Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: There's not a lot of information out there about Arcade of Serpe, so let's skip the back story and cut to the chase. If that's really an appropriate turn of phrase here. Nothing about Cave Adventure feels rushed. Nothing. In fact, it's quite the opposite, opening on dub-wise bass and playful organs, the atmosphere - somewhere between lackadaisical, come down, BBQ, and psychedelic - subtly rises, although not to a crescendo as much as a delicate fade out after a few minutes strutting to the funk-laden groove. Flip it to find more explorations in the sonic ether, with 'Unicorn Rider' smoothly stepping out into a surreal track that uses space and emptiness to accentuate the noises that are there, which mirror, if not directly reflect, the opening title tune. It's quiet, but you won't forget it in a hurry.

Review: Hailing from Yorkshire, Geoff Bastow made music that took people pretty far away from the White Rose county, out to the cosmic discos of Italy and then onwards towards the stratosphere itself. Half a galaxy away from a part of England known for keeping two feet firmly rooted to the ground, calling spades spades and taking no nonsense from nobody. Often producing under the moniker K.I.D. during the 1980s, and making most of his sounds after relocating to Munich, Germany, Bastow's attention to detail, sense of space and spatiality, gauge of groove and understanding of what makes a dancefloor move cannot be understated. Save your words, though, and skip straight to this EP to explain all that to people - six takes on a stone cold classic.

Review: If you've not found yourself enthralled by Bluey, the Australian animated kids series about the anthropomorphic six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy, Bluey, her family, curiosity, energy and imagination, then where have you been for the last seven years? Praised for its razor sharp depiction of modern family life in the Western world, it deftly straddles the line between children's TV and adult comedy, hitting both nails squarely on the head. In Rug Isand, Bluey and Bingo discover that a pack of felt tips can be anything - like a snake, or a campfire, or a banana. A perfect example of the creative minds of youth and heir ability to believe in things that grown ups might struggle with, the fact that Dad needs to engage his inner child and suspend disbelief before the episode ends speaks volumes. In musical terms, think fantastical, dreamy and typically witty instrumentation and spoken word, on record.

Review: "The final episode of this soap-opera of a band will be released in the form of a 7 inch on 24.01.2025." If this is your first encounter with De Nooit Moede, then welcome to the wake of the best group you sadly only cottoned onto when they were posting about their final release on Instagram. The Brussels seven piece's swan song certainly fits the bill for funeral soundtrack, with RIP's garage-punk-wave washing through your mind with equal parts melancholy and swagger. Four tracks run from the staccato-step of 'Doopsel', which opens the scoring and sets the mood perfectly, through the more melodic 'Sluiswachter', blissfully downtrodden 'Fake Niet', and motoring 'Alledaagse Nachten'. Each is as infectiously groovy as the next, and cooler than pretty much everything else you will have been listening to this week/month/year. More Flemish attitude, please.

Review: Golden Ivy's new transcendent single marks a celebrated return to the label after time spent with other imprints. Rooted in a sample from Sinnenas Dans by Scanian folk legend Ale Moller, the track evolves into a fourth-world masterpiece that layers in flute melodies with synthesised explorations and rather industrial leaning motorik rhythms. With Moller's blessing, the result is both meditative and grand and on the flip, you will find Philipp Otterbach's post-punk dub reinterpretation. it's rich in deep, sculptural and contrasting soundscapes and invites mindful, low-tempo dances that will resonate on all manner of diverse 'floors.

Review: Scale and Scope is a set of four 7" and one-sided coloured flexidisc records where each one contains "an instantiation of an individual microtonal designer scale" all developed by Stefan Goldmann. These experimental sounds pair wispy fragments of melody, the hiss of static electricity, twisted drones and only just audible details that add a range of moods from psychedelic introspection to cosmic wonder. 'Series Y (Gamma)' sounds like the internal thoughts of R2D2, while 'Series D (Delta)' is a futuristic symphony of melody and harmony.

Review: Kraftwerk are as well known for their albums as they are their singles and the iconic 'Autobahn' is of course the name of both. It is a rather groundbreaking electronic gem originally released in 1974 and soon revolutionised music with its hypnotic synth melodies, driving rhythms and pioneering use of vocoders. The track - celebrating its 50th anniversary and here on 7" - alongside an album picture disc and new Dolby Atmos mix on CD, which seal the birthday celebrations - captured the essence of modern travel by blending motorik beats with atmospheric soundscapes to create a real electronic journey and sense of movement. It still sounds as futuristic now as ever, a record that truly changed the course of modern music forever.

Review: This is a very special gold vinyl version of the soundtrack for the tokusatsu science fiction superhero television series Spectreman. It ran in the early 70s and had three seasons in all with a cult following who will go nuts to finally have these sounds on wax all these many decades later. It has one Japanese side and one American side and is the work of Ricardo Cruz and Kunio Miyauchi. Instrumentals and the theme song all feature to make this a real retro classic.

Review: Resavoir's return is a reflective piece that evokes the haze of distant memories. Originally commissioned by Chicago's Public Media Institute for their 2020 Quarantine Times publication, the track now sees wider release following Resavoir's 2023 self-titled LP which came after their 2019 debut of the same name. Composed by bandleader Will Miller in collaboration with designer Crystal Zapata, it draws inspiration from the 1960s and 70s Italian film composers like Piero Umiliani and Alessandro Alessandroni. The track blends Miller's piano and synthesiser with Lane Beckstrom's double bass and Peter Manheim's drums to make for a wistful, cinematic soundscape.

Review: The visionary electronic explorer that is Steve Spacek returns with a limited edition 7" release on his new label, SPA. It gets the full treatment with a full picture sleeve and he says there are no plans for a repress so this is your one and only chance to own SPA001. Opener 'Could It Be Your Luv' offers a gentle, soothing half-time rhythm that evokes a love bruk vibe that he says was inspired by the ethereal nights at the legendary Plastic People. The B-side cut 'Dancing In The Light' features a unique clippety-clop, horse-step rhythm that blends a futuristic lovers' rock style with bright synths and bold bass topped with a heartfelt vocal. It's designed for dancefloors that appreciate a one-foot skank.

Review: The tireless work of Funk Night continues here more steamy late-night sounds. This time it's Sunday Papers at the helm and first off comes 'Smoke.' It's a dense, busy cut with sleazy guitar riffs, plenty of sonic grit, raw, edgy drums and vocal stabs as well as some hints of psyched-out soul. On the flip, the rather horribly titled 'Greasy Meat Pocket' is actually a lovely sound with pensive piano chords and signature Hammond organ grooves that make for a nice late night jaunt.

Review: Originally released in 2004 to a hot reception, this iconic soundtrack from the beloved Sega game Feel the Magic XY/XX features Tokoi's unforgettable blend of eclectic, funky and also smartly experimental compositions. The music complements the game's quirky, surreal themes with catchy rhythms and vibrant colours. This anniversary edition offers remastered tracks with enhanced sound quality so is a guaranteed nostalgic journey for longtime fans or a superb introduction to the brilliance of Tokoi's work for new ears.