Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: Masami Akita, known as Merzbow, continues his sonic exploration with 'Circular Reference,' his latest release and debut on No Holiday. Renowned as a pioneer of extreme noise, Akita unleashes a torrent of synthesised tones intermingled with layers of feedback and midrange noise, creating an intense listening experience. Despite the relentless intensity, the album also offers moments of lurching rhythms and uneasy calm, characteristic of Merzbow's distinctive style. With over 500 recordings since 1980, Merzbow remains a seminal figure in noise music, drawing inspiration from diverse influences including progressive rock, heavy metal, and dadaism. The name 'Merzbow' itself pays homage to Kurt Schwitters' Merzbau, reflecting Akita's fascination with found objects and avant-garde aesthetics. Circular Reference promising to impress long time fans while making some new ones along the way. Amplify the experience by playing it loud, and experience Akita's latest impact on experimental music.

Review: This extended triple vinyl edition of Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets revives Merzbow's groundbreaking second vinyl release from 1986 in an all-new and special package. Widely regarded as one of the Japanese master's finest albums, this is its first-ever reissue on vinyl and the first release featuring the original recordings. The 1986 RRRec edition was a remix by the label, whereas this version presents the original tracks but also it includes bonus material from the same era to offer a definitive and immersive look at Merzbow's early work. Noise and experimental music fans, do not sniff at this one.

Review: Pedro Vian and Merzbow release their first joint work, Inside Richard Serra Sculptures, marking a worthy expressionistic turn in an already monumental discography by the former artist. Building on and expanding upon a series of field recordings made by Vian inside one of the artist Richard Serra's sculptures, then housed at the DIA Beacon Foundation, this eponymous two-park work is a guttural, verging on obscene noise crud-out, albeit one which still scoops redoubts of emotion from its expansive walls and toothy upheavals. Vian's original recordings are lent an ungular sharpness by the latter Japanese noise legend, whose name not only adds much clout to the mix but whose sound likewise eviscerates the sounds derived from the modernist roundhouses of Serra's work. An acousmatic masterwork laid to record, with brutally frank but ultimately rewarding consequences.