Premiere + Q&A: Ghost Culture – ‘Multiply’

A direct, ecstatic return...

It's been little over a year since the release of Ghost Culture's debut album, yet the producer is still surging ahead.

Taking a break from his unrelenting live schedule the London-based artist hopped back into the studio, pouring his energies into fresh material.

Completing a handful of tracks, Ghost Culture recently released a one off 12 inch via Phantasy. The release featured two brand new tracks, with Clash able to present 'Multiply' to you before anyone else.

It's a driving, direct, ecstatic return, with the producer pushing his hardware to the limit. Recalling everything from proto-techno jackers to his own live show, Ghost Culture reins in the energy just enough to deliver something genuinely emphatic.

Clash caught up with Ghost Culture for a short Q&A – check it out after the jump.

It's been a year since the release of your debut album, how do you think that experience has changed you as an artist?
Having a body of work complete and out in the open gives you a chance to reflect and decide what of it you would keep doing and what you could do differently in the next phase. My methods for creativity are much the same as they ever have been, but in changing focus regularly from club orientated music, to music that I would see as my next body of work, I found that I wanted different things for both of them.

The new release is club-rooted, do you need to get that out of your system? Was the material prompted by your DJ sets / live shows?
I set out to make something specifically for clubs because I felt that if I bought many of my other influences to the table when making a DJ style track, it might muddy it in sonics and in intention. I wanted something at this stage with clear intention in the interim whilst I work on the next album.

Do you tend to play new material out? Does this aid the creative process?
Yes – sometimes before its mixed properly or mastered, its good to hear these things at a different level to where you’ve been hearing them before. I don’t tend to look to a crowd for a reaction that might satisfy something, but I do ask myself whether it’s pushing the right buttons for me.

What can you tell us about 'Multiply'? What prompted this track?
I made 'Multiply' in a cafe! I was sitting there and the riff came to me, so I just got my laptop out and started programming. I rarely use any software instruments, but this called for it, only because I spent a good few hours in that cafe writing it and when I went to replace the sounds with real synths it just wasn’t working. I’m not sure what prompted it, I think I actually made it before ‘Safe', I’d been listening to a lot of Audion/Spectral sound stuff at the time.

There's an almost psychedelic edge to the sound, do you draw from beyond electronic music? What other sounds inspire you?
I think this might be coming from where I’m at with my album. It’s full of psychedelic flurry, rises and falls. This will be coming from what I’m listening to – a lot of live drums, bass, horns!

– – –

Ghost Culture's new 12 inch 'Safe' / 'Multiply' is out now – vinyl // digital.

Photo Credit: Daniele Fummo

Buy Clash Magazine

-
Join the Clash mailing list for up to the minute music, fashion and film news.