Trans-Atlantic collective Lusitanian Ghosts present epic new album 'Lusitanian Ghosts III'

September 19, 2023

Magnetic appeal... creating a broader cultural and sonic arsenal, while maintaining a buoyancy that takes the listener on a fantastic ride from start to finish" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Lusitanian Ghosts impressively channel tools of the past to create a beautiful sonic vision. Innovative in their use of traditional instruments to make modern pop-rock, this music is upbeat, quirky, feels familiar and is catchy as hell" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Highly melodic and sonically great... a pertinent, contemporary collection of songs that is full of dignity" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Instinctive captivation for their chordophone cast sound, their use of heritage folk violas to weaving fresh and modern adventures... easily sparked the imagination" ~ Ringmaster Review

Trans-Atlantic alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghosts present their third long-player 'Lusitanian Ghosts III', released via the European Phonographiclabel. Recorded and mixed at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg by Sebastian Muxfeldt (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub), this album is being released in both stereo and mono versions.

A Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish chordophone collective founded by Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost (a.k.a. Mikael Lundin), Lusitanian Ghosts revives lost instruments and presents ancient sounds in the 21st Century. Re-casting these heritage folk violas into rock n roll songs, the European artist collective writes from a socio-political perspective on building a better world, creating songs for the heart and mind, recording on analogue tape and releasing moving music on vinyl.

Together with João Sousa, Abel Beja (from Primitive Reason), ToZé Bexiga (from Raia) and Jan-Eric Olsson, Lusitanian Ghosts plays traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments, ancient regional guitars (Amarantina, Beiroa, Campaniça, Braguesa, Toeira, Terceirense). These instruments, once on the verge of extinction, are the real "Lusitanian Ghosts" (Lusitania being an ancient Celtic tribe in what would become the central territory of Portugal).

'Lusitanian Ghosts' digital order https://lusitanianghosts.bandcamp.com/album/lusitanian-ghosts-iii
Album 12" vinyl MONO order https://bit.ly/44nzgO7
Album 12" vinyl STEREO order https://bit.ly/3P77QaR

Lusitanian Ghosts

European Phonographic. Watch the lyrics video for the latest single 'September'

15 September 2023

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Trans-Atlantic collective Lusitanian Ghosts present epic new album 'Lusitanian Ghosts III'

FOR FANS OF: The Waterboys, Xixa, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, The Bad Seeds, Hothouse Flowers
FOCUS TRACKS: The Long Train, September, Got Enough, Shameless, Seeds, Vagar, Black Wine White Coffee
FCC clean

FOR SHARING
'Lusitanian Ghosts' digital order https://lusitanianghosts.bandcamp.com/album/lusitanian-ghosts-iii
Album 12" vinyl MONO order https://bit.ly/44nzgO7
Album 12" vinyl STEREO order https://bit.ly/3P77QaR
'September' single https://youtu.be/mPGoY42uOwk
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/3duNQxf2IPP1GQ0Wqykehg
'Got Enough' single https://youtu.be/Om6LVpEpJ-8
Bandcamp https://lusitanianghosts.bandcamp.com/track/got-enough
Mixing 'Got Enough' www.youtube.com/shorts/lBcMxowGphg
'Shameless' https://lusitanianghosts.bandcamp.com/track/shameless
'The Long Train' single https://youtu.be/ZnaD6igX3Dg
Mixing the 'The Long Train' https://youtu.be/jGNahgcqBwc

FOR REVIEW & AIRPLAY
Online press kit https://haulix.promo/cvr
Download via Google Drive http://bit.ly/40z4D7i

"Magnetic appeal... creating a broader cultural and sonic arsenal, while maintaining a buoyancy that takes the listener on a fantastic ride from start to finish" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Lusitanian Ghosts impressively channel tools of the past to create a beautiful sonic vision. Innovative in their use of traditional instruments to make modern pop-rock, this music is upbeat, quirky, feels familiar and is catchy as hell" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Highly melodic and sonically great... a pertinent, contemporary collection of songs that is full of dignity" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Instinctive captivation for their chordophone cast sound, their use of heritage folk violas to weaving fresh and modern adventures... easily sparked the imagination" ~ Ringmaster Review

Trans-Atlantic alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghosts present their third long-player 'Lusitanian Ghosts III', released via the European Phonographiclabel. Recorded and mixed at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg by Sebastian Muxfeldt (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub), this album is being released in both stereo and mono versions.

A Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish chordophone collective founded by Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost (a.k.a. Mikael Lundin), Lusitanian Ghosts revives lost instruments and presents ancient sounds in the 21st Century. Re-casting these heritage folk violas into rock n roll songs, the European artist collective writes from a socio-political perspective on building a better world, creating songs for the heart and mind, recording on analogue tape and releasing moving music on vinyl.

Together with João Sousa, Abel Beja (from Primitive Reason), ToZé Bexiga (from Raia) and Jan-Eric Olsson, Lusitanian Ghosts plays traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments, ancient regional guitars (Amarantina, Beiroa, Campaniça, Braguesa, Toeira, Terceirense). These instruments, once on the verge of extinction, are the real "Lusitanian Ghosts" (Lusitania being an ancient Celtic tribe in what would become the central territory of Portugal).

"For 'Lusitanian Ghosts III', we wanted to write and record all together, live off the floor, on analogue tape like we used to back in the 20th century. Lyrically, we explored deeper emotional territory than ever before, and sonically we ended up mixing each song twice - in mono and stereo - leading to two different LPs," says Neil Leyton.

"We mixed down from 24-track multitrack analogue to 1/4 inch analogue also, then reeled the machine straight to the mastering suite next door at Clouds Hill, Soundgarden Tonstudio in Hamburg. I know it is a common thing to say, but I'm going to say it is the best record I've ever made."

Earlier, the band previewed 'The Long Train', 'Shameless', 'Got Enough' and the latest single 'September', bringing to the fore the Portuguese folk chordophone violas Amarantina, Campaniça and Terceirense, skilfully played by Michael Lundin, ToZé Bexiga and Abel Beja respectively. Lusitanian Ghosts make music with absolutely no guitars - just chordophones, bass and drums. Although a brand new rock n roll alt-folk sub-genre, these songs feel warmly familiar.

As of September 15, the 'Lusitanian Ghosts III' album can be obtained everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. It will also be released on vinyl, with both mono version and stereo version available.

On October 14, the Ghosts will present the new album live at Lisbon's Teatro Taborda. Folks purchasing this album from FNAC Portugal will also get a complimentary guest-list ticket for this album release show.

CREDITS
Neil Leyton - vocals
Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost - vocals and Viola Amarantina
João Sousa - drums and Adufe
Abel Beja - viola Terceira and backing vocals
António “ToZé” Bexiga - Viola Campaniça
Janne Olsson - bass and Viola Beirão
Published by Lusitanian Music Publishing
All songs written by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin except "Pure Evil" by Bexiga/Leyton/Lundin
Produced by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin
Recorded at Clouds Hill Studios, Hamburg
Engineered & mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt
Assisted by Schulie Pieper
Mastered by Chris von Rautenkranz at SoundGarden Hamburg
Cover painting ”Hamnen” (The Harbour) by Yngve Forsberg, painted in 1989.
Photography by Katja Ruge.
Design by João Morais aka O Gajo

Chordophone collective Lusitanian Ghosts release upbeat 'September' single ahead of new 'Lusitanian Ghosts III' album

September 1, 2023

"Magnetic appeal... creating a broader cultural and sonic arsenal, while maintaining a buoyancy that takes the listener on a fantastic ride from start to finish" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Lusitanian Ghosts impressively channel tools of the past to create a beautiful sonic vision. Innovative in their use of traditional instruments to make modern pop-rock, this music is upbeat, quirky, feels familiar and is catchy as hell" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Highly melodic and sonically great... a pertinent, contemporary collection of songs that is full of dignity" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

Trans-Atlantic alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghosts presents their new single 'September', heralding the release of the third long-player 'Lusitanian Ghosts III' from this Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish chordophone collective (out September 15 via European Phonographic).

