Garsa is essentially the solo work of Martin Garside who is the maestro of low-fi and beautifully expressed indie pop – veering between a delicate folk strum and a subtle electronic bedrock. The new single, ‘Ghosts’ emphatically continues this thread: it is a testament to strong and impassioned song-writing that floats on ethereal melodies.
And, importantly, Garsa doesn’t shy away from heavy topics – Ghosts is warning about climate change, a warning that is made all the more potent by Garside’s young son singing the last lines of the chorus: for it is his generation that will bear the heavy burdens we have collectively created:
…the inspiration for Ghosts came as a result of seeing a deer trapped on some private land surrounded by fences. It had managed to get in and couldn’t find its way back out. It got me thinking about the way humans treat the earth and the negative impact this has on nature, the environment and each other.
There is a political message in the song which is quite self-explanatory when you listen to the lyrics. It touches on the way todays actions will affect future generations and to help make that point, my nine-year-old son Lachlan-the next generation-sings the final chorus.
This is a beautiful, elegant and understated song, and is accompanied by a mesmerising video made by StefWithAnF (Pixabay):
There is a hypnotic quality to ‘Ghosts’ – it is simple, circular almost naive and childlike, which serves to underscore the message. It is a nursery rhyme for the damned.
This is the third brilliant release by Garsa – ‘Jimmy sour highs’ and ‘The Devil’s Own’ were reviewed by us here at Backseat Mafia. You can get the single through the link below and through all the usual sites:
