james murray: killing ghosts

In 2012, James Murray released what was to become a bit of a seminal work in the highly praised Floods. He has since released superb records on a number of labels such as Hibernate, Eilean, VoxxoV, as well as a recent return to the Ultimae label. On Killing Ghosts, James presents a truly perfect melding of exquisite sub-bass melodies under a surface of playful tones and fractured rhythms. The album itself has a feel of slow change and evolution as it journeys from the melodiously open electronica of "Footsteps" and slowly down the rabbit hole as it waves you out with tracks such as "Allways" and "Living Ghosts". The work embodies everything that is great about the work of this enormously talented artist, as beyond its catchy entrance points, it is possibly one of the best examples of pure sound design Home Normal have released. Such a combination of melody and careful design takes a huge amount of skill, care, and patience - a genuine highlight in Home Normal's eight years as a label.