Ghostly International was founded in 1999, as fortune chanced a meeting between label CEO Sam Valenti IV (SV4) and first releasee Matthew Dear at a college party in Ann Arbor. Valenti wears his Michigan heritage with pride. He is a curious mind sprung from a musical city: a kid who grew up with Stevie Wonder, owns an original ‘95 J Dilla beat tape, and has factory lines for arteries.

Musically, you can trace most of what Ghostly does –– from jazzy instrumentals to smoggy techno, yearning electronics to frigid ambient –– back to Detroit and its suburbs. Yet what makes Ghostly stand out is how far they go beyond that grounding. Ghostly strays into corporate territory with glee, somehow never desecrating their underground credentials whilst also embodying what it means to be a modern lifestyle brand. People like to crack wise about the intersection of art and technology, but there’s no trope without fire.

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