John Gallen is an electronic and experimental composer and performer with a background in sound recording, music production and mixing for film and TV.
‘Improvisations 1’ documents his first year of writing and performing in these genres and features six works created using a Moog mother, thumb piano, kalimba and various found samples. Exemplifying his new approach, they emphasise improvisation, texture and the exploration of unconventional sound sources.
Gallen’s illustrious career spans six decades of working in renowned studios worldwide, beginning in 1975 at Roundhouse Studios in London, where he assisted on the Queen album ‘Night At The Opera’, contributing to numerous overdubs and assisting on the album mix. This included its standout song, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
That experience laid the foundations for a future working with a wildly diverse array of artists such as Uriah Heep, Osibisa, Marianne Faithfull, The Damned, George Benson, Billy Ocean, Motörhead, Simply Red, Go West, Maxi Priest, Aswad, Rick Astley, Boy George, Incognito, Haircut 100 and Sally Oldfield.
His expertise also extends into film music, mixing several scores for composer Jim Williams on notable films that have included the Ben Wheatley directed Down Terrace’, ‘Kill List’, ‘Sightseers’ and ‘A Field in England’, plus the Julia Ducournau directed ‘Raw’. These projects have highlighted his skill in blending music with visual storytelling to enhance the cinematic experience.
2024 saw Gallen draw fresh inspiration from attending and performing at the Coastal Electronauts SEMS sessions in Whitstable, Kent, discovering fresh approaches to music making. “Some of the highlights of my career have been working with great musicians and record producers who embraced experimentation and the creation of new sounds in the studio in the years before computers and digital audio technology,” he reflects, underscoring his own passion for innovation.
IMPROVISATIONS 1
TRACKLISTING
1 Cactus Island
2 Uyuni
3 Orbit
4 Chandigarh
5 Titan
6 Pyramids
Following the success of a compilation album issued by Coastal Electronauts in late 2024, this album is the first in a series of releases that will feature regular performers at their popular monthly electronic music sessions in Whitstable, Kent