Track Listing

1. Release the Pressure
2. Afro-Left
3. Melt
4. Song of Life
5. Original
6. Black Flute
7. Space Shanty
8. Inspection (Check One)
9. Storm 3000
10. Open Up
11. 21st Century Poem

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37928 in Music
• Released on: 1995-10-03
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Meet Neil Barnes and Paul Daley, the two crafty Englishmen that comprise Leftfield. Their debut, Leftism, is amazingly diverse, ranging from chunky electro, complex textures of beats, to radio-friendly accessibility. The album's 1995 US release helped open up the states for techno-electronic music: The classic single "Open Up," which features ex-Sex Pistol/PIL ranter John Lydon, was one of the first dance singles to push popular radio barriers with its high energy beats and b-line hooks. "Original," with a guest vocal from Curve's moody crooner, Toni Halliday, delves deep into breakbeat territory with purging lyricism and rhythms. --Daniel Shumate

Customer Reviews

Still Sounds Great 6 Years On!
This in my opinion would have to be ranked as the best dance album of the entire 90's.Recorded between the years 1993-95 this c.d. would have the major influence in the direction dance music would go by the end of the decade.It's variety and different styles could be heard in so many groups(Prodigy,Orbital,Underworld and of course The Chemical Brothers to name but a few) towards the end of the decade.

There are so many good tracks on this c.d. that it is impossible to single out just one or two.Unlike many dance albums it didn't require long,repetitive drawn out beats.This goes from a reggae influenced opening,to African rhythms fused with techno in the second.Then we have the ambient style of tracks like Space Shanty.You can hear the early beginnings of trance in tracks like Song Of Life complete with it's Eastern style vocals.The aggressive dance/punk of the John Lydon sung Open Up.In fact there are plenty of excellent guest vocalists on this c.d.,including Curve's Toni Halliday on the almost trip-hop track Original.Fast,fat-beat techno in track 6 Black Flute-indivdual tracks on this c.d. were to create entirely new dance genres!The ragga feel of Danny Red's vocals on the heavy rumbling bass of Inspection.Basically this c.d. in my opinion has no flaws,no dud tracks,no "weakest links".The production is also magnificent.

From start to finish this c.d. is an audio feast.It is the best c.d. from Leftfield and one that may prove almost impossible to surpass.If you have any interest in dance music,this is an essential purchase.

Perfect
This album combines exceptional, interesting, stylistically disparate tunes, luscious electronic orchestration, unrelenting drive and an uncanny sense of artistic unity. It is a "dance album" pretty much in a class by itself. Leftfield, before disbanding, also created a formidable body of EP releases and remixes. Their second album, Rhythm and Stealth, is also full of shimmeringly beautiful cuts - though without the unifying "comet ride" impulse of this album and the easy acceptance that often greets the familiar - in the case of Leftism, it's comfortable place in the dance bin.

To repeat: if you like hard-driving dance music and glorious electronica, this is a truly distinguished disk.

L as Leftism
Don't just this album by the cover, it's actually very good. "Leftism" is Leftfields masterpiece in music, not only a exellent techno/electro album before it's time but it also lead the way for band/artists like The Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx, Prodigy and Moby. "Leftism" was perhaps not as big commercially as the others but it's a original album with many good songs and influents, never cared for their other albums and eventually they split up in 2002 but this one is topclass. The sound is a mix of diffrent genre's, the best songs are however the slow beautiful ambient tracks like "Release the Pressure" and "Melt". Some of the songs also has other influents like african music and ragga. The album never get's boring and still wouldn't feel dated even if it's from 95. I remember it as it was yesterday. "Leftism" is class.