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NBHAP Rating: 3,5/5
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[one_half last=”yes”]LEFTFIELD
Alternative Light Source
Release-Date: 08.06.2015
Label: Infectious
Tracklist:
01. Bad Radio
02. Universal Everything
03. Bilocation
04. Head And Shoulders
05. Dark Matters
06. Little Fish
07. Storms End
08. Alternative Light Source
09. Shaker Obsession
10. Levitate For You
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On the Left
Just in case you were born a bit too late. LEFTFIELD are a duo formed in 1989. Neil Barnes and Paul Daley met each other in punk bands and released Leftism in 1995 which is considered one of the most important dance music albums of the 1990s. Even 1999’s follow-up Rhythm and Stealth couldn’t beat it. Their debut is a landmark in dance music, a selection of music that takes from other places but moves on according to Delay. The debut album by LEFTFIELD is a meltin’ pot of techno, dance with a distinctive rave atmosphere. Just listen to Open Up featuring Jonny Lydon to get an idea. Africa Shox with Afrika Bambaataa and its impressive accompanying video are another iconic release you should know about. Although the original line-up split in 2002 Barnes has been performing live under the alias LEFTFIELD ever since. Following a live album and DVD (Tourism) in 2012 there is now a new studio album; the first one in 16 years.
Alternative Light Source
Alternative Light Source contains a lot of contemporary featured artists: SLEAFORD MODS, OFEI, Channy Leaneagh (POLIÇA) and Tunde Adebimpe (TV ON THE RADIO) while its artwork takes inspiration from British artist Mark Wallinger 1990 painting School (Classroom). The pumping first single Universal Everything takes us right back to the golden age of LEFTFIELD with a wild beat and dark bass sequences. The quieter moments of the track increase the feeling of claustrophobia. The opening of the album is closer to the dancefloor with the hypnotic rhythm of Bad Radio. Head And Shoulders reminds you of something like APHEX TWIN‘s first releases while Dark Matters shows that under the dark there’s always a soulful heart pumping. Techno is the best dress for Shaker Obsession just like Little Fish which is even more proper club material.
Dark Matters
Alternative Light Source is an album hidden in the dark. Beats, synths, sequencers and effects bury it under an obscure landscape of sounds. But there are some rays of hope when feelings light up the space. It is just like the artwork of the album, you are walking through a dark room but you can see the light, an alternative light source. The title-track symbolizes this glimmer, never too sparkling and never too dark. LEFTFIELD are exactly back where they left us in the late 90s. That fact itself might not be too innovative but it in the end after such a long wait nobody is interested in something ‘new’ anyway, right?
Alternative Light Source is an album hidden in the dark. Beats, synths, sequencers and effects bury it under an obscure landscape of sounds. Still, LEFTFIELD manage to light up the space as well.
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