We last spoke to Liverpool-based outfit RISE earlier this year, penning an interview with them and celebrating the release of ‘Always’. We meet the British group again today, with a brand new single on their cards, ‘Talking To Your Ghost Again’, as well as a summer release that we didn’t get a chance to cover, ‘Hard To Leave You’. As is common in the band’s catalogue, RISE team up with fellow creative stayMellow once more.
From a sonic standpoint, the new piece feels more complex and nuanced than its predecessor. In fact, RISE are adamant about having getting closer to some of their prog-rock influences, a feature that makes for a rather nostalgic rock-leaning sound, even though there’s a heightened songwriting and vocal allure in it. It’s the sort of heartwarming ballad that one would hear in the ’80s, yet treated with modern production. stayMellow’s vocal performance is quite outstanding, very precise and vulnerable.
From what we are told, ‘Talking To Your Ghost Again’ represents a personal and meaningful offering for the project, with RISE paying homage to their original singer Steve Kinley, who passed away in 2022 following a short battle with cancer. In that regard, crafting the song took quite some time, both from a musical perspective and a lyrical one. More importantly, it was always a question of being ready to release it. As Paul Kinley explains: “This is very much a song for those who knew Ste”.
Recommended! Discover ‘Talking To Your Ghost Again’ now: