My first exposure to Ghost In The Water came at Minneapolis’s Triple Rock Social Club where they opened for the fantastic M83. Though I only caught about half of their set, I was immediately impressed. The duo of spouses, Nathan and Mandy Tensen Woolery, create a complex blend of charming electronic pop – right along the same lines as The Postal Service – minus the overdramatic vocals of Ben Gibbard.

The duo’s debut album, Tooth, showcases the best of what the band has come up with so far. It’s a short record that is full of promise. “I’m Not Afraid of Falling” features the gorgeous vocals of the couple, perfectly intertwined to soar over the poppy keyboard beats. On “A Nightmare” Mandy lets loose a dense emotional tome. Her voice is definitely a high point on the album: full of pathos and a mature fullness of tone. One of the more dynamic tracks “Magic Wand” builds from gliding whispers to an exceedingly well structured and powerful climax.

If Tooth sounds more seasoned than your typical debut, it should: both Woolery’s have been playing in the local band Fitzgerald for years. It was only when the two sought an outlet for a more electronic oriented sound that they formed Ghost in the Water. What is Fitgerald’s loss though is our gain: if this collection of songs is any indication of what is yet to come from these two then I for one am looking forward to hearing more.

Ghost in the Water “Clean Sinks and Folded Laundry” (mp3)
Ghost in the Water “How To Draw A Ghost” (mp3)

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