LEN LEISE レコード& CD

Review: More balearic goodness from Melbourne's Len Leise on his General Purpose imprint. The International Feel affiliated producer delivers sun-kissed island dream aesthetics, by way of celestial FM synth tones and neon-lit analogue synths on these three wonderful offerings. From the hypnotic bounce of "TFTC", the tropical polrhythmic bliss of "MITD" or the tunnelling "STTS" calling to mind George Thompson's Karamika project on ESP Institute.

Review: If you're scouting for some contemporary balearic experimentations then Len Leise is your man. The Australian producer is as multi-talented as he is mysterious, and although his productions paint a very clear picture of his personality and musical ideals, the man remains a figure of mystique. We love that, and we love this new album for his new General Purpose label. "Pretending" opens the LP and it's a curious track indeed, shaped by a dubby bassline, watery acoustics and his own slippery vocal poetry. These aqueous waters fall neatly into the frenetic yet soothing patterns of "Swimming", and then onto more funky territories on the dubwise "Rocking". Flip to the B-side, and you get the relatively more house-minded "Stopping", the subtly tribal sways of "Wandering", and the electrifying dub banger aptly named "Stepping". Think of this album as dub with that faint balearic twist for good measure. Excellent and highly recommended!

Review: General Purpose boys Len Leise and Salvador Ricardo have decided to launch their own re-edit series. For the first Also Known as Edits 12", Leise has decided to raid his own archive, offering up two tasty reworks first featured on his 2015 LL Edits EP (a 12" that now goes for silly money online). These brilliant reworks - the dreamy Brazilian Balearica of "Stars for Jorge" and equally starry, horizontal jazz-funk flex of "Desperado Dining" - can be found on the A-side, with the flip reserved for previously unheard rubs. There's "Conerto de Chasse", a heavily percussive, deep Afro-house edit from General Purpose that's also blessed with seriously tactile melodies, and Salvador Ricardo's "Cha Cha Flamongo", a Flamenco-goes-cha-cha cut that's as glassy-eyed and positive as it is loved-up and Balearic.