes the layers of her sub-conscious. When an artist makes a song that is reflective of their situation, it is musical magic because it captures the purpose of music: to be human.
Zucchini: The guitar is the real winner of this lovely track. Its melody is entrancing and almost makes you want to grab a pillow and let your mind drift. Again, Stancato’s lulling voice, matched with lyrics that are intended to make you wistfully think, give this song a subtle whimsical undertone.
What is most admirable and enjoyable about Like Being In A Mouth is that it is completely different. It may tussle between spooky and tranquil vibrations, but it never tussles with its greatness. Instead, it embodies the majestic world and imagination music can summon with just a quiet creep into your mind and a sonic dive into your heart. For More Information on Swoon Lake To Buy Like Being In A Mouth Click Here.
