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Oct 18, 2024 By Caleb Campbell

DC singer/songwriter and guitarist Sam Elmore got his start with DC punk outfit Ekko Astral, playing guitar on their debut album pink balloons before stepping away from the band this summer. Around the same time, he shared his debut EP, Hateful Days, which saw him coloring his punk roots with shades of Americana and folk. The EP’s lyrics find Elmore tracing Springsteen-esque portraits of working-class struggle and perseverance, crafting tracks that feel equal parts mournful and hopeful.

Elmore is back this week with his latest track, “Hunger Ghost,” out everywhere now.

“Hunger Ghost” represents a new step for Elmore’s music. Where his debut EP was spectral and confessional, guided only by Elmore’s vocals and acoustic guitar, “Hunger Ghost” lets him fully step into the role of rock and roll frontman. He’s joined by his six-piece backing band, The Ghosts: Ian Wysham on drums, Alexander Gallows on lead guitar, Elise Roell on bass, Ryan Taylor on keys, and Rebecca Mount on acoustic guitar. The track was also mixed by Ekko Astral guitarist Liam Hughes and mastered by Heather Jones of So Big Auditory. Together, the band whips the track into a series of rock rave-ups, complete with wild guitar leads, sing-along choruses, and an extended mid-song instrumental jam.

Elmore’s vocals come out howling and impassioned above the rush of instrumentation, all while his lyrics once again touch on hints of social commentary. He imagines consumerism as a monster, one that can catch you and leave you sedate and docile but constantly hungry: “Ghost man’s coming / He’s prowling, haunting / Slow and steady he glides across the floor / He’s gargantuan and hollow / His belly moans for more.”

Elmore says of the track, “‘Hunger Ghost’ is a song about the spirit of sorry consumption that we find ourselves in, but without blame or nihilism. We’re all hooked into the “next” thing and take what the algorithms serve us, but at the expense of our freedom and our sense of self. It’s not our fault, there are powerful forces at work to keep us on this leash, but we have to be careful. The hunger ghost walks, and he’s coming for you next.”

The track also comes with an accompanying video, co-starring Elmore and fellow former Ekko Astral member Guinevere Tully, who also records music under the moniker Rosslyn Station. Tully plays the titular ghost, locked in a playful dance with Elmore until the video turns into a Scooby-Doo chase sequence and a full-band jam session.

Check out the song and video below, out everywhere now.