Back catalogue: Disco/Nu-Disco

Review: Six years have passed since Lisbon dubsters Gala Drop presented their debut album. A handful of EPs and many shows later, they now present II. Naturally it's worth the wait. A unique synthesis of cosmic funk, psychedelic rock and deep dub, the entire album is every bit as immersive as you'd want it to be. From the trembling guitar plucks and frenzied momentum of "Monad" to the far-away cries and synth-slaying textures of "Slow House" via the planet-leaping drum energy and synth soars of "Samba Da Maconha", Gala Drop's distinctive delivery and creativity is showcased with accomplished skill. You won't hear another record like this in a hurry.

Review: It's been six years since the release of Portuguese combo Gala Drop's acclaimed, self-titled debut album. In that time, there have been line-up changes, subtle changes in style, and a surprise meeting with Detroit legend Jerry The Cat. The latter makes a big impression on II, their long-awaited sophomore set, contributing hazy vocals throughout. The real genius of II, though, lies in Gala Drop's new-found sound - a deliciously Balearic mix of heavy dub influences, loose Balearic rock, picturesque electronics, and a curious-but-brilliant fusion of cheap drum machines and dense live percussion. As a result, the album effortlessly swings between enveloping, sun-kissed wooziness (see "Slow House" and "All Things"), and psychedelic, Balearic dub-rock ("Let It Go"). Happily, the sun shines throughout.

Review: Bay Area DIY pop duo Loveshadow join up with Dark Entries to release II, their sophomore LP. Anya Prisk and Izaak Schlossman met in Oakland in 2016, bonded over their love of '80s sounds and immediately began building their musical world with lush synths, funky basslines, and irresistible hooks. The past is always in their palette, but Loveshadow's nostalgia doesn't trace to any single locus; it's more like a cloud, and it's through this haze that they breathe new life into the music they love. Their debut album was released in 2021 on Music from Memory to acclaim. II presents a more subtle and refined statement from the band - laser-focused on the vaporous expanse. Album opener 'Last Room' saunters with the confidence of Sade, while 'Earthen Track' feels like Kate Bush covering a forgotten city pop anthem. The album is largely focused on club-friendly material, but mellower pieces like 'Winter's Door' and 'Mirage' are sophisticated standouts that would make Ryuchi Sakamoto proud. Italo-funk groover 'Power Melts Away' closes out the album by upping the energy into fist-pumping territory. Anya's lyrics on II use the unreality of dreams as a lens to examine the realities of change and personal growth; illusions made material. Loveshadow elegantly smear the lines between past and present, pop and avant, immanent and transcendent.

Review: Moon B takes it back to the old school that is PPU! Atlanta-based analogue funkateer Wes Gray made his debut proper as Moon B back in 2012 on People's Potential Unlimited, and has since found further acclaim with a killer EP for London label Going Good and releases as Vaib-R and Sean Sanders for Nous and Hot Mix. Andrew Morgan's PPU has always been something of a home base for Moon B material however, with several other cross format releases in recent times. The suitably titled II is the second Moon B long player and pulls eight tracks from the home studio recordings of Wes Gray made over the past few years with that signature "slank rhythms and cutting basslines you've grown accustomed to" present and correct!