Get Into Electropop with REBENN - Ghost in My Mind






REBENN – Ghost in My Mind – Single Review

Korean songwriter-producer REBENN’s new single Ghost in my Mind is a really unique take on electropop. With a powerful rhythmic momentum to drive it forward, it’s got energy from the get go, as a catchy instrumental chorus with a quirky melody rounds off this short but sweet two-part track.

One of the nicest and most subtly ear-grabbing things about Ghost in My Mind is its length and simplicity. Clocking in at just under 2:30, it’s shorter than even some Beatles songs but manages to give the listener just enough to leave them craving a bit more, without being boring or becoming overly simplistic or repetitive. The AAA structure works like a dream because of the melodic strength of it’s single verse, and the instrumentals are arranged and produced alongside gentle harmonies which add restrained colour to the up and down, jaunty synth line in the song’s instrumental break.

Ghost in My Mind is smart and impressive in an understated way. It’s lyrically clever as well. Torn apart, or rebuilt/my memory of your saying/plunge the knife to the hilt/not a part of the games your playing, sings featured artist Ellae in a pithy couplet which is perfectly rounded and emphasised by the heavily audible bass. Although written in collaboration, Ghost in My Mind is perfectly formed, and the production and melody knit together seamlessly.

It is the melodic strength which draws everything else together. Maybe I'm picky, but one of my biggest musical pet peeves is melodies which hover too much around the same chord or note. I've sometimes wondered if this is because of the restricted linear nature of MIDI keyboards and DAWs - which seem to be the first composition method for more and more independent songwriters now- compared to more organic methods where songs are built up in a jam session or on a guitar. Either way, without knowing how it was composed, what I liked a lot about Ghost in My Mind was how it avoided this and offered a melody which felt classic and timeless and could just as easily be played on a violin or saxophone without sounding boring. I appreciate technical wizardry as much as the next person, but there was something really honest and heartfelt about Ghost in My Mind’s realism and simplicity.

Overall, I would highly recommend this track as a perfect package of pop, and I sincerely look forward to seeing what REBENN does next.

Follow him on Instagram @rebennmusic. Ghost in My Mind is out now on Spotify or Soundcloud.

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