The latest EP from legendary Greek producer G.Pal’s Swift Records sees the man himself in tremendous form, with two new originals and an excellent remix from Adrianos Papadeas.
‘Dance 2 That’ springs into action with a heavy kick-drum, dynamic acid bassline, and soulful little vocal samples, which conspire give the track a classic feel. The main string-like lead gradually rises out of soft pads as the acid intensifies, leading to a memorable breakdown. This is proper warehouse music, with G.Pal giving a huge nod to techno’s roots, while still managing to sound fresh and exciting. It’s not just going to bring back some good memories; it’s destined to create some of its own.
‘Groove 2 This’ is a slower and lower-key experience, with wobbly synths and a low-slung bass making eyes at each other over crisp percussion. G.Pal gives the track a slight disco-tinge, which works really well as it weaves it’s through a series of clever little drops. It lacks the kind of attention-grabbing theme boasted by ‘Dance 2 That’, but fans of subtle, groovy, intelligent tech-house will love this.
G.Pal’s compatriot Adrianos Papadeas delivers the only remix here, offering up a more progressive take on ‘Dance 2 That’. The record initially builds with a chugging baseline, chattering hi-hats and cool little effects, but it really gets going when Papadeas introduces the hypnotic acid line from the original, which provides the focal point for the rest of the track. The high-point of the remix is the breakdown, where the acid is let loose over a shuddering breakbeat, before a devastatingly effective use of one of the vocal samples from the original brings the rest of the track back into the frame. I have to admit that this is my first encounter with Adrianos Papadeas, but this definitely made me want to hear more by him.
When RELEASE interviewed G.Pal earlier this year, right before the release of his acid-stormer ‘The Cactus’, he said “TB303 will never die!!!” This superb EP from Swift reinforces what was already clear back then – that no one is doing more to keep it alive and well than G.Pal himself. The pick of the bunch for me is the original of ‘Dance 2 That’, but all three tracks are well worth exploring. 8.5/10
