July 5 will see the return of Tyler Costolo’s alternative lo-fi project, Ghost Fan Club. After a few detours into other projects, the self-titled EP will re-establish Ghost Fan Club as a name to watch in the music industry with its aching and melancholy discography. The record will be preceded by singles “Shoulders” and “Now and Then,” the latter releasing on June 14.
Costolo first started making music in 2017 under his own name, beginning his career as a folk artist. After releasing a few tracks, he became Two Meters and began working under the bedroom pop genre. This project slowly evolved into heavier, dissonant sounds released under labels like Very Jazzed and knifepunch records, the latter being responsible for the artist's upcoming EP.
Ghost Fan Club first debuted in 2020 as an outlet for Costolo to release his softer music, including a collection of singles and the “Goodbye World, Hello Ghosts” EP in 2021. After this release, Costolo briefly returned to the Two Meters project for a stint of metal-inspired production while working on the upcoming Ghost Fan Club EP.
The self-titled EP revisits Costolo’s slowcore and bedroom pop influences and some of the folk inspiration of his early days, but with subtle hints to the urgent edge of metal music. This is primarily due to the addition of drummer Tom Morris to the project, allowing for a consistent contrast between lush instrumentals and a pounding intensity.
“I wanted actual drums for the first time in my music making journey, which is where Tom Morris came in,” Costolo said in a provided press release. “I think that addition really makes a difference between these songs and my previous body of work.”
The record itself serves as an auditory metaphor for its themes, with the juxtaposition between instruments representing the instability of life and the passage of time. Costolo tactfully handles these themes that spiral into explorations of depression and grief.
“I wrote these songs during a point of major turmoil in my life,” Costolo said in a provided press release. “I was mostly drifting along, trying to make peace with so much of my existence being out of my control and time slipping by while I was trying to catch up. I started working on a lot of the songs all the way back in 2021 but wasn’t in a situation where I could comfortably record. I felt desperate to get the tracks finished but was bouncing around unable to find any footing, which I think you can feel in the songs themselves.”
“Ghost Fan Club” begins with the brief and hazy “Intro,” a precarious instrumental interlude. The track introduces the album’s overall energy with layers of lush guitar given an edge from the drums.
“Intro” is followed by “Love Bug,” which introduces Costolo’s pained and Cage the Elephant-esque vocals in a delicate package. The layered, strained vocals are occasionally interrupted by monotonous refrains that tinge the song with deep sadness. The track pays homage to the folk influences of the artists former works, but with an interspersing of electric guitar and repetitive synth riffs lending it a simple charm.
The two lead singles, “Shoulders” and “Now and Then,” are certainly standouts. “Shoulders” is a mystical track full of repeated acoustic guitar strumming, a sliding riff on a crisp electric guitar and unharmonious vocals. The highlight of the song occurs halfway through when the drums seem to have a conversation with the electric guitar, going back and forth between a few seconds of intense drumming and thoughtful plucking.
“Now and Then” ends the EP with a loose structure still following the same general concepts of the rest of the album. The track’s most heart wrenching lyrics, “I’m happy now and then/But at least I pretend,” are stylistically broken up into small phrases that pack a punch.
The other two songs on the record, “Please” and “Brave,” both create a similar, all-encompassing energy. The vocals in “Please” sound like a radio transmission, with the beat engulfed in a similar layer of haze. “Brave” features guitar reminiscent of Yo La Tengo and vocals communicated in barely a whisper.
“Ghost Fan Club” poignantly explores the depths of the creators emotions. The EP is characterized by its imperfections and deftly balances musicality and authenticity. The upcoming July 5 release will move listeners and inspire them to join the club.
