EDEN is back, and he's not holding back. After the hypnotic fog of "gggiiiiirrrrlllll," the Irish alt-pop alchemist delves further into his crawling sound maze with "Ghost in the Shell," a song that pays homage to but outstrips his beginnings. It's the newest cut from his forthcoming album, and it's another step through the textured, emotion-heavy universe EDEN has been busy creating, one layer at a time. "Ghost in the Shell" is a quiet, beautifully constructed sense of unease. It's the sound of a soul coasting along synthetic skylines, shrouded in a digital mist.
Built upon a shimmering bed of electro-pop and pulsing synths, the song is lush yet deliberately held back. It blurs the line between melancholia and euphoria, drawing you into a place where feeling lost has never felt so good. This track has a cinematic weight to it, which is only magnified by its stunning music video, directed by Zhang + Knight. Billed for their surreal, art-first attitude, the visuals transform "Ghost in the Shell" into an immersive experience, a multi-layered story that aligns with the introspective and highbrow feel of the song. EDEN's gift has been to meld experimental textures to songwriting that resonates universally, and here it's clear he's only growing more pointed with it.
There's a balance between raw and refined, and he can work that line. Hauntingly confessional whisper vocals are cradled by sumptuous production that never swallows, only reinforces. Even as it hews to the alt-pop universe, "Ghost in the Shell" evades being boxed in by definitions. It's a matter of mood, but more about the energy, specifically the gaps between what's spoken and what's felt. It's pop music for people who think a little too much, written by someone who clearly knows that feeling firsthand. EDEN continues to help color a sonic picture of emotional intricacy and originality. If "Ghost in the Shell" is any indication, the album could be a reflection of something deeply immersive, a trip that every song reflects back to the listener, beckoning them to lose themselves and perhaps discover something in the process.