Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: We're asked to Imagine This Is A High Dimensional Space Of All Possibilities. But the twist is, this plane of existence we somehow find ourselves in already is. Such is the overarching fable at the heart of James Holden's new album. The esteemed electronic musician and DJ knows as much, and is quoted to have said 'I want this to be my most open record, uncynical, naive, unguarded, the record teenage me wanted to make'. So, a high dimensional space of all possibilities can be found within us, right where we started - not some other dimension or higher plane of consciousness. All this is conveyed pretty neatly through Holden's crushed bitscapes, future techno ambientrancers, and exploration of revolutionary themes. Like exploring a bountiful rainforest full of bohemians and mushrooms, longtime fans and newcomers alike are sure to be delighted.

Review: Electronic music production deity James Holden returns with a circling back to his dance music roots, following a brief detour into jazz with his last album 'The Animal Spirits'. Building on an increasingly otherworldly set of inspiration - which he's gradually entertained as his career has marched on - this new LP 'Imagine' playfully dissects the possibilities of dance music from the perspective of an alternate reality. Buzzing leads, detuned leads, and international flavours evoke a modern take on sounds espoused first by the likes of Amorphous Androgynous or Charanjit Singh.

Review: A dream pairing from opposite corners of the sonic world, British synth polymath James Holden and Polish clarinettist Waclaw Zimpel land somewhere deep in the trance zone on this six-track debut. Opener 'You Are Gods' flickers into motion with modular ripples and clarinet spirals, setting a tone that's at once meditative and exploratory. 'Sunbeam Path' floats toward more radiant territory, while 'Time Ring Rattles' and 'Incredible Bliss' channel fast-paced, arpeggiated fervour. 'Sparkles, Crystals, Miracles' cools the system with ambient drift, before the closer melts into layered organ drama and a reverent air. The pair's range of instrumentation-violins, algoza flutes, lap steel, and modulars-gives each piece a handmade feel, but it's their shared commitment to improvisation and trance that binds it all. Rather than chase genre, they zero in on shared instinct-and let the current carry them.