Gala Drop – II

Recommended for those whose love of dance extends beyond its various inner boundaries, the Portuguese collective regroup for their first full-length outing in six years. Here they team up with Detroit's Jerrald James, more commonly known as Jerry the Cat, the veteran DJ, producer and songwriter. The Cat, newly resident in Lisbon, came across the Gala Drop mainstay Afonso Simões by chance, and they formed an immediate bond. His vocals add soul to the previously instrumental act's glossy allure, and the mix of old and new is on the money. 

You and I recalls the dub standards of King Tubby, while the bustling bass and clean guitar lines of Big City share lineage with the likes of Hot Chip and Metronomy. For fans of old, there's more than enough of the group's original groove, typified by Monad, whose Balearic beats are tailor-made for sunset/sunrise watching. [Gary Kaill]