Ghastly City Sleep - Self-Titled CD (Robotic Empire)

It isn't often new music surfaces that is so deeply intense, just hearing it may induce instant nostalgia; the ancient sensations you get when the seasons change, a vivid dream involving the first person you ever loved. In the same way that select few can simultaneously achieve dark and uplifting songs, the Brooklyn-based quartet known as GHASTLY CITY SLEEP hone in on some immensely powerful elements to deliver a commanding, breathtaking first offering. On the GHASTLY CITY SLEEP debut, four tracks span thirty minutes... and when it's done, you actually feel different. To say it's "moving" is an understatement with what Robotic Empire safely proclaims to be one of the most groundbreaking releases we've ever been a part of.

While two pieces nearly reach the six-minute mark and the other two eclipse nine, the whole offering flows with a smooth liquidity, creating one solidified, captivating body of work. The four young men involved in GHASTLY CITY SLEEP don't stick to one instrument long, as the entire collective can be found playing everything from guitars, keys, various percussion and just about everything in between. The multitude of layers involved here are accompanied by a warm yet haunting array of vocals, all helping to produce this simply epic debut.

(check out the immense layout for this CD:)