PARCELS Vinilo y CD

Review: Originally from Australia, now based in Berlin, Parcels are the consummate live disco-house band. In the past four years they've demonstrated that on their studio recordings, but they're the kind of outfit which really make sense on the stage, as all the players vibe off each other and the crowd in pursuit of dancefloor perfection. After their widely celebrated first live album back in 2020, they're back with another volume which captures the set they've been playing out in more recent times. If you need an instant portal to peak-time, glittery festival magic, this live album is your dream ticket.

Review: Here's something you don't come across that often: a "live" album that captures straight-to-tape (literally) studio recordings rather than a performance in front of the paying public. In Parcels defence, the results are impressive, in part because their chosen location, legendary Berlin institution Hansa Studios, boasts the kind of analogue recording and mixing equipment that neatly fits their warm, mixed-up trademark sound (think West Coast rock, blue-eyed soul, funk-ruck fusion). Many of the songs segue into each other as they would during a live performance, with new interludes and previously unheard songs adding a frisson of disco-fired dancefloor goodness to proceedings. It might not be a pure live album, but it's a hugely enjoyable listen.