REVIEW: The Leaf Library After The Rain, Strange Seeds

Harking from the shining lights of north London, The Leaf Library have been creating colourful musical stem structures since the early 2000’s, collaborating with musicians as diverse as Alasdair MacLean of The Clientele, singer Ed Dowie, noise group Far Rainbow and string collective Iskra Strings, their releases have seen some remarkably gorgeous poetic musical petals assembled.

The bands latest album release After The Rain, Strange Seeds released via Fika Recordings on 20th March sees them branching out into addictive blueprints afforded scarce few treading floor boards on the current melodic circle. If you’re lucky enough to be one of the first 40 customers of both physical formats you get a 28 page zine including exclusive photos and notes from the recording sessions. This release was supposed to be a quick-fire release, but then 5 years down the line the band have thoughtfully allowed some of the hallowed creation processes to be unfurled, the bands playlist includes The Field Mice, The Chills and Talk Talk, whilst photographic depictions on offer show the cosy and comfortable surroundings where this choral gem was documented.

Opener Colour Chant has an almost voodoo vibe with a driving bass drum thump; Still & Moving is the French Disko number in the set; The Reader’s Lamp has chimes of Shadowplay mixed with a ravishing orchestra; Sun In My Room mesmerises with alluring chanting mixed with rhapsodic keys; Carry A River In Your Mouth reflects John Martyns best work with Riverman strings; Catch Up, Isobel might well be something Peel Dream Magazine ache to include in their next discharge; A Ship In The Sky breezes through tenderly; Some Circling parrots Fleet Foxes Grown Ocean before blending Garcia Peoples psych; with the final bow of dub sounding There Was Always A Golden Age a perfect accompaniment for an early morning dawn sunrise.

No doubt a stand out album, sounding like the band were recording the songs as live pieces with little production fiddling, a refreshingly upbeat, ambiguous and pastoral release, it would be well for those that appreciate the finer things in life such as sitting under a tree watching the world go by to have this accompany those blissful, enchanted moments. An anchingly opulent release.

After The Rain, Strange Seeds can be ordered here

UK Tour Dates

28/03 Coventry, Just Dropped In

30/03 Norwich, The Holloway

31/03 London, The Ivy House

01/04 Oxford, Common Ground (with Fuzzy Lights)

02/04 Brighton, The Rose Hill

04/04 Margate, Where Else?

11/04 Leicester, Firebug

17/04 Nottingham, JT Soar