The world of lo-fi is a crowded place these days, yet every now and then, a tune glides through the seemingly endless stream of new music and genuinely stops you in your tracks. Dominic Delore, an audio engineer and contemporary composer from Massachusetts, has delivered exactly that with his new single, ‘Ghost Bus’.
After spending seven years helping shape the future of sound at audio company iZotope, Dominic is now running his own outfit, Rainy Day Mastering, and it's clear his deep technical knowledge is serving his creative work brilliantly. He’s the kind of artist who doesn’t just make music; he builds soundscapes with confidence and ease.
The track first surfaced on Bandcamp for Halloween, but its official arrival on major streaming platforms is perfectly timed for the last lingering weeks of the year. The song’s essence, as Dominic shared, is wonderfully evocative – “It’s what I imagine ghosts would listen to while waiting for the bus, staring at the streetlights, and gliding through the fog. It’s mysterious, cosy, and a bit weird in the best way.”
He’s not wrong. There’s a sweet, instantly charming quality to ‘Ghost Bus’ that hooks you from the first few seconds. It opens with the gentle crackle of static – that signature lo-fi imperfection that feels like a warm embrace – before a melancholic piano melody drifts in. It’s an easy-going vibe, but it avoids the trap of being merely ‘background noise’. The composition, which Dominic impressively handled every aspect of (composing, recording, mixing, and mastering), layers smooth, jazzy beats and a subtle smoky brass element. These ingredients mingle to create a haunting yet undeniably comfortable atmosphere. The piano keys don’t just follow a path; they flow freely, charting a gorgeous, meandering course that keeps the listener engaged.
This is the sound of late-night introspection, the soundtrack to foggy streets and muted city lights. It perfectly encapsulates the 'haunting melodies' Dominic mentioned, without ever feeling unsettling. Instead, it’s remarkably chill and serves as the perfect antidote to a chaotic day.
For those who appreciate the genre's knack for generating a feeling of calm and focus, 'Ghost Bus' offers a fresh perspective. Dominic, who also runs a photography project called Delore Studio, clearly has an eye for mood and aesthetic, and he’s translated that visual sensibility into a cohesive, low-fidelity sonic picture.
If you’re looking for a laid-back ride that is both meticulously crafted and effortlessly cool, you need to stream this tune now. For more, be sure to follow Dominic Delore today on Bandcamp.
