BBC Radio Scotland DJ Vic Galloway moves to the other side of the desk with his CHECK MASSES debut

Words: Richard Cobb

Best known for being Scotland’s leading music connoisseur and acclaimed BBC Radio Scotland DJ, Vic Galloway has decided to spin another plate and switched sides of the glass to serve up some sonic delicacies. Alongside old comrades Angelo Collins and Saleem Andrew McGroarty the trio have formed the dub/alternative CHECK MASSES.

Having only played their first gig together late last year, the Leith trio have covered a lot of ground in a short space of time as evidenced by the release of their psychedelic debut album ‘Nightlife’ at the tail-end of May. Debut single and album opener ‘Dripn Angel’ is a solid introduction to the group and it sounds like being on a moody ghost train with Fat White Family and Gorillaz.

Continuing down the tracks, new single ‘Lost in the City’ has no shortage of laid-back swagger and sounds like the theme from The Wire had it been set in Miami. They manage to seamlessly float between styles and this is showcased with a beautiful string-led track ‘Unravelled’ - one of the warmest tracks on the band’s debut.

With any real form of nightlife being hard to come by in the current climate, CHECK MASSES and their new album are a healthy alternative for a solid night in. And, like a bag of Revels, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in here. The journeys the band can take you on with their dreamy, slightly unhinged tracks are a great distraction from the perils of the outside world.