People have spoken at lengths about the exciting new change Le Galaxie are currently in the midst of with new album ‘Pleasure’. New? Yes – you have former Fight Like Apes frontwoman May Kay recruited as a permanent member of the electro rock group.
Change, on the otherhand? That’s up for debate. There wasn’t much to fix on their last effort, 2015’s ‘Le Club’, and they’ve very much taking the line of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. What they have done, however, is tightened up and streamlined the whole (love) system.
May Kay wasn’t introduced as a token player – her stamp is felt throughout. Her signature devil-may-care delivery makes L.I.E. a delightful listen – a call-to-arms for all the can’t be bothered females shrugging off men left right and centre. Her vocal, contending with Michael Pope’s gruffer output, is exactly what the outfit was missing – a yin to a yang, if you will. This is probably best demonstrated on the title track, with a chorus that envelopes without being mindlessly indulgent.
Not that either vocalist need each other, per se. MayKay very much holds her own on Day Of The Child, while tracks like Lock That Heart Down and Hang Fire wouldn’t work without Pope’s direct talky-style.
It’s unclear what ‘Pleasure’ will do in terms of enticing new fans on to their sprawling dance floor, but there are some good efforts – Demi Moore‘s repetition of the song’s title for almost seven minutes is bewildering, until the song’s breakdown when it all suddenly makes sense.
The gem of the record lies in Women In Love, as you’d imagine even the most disco-resistant human succumbing to the magic of the vocoder. This will be a must-see at all upcoming Le Galaxie festival slots.
Different? No. And yet, at the same time, not the same at all. Le Galaxie give good on what they promise – an experience, a good time, a throwback, a party. Some have to associate pleasure with corresponding pain, but Le Galaxie make it extremely difficult to feel anything beyond euphoria.