Leftfield, one of the UK’s most revered and innovative dance acts have officially announced their first album in seven years, This Is What We Do and have released a new track, Pulse.
This Is What We Do (Virgin Records) is the first album of new music from Leftfield since 2015’s Alternative Light Source and will be released on December 2nd. Crafted with long-time studio and mix engineer Adam Wren, the album features contributions from Grian Chatten (Fontaines D.C.), Lemn Sissay and more!
This Is What We Do, is an eclectic long-player that embodies the core optimistic ethos of the iconic dance music act. Exploring themes around love, acceptance, diversity and healing, the album was written before and after two extremely challenging and transformative periods in the life of Leftfield’s Neil Barnes. The global pandemic, and his own personal health crisis, both having a direct impact on the creative process, with his own drive to heal childhood trauma as a backdrop. As a result the new LP is a rich, vibrant, positive and potent cocktail of incendiary cuts that epitomise Leftfield’s uncompromising approach to dance music. Tapping into the roots of the culture – subversive, radical, progressive and inclusive – This Is What We Do is a positive and powerful record that addresses personal themes which also reflect our current global experience.
Pulse immediately captures the vitality of This Is What We Do: a thrilling, tactile take on dance music that sees Leftfield continuing to find new territories to break into, more than 30 years into their career. An oscillating bassline acts as a focal point throughout as every element of the track shifts around it; the breakbeat warps and stretches as more layers are added, with the central pulse remaining the only constant element. The release is complemented by a mind-expanding visual that pairs the track with a hedonistic rave aesthetic.
Speaking of the song Barnes says, ‘I wanted “Pulse” to be the first statement from the new album. It felt strong. Dancefloor. Human. Positive. And I love the bass. It’s Leftfield.’
Formed in 1988, Leftfield quickly became one of the most influential dance music acts of all time. Originally comprised of Neil Barnes and Paul Daley, Leftfield’s legendary live-performances paired with seminal albums, 1995s Leftism and 1999s Rhythm & Stealth (both Mercury Music Prize nominees), solidified their position as true pioneers.
The group then went on a hiatus in 2002 before returning in 2010 for live-appearances (now led solely by Barnes). 2015’s Alternative Light Source was the first Leftfield album in sixteen years. The record garnered acclaim from The Guardian, The Observer, Uncut, Mojo and more, and featured Jason Williamson (Sleaford Mods) and Tunde Adebimpe (TV on The Radio), amongst others. In 2017 the band reissued their classic album Leftism, remastering the original 11 tracks of the record and releasing 11 remixes. They then embarked on a special sold-out tour in support of the reissue, playing Leftism in its entirety. Now, in 2022 they return with forthcoming album This Is What We Do. Stay tuned for more news.
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