Leifur James

Last updated • 3 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Leifur James
Leifur James wiki photo.jpg
Background information
Born London, UK
Genres
Occupation(s)Composer, electronic music producer
Labels Night Time Stories
Website leifurjames.com

Leifur James is a London-based experimental producer, composer and vocalist known for his esoteric avant-garde style. [1] In 2018, his critically acclaimed debut album A Louder Silence was released on Night Time Stories, which was followed by a second album Angel In Disguise in June 2020. [2]

Contents

Career

Since beginning his career with his debut album A Louder Silence in 2018, Leifur James garnered critical attention, occupying the space between experimentation and introspection. [3] Support on the airwaves came from leading radio presenters Tom Ravenscroft, Mary Anne Hobbs and Gilles Peterson on BBC6 Music, Young Turks label show on NTS and Bradley Zero & Charlie Bones on Worldwide FM. Soon after the album a remix EP followed with cutting edge reworks from up and coming talent across the electronic music spectrum. [4] This included remixes from Bruce, FaltyDL and Whities producer Coby Sey, leading to praised reviews from music publications Resident Advisor, Pitchfork, Mixmag, Electronic Sound, Future Music UK. [5]

In February 2020, James announced his follow up album Angel of Disguise on Night Time Stories. Leading up the release of Angel In Disguise, British electronic music magazine DJ Mag premiered the album's fourth single Ritual describing the track as feeling "indebted to Burial’s nightbus-tailored garage, while wavering synth cries and cinematic pianos". [6] A very well received album earned the place as 'Album Of The Month' by Future Music for a "magnificent record" by "a singular artist who revels in playing with boundaries" and a review from Crack Magazine stating that "Angel In Disguise certainly demonstrates James' skill as a producer". [7] Upon the album's full release, Vinyl Factory dubbed it as "melancholic electronica", solidifying James' sonic development from the more upbeat A Louder Silence. [8]

Although key to his creative process, visual media took centre stage in a collaboration with Hungarian director, Balázs Simon. Premiered on Boiler Room's '4:3' platform, known for showcasing the best in new moving visual media, Wurlitzer was then nominated for a UK Music Video Award. [9] The masterful blend of James' harmonic vocals and Simon's powerful visuals earned the duo widespread support from CLASH Magazine, Director's Notes, Motionographer, the London Short Film Festival and the UK and Berlin Music Video Awards. [10] Further showcasing his visual ability, James shared a series of photographs with Mixmag to accompany his 'Club Epiphany Tracks' from around the early years of the previous decade (2010s). [11] In an intimate interview with ÂUGHT Magazine leading up to the release of Angel In Disguise, James discusses his musical influences and the importance of his experiences of free thinking while in education and turning an unfortunate event into a blessing. [12]

As a live performer, James has taken his fusion of Jazz and experimental soundscapes to festivals including Bluedot, The Great Escape, We Out Here, Sundaze and Nova Batida. [13] [14] James supported German composer Pantha du Prince at a sold-out concert in the main Barbican Hall before selling out a string of his own live shows across Europe including the Southbank Centre in London - a highlight of his career so far. [15] He was set to tour his new live electronic show for the release of Angel In Disguise in May 2020, via a string of intimate shows across the U.K. and further afield in mainland Europe, beginning in Copenhagen before heading to Berlin and then finishing in London. [16] His touring schedule has been postponed and is set to resume Autumn 2021.

In 2021, James' music video "Angel in Disguise", directed by Balázs Simon, was nominated for Best Experimental at the Berlin Music Video Awards.

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richie Hawtin</span> British-Canadian electronic musician and DJ

Richard "Richie" Hawtin is a British-Canadian electronic musician and DJ. He became involved with Detroit techno's second wave in the early 1990s, and has been a leading exponent of minimal techno since the mid-1990s. He became known for his recordings under the Plastikman and F.U.S.E. aliases. Under the latter, he released his debut album Dimension Intrusion (1993) as part of Warp's Artificial Intelligence series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unkle</span> British electronica band

Unkle is a British musical outfit founded in 1992 by James Lavelle. Originally categorised as trip hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and have employed a variety of guest artists and producers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Craig</span> American electronic music producer and DJ

Carl Craig is an American electronic music producer, DJ, and founder of the record label Planet E Communications. He is known as a leading figure and pioneer in the second wave of Detroit techno artists during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He has recorded under his given name in addition to a variety of aliases, including Psyche, BFC, and Innerzone Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calibre (musician)</span> Northern Irish music producer and DJ

Dominick Martin, better known by his stage name Calibre, is a Northern Irish drum and bass music producer and DJ from Belfast. He is highly regarded for his influence on the liquid funk style of drum and bass, which was partially named after his distinct production style. He primarily releases his own works through his personal label, Signature Recordings, but has also released on labels such as Hospital Records, V Recordings, Creative Source and Soul:R.

Timo Maas is a German DJ/producer and remixer. His remix of Azzido Da Bass's single "Dooms Night" helped launch his career in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Holden (producer)</span> English electronic musician

James Alexander Goodale Holden is an English electronic music artist and DJ. After beginning his career as a DJ and producer, Holden has moved extensively into live performance and founded his own record label, Border Community.

Jason W. Chung, better known as Nosaj Thing, is an American artist, record producer, and DJ based in Los Angeles, California. He has produced tracks for Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, Kid Cudi, Tinashe, Toro Y Moi, serpentwithfeet, Kučka, Julianna Barwick, and is the founder of Timetable Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Glitch Mob</span> American electronic music duo

The Glitch Mob is an American electronic music duo from Los Angeles, California. It consists of edIT and Ooah. Boreta was a member of the group from its formation until 2023. Chris Martins of LA Weekly noted that they "have undoubtedly found the largest audience of any L.A. beat scene artist yet."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nina Kraviz</span> Russian DJ, music producer, and singer

Nina Kraviz is a Russian DJ, music producer and singer.

