Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: A split release featuring two distinct yet complementary compositions by Francois J. Bonnet and Sarah Davachi. French composer Bonnet's 'Banshee' is a journey to the edges of the old world, where the boundaries between nature and human presence blur. Drawing on field recordings made in the Inner Hebrides, he weaves an aural tableau where the calls of seabirds intertwine with the mournful wail of the wind and the gentle lapping of water against the shore merges with the distant drone of a boat engine. The piece unfolds in seven interwoven movements, each capturing a different facet of the landscape's character. Meanwhile, Canadian artist Davachi's 'Basse Brevis' is a minimalist exploration of timbre, space and duration. Through subtle shifts in texture and harmony, Davachi creates a work that is both precise and evocative, its slowly evolving soundscapes inviting deep listening and contemplation. The piece's restrained yet poignant character creates a gentle tension, blurring the lines between instrumental and concrete approaches to sound. A compelling example of the power of sound to evoke place and emotion, offering two distinct yet complementary perspectives on the relationship between humans and the natural world.

Review: Sarah Davachi's latest record, The Head As Form'd In The Crier's Choir, is a septet of compositions, written between 2022 and 2024, that form a conceptual suite and album-length observation of the mental dances that we construct to understand acts of passage. Transient in both name and sound, this stunning, droning set of compositions will work as timely quellers for those currently in a migratory state of mind, literally and/or figuratively. Often basking in the impure associations evoked by pure harmony and tonality, all the pieces are slow-moving, suggesting a lowered existential frame rate. Drawing inspiration from the classical myth of Orpheus and Eurydice - in which Orpheus ventures into Hades while living, dodging the usual psychopompic rites applied to those who have actually died, in a wager with the gods to resurrect Eurydice, his love - Davachi's record is a worthy intertext, bringing stygian drones of egress - woodwinds and electronic stretchings most notably - to the theme.

Review: A fourth full length from the Montreal-based enigma. Sarah Davachi's electroacoustic compositions have become the stuff of legend and hallucination-inducing live shows, refrains that bore into your mind then soul, detailed and complex ideas borne out in minimalist moods capable of taking listeners beyond themselves, out to somewhere completely new. Talk about a curveball, then. All My Circles Run features five totally unique compositions which all share one common trait - they eschew synthesisers and instead each focus on a different instrument. Hence the titles. 'For Strings', 'For Voice', 'For Piano', 'For Organ', 'Chanter'. But, although the record's core parts represent a different move for the musician, Davachi's incredible ear for subtly powerful sounds remains at the centre of the experience. So prepare to be blown away again. Gently.

Review: Originally released in 2015, this reissue returns to the stunning debut full-length from Canadian electroacoustic composer Sarah Davachi, who is rapidly becoming a big deal in the world of experimental sounds. Emerging from brief but acclaimed releases on labels like Important Records' Cassauna and Full Spectrum, this album marked her as a unique voice within the world of minimalist and experimental sound. Trained at Mills College, Davachi's work reflects a deep understanding of synthesis and acoustic instrumentation, with a focus on patience, atmosphere and tone over flashy modular theatrics. Rather than overwhelming the listener with density, Davachi builds a deep listening album full of impressive tracks. Vintage synths like the Buchla 200, EMS Synthi and Prophet 5 provide an enveloping tonal palette that reveal the composer's intent to create a more intimate, hybrid sonic language. The opening track 'heliotrope' unfolds like smoke rising into a high ceiling, shimmering with evolving harmonic detail. 'wood green' moves from near-silence to a radiant calm. An album of introspection and careful design in a world of maximalist electronics, a rare piece of compositional grace. Its return in reissue form feels not only deserved but necessary.