Artist: G-Pal Vs El Greco
Title: 3rd Of July / A Prayer Beneath
Label: Swift Records
By: Simon Jones | 10 November 2004
Tracklist:

• A: 3rd Of July
• B: A Prayer Beneath

G-Pal Vs El Greco "3rd Of July / A Prayer Beneath"

G-Pal's Swift imprint finally hits it's 10th release, and what better way to celebrate this landmark in the label's history than the man himself giving us two brand new, and much sought after tracks which have already featured prominently in the play lists of John Digweed and also Hernan Cattaneo. Both '3rd Of July' and 'A Prayer Beneath', a track under his El Greco alter ego are of the usual standard we have come to expect from this highly acclaimed producer, and are his first original works in quite some time.

'3rd Of July' is a smooth and sexy tribal influenced track that could only come from G-Pal. With his ability to create textured soundscapes and atmospheres, he really knows how to create depth and evolve even the most simple of arrangements in ways most producers cannot. Just watch this track slowly evolve from nothing into an epic behemoth, it's haunting chants sending more than one shiver down the spine, with the eerie ambience that rises through the deep, ethnic groove adding a truly mesmerizing touch to one of G-Pal's best ever works.

The El Greco track 'A Prayer Beneath' manages to hold it's own quite comfortably against the brilliant a-side track, with a slightly different variation on the ethnic theme taking us through layers of heavy percussion and techy drums, with a big lead and moody bassline really making the difference, adding a big room twist to this dark and foreboding house track, thus turning it into a potent and extremely effective secret weapon for those DJs who like to carry a heavy arsenal with them.

Overall, there's no question that as a producer, few people manage to be as consistent as George Pallikaris, and this excellent two track EP is merely a reminder of the extensive and much vaunted work this man has given us, at the same time another notch in his ever growing discography.