by David Wilikofsky
Philadelphia duo GHÖSH describe their sound as “nü jungle US grime phonk”, a categorization that may not always seem apt but perfectly conveys the band’s restless spirit. Much like 100 Gecs, GHÖSH are collagists at heart, and PRISMASSIVE, their latest release, is their most wide ranging statement to date. Opener “Keith Speaks”, which could easily pass for a skit from your favorite 90s rap album, immediately flows into the ecstatic, ever escalating club energy of “Funky Rave Hits” (during which vocalist Symphony Spell commands you over and over again to “lose your mind inside the mosh pit”). There’s hints of the occult obsessions of Memphis horrorcore, from mentions of 666 to the insistent chorus of “Devil Lady” (“if the devil’s real then you’re looking at her”). Elsewhere the band flirts with everything from rap-rock to drum and bass. Though it only lasts twelve minutes, PRISMASSIVE covers more ground than most bands manage in a full length album.
In a different set of hands this mess of ideas and influences could easily become overwhelming, but in spite of its intricate construction PRISMASSIVE feels like a breezy listen. Part of this is the duo’s keen pop instincts; no matter what they try, they never lose sight of the fact that a great pop song needs to burrow its way into your brain. But equally important is the palpable sense of joy that courses through their music. Though there is a darker undercurrent to some songs, the overall vibe is one of humor (see closer “Dick”, basically one extended dick joke), cartoonish violence (“Devil Lady”) or dancefloor release (“Funky Rave Hits”). It’s music that is easily as fun as it is technically complex, a rare combination.