GALLERY レコード& CD

Review: We remain in the dark as to the identity of the shadowy artists behind the Gallery re-edit series, which is now on to its fourth release. Whoever is behind it clearly has re-editing skills and deep crates because the choice of tracks and the quality of the scalpel style rearrangements is always top-notch. For proof, check 'Hello You Yeah', a fine extension of a jazz-funk-tinged, near Balearic '80s disco oddity that includes some great solos, sun-kissed horn motifs, rubbery bass and occasional doses of joyous chorus vocals. Summer may already be over (here in the UK at least), but it sounds like a sunshine anthem in the making. Flipside 'Just Be Yourself' meanwhile is a heavier affair; a pleasingly pompous, synth-laden disco-rock excursion that's as camp as they come.

Review: The Gallery has these rare grooves up for auction, so they advise you to place your bid quickly. Spoken like true gallerists (or collectors?) this label has presented two previous displays of artistic editing that are still enigmatic to this very day, and their next one retains the high standard in artistic quality. On the A side of this 12' we have the low slung disco disco inferno of 'Steady On Now' packed with a vibrant brass section, cosmic synths and some fine guitar work. On the flip, you're in luck (what more can we say) on 'Not You Again' which has that classic Salsoul kind of vibe all the way, oh and that vocal - good times!

Review: Some artistic edits from a brand new series. We're not sure who the "unknown artist" is behind the reworks (which date from this year and 2016 respectively), but it's clear that they know what they're doing. A-side "Baby Baby Please" is a wonderfully dubbed-out and glassy-eyed revision of a lesser-known Italo-disco/Hi-NRG cover of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" that boasts a killer vocal breakdown midway through. Over on the flip, "True Destiny" is an epic, low-slung revision of an obscure disco number that rightly emphasizes the heavy groove pushing the track forward and includes some tasty delay and echo trickery.