It feels like a long time since we last heard from American pair GEMS, and yet they've lost absolutely none of the appeal that first grabbed our attention on 'Medusa' or 'Sinking Stone'. Singer Lindsay Pitts and multi-instrumentalist Clifford John Usher have upped sticks from D.C., eventually pitching up in LA and signing for Carpark Records, who will release their debut record, Kill the One You Love, in October. No wonder they haven't had time to release any new music until this week's first taste of the album: 'Living As A Ghost'. It's a proper GEMS track, all warbling wobbing bass, crisply twanging guitars, seesawing synth riffs, and, of course, a glimmering chorus vaulting Pitts' voice into the stratosphere. It's safe to say we're fans, and October 30th can't come quickly enough. - DC