Edinburgh’s Hobbes Music label returns with a second EP of dream pop from husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), alias Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced McLochlun), who wooed hearts and wowed critics with debut EP ‘It’s True What They Say?’ last year.

Artist Of The Week in The Scotsman, rapturous reviews from The Skinny and Tokyo's Ban Ban Ton Ton blog, BBC 6Music airplay courtesy of Nemone (Mary Anne Hobbs' Morning Show), among many more…

They played gigs supporting Glasgow's huge Glasvegas, at festivals (Kendall Calling, Dunbar Music, Hidden Door), a slew of venues across the Scottish capital, ending the year with a trio of big shows supporting Glaswegian 80s pop legends The Bluebells.

“Blending the starry-eyed pop of Sonny & Cher with the electronic experimentation of Chris & Cosey” Ones To Watch For 2025 - Fiona Shepherd (The List)

Very much the companion piece to the debut EP but arriving a full twelve months later, Someone’s Ghost is emblematic of the duo’s desire not to rush things or release anything half-baked.

“I’ve always wanted to create the perfect pop record and I do really feel that we’ve achieved that with this one,” says Shaun. And he’s clearly not the only person who thinks so.

FEEDBACK

"Absolutely beautiful" Sean Johnston (A Love From Outer Space)
"Lovely stuff here! Total quality." Martyn 'Mash' Henderson
"Ooooh. Everything the last record promised is here. Well done" George T aka George Demure (Accident Machine)
"Vince clark Era Depeche Mode in places" Kevin Bales (Spiritualized)
"What a unique sound they’ve created of their own. I love it" David McCluskey (The Bluebells)

SOMEONE’S GHOST

The songwriting process for these recordings has been something of a personal tonic for Shaun…

“There was a period when I was having nightmares,” he reveals. “Apparently I was saying there was someone in the room, I was talking to that person and Sarah was seeing all this while I was still asleep. So, I was thinking that this was my ghost. I started writing songs because I was going through something and writing songs was a comfort. My ghost was a comfort”

“I firmly believe that everyone has someone who watches over them but all of the songs are essentially about being there for someone,” he says. “Everybody needs someone but also everyone needs to stay real and keep what you have, keep it close, never let it go. If you don’t have it, continue to tell people you’re there for them. It’s about loving and hoping people will be good to you in return.”

While Shaun took the songwriting lead on Filter Of Love and EP closer The Sound Which Stresses The Sound Of My Ears, Debbie Harry was originally instrumentally conceived by producer Jaguar Eyes, alias Ali Chisholm, later lyrically completed by Shaun. The EP’s lead track, Anhedonia, one of its stand-outs (much like Starbed on the debut), was conceived by Sarah, as a result of experiencing a bit of a spiritual epiphany of her own.

“When I first heard the word anhedonia, I didn't know what it meant but when I found out I thought about it quite a bit. How sad it would be to have no enjoyment in anything,” she explains. “This song is really about my own personal beliefs. When I have been down, that's one of the things that helps me the most. It talks about trying to make amends but realising, for some things, you can't. But I think with any kind of faith comes hope… which is always a good thing.”

A record about hope, truth, honesty, a belief in something bigger than oneself… and all set to a soundtrack that wouldn’t feel out of place in a David Lynch or Eighties feature film. What more could anyone ask for, really?

"We feel we have made an honest, open, colourful, body of work,” say the duo. “We are looking forward to whatever this brings."