Holiday Ghosts

“Falmouth’s finest blend primal garage rock, rock’n’roll, DIY punk, blues and giddy exuberant tunefulness” The Guardian

“Retro garage-pop” Stereogum

“Full of big hooks and ramshackle charm” Brooklyn Vegan

“Holiday Ghosts’ scrappy, snappy rock & roll feels almost timeless” KEXP

“Rough hewn jingle-jangle with a heartwarming feel” Clash

Holiday Ghosts announce fifth LP ‘Coat of Arms’ (pre-order here), set for release March 29th via cult tastemaker label FatCat Records (TRAAMS, Honeyblood, The Twilight Sad, We Were Promised Jetpacks), and share frenetic lead track ‘Sublime Disconnect’ (video here), out today (January 16th).

The follow-up to acclaimed 2023 record ‘Absolute Reality’, the group’s upcoming record captures several facets within their musical output; powerful, gut-punch punky garage rock; classic jangly indie pop; songs of protest and resistance, and songs that resonate emotion and introspection. It also arrives alongside news of a mammoth UK headline tour, including a date at London’s Moth Club lined up this April, which follows their debut trip stateside for SXSW.

Marking ‘Coat of Arms’’ lead single, ‘Sublime Disconnect’ is a perfect distillation of the sound Holiday Ghosts have perfected over their career. Co-vocalist Kat Rackin’s driving drumming style and staccato vocal delivery propels a rousing guitar melody and breakneck bassline, until a catchy chorus of “ba ba ba’s” erupts over the entire endeavor. However, the song’s buoyant demeanor belies a deeper lyrical meaning. “I’m Iranian, my parents were both born there and moved to Sweden after the Iranian revolution in the ‘80s,” explains Kat. “I was born in Malmö and moved to England when I was eight. I grew up as a child with little attachment to Iran as I tried my hardest to blend in with the people around me, but the older I got the more different I felt and the more blurred my sense of self got.”

“Sublime Disconnect’s lyrics speak to this dissonance of identity, with lines like: “And now they ask who am I and where am I from/Will I find peace when I belong?” “In hindsight I can pinpoint a few incidents of racism that planted this seed that I didn't fully belong here, that Sweden or England, weren't really my home,” say Kat, “nor is Iran as I have never been there as my parents aren't allowed back. The song is partly putting this question out there: what does it mean to belong?”

‘Sublime Disconnect’ can be seen at the album’s political crux, the track anchors the band’s activist identity. “I think this question of belonging is kind of rhetorical though, because I don't think there is peace for anyone except for those that make the rules,” says Kat. “I think living under governments where the immigration policies are getting more and more dystopian has also hugely contributed to this song and the notion of belonging. The line: ‘Does your future burn bright? And what about me? A free pass, favour, till I’m back on my feet,’ is a reference to privilege versus having to start from scratch, about the obliviousness that some people have towards the struggle of others.”

With an array of support throughout the press community in recent years (The Guardian, The Independent, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, KEXP, DIY, Clash, So Young, The Line Of Best Fit), as well as repeated support on the BBC 6 Music (Steve Lamacq, Craig Charles, Mark Riley) and Radio X (John Kennedy) airwaves, Holiday Ghosts’ impeccable brand of garage rock has certainly attracted considerable attention across the board; whilst their thrilling live show has already seen them tick off slots at the likes of Latitude Festival and Left Of The Dial, in addition to supports with Black Lips, Bodega and The Bug Club amongst others.

Detailing the accompanying video, the band added: “This video was filmed by our housemate and very talented friend Max / Hollow Hand. We were watching some early punk videos from the 70s where it’s like someone said to them : “right, the kids have got your single, now they need to see what you guys look like playing innit”. We booked our nearest village hall and borrowed a few cameras. I always think it’s funny seeing the electric guitars mimed with no amps or cables, and the drums where the sticks are clearly not hitting the tubs. “I didn’t realise that Max was still filming right at the end, I was doing an impression of John Lennon from the 60s Beatles performances. Me and Max always joke about how uncool his stance is on stage, kinda legs wide apart and arse sticking out.”

Produced by Phil Booth and Sam Stacpoole, Holiday Ghosts’ ‘Sublime Disconnect’ is out now via FatCat Records and available on all digital platforms.

Holiday Ghosts is Katja Rackin (vocals, drums), Samuel Stacpoole (vocals, guitar, synth), Benedict Nightingale (guitar, backing vocals), Morgan Lloyd Matthews (bass)