International collective Lusitanian Ghosts step out of the shadows with new single ‘Soul Deranium’, an instant summer anthem intended as a “protest song for the ages”.
The chiming, finger-clicking single comes ahead of new album Exotic Quixotic (out September 10) and follows the April release of the LP’s title track; a rallying song for artists marking the anniversary of Portugal’s non-violent uprising against dictatorship in 1974.
Central to ‘Soul Deranium’ are resonating chordophones – ancient Portuguese instruments the Ghosts resurrect as the basis of their melodic, seductive 21st century rock n roll.
Set to breezy rhythms, this apparently blithe clap-along evokes classic Marc Bolan and T.Rex tracks, complete with ambiguous, sometimes unsettling lyrics which offer much to reflect on; gun violence, gender stereotypes and the hangover trauma of the Trump presidency.
“We’re fully aware ‘deranium’ is not a real word,” says Lisbon-born, Canada-raised musician Neil Leyton, who takes lead vocals on the track, written by Swedish multi-instrumentalist Micke Ghost. “Micke’s English is a lot better than he makes it out to be but he has a knack for making up pseudo-English words in a really funny way.”
Ghost says: “I was singing ’21st century boy’ and ‘soul deranium’ or something like that on the demo that I sent Neil but never intended it to be a part of the lyrics. Then I got the finished song back, Neil was singing ‘deranium’. That’s when I asked if it was an actual word.”
“I often write lyrics based on the sounds of Micke’s Swedish humming on our demos,” rejoins Leyton. “’Deranium’ came from there and to me it sounds like it could be a condition, a sort of uranium poisoning leading to deranged, enlightened, ultra-inspired and potentially psychotic behaviour.”
“Not that any of our songs compare, but if Marc Bolan can sing about Telegram Sams and Cosmic Dancers,” says Leyton, “I wanted to open our new album with a song about someone engaging in ludicrous amounts of Clockwork Orange X-rated self-indulgence, all for the toppermost possible good of humanity – all entirely made up, of course. But still, in its own way: a protest song for the ages. You are invited!”
Listen here: lnk.to/deranium