We Speak Music

THIS IS SHIT release highly anticipated second album ‘ΛV’!

Published

51 minutes ago

October 30, 2026

Don Reed

THIS IS SHIT are back with their second album ‘ΛV’ and like the slanted signs of ΛV (pronounced “lambda V”) that invert and mirror each other, this new record interlocks two aesthetics that were never meant to coexist: rock and electronic music. A formula unique to THIS IS SHIT.

Behind this graphic project with its sharply crafted artistic direction stands composer Loïc Louraco. Driven by the need not to choose between two radically different ways of creating : rock, which he has practiced his entire life, and electronic music, which he explores in parallel, he formed a hybrid creation in 2017: a trio in which he is both producer and principal instrumentalist. And thus sparked the collision between the two worlds.

A signature sound first discovered by audiences through the EPs / (“Slash”) and // (“Double Slash”) in 2018, followed by the album /// (“Triple Slash”), which concluded a first creative cycle in 2020.

After a challenging start to the decade, the artist entered a new writing phase that stretched over several months. Born from improvisations or long nights of production on Ableton, the tracks were pushed to their limits. The sound is more controlled, the album more impactful. For this new project, THIS IS SHIT chose to take production even further by collaborating with Swedish producer Hans Olsson (Division of Laura Lee).

An initial studio session in Paris allowed the three musicians to record, in a traditional rock band setting, guitars, bass, and drums. The tracks were then sent to Gothenburg, where they were reworked by the producer and director as a temporary electronic duo. The collaboration felt natural, and the results fruitful, bringing a unique coherence to this new release. Like a film soundtrack, ‘ΛV’ carries the listener from scene to scene, from emotions to sensations, from celebrations to contemplation, in a continuous, unbroken flow between tracks.

The latest single to come from the album ‘Blue Nine’ is more than a song, it’s a signal picked up from our own future, something that survived and caught its breath again. The track steps away from expected formats: it builds in stages, letting electro and rock search for a common frequency before fully locking into sync in the song’s final stretch. A pivotal piece that crystallizes This Is Shit’s hybrid identity.

The phantasmagoricvideo for the single, directed by INFRAROUGE, ventures into a territory no camera could have reached. Red neons, liquid chrome, architectures that exist nowhere: INFRAROUGE builds a world of its own, coherent down to its smallest details, where photorealism keeps slipping into hallucination. These aren’t effects layered onto real footage, it’s an entire geography, born elsewhere, that never had a filmed version. This beauty has an underside. The real never fully disappears here: it gradually distorts until it becomes almost unrecognizable, like a memory one could no longer be sure of having lived. Between memory and fiction, control and chaos, beauty and ugliness, the video doesn’t try to resolve these contradictions, but to stay right where they vibrate. One certainty remains: what ‘Blue Nine’ shows could never have existed anywhere else.

We Speak Music

Ghost Jr Is Bringing Pop Hooks and Techno Energy Together on New Single ‘2 phones’

Published

27 minutes ago

October 30, 2026

Joni Jones

Belgian producer and DJ Ghost Jr is back with ‘2 phones’, a high-energy electronic release that proves he’s not interested in sticking to just one sound. Out now via Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records, the track brings together catchy pop vocals, euphoric synths and driving techno beats, creating the kind of infectious crossover that feels just as at home on a packed dancefloor as it does blasting through your headphones.

At first, ‘2 phones’ lures you in with atmospheric arpeggios and polished, emotive vocals, giving the track an almost nostalgic, synthwave-inspired feel. But don’t get too comfortable. As the chorus kicks in, things take a much heavier turn, with pounding percussion and techno-driven energy taking over. It’s a clever combination of melodic songwriting and club-ready production, giving the track plenty of personality without losing its dancefloor appeal.

But there’s more to ‘2 phones’ than just big drops and infectious hooks. Beneath all that energy, the track explores something many of us can probably relate to: the feeling of constantly juggling too much, chasing the next big thing and trying to keep up with a world that never seems to switch off.

As Ghost Jr explains:

“2 Phones isn’t about me, it’s about a feeling a lot of people carry: that pressure of juggling more than you can hold, chasing something better while the world keeps ringing at you. I wanted to write it from the outside looking in, like a short film in a verse. The energy hits first. The story reveals itself after.”

It’s this mix of emotional storytelling and full-throttle electronic production that makes Ghost Jr an interesting name to keep an eye on. His sound takes inspiration from Eurodance, trance and techno, with influences ranging from Pegassi and Marlon Hoffstadt to Dimitri Vegas and Funk Tribu. Think nostalgic dancefloor energy with a fresh, contemporary edge.

And electronic music has practically been in his DNA from the start. Born in Brasschaat, Belgium, and now based in Valencia, Spain, Ghost Jr grew up surrounded by dance music thanks to his father, legendary Belgian DJ Ghost. Responsible for classics such as The Moon’s ‘Blow Up the Speakers’, Armani & Ghost’s ‘Airport’, Cherry Moon Trax’s ‘Needle Destruction’ and Q-ic & Ghost’s ‘Desire Go Higher’, his father’s influence undoubtedly helped spark an early fascination with electronic music.

Rather than simply following in his footsteps, however, Ghost Jr started experimenting with production in his bedroom, gradually taking his own sound from the studio to dancefloors across Europe. He’s since played some major stages, including Tomorrowland, Ostend Beach Festival and Fantasia Festival. One particularly special moment saw him join his father for a Tomorrowland Cherry Moon Legends set, bringing two generations of Belgian dance music together.

With over 300,000 streams already under his belt, Ghost Jr has also reached a significant milestone by joining the Dim Mak Records family. It’s a fitting home for an artist who enjoys pushing boundaries and bringing different electronic worlds together.

‘2 phones’ is another exciting addition to his growing catalogue, offering a glimpse of what’s to come ahead of an upcoming EP. Whether you’re into the melodic side of trance, the harder edge of techno or simply love a track with a seriously addictive hook, Ghost Jr has plenty to offer.

One thing’s for sure: you’ll probably want to turn this one up.