Love Ghost with Wiplash | A Pop-Punk, Hip Hop Fusion

One of my favorite bands around right now, Los Angeles-based Love Ghost, continue to bring the heat month-to-month, week-to-week, day-to-day. Even as I write this review for “Left on Read” – released only three weeks ago – the band has just released a new banger last Friday titled, “Dopeman.” An equally amazing track I am still sinking my teeth into as well. As much as Love Ghost is no stranger to the AMS Radio Top 10 list, I am as much no stranger to knowing that just when you think you are covering the latest by this band they are already moving units on something new. You could say my familiarity with that phenomenon began by being somewhat of “an early adopter,” or just plain ol’ fanboy of the band (in Gen Z terms), ever since covering their collab with Strange Bones on the single “Chains,” back in January of 2022.

Speaking of adopting some new lingo, that is the first thing to know about this new single’s title. “Left on Read” (read out loud in the past tense of the word “read”) is a term used to convey rejection. According to Urban Dictionary, it “the highest level of disrespect” someone could receive today. In other threads, at times deemed as a passive aggressive snubbing. Regardless of the degree of intent, the phrasing metaphorically speaks to when you’ve sent a message to someone (dm, text, whatever), it is marked “read,” and that person does not respond to you. You’ve been “left on read…” How cold blooded!

On this particular track Love Ghost teams up with Spanish rockers Wiplash, another Indie giant making waves right now. It is a rocking, infectious Pop-Punk rooted track that possess a tip of the hat to Pop-Punk greats like All Time Low and Green Day. I’d take it a step further and put some “respeck” on Sum 41 as well, pioneers of utilizing that Pop-Punk base to incorporate heavier guitars and hip hop at times. For fans of those bands, you are certain to enjoy this track. In a more modern context, you would be inclined to say that is direction MGK goes for as well, albeit by my personal taste I like this and all the aforementioned bands a bit more.

Check out the Official Music Video:

It has been an amazing journey to follow Love Ghost these last two years and watch the band grow and develop their presence within the music industry. They have embarked on international tours, amassed over a million YouTube views, been featured on German and Latin-American television, and have collaborated with amazingly talented, highly reputable artists such as Rico Nasty, Teeam Revolver, and Geassassin, just to name a few from a list that goes on and on. The band has an upcoming album that was recorded with Tim Skold (whose notable works include collaborations with Shotgun Messiah, KMFDM, and Marilyn Manson). When? Sometime this year. And as we close in on the end of the calendar year, and knowing the pace in which Love Ghost hits the scene, could be anytime now. If you haven’t yet, please join me in the excitement of following this band online.