This week sees the release on Drongo Records of the much anticipated debut EP release of In the Roundhouse There’s Hornets from the fascinating Norwich band Galli.
Featuring members past and present of such loved local bands as The Piratones, Solko, Organisms, HANK, and The Horo Quartet, Galli have been impressing everyone lucky enough to catch them performing. In the summer of 2017 for BBC Music Day at the Millennium Library I was asked for some recommendations to play at the Forum, one of whom was Georgia King, playing her debut solo gig with a set later to become the trio known as Galli the following summer. Earlier this year I was excited to choose them again for my Shashamane Recommends session at the Warwick St Social where they performed as a quartet for the first time with the addition of Cecily’s beautifully haunting harmonies joining Georgia (lead vocals and guitar), Ash (bass and vocals) and Alex (drums).
The EP opens with Sabika, an incredible song about sleep paralysis, inspired by a painting and which was released as a stand-alone track in spring. The performance and playing is subtle yet powerful and very effective, all the feelings of anxiety, fear, vulnerability and claustrophobia building and giving a sense of the anxious dread in lines such as “If you come tonight will you be kind?”
It’s followed by Whittle Away, another atmospheric song of light and shade with a sense of vulnerability (“You Need a Hand to Hold Tonight“). This is followed by Chrysalis which demonstrates the band’s influences of jazz, alt rock and soul all within the same track. Georgia’s voice is so unique and expressive while the musicianship is always sensitive and complimentary and there seems to be a special chemistry between all members. Closing the EP is All I Need which again highlights the variety of influences and the fascinating changes in tempo and space within, switching from sparse to full and back again. Wonderful musicianship.
Galli are one of my favourite bands on the local scene and I’ve enjoyed the way they have evolved, there’s nobody else quite like this and whether experiencing them live or now on this magnificent new EP they are always utterly captivating. Immersive, dreamlike, atmospheric, haunting, powerful and beautiful, Galli are special.
The EP was recorded at The Crunch Studio, recorded and mixed by Mikey Shaw (The Piratones, Solko, Dlore, Dub Cavern) and mastered by Mikey Young. In the Roundhouse There’s Hornets is released on 18 September 2019 and available through Bandcamp, Spotify, Soundcloud and the usual platforms. Cover artwork by Cecily Eno.
Galli’s next live appearance will be on the Sunday of the Deepdale Festival at the end of the month, also appearing during the weekend are: Morganway, Dove and Boweevil, Das Fenster and the Alibis, Fred’s House, Cobbler Bob String Band, Tilly Moses, Jon Ward, Lucy Grubb, The Wolf Number, Nobodaddy and many more.
@RShashamane
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