"Ghost" is a song written, recorded, produced and performed by American DJ and musician Luis Dubuc for his solo project Mystery Skulls. The track was released by Warner Bros. Records as the lead single off the project's debut album Forever described as an electro retro funk track, written, produced and performed by Dubuc, is about him wanting to "disappear completely and start over" after he didn't let anyone know about him moving from Dallas to Los Angeles, as reflected in the song's chorus. The official music video for the track, directed by Josh Thomas, was released in February 2014 by Vice Media's electronic music channel Thump. However, a second, animated music video for the song, which garnered over two million views in less than a month, helped put the track in the top 20 of the American Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart. The song was also very well received from music critics.
| "Ghost" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Luis Dubuc | ||||
| from the album Forever | ||||
| Released | December 10, 2013 | |||
| Genre | EDM | |||
| Length | 4:18 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Luis Dubuc | |||
| Producer(s) | Luis Dubuc | |||
| Luis Dubuc singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Ghost" on YouTube | ||||
Production and composition
edit"Ghost" is a four-minute, eighteen-second song[1] described by Vibe as an "electro retro funk" track with harmonies influenced from disco.[2] "Ghost" is about wanting to "disappear completely and start over" again, as it was inspired by Dubuc relocating from Dallas to Los Angeles without letting anyone know.[2] The concept of the song is sung in the hook "This time I might just disappear."[3] He described it as "really special song. The moment I wrote it, I thought, 'Wow, this could really be something."[4] Written and produced by Dubuc, the original mix that appears on Mystery Skulls' debut album Forever was mixed by Jeremy Wheatley for 365 Artists at 4db Studios in London, with Adam Looker assisting. Colin Leonard mastered the track at SING Mastering in Atlanta using SING Technology.[5]
Release
editWarner Bros. Records premiered the final mix of "Ghost" for streaming on December 10, 2013,[6] and the song became available in digital stores by January 31, 2014.[1] A remix by house producer Claude VonStroke was released on February 18, 2014 by Spin magazine, which journalist Chris Martins named a "demented dance-floor delight."[7] A day later, Vice Media's channel Noisey released a remix by New York City-based duo Solidisco, advertised to "make you nostalgic for the long weekend just gone (thanks President's Day!), but super happy because Friday is just a little bit closer than it should be."[8] Both re-workings were part of the song's remix EP that also featured remixes from Fred Falke, Thomas Newson and Viceroy.[9] A re-cut by producer Martignetti that was not on the EP premiered on the blog Stoney Roads, who noted the song to be fitting in an episode of the HBO series Girls.[10] "Ghost" was also included on the soundtrack for the game WWE 2K15, and Dubuc has admitted to being happy of being involved with the game: "I've been a really big fan for a long time, and they found out I was a fan, and it turns out that some of the people that work at WWE and in the game specifically are fans of Mystery Skulls and they were like, "What the fuck? This is so cool! Let's do something together!""[11]
"Ghost" received widespread critical acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its production, melodies, catchiness and Dubuc's vocals.[2][12][13] One reviewer from Dance Music Northwest praised the song for putting Dubuc's diverse talent on display.[14] However, a critic who reviewed Forever was more mixed on the song, calling it, along with "When I'm With You", to be "slightly lackluster and boring."[15] The track also did well commercially; it debuted at its peak position of number 15 on the American Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart, issue dated November 22, 2014, and landed the on the digital component of that chart in the top 20 the same week.[16] It lasted on the Dance/Electronic chart for eighteen weeks,[16] ending up at number 99 on the chart's 2015 year-end list.[17]
Music videos
editThe official video for "Ghost", produced by company Oh Yeah Wow and directed by Josh Thomas,[13] parodies the 1973 horror film The Exorcist,[18] but was also noted to spoof scenes from 1976's Carrie by one writer.[19] It premiered on February 4, 2014 by Vice's electronic music channel Thump, who advertised it as "a really good video. It's got zombies. It's got a funny exorcist. It's got old people looking like they're about to poop their Depends. People (and things) fly through the air. It's neat, and it's all set to an extremely catchy beat."[13] The video, which involves a priest who dances through the exorcism of a young woman, was well received by publications.[12] This included a writer for Bloody Disgusting who called it "awesome",[18] and another one who honored the choreography of the dancing priest as "seriously impressive".[19]
