MIND INVERSION

Entrenched with a musical background, DM Stith had shut music out of his like for some 20 years. Refusing to sing at age of 8 for the next two decades, Stith instead tried focusing on visual arts and writing. An attempted novel in college, along with a children’s book written and illustrated by himself, had failed. Leaving Stith with few options other than to return to the life he seems almost destined for.

With the release of his first full length album, which he began writing and recording while helping friend Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond record Bring Me the Workhorse, Stith attempts to accomplish through song what he has been wrestling with for years: “I’ve been really fascinated by some ideas about the functioning dichotomies of the mind, The crux of this idea… is that these different selves, these voices that influence the way we behave, these bundles of memory and self-protection, are things we can’t rid ourselves of.” This idea shows through in his music as well, undoubtedly so. The twelve track LP, entitled Heavy Ghost, clearly illustrates the kind of beauty and unexpectedness that Stith seeks in life. The album is littered with eclectic instrumentals, yet is grounded in the piano and strings. His vocals create stunning landscapes that match the almost ebb and flow that the album has. Flooding the listeners with tense strings, tribal percussion, and nervous piano, DM Stith is able to captivate the listeners each and every song.

It’s admittedly hard for me to try and write a solid review for this album because it’s so tightly knit. The instruments are bound to the vocals, and vice versa. Each track remains its own, but the album actually feels like an album. The patterns and repetition used throughout keeps the listener in the moment, never allowing you to become lazy or bored. Though Stith remarks about the album title that “Ghost, for me was a metaphor, not mysticism,” the piano keys seem to be a way for Stith to release his inner ghosts. It’s truly an amazing album. Heavy Ghost never lets up either, all the way through its final track “Wig,” DM Stith is able to make his formula work.

And lucky for you, if you haven’t heard any of DM Stith’s album yet, you can stream the entire thing over at Muxtape right now, I’ll post the link below. Interested in some of his other works as well? Two brilliant EPs were released before Heavy Ghost and you can find them on his website as well, below is an mp3 of the breathtaking “Just Once” off of the Curtain Speech EP. Check out his Flickr account as well.

DM Stith – Heavy Ghost 8.5 out of 10

STREAM HEAVY GHOST FOR FREE

MP3: DM Stith – “Just Once” off of the Curtain Speech EP