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Jun 12, 2020 By Dom Gourlay Web Exclusive

Edinburgh three-piece Check Masses have been another of 2020’s first half listening pleasures. Having released debut single “Dripn Angel” in January to a wave of critical acclaim, its follow-up “Lonesome Little Paradise” attracted similar praise three months later.

The trio - ‘Philly’ Angelo Collins (vocals), Vic Galloway (vocals, guitars, bass, glockenspiel, percussion and production) and Saleem Andrew McGroarty (bets, samples and production) - have already dipped their toes into the waters of hip hop, blues and folk with socially aware lyrics that’s drawn comparisons with Gil Scott Heron and Massive Attack among others.

So, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that “Lost In The City” - Check Masses’ third and final single before debut album Nightlife hits the shops next month - takes their sonic exploration into dub-heavy soul territories.

Described by frontman Collins as “a late-night tale of wild happenings imagined by subterranean New Yorkers.” “Lost In The City” introduces the album, which Collins calls “a trawl through the nightlife of our home city, tangled in relationships, temptation, paranoia and the fall out from them all.”

The video for “Lost In The City” throws up elements of nostalgia distilled from vintage 1970’s family film archives. Multi-instrumentalist Vic Galloway takes up the story.

“We had to think completely out of the box for the video for “Lost in the City”, being in lockdown in Edinburgh and unable to meet or gather in groups. So, lead singer Philly’s girlfriend Marta filmed him singing and swaying to the track in their house. Gareth Goodlad at Dangerkill Productions took that raw film, worked his magic and superimposed Philly onto swirling, kaleidoscopic cine-film collages of New York City from the 1970’s. Much of the footage was actually filmed by Andy’s grandparents back then, and has never seen the light of day.”

“Lost In The City is out now on Triassic Tusk Records and here is the video in all its glory.

The album Nightlife follows on 1st July.