Just over a year after the release of Ghosted II, which was praised by KLOF Mag for its “enriching, multi-layered and almost indecently accomplished” compositions, the improvisational trio of Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling, and Andreas Werliin return with Ghosted III. The new album, arriving August 29th on Drag City, finds the group pushing their intuitive interplay into more immediate and exuberant territory. This newfound confidence, born from dozens of live dates since their debut, allows their locked-in focus to coexist with an expansive, adventurous spirit, captured over three days at Stockholm’s Studio Rymden.
The album’s lead single and opening track, “Yek,” immediately signals this shift. Berthling’s bass provides a rolling foundation, but it’s Ambarchi’s uncharacteristically bright, jangling guitar and Werliin’s sparkling percussion that define the track’s airy quality. In a departure from their usual slow-burn approach, the trio deploys a powerful chord change, lifting the energy with a surprising but immensely satisfying swell before settling back into the main figure. The accompanying video from Maximilien Luc Proctor complements the song’s spiralling energy, strobing through day and night cycles centred on a single, ominous chair.
Across its six sprawling tracks, Ghosted III reportedly carries this exploratory torch, venturing beyond their established zones of ambient neo-jazz and post-kraut funk. The trio is said to channel the kinetic exuberance of prog-rockers and the angular hooks of new-wave popsters. As the fadeout of “Yek” sees Ambarchi’s guitar proliferate into cascading, harp-like chimes, it becomes clear this thrilling first taste suggests Ghosted III will be the most dynamic and surprising instalment of the trilogy yet.
Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin European 2025 Tour Dates
July 4th – Monheim, DE @ Monheim Triennale II
July 26th – Braga, PT @ Extremo Festival
Aug 27th – Berlin, DE @ Berlin Atonal 2025 @ Kraftwerk Berlin
Sept. 5th – Kristiansand, NO @ Punkt Festival
Sept. 16th – London, UK @ ICA – Institute of Contemporary Arts
Pre-Order Ghosted III: https://lnk.to/ghostediii