Ginger & the Ghost: Kindred Spirits

Scott Wallace
21st Jul 2017

Sydney's stargazing electro-pop duo Ginger & the Ghost are a bit more down-to-earth on their new single and video "Kindred Spirits." The lush Australian wilderness - the rightful owners of which the band sincerely acknowledges at the video's beginning - are the first thing seen, accompanied by the unmistakable chatter of the bush. When singer Missy Gilbert's voice enters unaccompanied, it's into a sphere of serene quietness that she barely disturbs.

The video's director of photography, Harry Glassborrow, invests the "Kindred Spirits" clip with a mysterious but evocatively organic atmosphere. Strangely garbed figures with mirrored faces stare back at the audience from the untamed greenery of the video's settings. Costumes, props, and even the single's cover art were all made by Gilbert and her creative partner Daniel Bourne along with a group of artists and creatives including Bettina Mcilwraith, Department of, Claire Pony, BLACK KRSNA, Amethyst Misty, Angie White, Alexandra Dodds Jewellery, and Nathan Smith Jewellery. Ginger & the Ghost have a DIY ethos that is almost unmatched.

Despite that, though, the video is expansive and the song is huge. The band's anthemic sound could fill amphitheatres with its atmospheric, dance-pop vibes. "Kindred Spirits" is rife with tuned and untuned percussive sounds, but slowly builds on the back of resonant synths and Gilbert's multi-tracked voice. Recorded with London producer Benbrick, "Kindred Spirits" frames her voice as an alien instrument, particularly in the chasm-like breakdowns where she delivers a swirling, wordless chant.

The warped beauty of the track is reminiscent of confrontational brother-and-sister Swedes The Knife, combined with the finely attuned spirituality of Björk. With this track, the duo have contemplated everything from a human’s purpose on earth, to the birth of the unique connections between true soulmates. Gilbert explains: "Kindred Spirits is a small gift wrapped in lyrics and sound... a music myth made as an imprint for our lineage.  The song honours and celebrates the spirit that finds two people - I imagined the moment when they connect.  They share an umbilical cord and are birthed at the same time by the spirit allowing them to have that sense of knowing that only they have.  They become a mirror image of each other, a reflection of themselves.”

Bringing thoughtful art to the unpredictability of nature, "Kindred Spirits" is packed with incredible visuals and moments of invention. The release bodes exceptionally well for the duo, following up their earlier single "Glow." Currently on tour overseas, Ginger & the Ghost are bound to make waves on their triumphant return to Australia very soon. 

The "Kindred Spirits" video is out now with the track set to be released on July 25th.