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L.A.-based bedroom/dream pop outfit Ghost Pavilion (aka James Higgs) plumbs the depths of escapism in a series of affecting visuals that function, ostensibly, as a backdrop to the soundtrack of doomsday scrolling on his debut full-length and self-titled LP, mastered by GRAMMY-nominated engineer John Baldwin (The White Stripes, Iggy Pop, Sly Stone). Higgs tracked Ghost Pavilion at home in Los Angeles, a departure from his work with Charles Burst—former Seaside Lounge owner/engineer (The National, St. Vincent and Paul Banks of Interpol have recorded here)—in Brooklyn, New York, where he recorded Traces and the Oblivion EP, as well as his most recent single, “Bleed on Sunset.”
“All of these videos were influenced by our modern lenses,” says Higgs. “We get our news through sound bites, expressions by way of emojis, and ideas in less than 280 characters.” Higgs juxtaposes these lenses with dancy, synth-laden rhythms, hazy guitars and dreamlike soundscapes to temper the zeitgeist of modern tech and its unruly fixation with efficacy.
Flooded with anxiety and existential dread, Higgs wrote “Fallout” at the beginning of lockdown, recalling a dreaded trip to yet another supermarket with limited supplies, but this time to the tune of Bobby McFerrin’s indelible “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” blaring over the speakers. Higgs remembers asking himself the obvious, “Is this it?” Appropriately, the accompanying visual for the single illuminates an ultimate sense of inevitability, illustrating the fiery hellscapes of climate change with a vehicle winding through a forest fire, surrounded by ashes and houses up in flames. “I wanted to lean into this sense of dread completely, without looking for a resolution,” says Higgs.
Predominantly commentary on the dystopian jack-in-the-box news cycle that plagues our push notifications, Ghost Pavilion manages to plant more palatable curios in between its cyberpunk chillwave spells, ones bearing transience, resilience and the joy of movement in liminal spaces. If not for touches of romanticism and whimsy on album highlights, “Hush” and “Should’ve Known,” it might be difficult to quell the consequential blitz of “Fallout” or the inimical, Scott Walker-indebted thrust of “Serves You Right.”
Following the ashes of his former, critically acclaimed band Spanish Prisoners, who shared bills with DIIV and Youth Lagoon, Higgs relocated from New York City to his hometown of Los Angeles. He credits this move as the motivation behind previous releases, kickstarting his solo career and enjoying the spoils of creative freedom.
Over the years, Higgs has enjoyed playing these songs for more intimate audiences and at smaller festivals like Echo Park Rising, though it’s been increasingly difficult for him to substantiate live performances, surrounded by close friends and family. “It still feels weird to me: ‘Come see my band play and put yourselves at risk,’” he mimics. “As things calm, if they do, maybe one day I’ll get the band back together, but right now this is the comfortable thing for me to do.”
Higgs is more concerned with his collagist approach toward media, as made evident by the hyperreal ethos of Ghost Pavilion, with its ensemble of visuals depicting everything from futurism, the fetishization of technology and the modern era’s obsession with progress, to repression of the disenfranchised, and the collective deterioration of attentiveness and memory, as we know it.
The visual aesthetic of Ghost Pavilion’s album art mirrors the sleek production and minimal backdrops used to create Ghost Pavilion’s sound. These visuals evolved from the long-term collaboration of Higgs and visual artist Adam Guzman. Guzman currently provides the visual content for many high-profile clients such as Nosaj Thing and Toro y Moi.
An exercise in resiliency and self-awareness, contingent upon the bandwidth of human emotion, Ghost Pavilion is a triumph over solipsistic tendencies, with a bird-eye view of everyday self-destruction. “I kept coming back to movement,” says Higgs. “Getting beyond barriers or bad experiences through movement.” And that’s precisely what he does on “All Along,” the existential finale of the record. “I wanted to reflect on grief,” says Higgs. “Passing away into the unknown, and just taking a step back from the microscope.”
Fortunately, we can expect some live solo performances from Ghost Pavilion. “More of the promotion will be online,” says Higgs. “I’ll still carry on with live performances. They’ll just be online… for now.” Look for Ghost Pavillion’s full-length debut, Ghost Pavilion, streaming everywhere on October 14, 2022.
“Synth-rich, lo-fi atmospheric sound.” – The Deli Magazine
“Beachy guitars, sparkling Casio synth tones, and thumping bass lines create a hazy-yet-danceable sound that falls somewhere between Tame Impala’s Currents and Toro Y Moi’s Boo Boo. – New Noise Magazine
“If you fux with Washed Out and Beach House, give Ghost Pavilion’s poignant bedroom pop a try.” – Rob Kenner (Complex, VIBE, Mass Appeal)
“Ranging from golden era disco to intricate jazz ensembles, Higgs develops a lush,
multi-layered soundscape.” – PopMatters
