"And I Dance" Released: January15,2026(2026-01-15)
My Ghosts Go Ghost is the debut studio album by American rap group By Storm. It was released on January 30, 2026, through deadAir Records. It is the duo's first full-length effort since disbanding Injury Reserve and reforming as By Storm in 2023. The album was proceeded by four singles, released between early 2025 to early 2026. My Ghosts Go Ghost was met with generally positive critical reception upon release. The album contains a guest appearance from Billy Woods, with production contributions from saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi.
For more information about the history of By Storm, see Injury Reserve.
Injury Reserve was a Tempe, Arizona based hip-hop group composed of producer Parker Corey and rappers Stepa J. Groggs and RiTchie with a T, known for their experimental and abstract production.[1] After the death of Stepa J. Groggs in 2020, Injury Reserve released their second and final studio album, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, to critical acclaim.[2] They later reformed as a duo under the name By Storm in 2023,[3] along with a music video for Injury Reserve's final release, "Bye Storm", and their first release as By Storm, "Double Trio".[3]
The duo began working on new material shortly after the final Injury Reserve tour in late 2022. However, a full-length album did not materialize out of these sessions. Instead, the duo began to slowly release "songs [they] were confident in", citing pressure from "debuting a new band while also following up a relatively successful album". Throughout 2025, the duo released three singles, each with a Maxi release. They also played shows in Phoenix, New York, London, and Los Angeles. The shows were intended to mimic an improvisational DJ set they did as Injury Reserve in 2019, which laid the foundation of By the Time I Get to Phoenix. As time went on, these shows became more planned with new material being created in preparation for these shows. By their last show in Los Angeles, the group finalized My Ghosts Go Ghost.[4]
Composition
My Ghosts Go Ghost has been described as experimental and abstract hip-hop by various reviewers.[5][6][7] Devin Birse of Still Listening described the sonic palette as shifting between folk, psychedelia, jazz, and boom bap. Birse also contrasted the production of My Ghosts Go Ghost with By the Time I Get to Phoenix, highlighting a departure from an experimental rock, "post-apocalyptic" sound.[8] Critics highlighted the maximalist sound of Corey's instrumentation, which incorporates acoustic guitar, violin, saxophone, and synths.[5][6][8] Tom Morgan of Clash compared the music to that of Dälek, describing RiTchie's lyrics as "fissure vents on the side of a volcano."[5] Benny Sun of Pitchfork said that "both the lyrics and production of [this album] feel more conversational and off-cuff than anything the duo have previously attempted."[9]
The opening track, "Can I Have You For Myself?", features an acoustic guitar melody before shifting to a folktronica waltz in its latter half.[8] In a review for Beats Per Minute, John Wohlmacher described the instrumentation as "much gentler than anything Injury Reserve had ever produced."[10] On the track, RiTchie addresses his wife on the eve of their child's birth, "tempering his gratitude with a desire for things to stay the way they are."[9] The second track, "Dead Weight", features a looping guitar arpeggio, backed by a breakbeat, unpredictable pauses, and undecipherable vocal layers.[5][10] In the lyrics, RiTchie uses hair as a metaphor for shared experience and grief, refusing to cut his dreadlocks to not "forget him."[10] "Grapefruit" was described as "a constant semi-quaver pattern alongside stilted hi-hats and snares, a somewhat anxiety-inducing rhythm track when backed by minor-key harp flourishes and swooning group vocals" by Ben Devlin of MusicOMH,[6] with Liam Inscoe-Jones of Paste comparing its sound to that of Xiu Xiu.[7] The lyrics find RiTchie talking about how fame leads to unwanted attention and invites people to pry into his personal life.[7] "In My Town" explores themes of financial instability and the struggles of touring through RiTchie's lyrics, ending with 3 minutes with "no distinct direction".[9]
Near the midpoint of the tracklist is lead single, "Zig Zag", a track that incorporates "a maelstrom of glitching synths and noodling guitar" that eventually swallows RiTchie's vocals.[7] In the song, RiTchie speaks to an audience of his attempts to dodge the obstacles in life, only to "finally succumb and no longer be able to dodge."[10] "Best Interest" features rapper Billy Woods, who asks "blunt questions," and is instrumented with a distorted, artifacted violin.[6][10]
Release
Following the release of "Double Trio" in August 2023, the duo would not release any new material as By Storm for a year. On December 25, 2024, the duo returned from their year-long silence with a post to their social media accounts, revealing they would release new music in 2025.[11]
On February 25, 2025, the duo announced their first single since 2023, "Zig Zag", and premiered the music video the following day. The single formally released on the 27th across all streaming platforms.[12] On March 8, 2025, the duo performed their first live show as By Storm in Phoenix, Arizona—the first of five live shows that served as the foundation for My Ghosts Go Ghost.[4][13]
On April 2, 2025, the duo announced their second single, "Double Trio 2", a sequel to their 2023 debut single, "Double Trio". They premiered the music video the following day, and the single arrived on streaming platforms on the 4th.[14] On April 12, 2025, the duo announced another live show in Phoenix; however, they performed with a different setup.[15] At the show, the duo premiered a then-untitled track, which became the opening track, "Can I Have You For Myself".[16]
On July 2, 2025, the duo premiered the music video to their third single, "In My Town". The single released on streaming platforms the following day.[17] The duo would perform live in New York, London, and Los Angeles between May and October.[18][19] Before their Los Angeles show in October, the duo confirmed the existence of an album, and announced that it would be their last show before finalizing the album.[20]
On January 7, 2026, the duo announced the "final single" to an eventual debut album, "And I Dance", alongside confirmation that they had signed to deadAir Records on their social media accounts.[21] On January 14, 2026, the duo formally announced My Ghosts Go Ghost on their social media alongside a statement, and premiered the music video for "And I Dance" the following day.[4] The single formally released on the 16th across all streaming platforms.
A limited edition vinyl pressing of 1,000 copies was released on January 26, 2026.[4] The album would release with deadAir Records on the 30th.[22]
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, My Ghosts Go Ghost received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 from six critic scores.[23] Tom Morgan of Clash wrote, "[this album] is a much less abrasive experience than their previous effort; a relentlessly beautiful but demanding and cacophonous listen."[5]
Track listing
All tracks are written and produced by Nathaniel Ritchie and Parker Corey.[4]
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