Tuesday 8 October 2013

Banco De Gaia "Ollopa: Apolla Re-mixed" Review





Artist: Banco De Gaia

Title: Ollopa: Apolla Re-mixed

Label: Disco Gecko Records

Released: 7th October 2013




I don’t know about you but I find remix albums a bit hit and miss. I can honestly say that I’ve only really liked about two...’Alien radio remixed’- Slam and ‘Remixed on the 24th July’- Charles Webster.

Bearing this in mind I came to this album with an air of trepidation. I’ve not heard the original Apolla so I’m not sure how far the artists have diverted from the template set down by Toby. Never fear this is superb listening - a very strong album from start to finish. It seems churlish to single out any tracks in particular but that’s what I’m about to do!

The album opens with the simply sublime Tripswitch remix of Acquiescence with its Middle Eastern sounding air (honestly can’t stop listening to this track). The vocals are transcendent. While Kaya Project let the Tablas do the talking in the ace Apollon and Steve Hillage does his Japanese Trance thing on ‘For such a time’ and quite delightful it is too. Steve’s patent guitar weaves its magic in and out of the track like a humming bird on the search for pollen. My final choice is the excellent Lamentations remixed by Gaudi it's carried along with a killer bass line that could stun a charging rhino if needed!

This album comes highly recommended...now I’m off to see if I can hunt down a copy of the original.


Reviewed by Matthew Foord

Links http://bancodegaia.bandcamp.com/music