\n“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<\/p>\n
“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<\/p>\n
“Highly melodic and sonically great… a pertinent, contemporary collection of songs that is full of dignity” ~ Amplify Music Magazine<\/p>\n
Trans-Atlantic alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghosts present ‘The Long Train’, a life-affirming first taste of the band’s forthcoming ‘Lusitanian Ghosts III’ album, due out in autumn via European Phonographic.<\/p>\n
Engineered and mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub) at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg, the Ghosts once again offer a brilliant taste of the sonic prism through which they present ancient sounds in the 21st Century.<\/p>\n
Lusitanian Ghosts is a Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish project that resurrects lost Portuguese chordophones and other European string instruments, promoting 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.<\/p>\n
Founded by Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost, the collective is currently made up of Jo\u00e3o Sousa, Abel Beja (from Primitive Reason), ToZ\u00e9 Bexiga (from Raia) and Jan-Eric Olsson, performing on traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments, ancient regional guitars like the Amarantina, Beiroa, Campani\u00e7a, Braguesa, Toeira and 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Long Train is a song celebrating freedom, celebrating life, celebrating the act of setting yourself free so that you may reach that transcendental level of commitment that only comes with true love.\u201d Confusing? \u201cOh, and it\u2019s also about storks!\u201d says Neil Leyton.<\/p>\n
Micke Ghost adds, “‘The Long Train’ is a commentary on the state of the world today but with a bit of hope… like the New York Dolls took their electric guitars to the pawn shop. With a bit of plastic soul. .Written in Setubal, Portugal, this was recorded and mixed on analogue tape at Clouds Hill in Germany.”<\/p>\n
Recorded and mixed on analogue tape, this song features the violas Amarantina, Campani\u00e7a and Terceira in glorious mono and stereo versions, bringing a new vintage chordophone rock n roll sound from the Ghosts. It was tracked on a Studer A820 2\u2033 analogue tape machine, mixed down to 1\/4 inch tape on the AEG Magnetophon 15 A, including both stereo and mono mixes.<\/p>\n
From a deep love of rock n roll rooted in strong vocal traditions from Elvis Presley to David Bowie, Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost craft folk-rock songs that will appeal to fans of The Waterboys, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and newer alt-folk-rock experimental crossings of rock n roll with other genres and traditions, like XIXA.<\/p>\n
Lusitanian Ghosts’ sophomore album ‘Exotic Quixotic’ was released with a Deluxe Edition featuring bonus tracks, adaptations of the title track into Portuguese and Polish, feat. Joana Negr\u00e3o (A Cantadeira) and Misia Furtak.<\/p>\n
Out now, ‘The Long Train’ single is available everywhere digitally, including Spotify and Apple Music.<\/p>\n
SINGLE CREDITS
\nAnt\u00f3nio \u201cToZ\u00e9\u201d Bexiga – Viola Campani\u00e7a and piano
\nJanne Olsson – bass and Viola Beir\u00e3o
\nJo\u00e3o Sousa – drums and Adufe
\nAbel Beja – viola Terceira and backing vocals
\nNeil Leyton – vocals
\nMikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost – vocals and Viola Amarantina<\/p>\n
All songs by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost
\nPublished by Lusitanian Music Publishing
\nProduced by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin
\nRecorded at Clouds Hill Studios, Hamburg
\nEngineered & mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt
\nAssisted by Schulie Pieper
\nMastered by Chris von Rautenkranz at SoundGarden Hamburg
\nCover art photography by Swedish photographer Stina Wigg<\/p>\n