Ghost of Panama’s “Astral Days and Spectral Letter” is a Sonic Montage of Global Isolation

Some artists turn music into an act of expression, a medium for candid moments and personal battles. But there are voices that rise to turn a collective experience into a sonic record to mark history. That’s how Ghost of Panama crafted their EP Astral Days and Spectral Letters. And it’s not just a collection of tracks but a social commentary pieced together from the global pandemic.

Astronauts comes in slow. With prominent bassline and atmospheric melody, the track feels like it’s suspended in motion. It’s just quiet, weightless, like being trapped in a small space full of uncertainty and loss. This track is isolation laid bare in its sonic form. The band perfectly captured the feeling of a sudden shift from the ordinary and typical day-to-day life—the quarantines and lockdowns that felt endless and the thoughts that got trapped along with it.

Spectral starts off with a dialogue interlude that feels like a dramatic montage of the pandemic in its political sense. The unsettling skits immediately set the tone of the track. Despite its upbeat arrangement, the biting lyricism rises up the surface to bring introspection. You can nod your head along with the beats but it won’t ever be a comfortable listen the closer you lean in.

After that sharp, bitter irony, Letter from Einstein comes in almost the same but carries a heavier reflective weight. It’s like a letter that transcends time, travelling from the past to speak its truth. It’s not the type of track that you vibe with, it’s the one that will leave you sitting in the corner with thoughts piling up before you could even keep up. It’s part historical, part sonic warning that lingers both musically and lyrically.

The EP ends with Awayday that feels like a coping mechanism translated into sound. It was hard to grasp the burden of isolation we carried on our backs, but at the same time, there were small, countless ways that preserved our sanity and made it possible to survive. Awayday is a deflection, a temporary escape from emotional and mental weariness that is not loud, yet enough to take you back to those days.

The England-based band was formed in early 2022 with a flexible line up then slimmed down into two by 2024. And with this release, they cement their place in the scene with a 4-part EP as a significant addition to their growing discography. Ghost of Panama’s Astral Days and Spectral Letter is the resilience, dread, grief, and escape in one cohesive output. And no, it’s not just a concept. It’s a living document of an entire history.