Recorded and mixed at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg by Sebastian Muxfeldt (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub), the single (like the coming album) will be released in both stereo and mono versions. Earlier, the band previewed the singles 'The Long Train', 'Shameless' and 'Got Enough'.

Founded by Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost (a.k.a. Mikael Lundin), Lusitanian Ghosts is a Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish project reviving lost instruments and presenting ancient sounds in the 21st Century. Re-casting these heritage folk violas into rock n roll songs, the European artist collective writes from a socio-political perspective on building a better world, creating songs for the heart and mind, recording on analogue tape and releasing moving music on vinyl.

Together with João Sousa, Abel Beja (from Primitive Reason), ToZé Bexiga (from Raia) and Jan-Eric Olsson, Lusitanian Ghosts plays traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments, ancient regional guitars (Amarantina, Beiroa, Campaniça, Braguesa, Toeira, Terceirense). These instruments, once on the verge of extinction, are the real "Lusitanian Ghosts" (Lusitania being an ancient Celtic tribe in what would become the central territory of Portugal).

'Lusitanian Ghosts' digital order https://lusitanianghosts.bandcamp.com/album/lusitanian-ghosts-iii

'September' evokes the Portuguese emotion of "saudade" - a happy-sad longing or yearning, a certain condition of the heart and soul. Here, Lusitanian Ghosts bring to the fore the Portuguese folk chordophone violas Amarantina, Campaniça and Terceirense, skilfully played by Michael Lundin, ToZé Bexiga and Abel Beja respectively.

ToZé's viola Campaniça, from the Portuguese heartland of Alentejo, also gets a processed treatment on this track, belying the fact that Lusitanian Ghosts make music with absolutely no guitars - just chordophones, bass and drums. Althought a brand new rock n roll alt-folk sub-genre, these songs feel warmly familiar.

"Musically, this one started out with an old bassline that I’d been toying around with for years but never got anywhere with. When I read Neil's lyrics that riff came to mind and we used it for the song originally. As it turned out, Janne came up with a much better bassline so my old one is still lying around waiting to be used in a future song. We couldn’t really decide if this was supposed to be a fast or a slow song, the chorus worked well both fast and slow so we just slowed it down in the ending so we got both. It turned out very well. A catchy little tune with ToZé on his baddest Pearl Thompson behaviour," says Micke Ghost.

Neil Leyton adds, "To me, September was always the most intense month of each year during my formative years... spending Summers on the beach in Portugal, then flying back to Canada for school... this song is about some of those intense childhood and growing up memories, both the good ones as well as the not so good ones... growing up is hard, but then you're an adult and you totally miss it, haha. This is also the perfect song to really introduce the wide breadth of emotions that are coming up on the rest of the Lusitanian Ghosts III album... coming, you guessed it, September 15th!"

'September' is out now, available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The 'Lusitanian Ghosts III' album will be released on September 15. It can be pre-ordered digitally via Bandcamp and also on vinyl, with both mono version and stereo version available.

SINGLE CREDITS
Neil Leyton - vocals
Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost - vocals and Viola Amarantina
João Sousa - drums and Adufe
Abel Beja - viola Terceira and backing vocals
António “ToZé” Bexiga - Viola Campaniça
Janne Olsson - bass and Viola Beirão
Published by Lusitanian Music Publishing
Written and Produced by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin
Recorded at Clouds Hill Studios, Hamburg
Engineered and Mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt
Assisted by Schulie Pieper
Mastered by Chris von Rautenkranz at SoundGarden Hamburg
Album cover painting 'Hamnen' (The Harbour) by Yngve Forsberg
Album cover art photography by Swedish photographer Stina Wigg
'September' lyric video created by LyricFind (Toronto)

Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish collective Lusitanian Ghosts releases invigorating new single 'Shameless'

June 6, 2023

Order the 'Shameless' single https://ffm.to/x5mke41

Founded by Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost, the collective is currently made up of João Sousa, Abel Beja (from Primitive Reason), ToZé Bexiga (from Raia) and Jan-Eric Olsson, performing on traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments, ancient regional guitars like the Amarantina, Beiroa, Campaniça, Braguesa, Toeira and Terceirense. These instruments, once on the verge of extinction, are the real "Lusitanian Ghosts" - Lusitania being an ancient Celtic tribe in what would become the central territory of Portugal.

