Currently sitting at #27 of the Beatport Top 100 Drum & Bass Tracks, the original mix of Facing Jinx and Wreckless’s Ghost Ship from Dispatch Recordings garnered attention for its blending of “gentle” harsh noise excerpts among the hard-hitting backbeat.
Like most dark adventures, “Ghost Ship” provides a great bedroom-banger after a long day and displays only the harshest of “synth interpretation.” The whispered vocal samples begging the question, “where did it come from,” makes the tonal relation even stronger to an actual “ghost ship.” The concept of a dark and dank abandoned vessel floating across the sea in desolate glory enters the world of Drum & Bass, possibly reminding listeners of the ill-fated 2002 Australian horror film of the same name. While the theme may enter the cinematic world of horror, don’t be fooled: “Ghost Ship” is a clean-and-clear exercise in traditional drum & bass with the foundation of the backbeat giving any fan a reason to break down.
The combo-effort between Facing Jinx and Wreckless comes out strongest near the three-minute mark when the backbeat is paired with infectiously sinister sounds and noise samples, satiating the palette of any fan looking to give their unconventional side a little more love. “Ghost Ship” eventually ends where it started, in a similar rush of noise to where it began. As the track comes full-circle with additional background percussion, the surprisingly organic feelings transmitted throughout the track provides the listener much more joy than terror.
“Where did it come from,” the track beckons once again with additional dialogue I had to repeat to get the full effect the second time around. The horror aspect of “Ghost Ship” might follow en-suite with a few other dark music-makers out there, but the strong foundation of the production makes it a D&B dessert delight for all.