Palma Groove Project - II (2026)

Much to our shame we only got to know about the PALMA GROOVE PROJECT at the start of this year via their splendid single, ‘New York City People Swing’ – a glorious, mid-tempo soul groove. We needed to know more about this (what we then thought) “new” band. However we learned that they were actually music business veterans. At the core of PGP are London-born musician, songwriter and producer Orlando Lund and New York-born soul singer Sheela Gathright (daughter of enigmatic 1970s soul artist Willie Wright). Both enjoyed successful careers apart but they came together as a duo way back 2012 and their debut album, 2013’s ‘Palma Groove Project’ won acclaim for its strong melodies, vocal harmonies and gritty, soul vibe. Statistically, their single, ‘What You Need’ reached No.2 in the Soul Spain Top 10 in 2014 – you see the band are now based in Palma, Mallorca – hence the name.

Well, it’s been a while – 13 years really – but PGP have just released this, their second album, the clue’s in the title! The 10 tracker begins in fine funky style with ‘It’s Never Too Late’ – fierce and feisty and if that’s you’re thing you’ll also enjoy ‘Life Can Be Like A Train’. However, this band really excel on the slower, maybe more mellow, mid-tempo grooves as witnessed on that single, ‘New York City People Swing’. There’s more of that easy on the ear, soul strutting in things like ‘Don’t Be Afraid’, the jazzy ‘Thank You’ and the real old school ‘Come On Over’ – a homage really to proper soul, name-checking people like Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and more – all of them much more satisfying, Ms Gathright tells us, than vodka and eating well!

Then there’s the percussive, Latin-tinged ‘Show Me The Way’ and a couple of “interludes”. They are atmospheric spoken word pieces over jazzy backdrops and really do add intrigue to the collection which is completed by a remix of the band’s biggest hit, ‘What You Need’ – another pacey piece. The album’s out now and delivers plenty of proper soul quality and real variety.