EB Listening: Leftfield’s new live album ‘Tourism’

Their music not only defined the soundtrack of a generation, it also defined a whole genre of its own. London’s Leftfield spearheaded the Intelligent Dance Music in the 1990s, and although one might discuss if genres are necessary or not, it’s without doubt to say that their impact on contemporary dance music was nothing less than enourmous.

Twenty years after their first appearances, Leftfield returned to the stage with original vocalists Cheshire Cat, Earl 16 and Djum Djum and their new singer Jess Mills. While founding member Paul Daley is no longer an active member, but focussing on his solo career by now, Neil Barnes continued his work within the Leftfield collective.

With their new live album Tourism to be released on Field Note Records on March 26th, Leftfield not only revive memories of their stunning 2011 tour through Australia, but also of the decade spanning musical talent of the avant-garde music project itself. “We wanted to try and capture the quality of music“, Neil Barnes explains. “The excitement we were all feeling and the enthusiasm and warmth of the Australian crowd. It’s been a massive project but ‘Tourism’ feels like a testament to all the hard work and enjoyable graft we have all put in over the last two years.”

Alongside the music itself, the release comes with a DVD including design studio ne1co‘s live visuals of Leftfield’s tour – a safe contender for everyone while warming up for a club night. Electronic Beats is proud to give you the first taste of Tourism, stream the full record below. And don’t forget to catch up live with Leftfield on April 21st, when they’re setting up a special live show together with Booka Shade, Laurent Garnier, M.A.N.D.Y., and more at Brixton Academy, all in support of benefit organisation War Child.

Published March 14, 2012.