GHOST TWIN ‘Plastic Heart’
Rating: 9 / 10 Stars
GHOST TWIN is: Karen Asmundson and Jaimz Asmundson
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REVIEW – Ghost Twin are an electro pop duo from Winnipeg, and Plastic Heart is the kind of record that immediately makes it clear they understand exactly what they want their music to feel like. Husband and wife duo Karen and Jaimz Asmundson create something dark, seductive, strange, and surprisingly easy to get lost in. Think of Siouxsie and the Banshees scoring the soundtrack to an 80’s cop show, only filtered through a much colder, more modern electronic atmosphere.
There is such a mood hanging over this record. The darkness is everywhere, but it never becomes dull or lifeless. The grooves are danceable, industrial, hypnotic, and built around the chemistry between the two of them. You can hear that Ghost Twin understand each other’s strengths and know exactly when to step forward and when to pull back. That connection is a huge part of why the album works.
The vocals have this sultry, intoxicating darkness to them that gives the entire record an almost cinematic quality. Plastic Heart feels like a soundtrack to the future made through the sounds and textures of the past. There is something familiar buried inside these songs, but it never feels like Ghost Twin are simply trying to recreate another era. They take those influences and twist them into something that feels entirely their own.
A lot of these songs would be perfect in some underground club you have never been to, where the lights are low, the room feels unfamiliar, and you look across the floor and see the one person who suddenly defines the entire moment. This is that kind of record. It feels mysterious, intimate, and dangerous without ever trying too hard to be any of those things.
This is also absolutely a cd to seduce someone with. There is a confidence to the album that comes through in the pacing, the production, and the overall atmosphere. Ghost Twin never sound like they are rushing to prove anything. They simply build the mood and let the listener fall into it.
Bands and cds like this are exactly why outlets like CMJ used to matter so much. This is the kind of music that deserves discovery. If college radio ever got behind something like this and put it into rotation, it is easy to imagine Ghost Twin finding a much larger audience. There is enough accessibility here to pull people in, but enough darkness and personality to make them stay.
I got the appetizer with their EP, and that left me wanting more. Plastic Heart delivers on that promise and then some. This album has me wanting everyone else to try this band and see what they are capable of. There is a boldness to what Ghost Twin are doing, but more importantly, there is a real identity behind it.
This could easily be called a “Soundtrack to a Noir.” It is atmospheric, stylish, dark, seductive, and constantly interesting. Ghost Twin are making music that feels as exciting as it is mysterious, and Plastic Heart proves they deserve far more attention than they are getting.
This band should be huge.
For more information on GHOST TWIN, visit:
www.GhostTwin.com
www.Facebook.com/GhostTwin
www.Twitter.com/GhostTwinMusic
www.Instagram.com/GhostTwin
www.YouTube.com/@GhostTwin
www.Spotify.com/Artist/GhostTwin