PAUL WITHEY レコード& CD

Review: The Royal Athlete label keeps on running with the sixth volume of its self-titled series. It is a collection, once again, of joyous analogue disco that pays homage to classic sounds but not slavishly so. Kicking things off are the mighty galaxies, absolute kings of this form with plenty of cosmic synths and retro-future synth work. Paul Withey slips into a deeper, more seductive disco-soul sound with 'Confessions' primed and ready for some smoochy dancing, then First Touch's 'I Believe In Boogie' does what it says on the tin. Sky Tony slows things down with the glossy and astral arps of 'Tell Me', making this a superb collection of disco gold.

Review: Ali Renault's Vivod label continues to bring the goods, as recent missives from Skatebard and Monkeyshop (their first release of any sort for 11 years) emphatically prove. The imprint's latest release comes from newcomer Paul Withey, who follows up a fine contribution to a recent split E.O on Ruby Hills & Diamond Mountain, with a debut solo E.P of his own. The five tracks featured are nicely varied stylistically, but all boast the distinctive shimmer of analogue synthesizers and dusty drum machines. Highlights include the surging Italo-disco revivalism of "Pallas", cheerily positive synth-pop flex of "Yes Master", and the curious, Radiophonic Workshop style weirdness of "Beneath the Surface".