“I don’t really recognize that and he’s not an influence. I don’t really think in terms of influences. Every person I’ve been compared to has made a career for themselves; I just want to do the same really. Lyrically and musically I try to do my own thing, I listen to all types of music. It sinks into the membrane subconsciously. I’m trying to live life and everything that comes my way is an influence; that’s more of an influence than music.”
Using this everyday influence as a focus, from takeaway meals to unopened mail, the new album is rooted in Ghostpoet’s emotionally absorbing production and vocals. Underpinned by sparse beats and trip-hop inspired sounds, it would be nice to succinctly categorize the album’s direction, but Ejimiwe embraces the sonic ambiguity.
“I don’t think it’s hip hop, I don’t think its spoken word, it’s sound. I listen to so many different styles of music, I don’t care about genres. Genres don’t mean anything to me. The moment I decide I’m a part of a genre, I then limit my creativity, I can only create something in a particular box and a particular zone. That’s boring.”
Capturing the creativity is often half the struggle, and Ejimiwe has been using his success to help fuel his ever widening array of instrumentation. Talking about his music making process he reveals, “It’s evolving every day. I have a lot of equipment now… I have drum kits, synths, an acoustic piano. I sit and make things, try to capture some type of emotion. I have to keep saying it – I’m a massive fan of music first and foremost. All different types of stuff.
“When I sit down to make music I try to avoid presets, I try to make something, whatever comes to mind I just do. Lyrically I try to tailor make a delivery or lyrics to the sounds I’m trying to make… It’s not difficult, or hard, it’s just me doing what’s comfortable to do.”
This approach adds an organic undertone to the layers of Ghostpoet’s work, and he makes it clear that these days he likes to spend much more time honing his sound than he did on his first album. The result is a clean album with a consistent production ethos, where everything has its perfect place in the mix.
“In the beginning it would be a case of writing enough music for a record. This time around, I wrote more than was on the record. I was very much in the mind – I want to make tracks for this particular project. I’m always trying to get down ideas, on my recorder on my phone, just experimenting.”
While record labels may request the staple club banger, and success has subdued the integrity of many an artist, Ghostpoet conjures no illusions regarding his relationship to the industry.
“I don’t feel pressure because I wouldn’t make music if I was told what I should make. I make what I want to make, however I want to make it, and that’s the only way I can do it. The Mercury prize helped me to create awareness in certain areas, and I’m forever grateful for that, but nothing’s changed.
“I don’t have aspirations to be rich, or try to live in a particular way. I just try to live like everyone else. I do music full time and that’s my dream I guess. I don’t know. What is success?”
BY DANIEL FOSKEY
