Electronic dance festival LEAF returns to London next month (6-7 March) at new home Tobacco Dock. Co-founders Ben Turner and Rob da Bank have written Q a guest column – and playlist – about the event they hope will make you dance… and think.
LEAF returns in 2015 with a new venue, new date and new event partner LWE presenting a two-day cultural celebration of electronic live music performances, parties, panels, installations, masterclasses, screenings and conversations.
Building on the first edition of LEAF last year, we’ve turned to Grade one listed Tobacco Dock – one of London’s most exciting and stunning venues – to host this year’s event. This will act as a central location for a combination of talks by key artists and industry icons, demonstrations of the latest technology and showcases, live performances and DJs. The festival will centre around Tobacco Dock but there will be additional off site events in some of London’s key nightlife locations. On top of that we have a series of screenings at the Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel that showcase the influence of electronic music on film production.
London has always had a significant place in electronic music, and is somewhere that the rest of the word still looks to for new sounds, insight, inspiration. LEAF aims to reaffirm London’s position in the Electronic World by showcasing a wide variety of content across the two days but its beating heart will undoubtably be the array music on offer. We’re so exited to be presenting such diverse range of some of finest electronic musicians and artist that the planet has to offer.
The spirit if LEAF is truly captured in the headline concert which is broad to say the least, ranging from Manchester sounds of 808 State, named after the drum machine itself as well as the bands shared state of mind. In a unique performance they will play their classic album Ninety in its entirety.
They share a bill with Kate Simko’s London Electronic Orchestra; her all-embracing, multi-disciplinary approach to composition draws on her background as a jazz and classical pianist. Kate transforms the melodies of synthesisers into lush orchestral moments, merging evocative textures of classical instruments with the rhythms and soundscapes of electronic music. While this is in total contrast to the visceral, hip hop infused glitch crunk that headline act Modeselektor will bring, who like 808 State owe much to the synth manufacturer Roland for their moniker (named after an analogue effects unit).
Modeselektor were born out of the chaos of the early German rave sene that exploded as the Berlin wall fell, and they’ll bring visual artist Pfadfinderei to add his powerful imagery to the concert. Modeselektor site 808 State as a key influence in their development and to complete the circle they will interview each other ahead of the performance.
Ben Turner & Rob da Bank
For more, including the full line-up, head to Leaflondon.net.
