Guerrilla Ghost

Eclectic. Aggressive. Prolific. These are a few of the words that have been continuously used to describe Milwaukee’s Guerrilla Ghost. Having been active since 2017, the duo composed of producer Tron Jovi and vocalist Bad Graphics Ghost have amassed a catalog that rivals contemporaries with twice the tenure.

Their introductory year saw them hit the ground running with the single and music video “Make AmeriKKKa Great Again”, which began their aesthetic of socially and politically-charged material. A handful of singles and EPs quickly followed and culminated with their debut full length, 2018’s “Perpetually Sad Motion Machine”, a companion remix EP and music video for lead single “Everybody Rap”.

During the years that followed, the duo provided support to artists such as Kool Keith, Mac Lethal, Blueprint, Mega Ran, Carnage the Executioner, ¡Mayday! and 9th Prince. It also saw the release of a slew of singles, covers and remixes for labelmates Devils Teeth and Dead is Dead, local pals Bell & Circuit & Dramatic Lovers as well as Fake Four Inc. artist MC Homeless.

As the Covid-19 pandemic began to shut the would down in 2020, they immediately released the timely “Keep Your Distance” single and music video, buying them some to figure out how to wrap up production on their critically acclaimed sophomore effort “We Get What We Deserve” while working remotely. The album featured guest appearances from many local and national artists. The highlight feature, according to critics and fans alike, was the poignant verse from hip-hop legend Kool Keith on lead single “Algorithm Nation 1814”. This album consistently charted at the top of the 91.7 WMSE Top 10 Airplay charts for the following 6 months.

The duo rode positive accolades into 2021 and delivered “The Trumaine EP”. With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, they performed exclusive livestream sets for local venues like X-Ray Arcade, Cactus Club or The Cooperage and for Milwaukee’s beloved radio station, 91.7 WMSE Local / Live Series.

To celebrate their five year anniversary in 2022, they released their third full length, “Hell is Empty and All the Devils are Here”, on April 14th. The album proudly boasts featured appearances from artists around the country like Big Lo, Katana Da Don and Rec Riddles. Taiyamo Denku returned with fellow Milwaukee artists NilexNile and Taj Raiden, who absolutely shines in a show stealing performance. The record also came hand-in-hand with a completely remixed version, featuring Oakland producer Ian Miller (bassist of Kowloon Walled City / Interesting Times Gang), Chicago punk icons The Mons, Michigan noise rockers Them Teeth and current Big Beat MKE champion Spacecrime among many others.

With Covid-19 restrictions starting to disappear and venues starting to re-open, the album gave Guerrilla Ghost the opportunity to once again share their art to a live audience. For their album release, they performed an intimate show sponsored by music publication Breaking and Entering, then went on to play seemingly flawless sets at outdoor festivals such as Burnheart’s Mittenfest and The WMSE Backyard BBQ. They also found themselves, once again providing support for touring emcees such as Mega Ran, Carnage the Executioner and MC Chris, as well as sharing the stage with punk bands like The Fastplants and Convert.

Ready to close out an already successful year, the group is keeping promises and releasing a second album in this calendar year. Their fourth full length, cryptically titled “Dying”, will be released November 11 on compact disc, Bandcamp and all streaming platforms via Triple Eye Industries.

The album witnesses a stylistic shift from a pair that already pulls references from an amalgamation of genres. Elements of jungle, lo-fi hip-hop and trap intertwine with new wave, goth pop and industrial influences. The vocals meander around raspy and clean cut deliveries, with the messages therein urgent, yet indifferent. Not for the faint of ears, longtime fans and new listeners alike will be pleasantly surprised by the extreme duality of the album.

Opening tracks “Eight of Cups” and “Machinist” greet the listener with answering machine tape snippets and massive bass drops under sheepishly pessimistic lyrics. “Hanged Man” swings between breakbeats and lush electro soundscapes, while the vocals segway from rapid fire to injured bellows. Circuit bent children’s toys furnish the backdrop against the desperate statements on “Wayfairer”. The album closer, “Whore of Babylon”, leaves the listener with a not so subtle word of advice: “If you want the kind of life you never had, you’ve got to do something that you’ve never done.”

“I’m just trying to avoid writing the same record over and over again,” explains Tron Jovi. “For me, music production is about exploring new territory. It keeps the process engaging. This is the first Guerrilla Ghost record where I use cassette tape loops as part of my sound design palette.” Bad Graphics Ghost adds, “We’ve always followed an aesthetic while also trying to reinvent ourselves with each project, so this is the album we needed to make. It’s completely different, but makes sense with where we stand right now.”

This calculated stance is almost theirs alone, as this album has minimal guest appearances. Milwaukee podcaster and hip-hop emcee Mad Static revels in an enormous appearance on “Hierophant”. Denver hip-hop / rock artist Katana da Don provides a beautifully smooth delivery on “Pervavor”. Frequent collaborators Ashley Graham and Rio Lanza supply rich chorus melodies and catchy hooks on many of the album’s tracks, bringing a breath of stability to the chaos within.

“I feel like we’ve always prided ourselves in being abstract and obscure, following our DIY punk roots” says Bad Graphics Ghost. “It seems like we cater to a specific type of fan base, but this time around we created something we feel to be more accessible. There’s more singing, more messages with a common thread and more modern instrumentation, but we make it our own. We’ve taken notes on what’s trending, bastardized it and created our own niche in the current environment.”

“I think we stand apart because our sonic palette is so different” elaborates Tron Jovi. “We aren’t trying to sound like what’s already out there, we’re just expressing ourselves with noise making without specifically trying to sound like whatever’s popular. We still have so much to learn and implement.”

Guerrilla Ghost’s fourth studio album (and second album this year), “Dying”, is slated for release on November 11, 2022 via Triple Eye Industries.