The renaissance of Library music has been one of the more wholesome things in pop culture – a true celebration of the fine, underdog musicians who often soundtracked our lives to little personal fanfare.
With this reappraisal has seen the likes of Alan Hawkshaw, Keith Mansfield, and even Delia Derbyshire getting a light shone on them, where once they would have been resolutely anonymous. Their music though, gave us the Grange Hill theme, Dave Allen At Large, Channel 4 News, Ski Sunday and more, and labels like Bruton, De Wolfe and KPM sent record collectors and music dorks scurrying around for groundbreaking electronic pieces, campy incidental music, spy themes and countless other gems.
In tribute to the brilliantly creative sounds of production music, Darren Riley – sometimes known as Ballard – has combined Moog, Rhodes, drums and guitars (and possibly the kitchen sink too) to produce the first great album of 2026.
‘Jaunty Jack’ is the perfect addition to the Library oeuvre, with ‘Explodes!!!’ wheeling out the sleazy fuzzy business.
Like all good production music, you’re instantly closing your eyes and thinking about lads in flares winking at the lasses, booze breath cops, package holiday shows, and saucy sitcoms galore!
Quite a few people have tried to ape the sound of classic Library records, but often, they’re so obsessed with those that contained hip hop breaks, they miss the magic of the frivolous and varied nature of the real records.
No such problems here, as Riley shows off the breadth of the genre, and clearly, a genuine love of the source material.
This is the kind of record that is absolutely crying out to be on vinyl, in a perfect world. Until then, it’s a Bandcamp download and well worth your money.
Essential listening for the musically adventurous.
The Pop Corporation 
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