Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: An experimental techno hexagram in LP form from Stockholm artist Evigt Morker. Without so much as a hint of context, the techno dark-shooter here drops his third LP for resident label Northern Electronics as a surprise, and the result is rather stunning. A bleary set of impressions, some tunes on this record clip the top edge of the mix, chinking our emotive armour. The effect is gastric, dehiscent, exuding bile: 'Hemilga Eldar' leaves us dumbstruck by its ambient eventidal winds and strangely sprawled drum shapes, while 'Sokaren Hittade' combines nyctophile cantos with electric twangs. The closer 'Det Blaser En Vind...' is a headland of humility, letting in much longer gusts of tuned air.

Review: Oren Ambarchi and Eric Thielemans' latest collaboration emerges from a recorded performance in Poitiers, France, in November 2023, showcasing their extraordinary duo chemistry. The single continuous performance, spanning over 45 minutes, encapsulates their shared language and willingness to push boundaries, blending meditative calm with unexpected melodic and rhythmic moments. 'Kind Regards' (Beginning) opens with Thielemans' entrancing tom patterns, which provide a steady undercurrent for Ambarchi's guitar, transformed into swirling tones by a Leslie speaker. As the music unfolds, it moves between introspective calm and more forceful bursts of energy, with Ambarchi's guitar eventually taking on an electric organ-like quality, echoing the soulful depth of Alice Coltrane. Later, 'Kind Regards' (Conclusion) takes on a more jazz-oriented direction, as Thielemans' delicate rhythmic shifts showcase his mastery of accents and cymbal work. Ambarchi counters this with jittery delayed tones, and a more active use of his fretboard, weaving through dissonant harmonics before concluding with a massive, yet detailed, climax of distorted guitar and crashing cymbals. The performance, free from any flashy tricks or filler, draws power from the deep intuition between the two musicians, and their shared commitment to exploring the limits of their instruments.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


This 30th-anniversary reissue of a key experimental release is a journey into the darker realms of electronic music, showcasing the duo's exploration of ambient, industrial and glitch-inspired soundscapes. The release features a stark contrast between the rhythmic, almost club-ready track, infused with danceable energy and the more experimental, glitch-heavy compositions that delve into an unsettling, ritualistic atmosphere. The latter, considered one of the duo's most daring works, uses manipulated sounds, haunting textures and a pervasive sense of sonic unease to create a deep listening piece. The reissue compiles rare material, including previously unreleased tracks, alongside the duo's final appearance under this project. Fans of avant-garde electronic music will appreciate the unique blend of rhythmic elements and abstract textures. While some may prefer later works from the duo, this collection remains a fascinating piece for those drawn to experimental, atmospheric music that pushes the boundaries of sound and composition.

Review: Jacob Long's fourth full-length LP for Kranky hears the artist otherwise known as Earthen Sea expand his repertoire to an almost full reimagining, taking to the now longstanding Earthen Sea moniker from the fresh incarnation as a "piano trio", rather than a solo production effort. Though we gather this might not genuinely be the case, all it took was a simple shift in self-imagining to fashion a completely different take on a still so far meditative sound. Here elements were chopped and resampled, then layered with bass, drums, percussion and additional keys; the result is a fusion of live band acoustics and downtempo loops, sculpted into nine smoke-and-mirror dubs of fractured jazz, soft-focus noir and trip hop dust.

Review: Wild Up continue their exploration of Julius Eastman's work with Julius Eastman Vol. 4: The Holy Presence, out June 21, 2024, via New Amsterdam Records. Opening with Our Father, a haunting duet performed by Davone Tines, the album delves deep into his spiritual side, blending choral elements with his signature avant-garde style. This release highlights Eastman's unique, mystically charged compositions, including The Holy Presence of Joan D'Arc, with cellist Seth Parker Woods' multi-tracked performance showcasing Wild Up's profound dedication to Eastman's powerful legacy.

Review: Stockholm-based composer Isak Edberg's second release on XKatedral - arguably the finest contemporary classical label in the Swedish capital. This time round we're given two extended pieces, running towards 30-minutes each, both of which are instrumentals and focused largely on minimalist piano notes, meaning the use of space and emptiness is also prominent. The title track, which opens the package, sets the tone and pace well, with each key allowed to breathe, refrains hanging on by a thin echo fading into the deep expanse of nothingness that seems to sit behind the instrument itself. 'Vestiges' complements this perfectly, again ensuring there's plenty of what's not happening in between the staccato off-keys. Fully committing to a more experimental side of the new classical spectrum, it's one you'll want to keep revisiting again and again.

Review: Lawrence Englsh's new album was born out of a commission by curator Jonathan Wilson to create a sound environment for the Naala Badu building at the Art Gallery of NSW. It is a deeply atmospheric album that explores the relationship between sound and architecture and reflects the building's design, with its name meaning "seeing water" in the Gadigal language. The piece was crafted with a collaborative spirit by incorporating contributions from a diverse group of artists including Amby Downs, Claire Rousay and Jim O'Rourke. The resulting composition blends ambient textures and long-form sound prompts that capture the essence of place as an evolving, subjective experience. It's a work that highlights the porous nature of sound, and as a standalone work also succeeds in sinking you in deep.

Review: Roger and brother Brian Eno have already assured their legacy as pioneers of experimental ambient music. Mixing Colours was their first album on Deutsche Grammophon and this reissue reminds us why the par are so well known for revolutionising music-Brian through innovative pop treatments and Roger with ambient synth/piano works. This collaboration reflects their shared genius and guides you through rich soundscapes blending mood and place into immersive auditory experiences. Crafted over several years, this poetic collection highlights the brothers' mastery and is a deep dive into ambient sound.

Review: A collection of electroacoustic works exploring the intersection of Moroccan tradition and Western avant-garde, this release features 'Toubkal', 'Sultane', and 'Lectures pour bandes magnetiques', each showcasing the North African composer's unique approach to composition. 'Toubkal', inspired by field recordings of Berber music, pulsates with traditional rhythms and melodies, reimagined through electronic manipulation. 'Sultane', reflecting on themes of land and conflict, alternates between dense rhythmic textures and ethereal vocal passages. 'Lectures pour bandes magnetiques', a setting of poems by Rilke and Mandiargues, highlights the connection between the human voice and musical expression.

Review: Ensemble Modern and experimental, Berlin-based music composer and sound artist Hainbach come together for Primer, an album sourced from their 2022 Checkpoint concert and reworked in the studio with bassist Paul Cannon. The record transforms their fine live performance into a rich, immersive home listening experience with Hainbach's signature use of nuclear research gear, tape loops and vintage electronics weaving haunting, ever-shifting textures throughout. As such the pieces pulse with a sonic spark that captures the spirit of experimentation and collaboration and is taps into plenty of avant-garde thinking in its approach to drone and ambient.

Review: Edvard Graham Lewis and Mark Spybey's collaboration fuses electronic rhythms, layered field recordings and ambient soundscapes into an album with striking depth and cohesion. Both artists bring decades of experienceiLewis from Wire, Dome, He Said and Spybey from Zoviet France and Dead Voices on Air. This project, however, ventures into fresh territory, blending experimental sounds with surprising grooves and sly hooks. Crafted remotely, each track unfolds a textured sonic landscape, offering listeners a unique glimpse into the creative synergy between two pioneers of boundary-pushing music.