New releases last eight weeks: Leftfield

Review: .

Review: Reissued via French label Rotorelief on its 35th Anniversary year, Chance Meeting on a Dissecting Table of a Sewing Machine and an Umbrella is the debut album of trailblazing noise and avant-garde musician Steven Stapleton. Catapulting Stapleton's macabre alias to success in the thin breath of just three through-composed drone pieces, this sonic statement was unparalleled at the time (1979), with its unusual mix of prepared tinkerings, feedback drones and cog-jams famously causing Sounds magazine to momentarily abandon their five-star rating system to specially award the album five full question marks. Absurdly sadistic, the album is also known for its original publication of the infamous Nurse With Wound List in the liner notes, which listed the entirety of Stapleton's influences going into the album's making - some acts named therein were so obscure that many fans speculate as to whether they were invented. An exemplary work of outsider music - or at least, one that is infamous by proxy to the more baneful works of the outsider music archetype - get ready to hear all things spectral over the more sustained tones: chains rattling, chairs squeaking, shakers shaking, even monologues in French.

Review: For fans of minimal wave and DIY electronic pop, Oppenheimer Analysis's self-released 1982 debut cassette, New Mexico - little more than an extended demo cassette - has become something of a collector's item. While it has been reissued digitally since, it never received a vinyl release. In tribute to Martin Lloyd (the other half of the duo, alongside Andy Oppenheimer), who passed away recently, Minimal Wave has decided to make New Mexico available on wax for the first time. While the sound quality is appropriately dusty (it was badly recorded in the first place, of course), the music remains magical - bubbling, evocative, left-of-centre leftfield pop created with home-made synthesizers, modular hardware and little else. It's no wonder many consider it a classic album (even if was never officially released first time round).

Review: Vampire Survivors Vol. 1, the soundtrack to Poncle's indie hit, receives a fitting tribute with this 2xLP vinyl release from iam8bit. Composed by Daniele Zandara and Will Davies, the music perfectly encapsulates the game's blend of roguelike bullet-hell action and gothic aesthetic. Drawing inspiration from classic vampire-slaying franchises while exploring modern soundscapes, the result is a synthesis of epic, nostalgic, and unexpected tunes filled with rad riffs and high-impact drum fills. The vinyl edition, pressed on Blood Splatter Red Vinyl, not only complements the game's theme but also adds a visual dimension to the auditory experience. Illustrator Nimit Malavia's cover art captures the essence of Vampire Survivors, elevating the release to a bodacious and badass masterpiece. iam8bit's commitment to nostalgia and new-wave sensibilities shines through in this release, appealing to fans of retro gaming and contemporary music listeners.