Valerie from the Galerie is London-based electronic musician Laurence Oliver who makes music inspired by his formative years in London clubs and the nostalgia that those experiences then later gave. Conveying solitary moments on the lamented dancefloor of Plastic People, revelling in the unaffected thrill of its intimate environment. “The DJs might not have always played the most overtly dance-y tunes” he says, “but that late night thrill, emotion or rush is the guiding force and spirit that makes me want to make music.” Long drives from London clubland back home were soundtracked by old mixtapes — especially rare radio mastermixes from WBLS/Hot 97 in the US — where you’d hear Tony Humphries spin deep house and garage anthems from his native New Jersey. Oliver also explains that, on those solitary nightdrives, he’d “scan through the pirate stations and occasionally tune in to the strangely calming sound of late night talk radio”, regularly listening to lost souls, gentle insomniacs, misguided political opinion and those who were simply a “long time listener but first time caller” from deep in the FM frequencies. Valerie from the Galerie debuted with Tape One in 2018 and a second album Long Time Listener First Time Caller in 2023.