Lowsunday made a long overdue return with their ‘Ghost Machine – White’ EP in 2025, putting an end to approximately a quarter of a century’s radio silence. Keen to capitalise on the momentum that was quickly built off the back of that release, it would only take six months for a follow up to appear.
The logically titled ‘Ghost Machine – Black’ EP offers a superb companion piece, and it’s a release that, as its title suggests, occasionally finds the band taking a darker turn than before. The opening track ‘You’re So Wired’ conveys a really cold quality, with a world of reverbed sounds underscoring a harsh, choppy guitar, calling back to some great post-punk sounds from yesteryear. This captures Lowsunday’s sense of immediacy brilliantly, making a strong impression even before a heavily treated vocal arrives. That vocal, too, has a strong retro appeal, echoing and wavering, desperate to be heard as it creeps through a wall of guitars in a manner that’s occasionally reminiscent of early Jesus & Mary Chain. By the mid point of the track, with a lengthy instrumental break pushing a world of distortion to the fore, the ghosts of the younger Reed brothers definitely colour an abrasive melody, but Lowsunday recycle everything with a great love that will appeal to fans of the style.
Having warmed up, ‘Shattered’ offers something a little less abrasive, but the mid tempo and heavily mechanised rhythms create a strong link with the previous track. Allowing more space for a melody to breathe, it’s great to hear a quieter vocal leaning into more of a shoegaze influence as it whispers in tandem with a crying lead guitar, showcasing more of a bleak indie sound. This mightn’t share the most “typical” Lowsunday vibes, but the melodic edge that presents itself alongside a very nostalgic vocal might help to attract new fans, before ‘Someone To Talk To’ kicks in with a rigid beat, some Peter Hook-esque basslines and a strong 80s feel. In many ways, the retro heart of this number creates something that feels like “peak” Lowsunday: the colder edges and repetitious melody are of a classic goth/post punk blend, and the way the vocal is used for extra instrumentation – offering a strong presence throughout, but rarely sharing audible lyrics – lends something slightly arty, rewarding with repeated listens. Elsewhere, ‘Don’t Want To Dream’ couples a mid tempo beat with a busy bass, immediately evoking early 80s Cure, and by splicing some familiar sounding music with the ghostly vocal approach of the previous track, it’s easily recognisable as Lowsunday. Always more about mood than hooks, this aims to transport the listener to somewhere almost dreamlike, offering a musical backdrop that eventually sounds like a perfectly formed 80s tribute.
All five of this EP’s tracks will offer the extant fan some great listening, but the highlight comes courtesy of the single ‘This Is Not Heaven’. The bulk of this brilliant number uses mechanical rhythms and hard beats to set a very cold atmosphere in place. The ghosts of Joy Division cannot be ignored, but this isn’t by any means a quick and easy knock-off; the addition of a heavily filtered vocal, half buried in the final mix, gives the end result a very different feel. There are also traces of A Place To Bury Strangers fleshing out the melody, but again, Lowsunday bring their own twist with a slightly more goth-tinged approach. For those who already consider themselves Lowsunday fans, this will provide a more than welcome listen.
The way Lowsunday use bleak soundscapes and treated vocals, at times almost at the expense of easy melodies, taps into a near perfect homage to a post punk and goth past, delivering something that not only eclipses similar sounds from any of their would-be peers circa 2026 but also sounds like an easy rival for a 1982-85 vintage. Granted, almost everything here is indebted to the past, but when it comes to reviving retro sounds, you’d be hard pressed to find this style delivered with more passion or authenticity. It’ll all sound much better when approached in the right head space, of course, but ‘Ghost Machine – Black’ is a recommended listen.
May/June 2026