Kevin Bronson on April 2nd, 2014

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It’s been a long, slow climb for Caught a Ghost, and if you’ve followed along since the band debuted in the summer of 2011,  the chorus of the single “Time Go” takes on a whole new meaning. “Where does the time go?” asks singer-guitarist Jesse Nolan, as if you know the answer: While building and rebuilding lineups, tweaking the musical vision originally imagined by Nolan and boyhood pal Stephen Edelstein and trying to find the right business partner to release that music, time passes. Two and a half years after Caught a Ghost flooded our inbox with eight soulful tracks, the band’s debut “Human Nature” came out this week via +1 Records. It’s a smart and stylish nod to Stax soul, with modern electronic flourishes. The album holds the same old-school charm as Nick Waterhouse, or that seemingly long-ago debut from Fitz & the Tantrums (before they joined the New Wave fray), but with hip-hop and dub-inspired rhythmic twists. Nolan has the perfect foil in singer Tessa Thompson (or is he her foil?), and at its best “Human Nature” conveys the sweaty urgency of a night on the town and the chill vibe of the morning after. It was worth the wait.

||| Live: Caught a Ghost celebrates its album release with a show at the Bootleg Bar on Friday, supported by Decorator, Darklands and Intergalactix.

||| Previously: “Connected” video, “Sleeping at Night,” “Connected,” “You Send Me,” “Hold Out”