Courtesy of Choice ۲۵ … asides and besides

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, XL Recordings today announce a special, expanded version of Leila’s acclaimed second album Courtesy Of Choice. Originally released on 11th September 2000, the album followed the success of her Rephlex Records debut Like Weather and felt like a broadcast from a futuristic radio station no one else could tune into. Twenty-five years on, alongside collaborations with the likes of Bjork, Aphex Twin and Terry Hall and iconic performances at the likes of the V&A and Venice Biennale, more and more listeners have found the frequency. While Courtesy of Choice's influence continues to transmit through contemporary culture. the Iranian-born, London-raised producer remains utterly singular:

"I realised very early on that people don't really belong anywhere. That's what gives me the freedom to do any kind of music...I don't feel any commitment or loyalty to anything. My commitment is to noise." – Leila

This new version, Courtesy Of Choice… asides and besides, re-presents the original 14 track album — including the previously vinyl-only “Relax the Pleasuredome” — alongside a wealth of unreleased material. Leila chose to re-edit rather than remake the album (she has all the original data… midi and audio), choosing to set the parameters of only recovering buried details while preserving its spirit. “I wanted this reissue to be honest,” she explains. “Nothing added, just making sure the performances came through as they were meant to.” Among the twenty unheard tracks are Roya Arab’s striking collaboration on Cabaret classic “Mein Herr,” the surrealist collage “A Reasoning” with a sample of Max Ernst, the hypnotic “Acid Frog Fave,” the digi rave blowout “Birdie Rave,” and “techyarr”’s future forever funk from the realm of primetime Neptunes. Together they reveal both the breadth of Leila’s vision and the enduring power of an album that continues to sound ahead of its time.

Disc 1

A1. Brave

A2. Work

A3. From Before... What?

A4. Relax The Pleasuredome

B1. Sodastream

B2. Gush Goog

B3. To Win Her Love

B4. Thanks mr jones
 

Disc 2

A1. To Tell a Lie

A2. I Won't Forget

A3. Be Clowns

A4. Different Time

A5. Different Time (Reprise)

B1. young ones

B2. track 5

B3. existential megamix

B4. METHODOLOGIES

B5. Lush Nova Elec
 

Disc 3

A1. old dat biz 1#46 (wakey wakey)

A2. acid frog fave

A3. techyarr

A4. a reasoning

A5. old tech 38

A6. sweets (bring u back)

A7. new guardmeter

B1. to win her love

B2. what i offer

B3. mein herr

B4. some curious joy (cute tough beat)

B5. the cuban situation

B6. odds

B7. The Gamble Room