"We were having a photo shoot with Katja Ruge at Clouds Hill in Hamburg and she was telling us over and over again to look fierce. So there I was, lookin’ all fierce when this really cool, post punkish bass line appeared in my head. It just kept going so, as soon as we had a little break, I took Janne aside and asked him to play it on the Rickenbacker bass. When I heard it I started singing ”Shameless” to myself and quickly gathered Abe and ToZe to play some chords, Johnny to play some rhythm on his knees and Neil to sing some backup," explains Micke Ghost.

"The song kind of wrote itself and pretty soon we were all singing Shameless from the top of our lounges. It couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes from when I heard the bass line until it was finished. We recorded it really quick pretty much live off the floor right after the photo shoot was over. Sometimes you get lucky. Shamelessly lucky!"

Engineered and mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub) at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg, the Ghosts once again offer a brilliant taste of the sonic prism through which they present ancient sounds in the 21st Century.

Recorded and mixed on analogue tape, this music features the violas Amarantina, Campaniça and Terceira in glorious mono and stereo versions, bringing a new vintage chordophone rock n roll sound from the Ghosts. It was tracked on a Studer A820 2″ analogue tape machine, mixed down to 1/4 inch tape on the AEG Magnetophon 15 A, including both stereo and mono mixes.

From a deep love of rock n roll rooted in strong vocal traditions from Elvis Presley to David Bowie, Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost craft folk-rock songs that will appeal to fans of The Waterboys, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and newer alt-folk-rock experimental crossings of rock n roll with other genres and traditions, like XIXA.

Lusitanian Ghosts' sophomore album 'Exotic Quixotic' was released with a Deluxe Edition featuring bonus tracks, adaptations of the title track into Portuguese and Polish, feat. Joana Negrão (A Cantadeira) and Misia Furtak.

As of June 6, 'Shameless' will be available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

SINGLE CREDITS
Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost - vocals and Viola Amarantina
António “ToZé” Bexiga - Viola Campaniça
Janne Olsson - bass and Viola Beirão
João Sousa - drums and Adufe
Abel Beja - viola Terceira, backing vocals
Neil Leyton - fashionista vibes, backing vocals

Written by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost
Published by Lusitanian Music Publishing
Produced by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin
Recorded at Clouds Hill Studios, Hamburg
Engineered & mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt
Assisted by Schulie Pieper
Mastered by Chris von Rautenkranz at SoundGarden Hamburg
Cover art photography by Swedish photographer Stina Wigg

Keep up with Lusitanian Ghosts
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Booking contact | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
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Lusitanian Ghosts announce third studio album, preview their invigorating life-affirming lead track 'The Long Train'

May 21, 2023

"Magnetic appeal... creating a broader cultural and sonic arsenal, while maintaining a buoyancy that takes the listener on a fantastic ride from start to finish" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Lusitanian Ghosts impressively channel tools of the past to create a beautiful sonic vision. Innovative in their use of traditional instruments to make modern pop-rock, this music is upbeat, quirky, feels familiar and is catchy as hell" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Highly melodic and sonically great... a pertinent, contemporary collection of songs that is full of dignity" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

Trans-Atlantic alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghosts present 'The Long Train', a life-affirming first taste of the band's forthcoming 'Lusitanian Ghosts III' album, due out in autumn via European Phonographic.

Engineered and mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub) at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg, the Ghosts once again offer a brilliant taste of the sonic prism through which they present ancient sounds in the 21st Century.

