Gallery, otherwise known as Rasmus Toftegaard Hansen to his parents, is a Danish producer and musician with a passion for electronic production, a fondness for progressive rock, an eye for nature, a mind for the mystical and a fascination with fusing the four. I like his vibe.
I've only ever been to Copenhagen once, many years ago for a music conference, so the joys of the rest of the country sadly passed me by, but as Gallery's music is inspired by the rugged terrain and unpredictable natural beauty of its rural areas, I'm keener than ever to revisit and get outside the urban centres.
There's certainly a wide screen approach to the music, almost as if he's imagining an eagle's eye view as it flies from its mountain home across lakes, hills and valleys scouring the landscape. He's in no hurry either, happy for new instruments, moods and vistas gradually loom into view, the sense of wonder aide by some low key psychedelic detailing. The sound is more '70s than '20s, although a close listen suggests a quantised DAW engine rather than a van of stoned prog rockers, but I quite like the more measured, deliberate, cleaner approach which, with its authentic vibe and sense of purpose, bridges the 50 years gap between inspiration and creation.
The other major inspiration for the music is the wonderful artwork of his father, and if you like the cover art then I urge you to head over to the Instagram page for a full gallery tour. Rather like the music it's a bridge between worlds - old and new, real and imagined, seen and hallucinated, and is the perfect visual metaphor for today's increasingly surreal and hypernormal world.
Playlist Companion:
For more dreamers and trippers head over to the Slow Psyche Playlist.
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