Sky Ferreira’s new Ghost EP is only five tracks long, but it’s varied and accomplished enough to make good on the 20-year-old singer’s unlikely five-years-and-counting as an artist on the verge. Standout “Everything Is Embarrassing” is forward-thinking electro-pop with Usher and Solange co-writers in its DNA, and Shirley Manson contribution “Red Lips” is welcome Garbage recycling.
“Sad Dream,” the latest video selection (via Fader), is a strummy acoustic ballad, somewhere between Mazzy Star’s smoky cowboy psych and Neko Case’s assertive alt-country. Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Kanye West) and Cass McCombs guitarist Blake Mills are involved.
Directed by Grant Singer, who also shot the clip for “Everything Is Embarassing” plus a new short film called IRL, the song’s video shifts from urban black-and-white to sun-scorched color and high plains drifting. Ferreira wields a gun and helps steal liquor, but never looks happy.
Visually, it’s still a bit reliant on that model-actress pout, but musically it’s more evidence Ferreira’s pop-star dream shouldn’t have to be a sad one.