ONLY NOW / SNAKE BOX (INCL. INNERSPACE HALFLIFE REMIX) by GHOSTS ON TAPE

ICEE HOT has grown and evolved quite a bit during its four­plus years of existence, and so have the talents of party/label co­founder Ghosts On Tape (a.k.a. Ryan Merry).Back in 2012, the San Francisco ­based producer was responsible for the first ICEE HOT release ("Nature's Law" / "No Go"), and he followed that up in 2013 with "No Guestlist" / "Still Got The Feeling". Now, he's returned with a new 12", and it just might be his best work yet. "Only Now" kicks things off in a rollicking fashion, its stuttering synth riff taking center stage and gradually building atop Ghosts On Tape's trademark drummy percussion. Those whose who've followed Merry's work know that his command of rhythmic interplay has always been at the heart of his production, and while that skill helps to make "Only Now" an enticing proposition, it really shines on "Snake Box." Abandoning melody almost entirely, the track offers an intense, drum­heavy workout over an insistently thudding bassline. On the remix front, ICEE HOT has enlisted Chicago duo Innerspace Halflife, who infuse "Only Now" with soaring cosmic synths and twisting melodies, giving the song a decidedly (no pun intended) ghostly feel.