Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: A selection of fifteen pieces from the soundtrack of the cult anime Dragon Ball Z, on a limited 2xLP edition, fully licensed, including the main opening track 'CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA'. This soundtrack accompanies the anime's key moment in which Dragon Ball Z resumes five years after Son Goku's wedding. Radditz, a mysterious warrior, arrives on Earth to find Goku, who learns that he comes from a planet of warriors from a planet of warriors, of which only four remain. The plot is based on a succession of increasingly strong opponents to be fought, but there's often a quest or travel motif that adds interest beyond the duels. All this, and more, is bolstered by this electrifying soundtrack edition.

Review: Yoko Kanni's seminal "Tank! Gold: Cowboy Bebop' soundtrack is now a quarter of a century old and to mark that occasion it has been pressed up for this special 25th Anniversary Edition across a double album including a booklet courtesy of Victor Entertainment. The anime movie itself is one of the most famous of the genre and follows the adventures of the crew of Bebop, a bounty hunter ship that chases criminals and turns them into the Inter Solar System Police for reward, Kanno's zany fusion of rock, blues and jazz oozes cool. It's a musical mix of Afro-Cuban rhythms, New York horns and plenty more.

Review: It's astounding to think that Mother 2 was released in 1994. A landmark moment for the SNES video game system, it arrived five years after its predecessor, and as such enjoyed the benefits of what was then a next generation platform. Felt in terms of graphical and gameplay capabilities, suffice to say the upgraded hardware was also capable of capturing much more engaging and imaginative music. Here we are, almost 30 years on from when this sequel first captivated people, and the score itself gets a re-release on vinyl. Again drafting Hirokazu Tanaka and Keiichi Suzuki as composers, the pair would later explain how much more freedom they had due to the technological progress made between this and its predecessor. Translated into a music review, think deep, atmospheric ambient constructed from many layers of sound. A futuristic sonic trip into the far reaches of the cosmos that still holds up within the genre today.

Review: Ariel Kalma is a musical outsider, a visionary who combined a diverse world of sound into his own unique signature. Jazz, weird ethnic instrumentals, warm electronics, folk, spoken word and avant soul all feature in his compelling oeuvre and the visionary French musician sure had a large one. French Archives Vol III: 1964-1989 is another superb collection of material from it that comes in a lovely four LP box set with booklet and download code. It gets from astral wonderment on 'Space Pillars' to layers of harmonic bells, tropical flutes, harmoniums and drones of light on 'Muse Mirroir' with plenty in between.

Review: It was in 1998 that pioneering Canadian musician levin Key released his solo debut Music For Cats. Artoffact Records reissued it on vinyl back in 2014 and now they do so again but this time on gatefold pink and blue splattered vinyl double album. It's a unique work that blends classical, glitch, and noise-driven pieces, featuring collaborations with artists like Dwayne Goettel, Genesis P.Orridge, Philth, and Mark Spybey. 'Music Fur Cats' showcases Key's songwriting depth, followed by 'Wind On Small Paws' with its electro-industrial sci-fi vibe. 'Meteorite' offers glitchy beats. Familiar tracks like 'Bird', 'Blotter', and 'Greenhouse Gasses' provide accessible listening, albeit experimental. 'Music For Cats' is gritty and against the grain, yet melodic. While not mainstream, it's an intriguing, well-crafted release, appealing to experimental electronic enthusiasts and completists alike.