Leng Vinyl & CDs

Review: Andrew 'Emperor Machine' Meecham and French vocalist Severine Moultin enjoyed working on their first collaborative single, 2021's 'Dance Par Amour', so last year reunited in the studio to record a follow-up. 'Your Own Style' follows a similar sonic template, with Mouletin singing in accented English atop a typically analogue-heavy Meecham backing track laden with bubbly bass, delay-laden electric piano motifs, layered percussion and the producer's trademark synth squiggles (a feature of his work since the days he was working with Dean Meredith as Chicken Lips). The song is presented in three variations: the stretched-out and pleasingly loose 'Alternative Mix'; the sparse, effects-laden and mid-80s influenced 'Dub Vocal'; and the warmer, subtly funkier 'Fun Dub'.

Review: A fresh collaborative dance effort from the fine folks over at Leng, centring on reworks of the brilliant debut album Waving by producer Lex (Alex Andrikopolous). Released in 2022, we're now two years ahead, and come met with this fine array. Kicking things off with a glorious Faze Action remix of 'Punta Allen', on which guitars, steel pans and clap-slaps abound, we're soon further into the mid-rave movements of 'Libre De Amor', a new one with Locke, followed by the acidic additives of Ruf Dug's version of 'Prezend'. Finally, another original, 'Super Awake', surfaces as the cascading coda to an all-out suite of neo-Balearic delights.

Review: Payfone's track record to date is exceptional, with the duo delivering some of their most impressive work on Paul 'Mudd' Murphy and Simon Purnell's label, Leng. 'I Feel You', which sees them reunite with vocalist and songwriter Kyd Neirida (who is depicted on the cover and previously featured on 2022 single 'Put Your Face Away'), is another strong offering. Their original mix is impeccable - a slow-motion shuffler in which Neirida's expressive, emotional vocals rise above a rubbery synth bassline, metronomic beats and flashes of effects-laden guitar. Murphy dons his Mudd alias to deliver vocal and instrumental takes that expand the sound further - he is a master of slow-motion Balearic disco after all - with guest musician Michele Chiavarini adding the crowning touch via some gorgeous, life-affirming piano solos.

Review: Here comes the first sampler, all part of Leng Records' 10th Anniversary celebrations. It marks the cultured label's 50th release and precedes a special compilation of overlooked favourites, classics and unreleased material. This one is well worth your attention though, beforehand. Phenomenal Handclap Band founder Quinn Luke with his longtime pal Alexis Georgopoulos combine as Q&A for the first two tracks, with Lex providing the third and fourth, all proving to be seductive, slow motion Balearic groovers for grown up movers. Q&A's 'Pulse' is a future groove, Lex's 'Max Pen' is a cheery number with lush squelchy bass and skyward chords, while the latter's closing offering 'GP Score' brings a little more energy.

Review: Sadeira - a trio made up of members based in both Brooklyn and Brazil - previously impressed with a handful of high-grade releases on Let's Play House. Now they've transferred to London-based Leng to showcase their latest colourful, cross-cultural musical fusions. Lead cut 'Luzes Ca Didade' is undeniably brilliant: a swelteringly humid slab of samba-nu disco brilliance rich in fluttering flutes, layered Brazilian percussion, squelchy synth bass, glistening guitars and life-affirming bi-lingual vocals. It's backed with two tidy reworks - a flute-heavy instrumental take, and the band's own sweaty, percussive, and sub0heavy broken house revision, which drags the track further towards peak-time dancefloors. The EP's final track is fab, too: a synth-heavy, early '80s influenced dub reggae rework of previous single 'Deixa Tudo Fluir' that may well be the EP's standout moment.

Review: Takovou stakes his claim to a wider audience with 'Perfect Match', a wonky four-tracker with a sense of depth and slow unfurling that is hardly achievable by most artists (presumably, they'd lose their patience). Dreamy movers like 'Homesickness' and 'Bubbles' are at once light and deep, perhaps reflecting the airy and unburdened headspace of this obscure Russian artist, who now resides in Tbilisi. A curveball also comes in the form of 'Another The Same', which more recalls Four Tet than the prior, less dense ambient works heard before.