‘Ghost From The Past’ is the third album by Barði Jóhannsson (the last is ‘Something Wrong’ in 2003), released under the name of Bang Gang.

Awake in the middle of the night. Opened the old wooden door on my belly. It was so old that most of the paint had already worn out. A blond, cold palm-size man took an exit. The un-lit room seemed even darker. Music was as cold as the deep chill of the night coming through to the pale white wall. The blond little man, following the rhythm, started to sing with someone else’s voice. ‘You wake up in the night and you feel / like everything around you is surreal’. That sound was from a far away place, so far that it was unknowingly dark even in imagination. The night was going to be infinitely long.

Was it not the song that woke me up just now? I did not dare to think further, I did not want to be awake again. After a few songs, the blond little man seemed to give up and just sat on the floor, with the music still knocking the air. The sounds of guitar, piano, violin and drum overlapped on top of each other. I looked at the sad sight of his back. A variation will probably commence, it was about time he takes out a shinny little knife and put it into his chest I thought, or around his wrist. Lying in his own warm blood, the short mortal life would fade like the music. But he did not, and instead, he moved his body, starting to singing again ‘…falling down / to a different world somehow / falling down / can someone help me out’. The night goes on.

I cannot seem to remember how the night ended, until now. I still do not want to believe I am now awake. Like he sang, ‘You cannot find the day, and let go / of all the things that haunt you from within / of all the things that make you feel so unreal’. I think that blond little man is the one who sing and comfort me, when my dreams abandon my body in the real world. Or is he a ghost from the past? He is probably from Iceland, floating on a land that is so vast and grey. When he is not singing, he would be a director, a writer or a fashion designer. The songs he sing would be recorded on an aged vinyl named ‘Ghosts From The Past’. His name is Barði Jóhannsson. I call him ‘Bang Gang’ out of fancy, and I think he might like it.

‘Ghost From The Past’ is the third album by Barði Jóhannsson (the last is ‘Something Wrong’ in 2003), released under the name of Bang Gang.

Barði Jóhannsson has been touring in Japan, America, France, Northern Europe for the past five years. The multi-talented musician also worked on soundtracks for many advertisements and documentaries. His clients include automobile companies Volkswagen, TGV, Citroën; beauty company Yves Rocher; and fashion label Emporio Armani. His most known soundtrack to-date is for ‘Häxan’, the classic cult film on mid-century witches by Danish director Benjamin Christensen made in 1922.

Barði Jóhannsson shares the same curiosity and multi-faceted quality as his fellow Icelander musician Björk; the sense of icy isolation as Sigur Rós and múm. Compare to the more trip-hop debut ‘You’ and eletronica ‘Something Wrong’, ‘Ghosts from the Past’ is dominated by guitar and piano. The melody, therefore, is more elegant and recondite. Jóhannsson is responsible for all the vocal this time. His voice is intoxicating like the purest drug that penetrates into one’s heart. It is almost enjoyable to be lost in the grieve it conjures.

Esther Talia Casey, a regular collaborator, also worked on supporting vocals. For ‘Don’t Feel Ashamed’, Jóhannsson invited Keren Ann to co-write and sing. (Keren co-released an album with him under the name ‘Lady & Bird’ in 2003 previously) Anthony Gonzalez from M83 also co-write ‘You Won’t Get Out’ and ‘Stay Home’ with Jóhannsson and contributes vocal and piano instrumental.

The first half of the album is more upbeat. From ‘The World is Gray’, ‘One More Trip’ to ‘I Know You Sleep’, Jóhannsson’s voice is as clear as crystal, and as hard to trace as the moving shadows. Shattered, the pieces bounce back gently with an echo. ‘Black Parade’ is the most experimental track from the album, combining various styles, Jóhannsson’s mumbling vocal and sharp guitar and drums. With the electronic sound, it is like speeding on the darkest highway.

The post-rock ‘Lost in Wonderland’ is a closing sonata, lingering on Jóhannsson’s body lying in a crashed car at the end of the highway. The sound is a poetic ghost that keeps wandering, speaking of forgotten stories. The second half of the album is mellow and gloomy. ‘Forever Now’ and ‘You Won’t Get Out’ are indulgent and infinitely nostalgic.

Every star-less night, I think of the blond man wandering the quiet city alone. The long lean sight of him walking through empty streets, almost aimlessly, disappearing in some dark corners. Through the thickest darkness, a bleak sound will come through, with the night goes on and on. ‘Ghost From The Past’ is Jóhannsson’ s melodic proclamation to the ghost of his past, but also a comfort for those who helplessly live and indulge in nostalgia.

Text: Omasum | Translation: dilettante

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