Alan Mair – Ghost Of You In Me (2025)
If you’re pretty sure you know the name Alan Mair, the chances are you’ve heard of this legendary musician from The Only Ones – a band that inspired the likes of Nirvana, Blur, The Libertines and The Replacements. As much as we love to enjoy The Only Ones, today we’re taking a gander at Mair’s solo project. From 2014’s single, ‘Four Winds’, to 2022’s ‘The Devil’s Porridge’ and 2024’s ‘If I Gave The World A Turn’, Mair blends vintage indie, grunge and slips of post-punk in his rock-tinged music.
Following the well-received single ‘If I Gave The World A Turn’, Mair saunters into 2025 with his single, ‘Ghost Of You In Me’. Shifting from the heavily indie-rock-laden ‘If I Gave The World A Turn’, ‘Ghost Of You In Me’ is an intriguing alternative-rock melody. Self-produced, the single brims with the brashness, grit, and a gut-punching brush of rambunctious rawness – almost like a scrape on the knee before the scab closes the wound. Blunt, powerful and confident to an almost point of arrogance, bold drums, bass, and a soaring guitar (courtesy of Zal Cleminson) entwine with a kaleidoscopic swish of sound.
‘Ghost Of You In Me’ is not a song to be heard; it is a song to be experienced. Shoved into the murky depths of a sonic swamp, you trudge along in the mud as each step takes you closer to a far-in-the-distance light. Yet, as much as you seem to be trudging, imps peek from behind the bush, and fairies dance about, offering a light-hearted breath of air within the darkness. For me, it is Mair’s rich vocals that simultaneously enhance the weightiness of the music but act as an anchor in the malaise.
Melodically, ‘Ghost Of You In Me’ is powerful and soul-stirring, but the lyricism and inspiration for the song add a profound lightness to the depths. Talking about the inspiration, Alan Mair explains: “When you are deeply in love with someone and they move away – or even pass away – some believe their spirit comes back to visit.”
Cinematic, transcendental, and an intriguing look at the heartfelt tenderness in a murky pool, ‘Ghost Of You In Me’ is a song I will not soon forget. I highly recommend Alan Mair to everyone and anyone!
Find out more about Alan Mair on his Facebook, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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