Trans-Atlantic alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghosts presents their new single ‘September’, heralding the release of the third long-player ‘Lusitanian Ghosts III’ from this Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish chordophone collective (out September 15 via European Phonographic).
Recorded and mixed at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg by Sebastian Muxfeldt (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub), the single (like the coming album) will be released in both stereo and mono versions. Earlier, the band previewed the singles ‘The Long Train’, ‘Shameless’ and ‘Got Enough’.
Founded by Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost (a.k.a. Mikael Lundin), Lusitanian Ghosts is a Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish project reviving lost instruments and presenting ancient sounds in the 21st Century. Re-casting these heritage folk violas into rock n roll songs, the European artist collective writes from a socio-political perspective on building a better world, creating songs for the heart and mind, recording on analogue tape and releasing moving music on vinyl.
Together with João Sousa, Abel Beja (from Primitive Reason), ToZé Bexiga (from Raia) and Jan-Eric Olsson, Lusitanian Ghosts plays traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments, ancient regional guitars (Amarantina, Beiroa, Campaniça, Braguesa, Toeira, Terceirense). These instruments, once on the verge of extinction, are the real “Lusitanian Ghosts” (Lusitania being an ancient Celtic tribe in what would become the central territory of Portugal).
‘September’ evokes the Portuguese emotion of “saudade” – a happy-sad longing or yearning, a certain condition of the heart and soul. Here, Lusitanian Ghosts bring to the fore the Portuguese folk chordophone violas Amarantina, Campaniça and Terceirense, skilfully played by Michael Lundin, ToZé Bexiga and Abel Beja respectively.
ToZé’s viola Campaniça, from the Portuguese heartland of Alentejo, also gets a processed treatment on this track, belying the fact that Lusitanian Ghosts make music with absolutely no guitars – just chordophones, bass and drums. Althought a brand new rock n roll alt-folk sub-genre, these songs feel warmly familiar.
“Musically, this one started out with an old bassline that I’d been toying around with for years but never got anywhere with. When I read Neil’s lyrics that riff came to mind and we used it for the song originally. As it turned out, Janne came up with a much better bassline so my old one is still lying around waiting to be used in a future song. We couldn’t really decide if this was supposed to be a fast or a slow song, the chorus worked well both fast and slow so we just slowed it down in the ending so we got both. It turned out very well. A catchy little tune with ToZé on his baddest Pearl Thompson behaviour,” says Micke Ghost.
Neil Leyton adds, “To me, September was always the most intense month of each year during my formative years… spending Summers on the beach in Portugal, then flying back to Canada for school… this song is about some of those intense childhood and growing up memories, both the good ones as well as the not so good ones… growing up is hard, but then you’re an adult and you totally miss it, haha. This is also the perfect song to really introduce the wide breadth of emotions that are coming up on the rest of the Lusitanian Ghosts III album… coming, you guessed it, September 15th!”
‘September’ is out now, available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The ‘Lusitanian Ghosts III’ album will be released on September 15. It can be pre-ordered digitally via Bandcamp and also on vinyl, with both mono version and stereo version available.
LUSITANIAN GHOSTS 2023
SINGLE CREDITS
Neil Leyton – vocals
Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost – vocals and Viola Amarantina
João Sousa – drums and Adufe
Abel Beja – viola Terceira and backing vocals
António “ToZé” Bexiga – Viola Campaniça
Janne Olsson – bass and Viola Beirão
Published by Lusitanian Music Publishing
Written and Produced by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin
Recorded at Clouds Hill Studios, Hamburg
Engineered and Mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt
Assisted by Schulie Pieper
Mastered by Chris von Rautenkranz at SoundGarden Hamburg
Album cover painting ‘Hamnen’ (The Harbour) by Yngve Forsberg
Album cover art photography by Swedish photographer Stina Wigg
‘September’ lyric video created by LyricFind (Toronto)
ALBUM TRACK LIST
1. The Long Train
2. Catwalk
3. Seeds
4. September
5. Vagar
6. Dr. Ana Maria
7. Got Enough
8. Shameless
9. Pure Evil
10. Black Wine White Coffee
11. Bright Lights
FOR SHARING
‘Lusitanian Ghosts’ digital order https://lusitanianghosts.
Album 12″ vinyl MONO order https://bit.ly/44nzgO7
Album 12″ vinyl STEREO order https://bit.ly/3P77QaR
‘September’ single https://youtu.be/mPGoY42uOwk
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/
‘Got Enough’ single https://youtu.be/Om6LVpEpJ-8
Get the single https://ffm.to/zblv7ax
Bandcamp https://lusitanianghosts.
Mixing ‘Got Enough’ www.youtube.com/shorts/
‘Shameless’ single https://ffm.to/x5mke41
Bandcamp https://lusitanianghosts.
‘The Long Train’ single https://youtu.be/ZnaD6igX3Dg
Get the single https://ffm.to/pomne3o
Mixing the ‘The Long Train’ https://youtu.be/jGNahgcqBwc
“Magnetic appeal… creating a broader cultural and sonic arsenal, while maintaining a buoyancy that takes the listener on a fantastic ride from start to finish” ~ The Spill Magazine
“Lusitanian Ghosts impressively channel tools of the past to create a beautiful sonic vision. Innovative in their use of traditional instruments to make modern pop-rock, this music is upbeat, quirky, feels familiar and is catchy as hell” ~ Big Takeover Magazine
“Highly melodic and sonically great… a pertinent, contemporary collection of songs that is full of dignity” ~ Amplify Music Magazine
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