GHOST REFLECTIONS Interview (2/2)
After getting a first glimpse into the formation of Ghost Reflections, our second part of the interview now focuses on the music from their debut EP, “I Am I,” itself. Mir and Murmur tell us how “Dawn” and “Grey” came to be, what role instrumental music plays for them, and which influences from Italy and beyond have shaped their sound. Did you miss the first part? No problem— you can read it here.
Orkus: The EP opens with the haunting “Dawn.” How did this song come about?
Murmur: He had written a very interesting piece about that feeling of being drawn in, as if you were being called upon to listen. I took the lyrics and tried to set them to music. This time, I wanted to give the song a more distinct metal feel—with heavier guitars and a sound more typical of gothic and industrial metal. Creating such a driving rhythm wasn’t exactly easy. At first, I had trouble finding a melodic phrasing that worked with the lyrics. In the end, though, the result was extremely satisfying.
O: Is there a story behind the emotional song “Grey”?
Mir: Murmur asked me to create something, so I began to reflect on the sense of calm I feel in the empty space between one task and the next. If I had to assign a color to that feeling, it would be gray—my favorite color after black. Gray is a color that absorbs the entire spectrum of visible light and lies in the balance between black and white. It often represents the human need to take a break from life’s distractions.
O: “Eternal Dance” and “Cold Case: Chiara” are both instrumental and extremely atmospheric. How do you go about creating instrumental pieces?
Murmur: I’ve always made and loved instrumental music. I started doing it when I was a teenager. My musical background spans numerous genres that often share a structural and compositional approach with classical music—including progressive rock, psychedelic music, and more progressive and experimental forms of metal. Classical music itself is also a major influence. I studied it in college and still appreciate it very much today. I conceive of my instrumental pieces as film scores. I don’t tend to drag out ideas too much with jam-session-style passages or extended instrumental excursions. Instead, I prefer to focus on the central theme and develop it further, always staying true to the core of the piece.
O: You’re from Italy. How has your homeland influenced your sound?
Murmur: We were heavily influenced by the soundtracks of 1970s Italian horror films, by the darker and more unsettling side of progressive rock, and by the classical music of our country’s legendary composers from days gone by. As for our passion for gothic rock, post-punk, metal, and related genres, however, we have to admit that despite the strong underground scene that still exists and survives in our home country, we’ve drawn most of our inspiration from foreign bands—especially British ones.
Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg
Lineup:
Murmur – music, production, instruments
Mir – Lyrics and Artistic Direction
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