Leftfield

Frontman Neil Barnes has endured several difficult years, but this was the dance music act back to their ferocious, euphoric best

It was the album that paved the way for innovative and progressive house music across the world. Leftism (released in 1995) saw elements of Techno, Dub and Afro-Beat, stirred together with splashes of Jungle and Reggae and seasoned with a touch of Ambience by musical chefs of the time Neil Barnes and Paul Daley.

I have to fess up now I didn’t really know the band or much about its impact on progressive house music, much to the disgust of my friends.

It is 22 years since this Mercury prize-nominated house and techno album was released, refracting the energy and idealism of the rave era through a wantonly eclectic prism of dub, jungle, reggae and world music sounds.

O2 Apollo, Manchester, UK on May 20, 2017

From the ticket sales, this has been a popular decision and at the Institute tonight, you are lucky to find space downstairs as the audience grows in number and anticipation.

Just as likely to be heard at a squat party or at commercial club the album’s 11 tracks straddle many genres all the while woven together with the thunderous bass the band became infamous for.