My Ghosts go Ghost by By Storm
#1
I received this album with a lot of excitement, after being mind-boggled by Injury Reserve’s final project in 2022. Their first project since reforming as “By Storm” is a triumph through and through, showing the group experimenting with gentler, folktronica-influenced sounds. From the first track (“Can I Have You For Myself?”) showcases some of the most beautiful and acoustic sounds they’ve ever created, before exploding into a glitchy, disorienting waltz. This contrast between pastoral beauty and cacophony brings to mind artists like Xiu Xiu - a comparison that also stands when looking at instrumentation like the eerie, distorted violin on “Best Interest.” Coupled with the group’s lyrics about grief and personal strife, My Ghosts go Ghost can be a demanding album to unpack (even if it’s less apocalyptic than Injury Reserve’s prior work), but it’s undeniably poignant and interesting.