Holy Ghost!

"It Gets Dark"

[DFA; 2012]

By Will Ryan; October 17, 2012

Purchase at: Insound (Vinyl) | Amazon (MP3 & CD) | iTunes | MOG

Holy Ghost! aren’t rewriting the disco rulebook, instead they seem to be on an endless quest to perfect it one fantastical, fully-realized track at a time. The New York duo’s self-titled debut released on DFA last year contained an exact count of zero dull moments and kept the stealthy dance hooks coming on a steady stream of pure cosmic-leaning Italo to the pleasure centers. With their newest offering, “It Gets Dark,” Holy Ghost! stay the course, showcasing maximum-impact pop songcraft next to a tender love of classic escapist disco sounds. “It Gets Dark” locks around a chomping bass arpeggio, some withering theremin-like synths moaning in the background as Alex Frankle’s cooler-than-thou vocals bide their time as if he’s circumventing the dancefloor waiting for the opportune moment to strike. The song’s chorus blooms into pure stars-exploding, everybody-sing-together exultance. A lived-in moment locked in time. Structurally, the song isn’t the least bit surprising. It’s what Holy Ghost! does with the structure and their ability to coat it with such exacting detail that is. By the time the duo build out of a coagulated lull into that last chorus, the track has obtained undeniable-banger status.