Lusitanian Ghosts is a Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish project that resurrects lost Portuguese chordophones and other European string instruments, promoting ancient sounds in the 21st century. Re-casting these heritage folk violas into rock n roll songs, the European artist collective writes from a socio-political perspective on building a better world, creating songs for the heart and mind, recording on analogue tape and releasing moving music on vinyl.

Founded by Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost, the collective is currently made up of João Sousa, Abel Beja (from Primitive Reason), ToZé Bexiga (from Raia) and Jan-Eric Olsson, performing on traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments, ancient regional guitars like the Amarantina, Beiroa, Campaniça, Braguesa, Toeira and Terceirense. These instruments, once on the verge of extinction, are the real "Lusitanian Ghosts" - Lusitania being an ancient Celtic tribe in what would become the central territory of Portugal.

“The Long Train is a song celebrating freedom, celebrating life, celebrating the act of setting yourself free so that you may reach that transcendental level of commitment that only comes with true love.” Confusing? “Oh, and it’s also about storks!” says Neil Leyton.

Micke Ghost adds, "'The Long Train' is a commentary on the state of the world today but with a bit of hope... like the New York Dolls took their electric guitars to the pawn shop. With a bit of plastic soul. .Written in Setubal, Portugal, this was recorded and mixed on analogue tape at Clouds Hill in Germany."

Recorded and mixed on analogue tape, this song features the violas Amarantina, Campaniça and Terceira in glorious mono and stereo versions, bringing a new vintage chordophone rock n roll sound from the Ghosts. It was tracked on a Studer A820 2″ analogue tape machine, mixed down to 1/4 inch tape on the AEG Magnetophon 15 A, including both stereo and mono mixes.

From a deep love of rock n roll rooted in strong vocal traditions from Elvis Presley to David Bowie, Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost craft folk-rock songs that will appeal to fans of The Waterboys, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and newer alt-folk-rock experimental crossings of rock n roll with other genres and traditions, like XIXA.

Lusitanian Ghosts' sophomore album 'Exotic Quixotic' was released with a Deluxe Edition featuring bonus tracks, adaptations of the title track into Portuguese and Polish, feat. Joana Negrão (A Cantadeira) and Misia Furtak.

Out now, 'The Long Train' single is available everywhere digitally, including Spotify and Apple Music.

SINGLE CREDITS
António “ToZé” Bexiga - Viola Campaniça and piano
Janne Olsson - bass and Viola Beirão
João Sousa - drums and Adufe
Abel Beja - viola Terceira and backing vocals
Neil Leyton - vocals
Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost - vocals and Viola Amarantina

All songs by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost
Published by Lusitanian Music Publishing
Produced by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin
Recorded at Clouds Hill Studios, Hamburg
Engineered & mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt
Assisted by Schulie Pieper
Mastered by Chris von Rautenkranz at SoundGarden Hamburg
Cover art photography by Swedish photographer Stina Wigg

Keep up with Lusitanian Ghosts
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Booking contact | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram | LinkedIn | Email

Lusitanian Ghosts present 'The Long Train' single, showcasing alternative pop-rock with traditional instruments

April 5, 2023

"Magnetic appeal... creating a broader cultural and sonic arsenal, while maintaining a buoyancy that takes the listener on a fantastic ride from start to finish" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Lusitanian Ghosts impressively channel tools of the past to create a beautiful sonic vision. Innovative in their use of traditional instruments to make modern pop-rock, this music is upbeat, quirky, feels familiar and is catchy as hell" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Highly melodic and sonically great... a pertinent, contemporary collection of songs that is full of dignity" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

Trans-Atlantic alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghosts present 'The Long Train', engineered and mixed by SEBASTIAN MUXFELDT (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub) at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg.

This is the first single from the band's forthcoming 'Lusitanian Ghosts III' album, due out later this year via European Phonographic. The Ghosts offer a brilliant taste of the sonic prism through which they present ancient sounds in the 21st Century.

