Led by musician and composer James Lees, the dreamlike, atmospheric music of Ghostwoods gradually blinked into existence over the lockdown winter of 2020.
The cold and gloomy environs of Lees' mountain abode outside Brisbane/Meanjin make for a dark, atmospheric winter. The simultaneous qualities of the natural beauty and a sinister sense of underlying hostility very much influenced the music that was created.
The sound is fleshed out by synths, percussion and contributions from key collaborators Karl O'Shea (bass), Mark Angel (guitars), Rohan Seekers (keys), James Halloran (keys) and Andrew Garton (sax/clarinet/flute).
In 2021, Ghostwoods released their debut EP Dark Moon and the band debuted as a performing entity, becoming a six-piece ensemble and adding a powerful, live dimension to the compositions. Two singles were also released, 'Terminal Bliss (Single Edit)’ and 'Brighter Now', presaging the debut full length album My Neon, released in January 2023.
In late 2023, the band received a nomination for the Australian Music Prize, and released the Stars EP, featuring 'We Are Made Of Stars', two further studio tracks and two live tracks recorded at legendary Brisbane music venue The Zoo. The past year has seen Ghostwoods undertake a number of live performances in various configurations, begin collaborations with two new guest vocalists as well as commission a suite of remixes reworked by six of Brisbane/Meanjin’s leading electronic and sound artists. These remixes, all drawn from My Neon, form a companion piece to the album released in early 2025.
