Replica Ghost - Déjà Jamais Vécu
"Replica Ghost is one million souls. Replica Ghost is one thousand words. Replica Ghost is the ghost around your neck. Replica Ghost is the smile beneath the shade. Replica Ghost is Ergün Aktürk."
For Ergün Aktürk, it all started at age seven, when the early rock n' roll stylings of Elvis Presley graced his young ears.
This was as introduction that, as this Turkish-rooted musician moved through life, set creative wheels turning and ultimately opened up doors to other influences, such as Tom Waits, Mike Patton, and Kyuss. These stoner rock inspirations in particular paved the road that led to Ergün fronting Transonic Science, a band that you're likely familiar with if you follow the German stoner rock scene. They're a band that, in spite of tragedy and time, has been rocking the heavy underground for over two decades. While Transonic Science is the band that Ergun considers to be his home base, he has carved out an outlet for his other musical itches, an alter ego of sorts dubbed Replica Ghost. It's through this channel that his poetic musings and diverse musical influences come together in a deeply personal outpouring of artistic expression.
Replica Ghost first made himself known with his debut An American Movie, a collection of songs that came to life during the global pandemic, ultimately released in 2022. Now, on October 3, 2025, Replica Ghost has released his sophomore album Déjà Jamais Vécu (meaning "never lived before" in French).
To set the scene for Déjà Jamais Vécu, I think it's best to pepper in Replica Ghost's own words a bit: This is an album that "blends electronic soundscapes with raw emotional weight" in an effort to explore "emotional truth through digital haze". And, much like the specter the artist is named for, Déjà Jamais Vécu is ultimately "like a memory of something that never happened - melancholic, dreamlike, powerful." Further, the album bridges the gap between synthetic and organic..."machine and man". The merging of these two polar opposites arose because, although Replica Ghost composed and arranged Déjà Jamais Vécu himself digitally, the human quality of his voice, completely unfiltered, stands warmly against the manufactured sounds. This contrast serves as a strong reminder that a living soul is something that can never be replicated by artificial means.
You will certainly recognize Replica Ghost's Voice as the distinctive one that belongs to Ergün, but to hear it in the manner it performs on Déjà Jamais Vécu feels like a privilege - a window into one man's nuanced thoughts and the creative influences that have worked together all his life to inspire him.
Replica Ghost - Déjà Jamais Vécu
A strong electronic element is apparent right out of the gate on first track Rusty Wrecker. A very cool "goth" vibe is also evident, giving this song a bit of a post punk feel. Replica Ghost's vocals have a memorable, lilting quality, making Rusty Wrecker a very infectious tune indeed. In stark contrast, the next song The Scary Moon is Dead is filled with the stoner/desert tones I know and love from Transonic Science, just with a little bit less rock n' roll sweat and swagger. Contrast continues to be key as Déjà Jemais Vécu plays on, with songs such as Mountains delivering more of the electronic feel found on Rusty Wrecker. However, tracks such as Whisper Whisper and Kyoto Moonlight display a more atmospheric, dreamy version of this style. Shockwave is a song that stands out for its clever use of building and transformative qualities, while How Dark is Your Night is distinctively immersive, with quaking rhythms and a hazy, sensual tone. Jailbiter intrigued me with a unique take on coarse and gritty sounds that I don't get to hear in the stoner rock world, with an appropriately ghostly, icy wind that blasts through the jarringly intense choruses. Everlasting Love slows the pace down exponentially as the curtain begins to fall on Déjà Jamais Vécu. This is a noticeably "bare bones" song on which mournful string arrangements and soulful piano work together to bring about an emotional crescendo. Final track The Keys is similarly stripped down, but it's filled with airy, soft, blissful gratitude, delivering the perfect prompt for a daydream: "There's no one around, just you and me and sound."
Final Thoughts
Déjà Jemais Vécu has a much larger electronic component than I was expecting, but I don't think that's a bad thing at all. In fact, it was very enjoyable and interesting to hear Replica Ghost, who I'm used to hearing howl over gritty and fuzzy guitars, sing over a more processed style. What's more, the versatility of his voice is even more apparent when placed over this medium. I knew Replica Ghost's voice could go from gravelly growl to soulful crooning at the drop of a hat, but that talent is brought to the forefront on Déjà Jemais Vécu. While Replica Ghost's electronic music is just as immersive as stoner, the noise of the lumbering bass, crashing drums, and fuzzy guitar that we know and love is removed, allowing the listener to appreciate each instrumental and vocal component as it sharply pierces through each track.
Perhaps best of all, the listener is really given the opportunity to crash around inside the artist's head here, either serenely gliding over or barreling through what feels like the entire spectrum of human emotion. Replica Ghost relays his musings in a beautifully poetic but digestible way, allowing his words to resonate with a variety of listeners. I'm certainly grateful to have heard this very personal project; I feel like I've not only learned a bit about what makes the frontman of one of my favorite stoner rock bands tick, but Déjà Jemais Vécu definitely expanded my musical horizons in the process.
More About Replica Ghost
You can follow Replica Ghost and listen to his music at the following links:
A massive thank you to the man himself, Ergün Aktürk, for the promo (and for his ongoing support as well)!
Comments
Post a Comment