Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: Zarkoff taps into myriad different sources for inspiration here - there are swirling vocals that remind of Bowie, chilly synths from Depeche Mode and lithe beats from the contemporary underground. It's all crafted from melancholic synths as the heavenly voices soar up top and hypnotic drum machine beats lock in the groove. It makes for music that is both suited to more cultured club sets but also home listening sessions. 'Bureau Degradation' is our favourite for the slightly speedier beats and more pained vibes of the synths. A brilliantly original EP, wherever you look.

Review: This is a reimagined edition of Zach Frizzell aka zake's 2023 album B and expands on its monochrome, drone-driven soundscapes. It complements a series of chiaroscuro art prints and evokes a grayscale melancholy rich in texture and depth as the music conjures images of a weathered dock at dawn with fog and dense landscapes closing in on the horizon. New pieces like 'Betrayal' and reworked tracks like 'Burnt' reveal zake's signature restrained, simmering power and overall the vibes here range from the haunting 'Blight' to the reflective 'Barren'' which emphasise zake's open-ended, evolving approach to ambient music.

Review: zake has written a new album to get 2025 underway in his usual prolific fashion, and it comes as both a triple CD set with the same tracks in different versions, but also as this special vinyl release with five different pieces from his Caelum series, limited to just 200 copies. As you would expect from this most masterful ambient leader, this is another immersive work that blends shifting synthscapes with melancholic chord work, beautiful keys with more lingering feelings of sadness. Another triumph if you ask us.

Review: US ambient maestro zake and vocalist Angela Winter exchanged ideas for a whole year in the course of putting together this, this debut collaboration. It comes as a numbered CD with a download code and is, according to zake, "the perfect orchestration between two individuals at the right moment." We agree as it beautifully navigates a realm between the terrestrial and cosmic with organic drones and ethereal vocals fort and centre. The likes of 'Terminal Sleep' contrasts dynamic drones with introspective moments while 'Advent' offers harmonic pulses and sculpted vocals as Winter's instinctive responses to everyday sounds enrich the album's allure. A perfect soundtrack to quiet introspection, Mid Sky is another gem in a long line of them from this label.

Review: Stay With Me is an album by Past Inside The Present label head zake and T.R. Jordan from back in 2022. Now it has been revisited for a series of remixes by Dotlight and extra synth and field recording additions by zake that have all been pressed up to 180 gram purple vinyl. It is a work of immersive ambient beauty, with slowly shifting soundscapes defined by the most subtle of synth wisps, but each conveys a great feeling. Dutch guitarist Dotlights brings gentle beats to the likes of 'Infinite Sound' that add downtempo depths and late night romance to the already soothing original sounds.

Review: Certain Path is a serene, piano-driven album by collaborators zake (aka label head Zach Frizzell), From Overseas which is Kevin Sery and City of Dawn aka Damien Duque. This reflective collection of seven pieces invites deep contemplation with tender piano motifs and subtle drones creating a meditative atmosphere. Opening with 'Where Time Slows Down,' the album blends delicate melodies with layered guitar textures. Inspired by Frizzell's wife, the title track offers heartfelt emotion, while 'Avec l'aide de Vincent' honours a close mentor. Throughout, the artists employ nocturnal recording sessions, field recordings and analogue treatments to craft an introspective, evocative listening experience.

Review: Past Inside The Present label head and ambient powerhouse zake and Tyresta follow up their recent and well-received The Worlds We Leave Behind with Jade, a companion album that expands on previous themes in three long-form tracks. It's a deep blending of pregnant drones and delicate details that is typically organic and analogue. 'Jade No. 1' layers analogue textures that make for a comforting, melancholic embrace, while 'Jade No. 2' features more fractured melodies and natural sounds that bring a sense of peace and calm. The third cut, 'Waiting For the Light,' is a lofty one with soft synths and orchestral gravitas that with the other two pieces make for a contemplative and reflective listen.

Review: Udacha family band Zdehvedo Gob is a collective of musicians who all hail from various cities around the world. It consists of Udacha label head Alexey Kalik as well as drummer Roman Shestaev and Gamayun associates Anton Dvoenko and Stas Mitrofanov and they all got together in the studio in Moscow in summer 2023 and the results are now presented on this new album. Employing an organic music approach to instrumentation combined with subtle electronics, the group go wild for various combinations of off-kilter percussion, organ, chant and birdsong in full ceremonial swing, they trace a path through the various branches of 20th century minimalism, pan-global folk-ism's and the harmonious collective consciousness that My Life In A Bush Of Ghosts encapsulated. It's a gorgeous mix of world, jazz, spiritual percussive, experimental music that rides on nice loose and vibrant rhythms with a great mix of synthetic and organic sounds all offering plenty for the mind as well as the body to get excited about.

Review: Dune: Part Two has been met by rave reviews form both critics and cinema goers and there is no doubt that yet another epic soundtrack from Hans Zimmer has helped contribute to that acclaim. His work is another masterpiece that perfectly complements the epic saga's grandeur. Building upon the thematic motifs established in the first installment, Zimmer's score transports listeners to the vast, mystical world of Arrakis. With its sweeping orchestral arrangements and haunting electronic textures, the music evokes a sense of awe and intrigue and Zimmer's mastery of cinematic storytelling shines through every note as he captures the emotional depth and complexity of Frank Herbert's universe. From the thunderous percussion of battle sequences to the haunting melodies of desert landscapes, this is a sci-fi soundtrack essential.

Review: Synth-pop duo Marina Zispin aka Bianca Scout and Martyn Reid lead you on a trip into nocturnal spaces with this new album Now You See Me (Now You Don't). It is a place where time and memory come together into shadowy worlds of mechanical groves, airy melodies and retro-future imagery. N 'Piece Of Mind' the ghost of bands like Jy Division lurk in the stark drums and melancholic guitar lines, while 'Penthouse Samba' taps into dark disco chug and 'Venus Opulence' is a more minimal, sky and experimental concoction that will freak you out if you listen to it one with the lights out.