The Mechanical Ghosts – The Monster (2020)
Created in early 2020, The Mechanical Ghosts is a band made up of two multi-instrumentalist friends. Philip Killingsworth (vocals, bass, guitar, keys) and Tyla-Joe Connett (drums, keyboards, guitar, bass) started writing and recording their debut EP in February 2020. The Monster has now been released and is immersing listeners in its cinematic energy.
The EP is a lyrical journey through positive and negative life experiences. It is also a personal perspective of contemporary society and culture. Some of the tracks have darker themes while others are a form of escape from anxiety and expectations.
The first track is ‘The Beast’ which is also the first single from the EP. The song captivates you with Killingsworth’s vocals which rise and fall with the melody. The performance is emotive and draws you into the darker theme of the track. The band uses driving beats and smooth vocals to tackle the idea that contemporary society turns people into someone they do not want to be. It is a very engaging track that has an understated depth to it.
‘Call to the Wild’ has a livelier opening that pulls you into the lyrics of the track. This song looks at escapism while wanting to hold onto someone we hold dear. There is a soaring chorus that grips you and flings you into the softer notes after. The lyrics of this track are worth a deeper look because they are evocative and really amazing.
‘My Own’ opens with a spoken word snippet and engaging drums. There is a fast-paced intensity to this track that hooks you from the first beat. The melody and vocal performance on this track are very different from the others on the EP. There are some wonderful melodic vocals with a soft melody that make this song into something extraordinary. The arrangement of this track makes it one of my favourite on the EP, but it does have stiff competition.
‘Traveller’ has this catchy synth opening full of tantalising notes and echoing tones. The tension is built with the opening and Killingsworth’s vocals bring you back down with his deep performance. There is a driving momentum to the melody that filter through the track making it wonderful to listen to. There are moments where the melody picks up to increase the tension of the song.
The title track ‘The Monster’ and has an atmospheric melody. This is a more soulful track that has a softer vibe to it. While the melody does pick up, the overall feel of the track is gentle. There is a lot of passion in this song with a hint of melancholy and despair thrown in. This is a very relatable track making it a strong contender as a favourite on the EP.
The last track is ‘Oceans’ which opens with a layered melody that would be disjointed if the vocals did not hold it all together. The opening leads to stable vocals and passionate performance. There is something anthemic about this track that makes you want to sing along. The texture of the song is very interesting and adds to the atmospheric vibe of the track.
The Mechanical Ghosts immerse you in a full-on listening experience with each track on The Monster. Each song has something different to add to the overall vibe of the EP, but they also work amazingly as stand-alone singles. There is something soulful and human about each song that draws you in and makes you enjoy it.
Find out more about The Mechanical Ghosts on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
