2016 has seen the NYC-based Holy Ghost! frontman drop the glorious nu-disco Crime Cutz EP with bandmate Nick Millhiser via DFA and open the wildly successful Frankel's Delicatessen in Greenpoint Brooklyn with his brother Zach.

Frankel has been a prolific collaborator and live performer throughout 2016 as well. He features on critically acclaimed Classixx single “I Feel Numb” and has performed live with the group throughout the year including Lollapalooza, FYF Fest, KCRW and onLast Call with Carson Daly. Frankel joined Neon Indian and Friends for a special Pitchfork TV live performance of Prince’s "Pop Life" earlier this summer, and this past spring he and Millhiser debuted the new Holy Ghost! material live with a full band and choir at the Museum of Modern Art. The duo later played Pitchfork Festival and Panorama Fest.

Having just hit the road with Classixx and Neon Indian for a series of live solo shows (20+ dates through the end of October, full band), Frankel is surprise dropping his first-ever solo EP Negative Space this Friday September 30th.

Recorded at his home studio in Brooklyn, Chromeo’s Funk Box Studios in Burbank, CA, and mixed and mastered by the inimitable Alex Epton (Björk, TV On The Radio, FKA Twigs, Spank Rock) at New York’s XL Studios, Negative Space is a four-track collection of candy-coated disco pop-funk jams that showcase Frankel’s solo chops and see the artist stepping out of his comfort zone and continue to push the envelope.

He shares the hooky, funk-laden lead single + title track today: “Negative Space”

**Don’t worry Holy Ghost! fans, the duo is still going strong!

Frankel explains how it all came together in detail below:

In June I went out to Los Angeles to perform a song I wrote and sang with Classixx on KCRW, "I Feel Numb."  At the taping they told me they were having trouble figuring out an opening act for their fall tour and - half joking - they suggested I finish some solo jams I was sitting on and come out on the road. Maybe it was the amount of coffee I had that morning  - but for some reason I was like, "Sure. I'll finish some songs and put together a band and do it."

In August, along with the help of many talented friends I went about mixing and mastering a bunch of songs and starting rehearsals for the live show. The music was recorded at my house in Brooklyn , Chromeo's  "Funk Box" studios in Burbank, and then mixed and finished with Alex Epton - who is the glue on this project - at the XL recording studios in Soho NYC.

I also had extraordinary help from my friend Vaughn Oliver from the group Oliver who shares the studio in Burbank with Chromeo, songwriter  Kosuke Kasza (That Work),  Morgan Wiley (Hercules & Love affair, Midnight Magic), engineer wizard Chris McLaughlin, huge help from writer and producer  Ryland Blackington, the great saxophonist Jeremy Powell, and lots of support from Dave 1 from Chromeo who entertained a million late night text messages about the songs. Neon Indian’s Alan Paloma also provided one piece of extremely important feedback: "make it simpler."

Nick Millhiser my bandmate from Holy Ghost! also listened and gave me suggestions along the way.  And on that note I should say I'm very, very lucky to have a music partner that encourages doing my own thing and doesn't take it as an insult to our project together. Holy Ghost! is alive and well.

It takes a village I guess…

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On Tour Now w/ Classixx & Neon Indian:

9/27: New Orleans, LA @ Hi-Ho Lounge

9/28: Birmingham, AL @ Saturn

9/29: Gainesville, FL @ The Wooly

9/30: Miami, FL @ 1306

10/1: Orlando, FL @ The Social

10/4: Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West - King Plow Arts Center

10/5: Richmond, VA @ The National

10/6: Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small's Theatre

10/7: Washington DC @ 930 Club

10/13: New York, NY @ Terminal 5 *

10/14: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club *

10/15: Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theater

10/18: Buffalo, NY @ Waiting Room

10/19: Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom

10/20: Montreal, QC @ Le Belmont

10/21: Toronto, ON @ The Velvet Underground

10/22: Detroit, MI @ Populux

10/25: Bloomington, IN @ The Bluebird

10/26: Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom

10/27: Chicago, IL@ Concord Music Hall

10/28: Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Hall

10/29: Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Hall

* = Holy Ghost! Live Show

All Other Dates  Alex Frankel Solo w/ Full Band

(tickets)

Negative Space EP Tracklist:

1. Get Back
2. Negative Space
3. Ryland’s Theme
4. Lost Design