Blood Red Shoes
Ghosts On Tape – Veleveteen Records
If, like us, you find yourself drawn to the darker side of the human psyche then you’ll find a spiritual home in Blood Red Shoes and their latest album, the aptly titled Ghosts On Tape. Both ethereal and otherworldly, yet sometimes heavy as hell, this a record that seems to emanate from another dimension and they don’t come more phantasmal than opening track ‘Comply’. With a haunting piano motif, it’s akin to a fishing hook in the cheek and you have no choice but to obey its irretractable pull as layers of glacial synths entomb the listener and make songs like ‘Give Up’ and ‘Sucker’ the very epitome of gothic coldness. The lyricism, told from the perspective of outsiders and the ostracised, is equally disconcerting and the two combine to create an uneasy (though not unpleasant) experience. However, Ghosts On Tape is a strangely therapeutic listen and by the time we hit final song ‘Four Two Seven’ and the words “I’m scared to let go, it hurts so comfortable” we’re left with the feeling that certain evil spirits have been exorcised.
Review by Peter Dennis