The song's commercial success has been attributed to the critically acclaimed animated music video by Ben Mangum, also known as MysteryBen27, that garnered more than two million views in under a month.[3][11] The Scooby-Doo-esque video involves paranormal investigators Arthur Kingsmen (based on Shaggy Rogers and named for King Arthur), Vivi Yukino (based on Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley), and their dog Mystery (based on Scooby-Doo himself), who is actually a kitsune in disguise, running from danger in a haunted house. They are ultimately pursued by the ghost of Vivi's romantic interest and former team leader Lewis Pepper (based on Fred Jones), whom a possessed Arthur had previously killed. PrinceofTheUniverse of Kotaku's Talk Amongst Yourselves favorably described the setting as "the most colorful, vibrant, psychedelic, funky fresh haunted mansion I've ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on".[20] He also noted that "Everything happens on rhythm to the song which some may find a little cheesy cliche but it's a nice way to keep the viewer into whats happening visual while still enjoying the music. As if one can't exist without the other."[20] The unexpected success of the "Ghost" animated music video led to it developing a strong cult following, and as of 2020, Mangum has created three other animated music videos involving the characters for the songs "Freaking Out", "Hellbent", and "The Future", continuing the story of Lewis's ghost as he seeks to reunite with Vivi and exact his revenge on Arthur. After he captures Arthur and throws him down a replica of the cave where Arthur threw him, a remorseful Lewis hopes to forgive his friend. Together, the team defeats a bonsai monster who desires to feed on Mystery's blood as Mystery sacrifices himself, only to be revived and transformed into the monstrous Murder Mystery by Arthur's disconnected mechanical arm, once again possessed by the demon who caused him to kill Lewis.
Track list
edit- Single[1]
- "Ghost" – 4:18
- Remix EP[9]
- "Ghost" (Solidisco Remix) – 3:38
- "Ghost" (Fred Falke Remix) – 6:38
- "Ghost" (Claude VonStroke Remix) – 6:15
- "Ghost" (Thomas Newson Remix) – 4:25
- "Ghost" (Viceroy Remix) – 4:20
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
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References
edit- ^ a b c "Ghost – Single by Mystery Skulls". iTunes Store (Great Britain). Apple Inc. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ a b c Loza, Laryssa (February 4, 2014). "Exclusive: Mystery Skulls Reveals His "Ghost," Talks Warner Bros Deal, Nile Rodgers Collab". Vibe. SpinMedia. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ a b Blackburn, H. Drew (November 12, 2014). "Mystery Skulls Hit the Majors on Forever". Dallas Observer. Voice Media Group. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ Baumgartner, Scott (February 4, 2014). "Mystery Skulls Get Spooky with 'Ghost'". Stereotude. Archived from the original on February 23, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ "Forever Credits". Warner Bros. Records. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ "Mystery Skulls gives up the "Ghost" in Exorcist-spoof video". Warner Bros. Records. December 10, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ Martins, Chris (February 18, 2014). "Claude VonStroke Turns Mystery Skulls' 'Ghost' Into Haunted House". Spin. SpinMedia. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ "Listen to This: Mystery Skulls – Ghost (Solidisco Remix)". Noisey. Vice Media, Inc. February 19, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ a b "Ghost (Remixes) – EP by Mystery Skulls". iTunes Store (United States). Apple Inc. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ "Premiere: Mystery Skulls – Ghost (Martignetti Remix)". Stoney Roads. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ a b Galicia, Mikel (November 21, 2015). "Forever, Ever?". Central Track. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ a b DeLeo, Lara (February 4, 2014). "Watch Mystery Skulls' New Video for Ghost". In Your Speakers. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Exorcise Your Dance Demons With Mystery Skulls' New Video". Thump. Vice Media, Inc. February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ "Mystery Skulls Goes "Ghost"". Dance Music Northwest. February 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ Taylor, Magdalene (October 25, 2014). "Mystery Skulls: Forever". In Your Speakers. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Chart Search". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. In the "Artist" field, write Mystery Skills, then write "Ghost" in the title field, then click "Submit new search". Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ a b "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs: Year End 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ a b Barkan, Jonathan (5 February 2014). "Mystery Skulls Spoofs 'The Exorcist' With "Ghost" Music Video". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ a b "Mystery Skulls – Ghost". Nest HQ. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ a b PrinceofTheUniverse (October 29, 2014). "Animation Underground: Mystery Skulls Animated – Ghost". Talk Amongst Yourselves. Kotaku. Retrieved February 14, 2016.