Mike Gale

Samples are inherently nostalgic. They're little packages from the past. The most mainline nostalgia injection is a riff or a beat that we've heard our whole lives being repurposed for something new. However, now we're so attuned to sample culture that the simple act of sampling itself now seems to fire those same wistful neurons. We hear a sample cut up and repeated and it instantly puts us in that place. The reflective aesthetic of the “low-fi chill hip-hop” sound can also be aided by an old-timey timbre. Pitch-shifted wonky samples give that extra edge of weathered age.

Twin Spirit is Mike Gale's ninth solo album in six years. For his latest endeavour, he sought to find a different creative direction which came in the form of an album composed almost entirely of samples. Save for his voice and bass on one track, the album is all taken from previously recorded material. This hip-hop style of song production naturally caused a marked change in his sound with his classic Brian Wilson meets Vincent Neff vocals being the sole continuous contribution.

The album's intro track seems overtly woven from McCartney DNA. The jaunty piano with bandpass filtered vocals directly recalls Paul's White Album work, particularly his outro to 'Cry Baby Cry' as well as other demos featured on the Anthology. 'Betterriver' allows us to sink into the slinky shifting nature of the album with a loosey-goosey vibrato track. The single 'Awake Awake' more closely resembles his previous work, finding that welcoming soft indie vibe. A happy-go-lucky bassline takes us on a sunny journey through the world. Elements of Django Django seep into this warm, catchy hit.

'Welcome to Amsterdam' takes a left turn with a new jazzy score and voice-over. The detour leads us to the title track in which Gale's distant voice croons over an archaic sounding electric piano that oozes with black tar pure nostalgia. 'Another Trick of Light' offers up more bright indie rock. A Metronomy-like bounce pervades this light yet lazy tune. The last three tracks over a lullaby-like coziness. Rounded and reverb-soaked tones accompany Gale's comforting words.

Twin Spirit is a fascinating foray into a new mode of expression. The singer-songwriter's process is turned on its ear allowing influences that are not typically on his sonic palette to ring out while still showcasing his warm, enticing vocals. Original composition is ideal but after nine albums, a shakeup in methods was just what the doctor ordered for this Southampton songsmith.