Lusitanian Ghosts is a Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish project that resurrects lost Portuguese chordophones and other European string instruments, promoting ancient sounds in the 21st century. Re-casting these heritage folk violas into rock n roll songs, the European artist collective writes from a socio-political perspective on building a better world, creating songs for the heart and mind, recording on analogue tape and releasing moving music on vinyl.

Founded by Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost, the collective is currently made up of João Sousa, Abel Beja (from Primitive Reason), ToZé Bexiga (from Raia) and Jan-Eric Olsson, performing on traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments, ancient regional guitars like the Amarantina, Beiroa, Campaniça, Braguesa, Toeira and Terceirense. These instruments, once on the verge of extinction, are the real "Lusitanian Ghosts" - Lusitania being an ancient Celtic tribe in what would become the central territory of Portugal.

“The Long Train is a song celebrating freedom, celebrating life, celebrating the act of setting yourself free so that you may reach that transcendental level of commitment that only comes with true love.” Confusing? “Oh, and it’s also about storks!” says Neil Leyton.

Micke Ghost adds, "'The Long Train' is a commentary on the state of the world today but with a bit of hope... like the New York Dolls took their electric guitars to the pawn shop. With a bit of plastic soul. .Written in Setubal, Portugal, this was recorded and mixed on analogue tape at Clouds Hill in Germany."

Recorded and mixed on analogue tape, this song features the violas Amarantina, Campaniça and Terceira in glorious mono and stereo versions, bringing a new vintage chordophone rock n roll sound from the Ghosts. It was tracked on a Studer A820 2″ analogue tape machine, mixed down to 1/4 inch tape on the AEG Magnetophon 15 A, including both stereo and mono mixes.

From a deep love of rock n roll rooted in strong vocal traditions from Elvis Presley to David Bowie, Neil Leyton and Micke Ghost craft folk-rock songs that will appeal to fans of The Waterboys, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and newer alt-folk-rock experimental crossings of rock n roll with other genres and traditions, like XIXA.

Lusitanian Ghosts' sophomore album 'Exotic Quixotic' was released with a Deluxe Edition featuring bonus tracks, adaptations of the title track into Portuguese and Polish, feat. Joana Negrão (A Cantadeira) and Misia Furtak.

As of March 31, 'The Long Train' LP will be available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music, and directly from the aritist via Bandcamp.

SINGLE CREDITS
António “ToZé” Bexiga - Viola Campaniça and piano
Janne Olsson - bass and Viola Beirão
João Sousa - drums and Adufe
Abel Beja - viola Terceira and backing vocals
Neil Leyton - vocals
Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost - vocals and Viola Amarantina

All songs by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost
Published by Lusitanian Music Publishing
Produced by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin
Recorded at Clouds Hill Studios, Hamburg
Engineered & mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt
Assisted by Schulie Pieper
Mastered by Chris von Rautenkranz at SoundGarden Hamburg
Cover art photography by Swedish photographer Stina Wigg

Keep up with Lusitanian Ghosts
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Booking contact | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram | LinkedIn | Email

Lusitanian Ghosts (Portugal-Canada-Sweden) release 'Exotic Quixotic' LP, showcasing alternative pop-rock played on traditional instruments

November 18, 2021

"Magnetic appeal... the band’s creative strength lying in its flexibility and ability to cast the net wider sonically. They are creating a broader cultural and sonic arsenal, while maintaining a buoyancy that takes the listener on a fantastic ride from start to finish" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Lusitanian Ghosts impressively channel tools of the past to create a beautiful sonic vision for us listeners now. Innovative in their use of traditional instruments to make clearly modern pop-rock, this music is upbeat, quirky, feels familiar and is catchy as hell. The fact that this is entirely performed with traditional instruments is mind-boggling" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Highly melodic and sonically great with applaudable production, for music performed with classical instruments, this is a pertinent, contemporary collection of songs that is full dignity, the artists' remaining true to their values and ethics" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Warms the heart and nourishes the soul... a crooning catharsis, a rush of adrenalin, that gleams and mediates whilst chasing utopian fantasies through the interval of stripped down acoustics and clapping beats" ~ The Manc Review

Portuguese-Canadian-Swedish alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghostspresent 'Exotic Quixotic', their sophomore album, released via European Phonographic and featuring ancient Portuguese chordophones and other European string instruments. This is a brilliant taste of the sonic prism through which the Ghosts present ancient sounds in the 21st Century.

