Charleston-based DIY indie label, Hearts & Plugs, is relentless in bringing local talent to the surface, and we’re forever grateful. The label seems to specialize in artists who look beyond borders for inspiration but retain a certain Southern warmth within their sound. Michael Flynn is one such artist whose first single, “Holy Ghost”, is a track that finds its warmth in physical proximity — it sounds like he’s singing right into our ears, and we’re glad to present it today. “Don’t be afraid if I lean to whisper/I’m the flash of gray in the background of your every picture/I’m your holy ghost,” begins the track, making us afraid in a good way, as the dark, atmospheric electronics feel way more like fascination than horror. Intentionally creepy yet soulful, by the time the song is drowned by eerie synths and dreamy falsetto repetitions of “I’m your holy ghost,” we’re locked in for the ride and ready for more spaced-out, haunted sanctuary slow jams.
Formerly 50% of the excellent Slow Runner, who toured with bands like Built to Spill and William Fitzsimmons, Flynn’s bandmate moved to Nashville, so he continued on solo, now free to explore new sonic terrain. His debut album is called Face in the Cloud and is out July 15th. Check the premiere of Michael Flynn’s “Holy Ghost” above and join us in anticipating his debut next month.