“Any Way You Choose to Give It”
from the album The Black Ghosts
2008
iTunes
There’s certainly no shortage of bands shimmying, prancing, breaking, or doing the proverbial robot about indie-doms dance parties of late. But one act ushering a new routine to the floor is London’s Black Ghosts, and “Any Way You Choose to Give It,” a stark thumper off the duo’s just-released eponymous debut, is a prime example of their unique methodology.
“The melody and vibe of this song was so strong [that] I wanted to experiment with the lyrics and use unusual words and phrasings that would roll around the beat,” vocalist/songwriter Simon Lord told Spin.com of the track’s creation. “I wanted each line to have something unusual or memorable about it… showing a dark side to wanting, needing, or loving but mixing it with a glimpse of the good side too.”
Recorded in the duo’s (also featuring Theo Keating) Hackney studio, the song, like most the new record, says Lord, came together spontaneously with much of the vocals recorded from first takes: “They might not be as perfect as they can be but they usually have more soul.”
“The song was quite easy to write,” Lord continues. “It started with a simple guitar version, then when Theo added the beat and production it took off and the full vocals came together.” So, what’s the overall theme of the tune, you ask? “The psychosis that comes with love,” Lord explains. And with disco beats, nervy guitars, and plump blips paired with Lord’s club-ready cadence and stark, love-riddled lyrics, the song’s premise is transferred transparently.