I get a chuckle out of the fact that the first song Graham Van Pelt released under his own name is called “Release Yourself”.
Much of Van Pelt’s previous music — as the solo musician behind Polaris Music Prize shortlisters Miracle Fortress and one-time member of Think About Life — was wrapped in veils of mystery and intrigue. “Release Yourself” on the other hand, is Van Pelt’s straight-up ode to the trailblazers of house music, complete with an insatiable rhythm, deep trance vibes, and a sense of wild abandon.
I’m revelling in memories from my twenties, of being shoulder-to-shoulder with the throbbing masses in a club on a dancefloor, drunk and sweaty (Why on earth did we ever think wearing flannel shirts to a nightclub was a good idea?), completely lost in the music. There was a euphoria my friends and I chased every weekend: looking for the perfect mix of people, the right amount of alcohol, and the ultimate song to soundtrack our own personal pursuit of happiness.
It’s fitting then, that the name Graham Van Pelt gave to the album from which “Release Yourself” comes is Time Travel.
