Chicago’s Alessia Kato has been recording hazy lo-fi dream pop under the Ghost Days name since early-2018. Following up on last November’s Leaving Butterfly, her upcoming EP Swans Cry is set to release later this month. Early single “see you in between” is the sound of floating away from oneself: discorporation to achieve more objective introspection. Kato’s soft, cloud-like vocals drift across a nostalgic composition of bright yet moody jangle guitar and booming drums that divert into skitters. Fans of Cleaners From Venus’ Midnight Cleaners or Wake in June’s lavender pink are sure to be pleased. There’s a longing that exudes from “see you in between,” communicated via the lyrics “I want you to see me / Can we change it? Leave it be / See you in between.” Maybe it’s in regard to a partner, but it reads just as well (if not better) as a desire to better understand her true self.
Kato on Swans Cry:
“I made this album within two months during a time of deep reflection. A lot of shifting change was taking place both internally and externally. As a new beginning was taking place I found myself looking into the past. As I was grappling with the various feelings that change can bring I realized how many unsettled feelings I was still holding onto. The title, Swans Cry, is a means to describe the disconnect between the internal self versus the external. As I grappled with these unsettled memories and forgotten feelings the means to make sense of it all was the driving force behind the writing. Most of these songs were written in a very spontaneous way, mostly completed in a day or two, with much improvisation involved. Writing these songs have helped me come to terms with so many feelings and I hope they offer any sense of comfort and joy.”
Swans Cry releases August 20 digitally and on cassette and is available for pre-order on Bandcamp.
Written by Travis Shosa.