Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: Sanderson Dear's Stasis Recordings released the original Time Capsule compilation in 2020 - a 20-track exploration of ten different ambient techno artists exploring two ideas each in compact form for a box set of 7"s. Now the label has revisited some of the project's standout moments and offered a chance to enjoy extended versions gathered on a single 12". From Maps Of Hyperspace shaping out atmospheric halls of synth work on 'Beta' to Glo Phase offering some gorgeous, sparkling grooves on 'Fire Flies', there's plenty of ground covered on this release. Of course the mighty John Beltran is a big drawer too, and his typically stellar 'The Descendent' doesn't disappoint in its full extended version.

Review: In March 2024, Oriental Magnetic Yellow, the legendary techno unit formed by Namco game music composers, celebrated their 30th anniversary by re-releasing six albums. As part of this celebration, their popular track 'RYZEEN' is now available for the first time on 7-inch doughnut vinyl. The release includes the original version and a special B-side recording used as BGM for 'Super Locomotive' on Sega's 2022 reissued Mega Drive Mini 2 console. With members Hiroto Sasaki, Nobuyoshi Sano, Shinji Hosoe and Takayuki Aihara, Oriental Magnetic Yellow pays homage to Yellow Magic Orchestra with a humorous twist. 'RYZEEN' evokes the fun, nostalgic, early video game music and a cover sound of YMO of course. this release is a delightful blend of retro charm and playful innovation, perfect for techno and game music fan alike.

Review: Odopt's Snaker 011, the first release in five years by Snaker and the tenth in their catalogue, marks a compelling full-length debut for the duo. Known for their hypnotic and freaky sound on labels like [Emotional] Especial, Hivern Discs, and Born Free, Odopt delivers a "contemporary library sound" for Snaker Records that defies conventional dancefloor or home listening categorizations. Instead, it offers a unique cinematic soundscape for a fresh auditory experience. Highlights include 'Antimilitarist,' with its experimental broken beat that's subdued yet intriguing. 'Barfold' presents a movie-like quality with a unique groove and production. 'Spakra' features a dark, slow groove with metallic sounds, echo, and a slight EBM influence. 'Mangrove' stands out with its otherworldly, alien sounds. 'Orch Noise' rounds out the album with its atmospheric and distinct character. For those seeking something different and unique, Odopt is here for you.

Review: 'Power Starved/Human Waste' is as scary to hear as it is to read the track title. As far as album openers go, it certainly sets the scene vividly. A dark, dystopian, murky futurism where people - or at least their ears - listen from beneath the boot of oppressive forces, inaudible vocals echoing and expanding, reverberating and dissipating into a distance we can never really hear because of how forceful foregrounded sounds are. Industrial, EBM, noise, elektro-punk. There are many ways to describe what's here but they all point to a 21st Century cloaked in darkness and anxiety. The irony, of course, is that this is a very human expressionism, despite the harsh machines that seem to dominate the soundscapes. The distorted screams and thumping bass drums of 'Safety Net' perfectly summarise the point.

Review: This new and career spanning album A Beginner's Guide is a 'best of' collection tailored for both new or curious Orbital fans. Whether you discovered the duo after their iconic Glastonbury 2024 performance, during their global tour celebrating the Green & Brown albums, or through a track featured in a film, this collection offers an ideal introduction and recap of what makes them one of the most enduring acts in all of electronic music. It compiles there Hartnoll brothers's biggest hits in their edited forms and album includes utter classics like 'Chime,' 'Belfast,' and 'Halcyon' all of which give a fine a taste of the duo's influential electronic sound, all in one package for the first time ever.

Review: Kelly Lee Owens' fourth studio album marks a significant shift in Owens' musical journey, embodying themes of freedom and escapism. Dream State emerges from a period of inner transformation following a break-up, and is a testament to collaboration, featuring producer-writer contributions from electronic music luminaries Bicep, Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers and George Daniel of The 1975. The synergy between these artists infuses Dreamstate with a rich, dynamic sound that blends Owens' ethereal vocals with innovative electronic beats and lush production. A range of emotions and sonic landscapes, offering both introspective and liberating experiences.

Review: 'Dreamstate' is Kelly Lee Owens' fourth studio album, hinting at a relatively bouncier electro-pop direction - in stark contrast to her much demurer, rougher-hewn earlier albums. Owens comments that Dreamstate is "the sound of a person letting loose and letting go while encouraging everyone else to do the same." Whether this necessarily results, for musicians, in an increased orientation towards chart-worthiness, remains to be seen, but we'd say this has certainly worked in the case of Owens, whose new forerunning singles 'Love You Got', 'Higher' and 'Sunshine' combine overcast dance productions and pristine angel voices from Owens herself, resulting in a much brighter yet equally thunderous sound, and 'Sunshine' is our favourite, future-avant progressive house number here.