They also present a full-length video recording of their latest performance, filmed in the Portuguese town of Setabul.

Founded in 2015, Lusitanian Ghosts are Neil Leyton, Mikael Lundin (a.k.a. Micke Ghost), João Sousa, Omiri, O Gajo, Abel Beja, Janne Olson and other artists that come and go. Writing from a socio-political perspective about a better world, they create songs from and for the heart and mind. Their compositions mix indie songwriting with traditional Portuguese instruments like the Beiroa, Campaniça, Braguesa, Terceirense and Amarantina guitars (or violas as they are called in Portugal), each with its own string arrangements and tunings.

"This is the first record ever made that gathers these regional chordophones as the main protagonists, all on the same record. Whereas on the first Lusitanian Ghosts, we still used 6-string acoustic guitars and electric guitars, on this one we have abandoned them entirely in favour of just the chordophones leading this unique soundscape," says Neil Leyton.

"It’s a record about life, love and death, but not featuring your usual reflections on those topics. We have songs about murder (we are against it unless it’s a really bad guy), songs about euthanasia (in favour of), songs about love and commitment from afar, songs about how selfish people are, songs that will probably be misinsterpreted the way that, say 'Born in the USA' or 'A Design for Life' were. And also a song about a dog that passed away. As for the title track, it’s about being a creative, humanist human being, rather than destroying and doing harm to other people and this world."

This album, recorded on analogue tape and mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt (Elbow, Peter Doherty, Teenage Fanclub) at Hamburg's Clouds Hills Studios, recasts heritage folk violas into rock and roll songs.

"For this second album, we headed to the amazing Clouds Hill studio in Hamburg, which features beautiful analogue gear, old instruments, a great space and it is a live-in studio with an artist apartment downstairs. Bands like Gallon Drunk, Faust, artists like Pete Doherty and Omar Rodrigues-Lopez from At the Drive in record there. We stayed for about 8 days, tracking bass, drums and Amarantina live off the floor and then overdubbing the other chordophones, vocals, some percussion and keys," recalls Neil Leyton.

Earlier, the band released the singles 'Never Less Than Lonely', 'Soul Deranium', 'All the Sounds' and the title track 'Exotic Quixotic'.

Their debut self-titled album, recorded at Portugal's Canoa Studios and produced by Ricardo Ferreira, mixed various regional Lusitanian (Portuguese) chordophones with the band's unique brand of pop-rock. The documentary 'Lusitanian Ghosts: Making Of the Lusitanian Ghosts debut album - Chordophone Rock n Roll' elucidates on why most of these Portuguese ancient instruments (the real Lusitanian Ghosts) have become forgotten over time. For this new album, they've done away with the guitars, using only chordophones, along with bass and drums. Even the snare was replaced on many tracks with the Adufe, a Portuguese square drum.

As of November 19, the 'Exotic Quixotic' LP will be available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music, and directly from the aritist via Bandcamp.

ALBUM CREDITS
Neil Leyton: Lead vocals
Mikael Lundin: viola Amarantina, backing vocals, bass, Mellotron, viola Campaniça. Lead vocals on 'Exotic Quixotic' and 'Hometown'
João “Johnny” Sousa: drums and Adufe
Vasco Ribeiro Casais: viola Braguesa
Abel Beja: viola Terceira
Jan-Eric Olsson: bass and viola Campaniça
All songs by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost
Published by Lusitanian Music Publishing
Recorded at Clouds Hill Studios, Hamburg
Engineered and Mixed by Sebastian Muxfeldt
Produced by Neil Leyton and Mikael Lundin
Mastered at Soundgarden by Florian Siller
Cover Illustration by Johan Lindberg Brusewitz

Keep up with Lusitanian Ghosts
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