The second full-length from NYC-based band Adios Ghost, Happy House consumes in its melding of electronica, funk, rock, and beyond, marking a vibrant success for the act. Produced by Phil Mossman, formerly of LCD Soundsystem, these live-tracked sessions blend shimmering synths with grooving bass to create a seamless, danceable listening experience.
The album has a multitude of highlights, consistently melodic and stylish in its array of moody guitars, vibrant synths, and soulfully expressive vocals. Album cut “D.Y.T.” first caught our ears last year, with its prancing synths and funky bass, and the rest of Happy House struts similarly strong productions and songwriting. Among the highlights, “If Anything” dazzles with its overall tonal development, maneuvering from shimmering synths into a funk-tinged ascent. Vocals beckon to “take a closer look” with seductive enthrallment, ascending seamlessly to a falsetto-reaching ardor and spacey synth entrancement; the melding of spacey synths, grooving bass, and heightening vocals make for a fantastic listening experience.
Another standout track, “I Don’t Mind” navigates an initially more solemn, melancholic synth/guitar interplay — nocturnal in its hazy soundscape, compared to the bright, punchy aforementioned two tracks. Gurgling bass and wordless vocal momentum arrive into a beautifully glistening array of synths, with the “if you wanna get next to me” vocal temptations moving in seamlessly. The mixture of suave vocals and ardently harmonious complements stir amidst the dynamic production, spanning from initial subduedness to a more effervescent pull. The ensuing “In Your Car (True Wheels)” also delights, the lyricism’s “feels so long ago” retrospections of a fated meeting combining with both sharp guitar twangs and dreamy synth serenity. Happy House is an excellent full-length from Adios Ghost, who find a perfect balance between heady electronics and head-nodding rock/pop synergy.
Stream the album in full, below:
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Three album tracks and other standouts featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