<i>Immunity</i> (Jon Hopkins album) 2013 studio album by Jon Hopkins

Immunity is the fourth studio album by English electronic musician and producer Jon Hopkins. It was released on 3 June 2013 by Domino Records to critical acclaim and was nominated for the 2013 Mercury Prize for best album.

Daley Padley, also known as Hot Since 82, is a British DJ, house music producer and DJ Awards winner currently based in Holmfirth, UK. He has been releasing music under the Hot Since 82 moniker since 2012.

Chris A. Cummings, known professionally as Marker Starling, is a Canadian songwriter and musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Vynehall</span> British producer and DJ

Leon Vynehall is a British artist and producer. He released his second album Rare, Forever on 30 April 2021 via Ninja Tune.

<i>Scene Delete</i> 2016 studio album by Sasha

Scene Delete is the third studio album by Welsh DJ Sasha. It was released on 1 April 2016 through Late Night Tales on British independent record label Night Time Stories. The album has been described as "unabashedly ambient" and Sasha described it as "a split in [his] career". Upon release, the album appeared on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number 34. Four singles were released from the album: "View2", "Warewolf", "Pontiac", and "Bring on the Night-Time". In 2017, three remix singles were released comprising remixes of songs from the album, before a remix album, Scene Delete: The Remixes, was released on 19 May 2017.

<i>Working Class Woman</i> 2018 studio album by Marie Davidson

Working Class Woman is the fourth solo studio album by French-Canadian musician Marie Davidson. It was released on Ninja Tune on 5 October 2018.

Felix Clary Weatherall, known by his stage name Ross from Friends, is a British electronic music producer and DJ. He is signed to the Brainfeeder label, and released his debut album Family Portrait in July 2018, being noted as "one to watch" by The Guardian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Night Time Stories</span> English independent record label

Night Time Stories is an English independent record label founded by Paul Glancy in 2009. It is notable for releasing the Late Night Tales compilation series since 2009 by artists such as Trentemøller, Röyksopp, Bonobo, Jon Hopkins, Bill Brewster, Groove Armada, and Floating Points among many others, while label founder Glancy has been helming the project since 2003. In 2013, Night Time Stories started to release original material by artists such as Khruangbin, Session Victim, Leifur James, Sasha, Ash Walker, Ron Trent, Garden City Movement, and Rae & Christian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Heather</span> Musical artist

James Heather is a British pianist and composer based in London. He releases music on Ninja Tune founders Coldcut’s other record label Ahead Of Our Time. Heather released his debut album, Stories From Far Away On Piano, on 18 August 2017. Heather followed up with the album Reworks in December 2018. Heather released his second studio album, Invisible Forces, in 2022. As of June 2019, Heather curates and hosts the monthly Moving Sounds radio show on Soho Radio.

Coby Sey is a British musician, songwriter, artist, vocalist and NTS Radio host, born and based in Lewisham, South East London. He has worked with musicians Tirzah, Mica Levi, DELS, Kwes, Laurel Halo, Klein, Lafawndah and London Contemporary Orchestra, artists Hannah Perry and Maëva Berthelot and has remixed Kelly Lee Owens, Max de Wardener and Leifur James. In 2019 he had a featured session on BBC Radio 3 Late Junction in an improvised collaboration with PAN affiliated artist Pan Daijing. Sey is also a founder and member of a loose collective named Curl. Sey released his debut album, Conduit, on 9 September 2022 on AD 93 to critical acclaim.

Dehaney Nia Lishahn Hunt, known professionally as Nia Archives, is an English record producer, DJ, singer and songwriter. Born in Bradford in West Yorkshire, she moved to Leeds aged seven, out of the family home aged sixteen, and then to Greater Manchester, during which time she was inspired by jungle documentaries and their women participants. After finding herself messed about by local producers, she began producing her own jungle and drum and bass works; after moving to Hackney Wick for university and finding that no record labels would release them, she released them herself, attracting attention for the EPs Headz Gone West and Forbidden Feelingz. After featuring on numerous 'best of' lists, she released a third EP, Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against the Wall, in 2023, which topped the UK Dance Albums Chart, followed by an album, Silence Is Loud, which peaked at No. 16 on the UK Albums Chart. Hunt is generally regarded as being at the forefront of the post-2020 drum and bass revival, and has been cited as an inspiration by Piri.

References

  1. "RA: Leifur James". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  2. "Night Time Stories". nighttimestories.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  3. Staff, XLR8R (7 August 2018). "Leifur James Reveals Debut Album via Night Time Stories". XLR8R. Retrieved 27 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. "A Louder Silence: Remixes, by Leifur James". Leifur James. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  5. "Leifur James - 'A Louder Silence: Remixes' EP". LateNightTales. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  6. "Premiere: Leifur James 'Ritual'". DJMag.com. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  7. "Leifur James – 'Angel in Disguise' review". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  8. Rugoff, Lazlo (21 February 2020). "LateNightTales' sister label Night Time Stories announces new Leifur James album". The Vinyl Factory. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  9. "video genre categories - ukmva 2020". www.ukmva.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  10. "Leifur James: 'Wurlitzer'". 4:3. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  11. "Listen to a playlist of Leifur James' club epiphany tracks". Mixmag. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  12. Magazine, ÂUGHT (30 April 2020). "Interview: Leifur James". ÂUGHT. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  13. "Line Up - The Great Escape - Europe's leading festival for new music". The Great Escape. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  14. "Nova Batida 2019 Lineup - Sep 13 - 15, 2019". JamBase. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  15. "131153 Leifur James 2019". Southbank Centre. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  16. "RA: Leifur James tour dates". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 23 May 2020.