Arcane Ghosts is a high-energy Pop Punk/Alternative/Math Rock group based out of Toronto, Canada. Composed of Jason Diaz, Spasimir Vasilev and Steven Wolwyn, the group have been releasing music since 2017.
‘Saltwater’ is their new EP, released in 2025. Now, personally, whenever I think of Toronto, I think of Rush. And I can hear their influence in prog rock and math rock bands. I wonder if, just like British bands carry the legacy of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and other UK bands, to what extent a band from Toronto would carry the legacy of the Canadian super trio.
I can definitely hear some of that in ‘Saltwater’, just like the riff halfway through ‘The Big Machine’ and some other grooves, and melodic structures in the EP in general. This is where it gets fascinating, as there are also quite a lot of modern punk elements here, not excluding the explosive energy of the band in their big choruses.
In ‘San Francisco’ we can hear a wonderful blend of some more prog sounds (broken beats and “unexpected” chords/harmonies) and also elements of emo music and even overall this EP is “pop” enough for a mainstream listener, while also pleasing more demanding listeners, a feat that is not easy at all!
I love the production and mixing; the drums sound fat and real, alive and kicking. The bass has all the beef I could ask for in this context, and the guitars are masterfully arranged. The vocals range from Billie Joe Armstrong to emo-style melodies.
Honourable mention: What happens after the first chorus of ‘Dreamcatcher’ is fluffing genius. An unexpected groovy, funky part that shows you how good these musicians are.
One of the best EPs I’ve reviewed this year, there’s a lot to unpack in these four songs, and personally, I’ll keep it on repeat to enjoy to the maximum!
Written by Spiros Maus
