Alternative rockers Ohmme’s new album, Fantasize Your Ghost (via Joyful Noise Recordings), takes its listeners on an explorative journey. Fronted by the classically-trained multi-instrumentalists Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart, Ohmme embraces experimental sounds throughout their album.
“That’s the whole genesis of the band,” says Cunningham, “walking up to our guitars and saying, ‘how can we make this noisemaker do something different?'”
Steeped in beautiful vocal harmonies and odd guitar parts, Fantasize Your Ghost takes no prisoners as it effortlessly transcends genres—blending elements of avant-garde noise rock, jazz, classical, and conventional alt-rock.
The album’s opening song, “Flood Your Gut” acts to smoothly welcome the listener to the project’s unique sound. The listener is greeted by the ambient sounds of the night such as the soft chirps of a cricket in a meadow which is then complimented with the introduction of a simple guitar chord progression. At this point, without knowing Ohmme, you might assume they are following in the traditional alternative rock album framework, however, upon the entrance of a droning trumpet-like lead guitar part and intricately soft vocal harmonies, the song quickly picks up and escalates into a complex piece of art.
There are constant shifts throughout as the song’s tempo quickly changes between legato, staccato, and then back again without warning. A lead guitar part howls out like an animal calling into the night. In the hands of a lesser band, these musical elements might become overly cacophonous but Ohmme shows us how well they can handle themselves musically.
For example, on track, “Selling Candy,” Ohmme manages to combine harmonious, choir-like vocals with noise-rock instrumentation, merging two seemingly opposed genres seamlessly together.
Two other stand out songs on Fantasize Your Ghost are “The Limit” and “Spell It Out” . Both songs feature some of the prettiest vocals on the album, with harmonies that forcefully wash over the listener. “The Limit” is a fast and fun art-pop song begging to be danced to, whereas “Spell It Out” is a grandiose and expansive song that features wind chimes, violins, and marching band drum patterns.
Fantasize Your Ghost is odd and experimental. It draws influence from a huge variety of genres in a way which wouldn’t seem to work at first. Ohmme simultaneously channels Phillip Glass, The Velvet Underground, and Peter, Paul, and Mary on these beautifully unique tracks. And yet, in the hands of Cunningham and Stewart these musical ideas combine to form a remarkable album.
Listen to Fantasize Your Ghost below, and let us know what you think of Ohmme’s new album in the comment section below!
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