CD: Leftfield - Alternative Light Source | reviews, news & interviews
CD: Leftfield - Alternative Light Source
CD: Leftfield - Alternative Light Source
Invigorating, stadium-sized techno return for Leftfield 0.5
The 1990s were a great time for electronic dreamers. Before social networks and cat videos and tedium there was a sense of romance about “cyberspace”. This “virtual universe” seemed to have the potential to be cosmic, narcotic and exciting. There were even “brain machines”! It felt like we might meet a benevolent version of The Lawnmower Man around the next corner. Boosting this sense of possibility was a newish sound called “techno”, and futurist acts with sci-fi music and shows.
Little did we know, then, that all the above would be reduced to Snapchat, Instragram, Facebook, streaming services and Skype conferences – consumerism, mundanity and all-pervading narcissism. Perhaps, then, Leftfield have returned to rescue us? Yes and no. Well, mostly no, in truth, but Alternative Light Source is more than OK. The techno manifesto of their second album, 1999’s Rhythm & Stealth is intact but expanded to the stadium gigantism of 21st century Ibiza.
Guests such as TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe, Poliça’s Channy Leaneagh, and Sleaford Mods add enjoyable human punctuation among the android pulsing but it’s not about them. It’s about vast tribal grooves pounding hypnotically on festival-slaying monsters such as “Storm’s End’ and “Universal Everything” and huge cinematic instrumentals such as “Dark Matters”. Some of it recalls Booka Shade but much, much bigger and a bit better. It’s more than fine. But the band isn’t. This isn’t really them at all. It’s just one of them, Neil Barnes, who should really have released Alternative Light Source under another name. Leftfield, then, are broken, just like the pupil-popped utopianism of the 1990s. All that’s left is the music. So dance.
Overleaf: Listen to "Universal Everything"
rating
Buy
Share this article
The future of Arts Journalism
You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!
We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d
And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.
Subscribe to theartsdesk.com
Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.
To take a subscription now simply click here.
And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?
Add comment