ali renaults vivod label continues to bring the goods, as recent missives from skatebard and monkeyshop (their first release of any sort for 11 years) emphatically prove. the imprints latest release comes from newcomer paul withey, who follows up a fine contribution to a recent split e.o on ruby hills & diamond mountain, with a debut solo e.p of his own. the five tracks featured are nicely varied stylistically, but all boast the distinctive shimmer of analogue synthesizers and dusty drum machines. highlights include the surging italo-disco revivalism of -pallas-, cheerily positive synth-pop flex of -yes master-, and the curious, radiophonic workshop style weirdness of -beneath the surface-.