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Draft:Anthony Baden Saggers


Anthony Baden Saggers (born 1987) is a British composer, multi-instrumentalist, and filmmaker from Banbury, Oxfordshire. Initially recognized for his ambient and contemporary classical compositions under the alias Stray Ghost[1], Saggers has since transitioned to releasing music under his own name and has recently ventured into film production and directing.​

Biography

Career as Stray Ghost (2006–2020)

Adopting the moniker Stray Ghost, Saggers released a series of ambient and neoclassical albums characterized by melancholic and introspective themes, and notable for their poetic track names.

His works, such as Nothing But Death, Those Who Know Darkness, See The Light, and A Shade Under Thirty, received critical acclaim for their emotional depth and sonic richness. He collaborated with various record labels, including Phases, 1631 Recordings, Universal/Decca, Hidden Shoal, Time Released Sound, Analogpath, Highpoint Lowlife, Dead Pilot Records, and Phantom Channel.[2][3][4][5]

In 2013, Anthony Baden Saggers collaborated with Eugene S. Robinson, frontman of the experimental rock band Oxbow, to form the avant-garde project Stranger By Starlight. Their sole album, Chalk White Nights was released on Bad Paintings. The album received critical acclaim for its atmospheric depth and emotional intensity.

In its list of 2013's best albums, Bizarre magazine called it "Extreme melancholia that makes Nick Cave sound like a Butlin’s entertainer trying to teach everyone the ‘Birdie Song."[6] [7][8][9]

Transition to Personal Name

In 2020, Anthony decided to retire the Stray Ghost alias, opting to release music under his own name to reflect a more personal and mature artistic identity. This transition marked a new chapter in his career, leading to projects like Sketches From A Minor Tragedy and The Death of Patience which continued to showcase his signature emotive compositions.[2]

Film Composition and Directing

Anthony later ventured into film composition, scoring for various media projects. His work includes the score for the western This Bloody Country, and Netflix's Raël: The Alien Prophet.[10][11]

In 2024, he directed, composed and produced the short film The Loneliness of the Night Hunter[12] and announced that he was working on his debut feature film Where the Sparrows Fly, which is set to star Larry Cedar, Beth Grant and Jim Beaver.[13]

Discography

As Stray Ghost

EPs

  • Self Titled (2007, Highpoint Lowlife)
  • Fabula Sjuzhet (2008, Dead Pilot Records)
  • A House of Gold and Oak (2008, Phantom Channel)
  • Each Paradise is a Lost Paradise (2009, Hidden Shoal Recordings)
  • Aschenbach (2011, Self-Released)
  • Our Traces Vanish With The Thaw (2012, Self-Released)
  • To Make Ends Meet (2015, 1631 Recordings)
  • This Is Not Supposed To Be The Way That It Is (2016, Self-Released)
  • Sonder (2018, Self-Released)

Albums

  • Losthilde (2008, Highpoint Lowlife)
  • An Avalanche of Swollen Tongues (2009, Dead Pilot Records)
  • Nothing, but Death (2010, Hidden Shoal Recordings)
  • Mono No Aware (2012, Analogpath)
  • Those Who Know Darkness See The Light (2012, Time Released Sound)
  • Hold the Crest of the Passing Tide (2012, Self-Released)
  • Maly Wilk (2013, Self-Released)
  • October Songs (2014, Self-Released)
  • So Much to Remember, So Much to Forget (2015, Self-Released)
  • Lament - Music for Irene Inness (2015, Self-Released)
  • A Closed Dialogue (2016, Self-Released)
  • What Light There Was Has Left Us (2017, Self-Released)
  • A Shade Under Thirty (2018, Phases Records)
  • Diary of a Life Inside (2020, Self-Released)
  • If I Could Cross The Space To You (2020, Self-Released)

As Anthony Baden Saggers

  • White Rose (2020, 1631 Recordings)
  • Sketches from a Minor Tragedy (2020, Oscarson)
  • Utopia (2023, Self-Released)
  • The Death of Patience (2024, Self-Released)

As Strangers by Starlight

  • Chalk White Nights (2013, Bad Paintings)

Filmography

  • The Loneliness of the Night Hunter - Credited as Director, Producer, Composer, Writer (2024)
  • Where the Sparrows Fly (Pre-Production, 2025)

References

  1. ^ "Stray Ghost finds his musical feet". Banbury Guardian. 2018-11-28. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  2. ^ a b "Interview with Anthony Bader Saggers aka Stray Ghost | Kathodik WebZine" (in Italian). 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  3. ^ Ashworth, Lee (2018-12-01). "Stray Ghost: A Shade Under Thirty - album review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  4. ^ "textura". www.textura.org. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  5. ^ justanotherlistener (2012-11-11). "Stray Ghost ~ Those Who Know Darkness, See The Light". a closer listen. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  6. ^ "Bizarre UK February 2014 | PDF | Horror Films | Satanism". Scribd. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  7. ^ Quietus, The (2013-09-02). "LISTEN: Stranger By Starlight LP". The Quietus. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  8. ^ Quietus, The (2013-06-14). "LISTEN: New Stranger By Starlight". The Quietus. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  9. ^ "When The Stars Align - An Interview With Strangers By Starlight". Ghost Cult Magazine. 2013-09-03. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  10. ^ "Behind the scenes of "This Bloody Country" – Utah Film Festival". Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  11. ^ "Anthony Baden Saggers | Composer, Director, Writer". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  12. ^ The Loneliness of the Night Hunter (2024) | MUBI. Retrieved 2025-04-20 – via mubi.com.
  13. ^ Saggers, Anthony Baden, Where the Sparrows Fly (Western), Beth Grant, Chris Mulkey, Jim Beaver, Sunshine the Horse, Taller del Chucho, retrieved 2025-04-20

References