Hoxsey shares ‘Ghost We Keep’ LP

Austin-based artist Hoxsey has been building a highly unique world at the crossroads of indie rock, gothic atmosphere, punk energy and experimental sound. Hoxsey views music as something profoundly personal, presenting an account capable of preserving brief emotions, experiences and moments that might otherwise disappear. It’s engaging, immersive and thoroughly original songwriting that embraces unpredictability while remaining tethered to a sense of storytelling.

Across the project, avant-garde punk, indie rock and experimental textures collide with dynamic rhythms and emotive songwriting. Hoxsey’s music is designed to feel like stepping into an unfamiliar landscape, with each track carrying the possibility of turning in an unexpected direction, creating an experience for listeners drawn towards music that avoids playing it safe.

Unveiling the endeavour in July with the eponymous debut album, Hoxsey now returns with the follow up, bringing us the sophomore record titled Ghost We Keep, a release which expands the project into something theatrical, haunting and enticingly strange. Created in collaboration with Peppermilk, it transforms images of traveling circuses, forgotten towns and mysterious performers into an intriguing fabric of sound and story.

Ghost We Keep is an eleven-track journey through a surreal universe where characters, landscapes and memories exist in a state of suspension. There are dirt roads disappearing into darkness, weathered tents, abandoned towns and performers whose identities seem to belong to another time, with its darker imagery becoming the doorway into something much more relatable.

Memory, mortality, identity and nostalgia sit at the heart of Ghost We Keep, giving its surrealism an emotional impact that extends beyond its imagery. Brought in by “Skeleton Key,” an eerie scene plays out through dissonant instrumental tones and haunting vocals, casting a dark atmosphere that progresses with the march of rattling drums and brooding vocalisations. Shrouded in sonic intensity and capped by theatrical vocal performance, it’s a delightfully nightmarish musical experience instilled with a twisted carnival-esque aesthetic.

“The Road” follows with lively guitar chords before jumping into a bouncy scene of gothic art rock music, offering another display of Hoxsey’s dramatic and truly engrossing musical vision. Tracks such as “Charm Cider” lean into a sphere where dark wave meets alternative folk as crunching drums and winding synth lines glide before flowing with intricate acoustic guitar notes and expressive vocal performance carrying picture painting lyrics.

“The Introduction of Sgt. Capone” lands with biting guitar textures and marching drums as commanding vocals ring out above while “Pixelated Whorror” crafts a transportive sound of buzzy instrumentation, steady percussion and stabby synth elements. “A Ride With the Four Horse Men in 1888” floats into view with chiming tones and crashing drums, taking listeners on a gripping sonic voyage that’s enthralling and highly memorable.

Closing track “Corpses Ball Room” completes the album’s overarching tale, fully immersing the listener in a world populated by forgotten figures and haunted spaces. Building with intimate vocals, softly plucked guitar tones and tapped drums, the song rolls with downtempo rhythm and enveloping atmosphere to deliver an epic finale to the record. It’s an incredible showcase of Hoxsey’s wildly unique music video and riveting sound and as they continue to go from strength to strength, we can’t wait to see what this exciting new artist has in store next.

Listen to Ghost We Keep below