Last year, Wealthy Ghost came out of nowhere with its chilling, bare bones, and deeply-personal debut, Good Luck. The pet project of Milwaukee musician Pete Kostrivas earned sporadic local praise, and saw the solo bedroom venture resonating with a few others in town. Scantly more than a year since the first Wealthy Ghost sighting, the specter is planning its return.
The bipolar “Smoke Machine” alternates from listless end-of-summer jam to boisterous, cymbal-crashing crescendo in under four minutes. It’s the first single from Wealthy Ghost’s forthcoming five-song, 21-minute follow-up EP, Cold Hands, which Kostrivas says will be out October 21. Cold Hands will be a digital-only release, though Kostrivas is considering releasing the songs on a 7-inch down the road. The EP was recorded in his home. It’s currently being mastered at Mystery Room Mastering.