Ghosts Outside

As the driving force behind indie-electro darlings The Beta Band, Steve Mason always demonstrated a remarkable affinity for unorthodox production techniques and sly, unexpected fusions of straight-ahead folk rock with an dizzying array of styles, including acid house, dancehall, and minimal electronica. Mason tapped famously eclectic reggae producer Dennis \"Blackbeard\" Bovell to create *Ghosts Outside*, a dubbed-out reworking of his otherwise understated 2010 solo release, *Boys Outside*. Bovell is no stranger to England’s underground rock scene, having produced records for post-punk legends like The Slits, The Pop Group, and Orange Juice. On *Ghosts Outside*, Bovell brings his singular style to bear on Mason’s quirky electro-pop, producing a satisfyingly traditional dub album that isn’t sonically dissimilar from some of his classic early-‘80s releases like *I Wah Dub* and *At 10 Downing Street*. Though Mason’s songs form the source material for all the tracks here, this is essentially Bovell’s show. And while Mason fans will want to explore *Ghosts Outside*, its foremost appeal is as a classic-sounding dub release.