I’m not sure how Zach James knew I was going through it, but his latest single “Ghost” speaks to me. Released on February 28, “Ghost” sounds like it was salvaged from the iPod Nano that I lost in 2013. Just to be clear, the music on there was from years before that, mostly with tunes from the 2000s. Do you remember that music? I know you do. And you fucking loved it.
James taps into the spirit of Z100 with his latest single. His Spotify bio mentions an “undeniable talent for nostalgic memories.” Whoever wrote that, assuming James isn’t patting himself on the back, is absolutely correct. From the quality of production to the actual content of the lyrics, “Ghost” is a surreal reminder of an era in music that I thought was left in the past. But I suppose 2020 is full of surprises, *cough.*
The lyrics in “Ghost” are haunting for me, as they will be for anyone struggling with some sort of break-up. “Where did you run away to my love? / My love… / We were never finished / No, not done / Not done,” are words I can unfortunately subscribe to, only adding to the emotional capacity of the song. Despite bringing up some painful, unwarranted memories, the song is an utter banger.
As long as he keeps a level head and steers clear of suppressive label deals, Zach James has a bright future ahead of him. The talent and packaging is all there, so all he needs are the listeners and exposure. With that said, do your nostalgia a favor and check out “Ghost,” along with the rest of his discography on Spotify.