Xander Ghost

Xander Ghost is the latest producer-turned-artist to step out from behind the boards and have a crack at making his own music as a singer-songwriter. While little is known about the LA-based creative, his debut album, Psychotropica, dropped last week and is a cathartic experience steeped in dark R&B flavors and The Weeknd-esque vocals, making it one of the surprise releases of the year. The 15 track album takes influence from a variety of genres, from 90s R&B ("Venomous Heart"), slick guitar pop ("NHWDT") through to the trip-hop production of personal favorite "Subliminal."  Featuring a bluesy guitar riff bridging the thrilling beat, Ghost soulfully croons, "I make mistakes sometimes / I promise never again," his velvet voice dripping with pleading emotion. The track ends with a spoken word segment where Ghost claims the "most unfair thing about life is death," and we should live our life in reverse, a la Benjamin Button.  Psychotropica is a diverse project that's begging for a listen and I urge you to give it a crack here. You won't be disappointed.