Leftfield Recommendations Best Of 2010

Review: After the "next level jazz shit" of Cosmogramma, you'd forgive Flying Lotus for a taking a time out and maybe hit some clubs in LA to find his next Brainfeeder signee. Instead he's spent the past few months scouring the inner workings of his clearly impressive musical brain to deliver Pattern & Grid World, seven tracks of expansive machine funk futurism. Commencing with the hazy mist of psychedelic soul synths flourishes and intricate beat patterns that is "Clay" Ellison demonstrates an ever increasing array of beat poetry. "Kill Your Co-Workers" marries tinny drum and bass programming with an ever expanding opulence of joyous melodies whilst "Pie Face" drops outer galactic grime syncopation over kaleidoscopic bass patterns. "Time Vampires" could soundtrack the astro travelling Lord Quas referred to on the classic Madlib album The Unseen whilst "Jurassic Notion/M Theory" splays wonked out afro percussion over belly level schizoid bass lines. The final rhythmic jolt of "Physics For Everyone" replete with head first plunges into industrial bass makes this a bewitching complement to Ellison's highly lauded album.

Review: We've been swimming in Luke Abbott's debut album since it landed on our desks this week. As one would expect from a member of the vaulted Border Community family, it's a record steeped in melody, gentle yet strong, perfect for at-home headphone escapism. Abbott is a master of kosmische, and on Holkham Drones he creates a lush soundscape that is psychedelic and richly textured, with similarities to be found in the work of modern contemporaries James Holden, Allez Allez and Four Tet. "Whitebox" is an intense swirling track that showcases the Norfolk producer's love of analogue equipment, while "Trans Forest Alignment" starts like a moodier version of LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge" before submerging itself beneath a sea of melodic keys and atmospheric synth washes. Everything here is assembled using the most delicate of sounds, from the moody vibe of "Sirens For The Colour" through to "Brazil", which shines like a beacon of hope, while the ambient fuzz of "Dumb" offers one of the album's most moving moments. One of the finest releases of 2010 without a doubt.

Review: Flying Lotus' expanding Brainfeeder imprint takes a big step and expands its crew beyond the Los Angeles area that is proving such a fertile ground for leftfield beats. Illinois-based producer Lorn's debut album Nothing Else is littered with hip-hop inspired beats and heavily atmospheric, exploring the murky side of electronica whilst never straying too far into heavily experimental tones. Broody at times, Nothing Else explores a wide range of moods and showcases this 23-year-old's production prowess - top picks include the rolling crunch of "Bretagne" and the ominous growl of "Tomorrow".