Leftfield - Alternative Light Source

Enjoyed · Jul 02, 2015, 18:42

I know we had a topic for this in the old forum but as it's still a relatively fresh album I thought we could revive the discussion.

I've spent a lot of time with the album since it came out. Initially I wasn't sure what to make of it. I didn't really hear anything particularly Leftfield about it. I enjoyed the BIG hitting tech house of it all, especially Universal Everything, Little Fish and Shaker Obsession but was frustrated by a lack of connection to the previous 2 albums, both of which I am a big big fan.
BUT having seen them perform at Glastonbury last weekend, revitalised behind their sexy light panels and moving seamlessly between the new tunes and old stompers like 6/8 War (CANNOT BELIEVE THEY PLAYED THAT!) everything has come together and the album has taken on a new life for me. I've started to hear the connections to what I'm assuming now was Neil's contribution to the first 2 albums. It's no longer just a decent dance album but it is a new Leftfield album. Developing on the clubbier side of the old sounds and, although arguably not reinventing the wheel, certainly spinning it hard with a clear understanding of how to make an excellent piece of dance music.

So I love it. And it'll definitely end up in this year's top 10 albums; a list which is already heavily contested by the likes of Panda Bear, BRAIDS, Everything Everything and will undoubtedly feature BITE and the new Tame Impala record.

This is what the new live show looks like, if you've not seen it.

I was honestly a little bit worried that The Chems' wouldn't be the highlight of the weekend after Leftfield had finished... I left with THE biggest grin on my face. The biggest until I heard the comforting repetition of "surrender to the void" with the sun setting and a few thousand revellers around me.

MadPooter · Jul 03, 2015, 21:39 #1

I am SO F*CKING JEALOUS that you saw both Leftfield and The Chemical Brothers in one evening.

Thanks for posting this and giving a short review.

Enjoyed · Jul 03, 2015, 21:57 #2

Quote from: MadPooter on Jul 03, 2015, 21:39

I am SO F*CKING JEALOUS that you saw both Leftfield and The Chemical Brothers in one evening.

Thanks for posting this and giving a short review.

I am jealous of my past self

Nils VIP · Aug 26, 2015, 15:51 #3

ATS is a great album. Paul Daley was the fella who brought out Leftfield's dubby side, but now it's all Neil Barnes.

His daughter makes music too and has just released her debut album.

WhiteNoise · Aug 26, 2015, 16:38 #4

Quote from: Nils VIP on Aug 26, 2015, 15:51

His daughter makes music too and has just released her debut album.

I gotta check this out, thanks.

I haven't weighed in on this album mostly because it's really hit and miss for me. First two tracks are strong, but too many tracks are just really, really... meh. Especially Levitate For You, blech. I'll have to listen to it more to get a better opinion of it, but I'm bummed out on it after the first two listens.

Enjoyed · Aug 26, 2015, 16:49 #5

Quote from: WhiteNoise on Aug 26, 2015, 16:38

I gotta check this out, thanks.

I wouldn't bother...

ThePumisher · Aug 26, 2015, 18:52 #6

i say als is > bite

ACIDCHILDREN · Aug 26, 2015, 20:16 #7

Bestival is fairly close to where I live, despite this I can't make it to see the Brothers and have missed this tour (fingers crossed some more UK dates), however I do have tickets for Leftfield in October, never seen and they are the last of the so called 90's dance supergroups that I have not seen, so dead excited.

Enjoyed · Aug 26, 2015, 20:20 #8

You are going to LOVE it.

Wolkenkrabber · Aug 26, 2015, 22:01 #9

Quote from: WhiteNoise on Aug 26, 2015, 16:38

I gotta check this out, thanks.

I haven't weighed in on this album mostly because it's really hit and miss for me. First two tracks are strong, but too many tracks are just really, really... meh. Especially Levitate For You, blech. I'll have to listen to it more to get a better opinion of it, but I'm bummed out on it after the first two listens.

i have the Georgia CD sitting on top of my stereo. I just need to put it in my stereo and uh, push the button.
As for Leftfield, it's not perfect, i think I suggested it was 7/10 when I gave it a little review before. But I'm still glad it exists. I agree that the first two tracks are strong, but I actually really like the vocal on Levitate For You. I'd like to hear a bigger, longer version of the track. Also Shaker Obsession - it's such a ball buster of a track live. Play it loud, break your speakers! It's a banger!

Fine Time · Sep 06, 2015, 07:58 #10

Bilocation, from the the Alternative Light Source album, has been one of my favourite tracks of the year so far, ... It sounds so immense and deep, ... and Channy's soaring vocals pouring in and out of the heavy bass, .. just perfect, ... I can't make out what she's singing about but that just adds to the mystery of the song, ... looking forward to seeing Leftfield in October.

MadPooter · Sep 06, 2015, 10:58 #11

I would love to be able to see Leftfield again. Sadly, it doesn't look like they'll likely make it out to the States.

I was lucky enough to see them at Coachella a few years back--they are actually the reason I stayed an extra day at the festival (I had a final 2 days after the festival) and I certainly do not regret taking the extra time and effort to see them.

I love a few tracks off the new album and would certainly go out of my way to see them if they ended up anywhere in California. A man can hope, I suppose...

Fine Time · Oct 05, 2015, 11:51 #12

Leftfield are performing live from BBC Maida Vale studio , London , tomorrow , Tuesday 6th October , as part of BBC 6 Music's live from Maida Vale week. You can listen to the set live via BBC 6 Music on DAB radio from 12pm (midday) , or ...

Watch the live stream that goes out from 12pm - 1pm via the BBC 6 Music website www.bbc.co.uk/6music

The live stream also goes out on Freeview TV channel 601 - BBC RB 1 and is repeated throughout the day on this channel.

New Order are closing the live from Maida Vale week this Friday 9th October , same details as above to listen / watch.

MadPooter · Oct 05, 2015, 21:25 #13

Fantastic. I'll be sure to give that a listen.

I finally managed to buy the new album (I had only given it one full listen-through when it was streaming) and after listening through it again from start to finish I appreciated it a lot more.

I'm really enjoying a majority of the tracks and am loving it. Still don't really like Head & Shoulders--the lyrics are too ridiculous. But god damn the production on all of the tracks is simply fantastic.

Fine Time · Oct 05, 2015, 22:16 #14

I wasn't keen on the Head & Shoulders track initially but then it grew on me & now i totally get it and enjoy it , quality production on it too & it sounds like nothing else i've heard. The lyrics are a bit cryptic & remind me of Mike Skinner's , from The Streets , i think they reference living in a run down area of Britain with not much to look forward to apart from quick fixes , . i imagine he wrote the lyrics as a stream of conscious thoughts as he walked through a city centre looking at people and the things happening around him at the time.

I'm off to see Leftfield this Friday in Birmingham , UK , will post a short review & let you know how that Bass sounded . . . . . probably like this , " Waaarb Waaarb , dubb dubb , Waaarb "

ThePumisher · Oct 06, 2015, 11:33 #15

Can anyone watch the live video? I got an error message everytime i try to

TJEFFS2000 · Oct 06, 2015, 18:26 #16

Watching it on my BBC Red Button 🔴 right now

Incredible. On repeat throughout the night..

Enjoyed · Oct 07, 2015, 02:14 #17

Did anyone record this?