Lefto’s ‘Drive Me To The Club Please…’ Mix

5 Minute Read

Music

A discerning DJ and producer, Lefto looks forward with the release of a new album.

Lefto is a purest when it comes to digging and seeking for music, be it new or old. Over the years he has built a following based upon his tasteful, abstract selections which join the dots between Funk, Jazz, New Beat, House, Hip Hop and beyond.

His new album is titled ‘Motherless Father’ and is his most accomplished piece of work to date – cementing his presence as a versatile, well rounded artist who can craft a narrative through sound.

Over the years Lefto has collaborated with the likes of Virgil Abloh, Flying Lotus, Floating Points and Theo Parrish amongst others.

The record was released on Gilles Peterson’s Bronswood Recordings and this mix comes off the back of similar influences and perspectives which informed the record.

We asked Lefto to tell us more about the mix and his music below.

Please introduce yourself…

Hi I’m Lefto Early Bird, what’s up?!

Who are you, where are you and what are you?

I’m an artist based in Brussels, Belgium. People know me as a deejay but I’ve been producing for some time as well, I’m not always satisfied about what I want to share with people, it must be the capricorn in me.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

It’s hard to define but it looks like this I guess… past, present and future.

Where was the mix recorded?

The mix was recorded in my home studio, a setup surrounded by a wall of vinyl, shoes, a bike and old VHS tapes

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

The ideal setting is probably a car with a good soundsystem on your way to the club.

What should we be wearing?

Loose sportsgrey sweatpants, and a white longsleeve t-shirt, black socks and Salehe Bembury Crocs. Yeah, Crocs in the club!

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

I would probably choose for a live recording at the Worldwide Festival in the south of France, it’s an amphitheatre, open air with an incredible Funktion One soundsystem and a dj-booth with the crowd very close to you. I would record the mix there and have the mic on so that you can hear the great atmosphere, people screaming and shouting in the crowd.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Ha, probably the live version of Ian Fink’s “Moonlite” which appears around minute 28. Love the Detroit vibe with the live instruments!

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

I actually really like my Dekmantel Selectors mix from 2 years ago on the beach. It’s a 3-hour mix that builds up nicely. It’s here.

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

I would probably ask Larry Levan for a nice back 2 back at Paradise Garage; to live that particular era in NYC surrounded by legends from the arts and music culture. It was something else i’m sure.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

My first dj set up was my father’s turntable, no pitch, nothing, just a quartz turntable, I had a Realistic mixer (see photo) and got one Technics SL-1200 MK2 turntable which is still the best turntable in the world imho. Today my setup is large, from Pioneer CDJ3000’s and a CDJ gifted by Virgil Abloh, two Technics turntables, an e&s rotary mixer and a Pioneer DJM900 NXS2 mixer.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

Both have an importance but I’d go for the end track as the starting track is most of the time to break the vibe of the previous deejay, that way you can build your own set from scratch.

What were the first and last records you bought?

One of the first records I bought was a “new beat” style track by Technotronic “Pump Up The Jam” which is still one of the most played Belgian tracks ever; in that basket I had other stuff like Tragic Error’s “Tanzen”. I bought my last records two days ago in London, one record was a reissue on Jazz Room from a jazz-fusion band called Ariel, the other record was on Mr’Bongo, a phenomenal edit from Luke Una.

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

it would taste like mint, a breath of fresh air.

If it was an animal what would it be?

ha, probably a chameleon, changing color like moods.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

It is maybe not impossible but it sure is a problematic one, it’s Nas’ “One Love” produced by Q-Tip, the beat is not an exact loop, if you’d use a metronome it would lose the tempo quickly. So yeah, it’s a tough mix haha.

Upcoming in the world of…

Album charts!

Anything else we need to discuss?

There’s so much going on the world, there are a lot of things we can discuss i’m afraid, but thank you for having me ha!