Leftfield - Leftism - 30 years old TODAY!

[Sardonicus]

As I was reminded with Radio 6 doing a tribute to it at lunchtime with Leftfield themselves doing an exclusive mix.

One of - if not THE - first dance music albums not considered to be DULL & SOULLESS (BIP BIP BOP BIP BIP BOP) & showed your serious muso types that a dance music album could be a great, coherent work from start to finish, rather than just THE HIT & a few lazy soundalikes.

Still practically flawless, "Original" remains a thing of wonder, the industrial dance vibes of "Storm 3000" still hit the atmospheric SPOT, & I'd be more than happy with "21st Century Poem" as my funeral LAMENT.

Twelvety out of ten

 

[WiDGe->]

While I don't like her latest album (flies too near to "let's try the Charlie XCX" thing while losing what makes her sound like her), Leftfield Neil Barnes' daughter Geogia had a fantastic early run especially on the Seeking Thrills album.

 

[WiDGe->]

I also just realised that I cannot find the original version of Song Of Life to stream anywhere. It was by far a huge fave of mine, moreso than the version that came with the album. What a track though, I love how Sasha & Digweed kicked off their seminal Renaissance mix with three different versions of it. Shows the impact.

 

[straightorbroken]

I discovered her via this:

 

[funky]

A truly seminal album. I don't really go back to it, but I enjoy it when the odd track pops up on playlists. I can recognise its importance to the 90s though.

 

[WiDGe->]

I discovered her via this:

We stuck on Glastonbury randomly one year and caught her live set. Good fun, actually went to her live in Manchester, gabbled something drunkenly and bought a 12".

 

[Sardonicus]

All over this album once again & the ATMOSPHERIC MAJESTY of Storm 3000 keeps hurtling up the chart of my all-time favourite songs:

 

[Agneeta]

With Chemical Brothers getting a random, I presume Tik Tok moment, it's overdue Leftfield do. Honestly they'll love some of the weird beeps and boops.

 

[Sardonicus]

With Chemical Brothers getting a random, I presume Tik Tok moment, it's overdue Leftfield do. Honestly they'll love some of the weird beeps and boops.

Leftism holds up remarkably well in 2026. A song like Original still hits an evocative high, & the rest of the album sustains it.

 

[straightorbroken]

Original with Toni <3

 

[Agneeta]

Mr Ag tells me the Chem Bros track is from a film.

 

[passthatdutch]

Chemical Brothers Go is from a rather terrifying scene in the movie Apex on Netflix. One of my faves tracks of theirs so good to see it getting some love.