Gala (35th Anniversary Edition): Vinyl LP

Pre-Order Item. Release Date Subject to Change.
Label: 4AD
Release Date: 14th November

'Gala' was the 1990 compilation that introduced the band in their fledgling form and possibly most endearing as the band experimented and tinkered with their shoegaze jangles and honed their ethereal lo-fi power pop sound. This represents the band at their scuzziest and raw. 

Lush’s Gala was the band’s debut compilation album, comprising their earliest releases — Scar (1989), Mad Love (1990), and Sweetness and Light (1990) — in reverse chronological order, plus two additional tracks (a cover version of ABBA’s “Hey Hey Helen” and the extended Robin Guthrie mix of Scar track “Scarlet”).

Originally released in 1990 as the band’s introduction to the US and Japanese markets, the compilation’s 35th anniversary is being celebrated with a 2025 reissue, to be released November 14.
Back in print for the first time since 1990, both the standard and deluxe editions are rounded out with 2025 Kevin Vanbergen remasters of the original tracklisting, deluxe edition artwork designed by Chris Bigg featuring original artwork by v23 (Vaughan Oliver and Chris Bigg), and a new biography written by Jenny Hval.

The Gala 35th Anniversary Edition follows the 2023 remasters of Lush’s three studio albums — Spooky, Split, and Lovelife. Last year, Lush also partnered with the Criterion Channel on the release of A Far From Home Movie, a short film created by bassist Phil King and shared in memory of Chris Acland, which compiles candid Super8 footage taken by King during Lush's tours from 1992-1996.

PRAISE FOR LUSH’S GALA
“With their strumming swathed in electronic reverberation and other effects, Lush creates an undertow of opulent and churning harmony. Above it float Ms. Berenyi's airy lead vocals and Ms. Anderson's weightless descant, their chiming, overlapping lines calmly sketching disillusionment amid the maelstrom of guitars.
- The New York Times (1990)
 

“From the early standout ‘Sweetness and Light’ to the swooping beauty of ‘De-Luxe’ to the enjoyable romp through Abba’s ‘Hey Hey Helen,’ Gala is one continued win.”

- Pitchfork [The 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time, #8]

“From the twisting stab of ‘De-Luxe’, the controlled thrash of ‘Downer’ or the heady swirl of ‘Thoughtforms’, Lush seemed like the perfect creation, right down to the beautiful Vaughan Oliver v23 artwork.”
- The Quietus

Tracklisting:
A1/1. Sweetness and Light
A2/2. Sunbathing
A3/3. Breeze
A4/4. De-Luxe
A5/5. Leaves Me Cold
A6/6. Downer
A7/7. Thoughtforms (Mad Love Version)
B1/8. Baby Talk
B2/9. Thoughtforms (Scar Version)
B3/10. Scarlet (Scar Version)
B4/11. Bitter
B5/12. Second Sight
B6/13. Etheriel
B7/14. Hey Hey Helen (ABBA Cover)
B8/15. Scarlet (Robin Guthrie Version)