Leila (music producer)

Leila
Leila
Background information
Birth name	Leila Arab
Also known as	Grammatix, Little Miss Specta
Born	3 September 1971 (age 53); Tehran, Pahlavi Iran
Origin	London, England
Genres	Electronic
Occupation(s)	Producer, DJ
Years active	1993-present
Labels	Rephlex Records, Warp, XL Recordings
Website	warp.net/artists/91393-leila

Leila Arab (Persian: لیلا عرب, born in 1971), professionally known as Leila, is an Iranian-born record producer and DJ based in London, England. She has released music on the labels Rephlex, XL and Warp.^[3] She has also worked extensively with Icelandic singer Björk.^[4]

Biography

Arab was born in Pahlavi Iran and spent part of her childhood there.^[5] Her family fled to London following the Iranian Revolution in 1979.^[6] She became interested in DJing and keyboards, and left college to perform with singer Björk in 1994, later working with her as a sound engineer and live mixer.^[5] She met Richard D. James while both were on tour with Björk, and both James and Grant Wilson-Claridge suggested she release her solo recordings on their label Rephlex Records.^[7]

In 1998, Leila released her debut album, Like Weather, on Rephlex.^[8] In 2000, she released Courtesy of Choice on XL Recordings.^[9] Ben Thompson of The Telegraph referred to these releases as "two collections of spooky electronic soul which [...] established her as an integral member of the Nineties' golden generation of British writer-producers."^[6]

After a hiatus following the death of her parents, she released Blood Looms and Blooms in 2008 on Warp.^[10] It included vocal contributions from Terry Hall and Martina Topley-Bird.^[11] In 2009, she contributed a cover of an Aphex Twin song, "Vordhosbn", to the Warp20 (Recreated) compilation album.^[12]

In 2012, she released her fourth LP U&I on Warp.^[13] In 2015, she released a collaborative EP with Zebra Katz, titled Nu Renegade, on ZFK Records.^[14]

Discography

Albums

Like Weather (1998)
Courtesy of Choice (2000)
Blood Looms and Blooms (2008)
U&I (2012)

EPs

Nu Renegade (2015) (with Zebra Katz)

Singles

"Don't Fall Asleep" (1997)
“Space, Love" (1998)
"Feeling" (1998)
"Sodastream" (1999)
"Mettle" (2008)
"Deflect" (2008)
"(Disappointed Cloud) Anyway" (2011)

References

^ "Leila Arab". British Council. 12 October 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dalton, Stephen (31 January 2012). "A talented diaspora presents a new kind of Iranian music". The National. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
^ Saxelby, Ruth (8 May 2015). "Zebra Katz And Leila Debut Snarling "You Tell Em" Video". The Fader. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^ Savvides, Alexandra (19 September 2008). "Leila interview by Alexandra Savvides". Cyclic Defrost. Archived from the original on 29 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^ ^a ^b Bush, John. "Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
^ ^a ^b Thompson, Ben (5 July 2008). "Postcards from the planet Leila". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
^ Warwick, Oli. "Label of the month: Rephlex". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
^ Cardew, Ben (24 January 2017). "The 50 Best IDM Albums of All Time (2/5)". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^ Turner, Luke (2012). "Leila - U&I - Review". BBC Music. Archived from the original on 26 May 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^ Padilla, Sean (3 August 2008). "Leila: Blood, Looms and Blooms". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 19 March 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^ Lynskey, Dorian (3 July 2008). "Leila, Blood, Looms and Blooms". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^ Breihan, Tom (1 July 2009). "Warp20 Box Set Tracklist Revealed". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^ Gilard, Stephane (3 February 2012). "Leila - U&I". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 30 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^ Rosario, Richy (10 December 2015). "Premiere: Jump Into Zebra Katz's Mind Twisting World In the Video For "Nu Renegade"". Vibe. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

External links

Leila on SoundCloud
Leila at AllMusic
Leila discography at Discogs

[BC-1] "Leila Arab". British Council. 12 October 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2009.

[thenational-2] Dalton, Stephen (31 January 2012). "A talented diaspora presents a new kind of Iranian music". The National. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.

[3] Saxelby, Ruth (8 May 2015). "Zebra Katz And Leila Debut Snarling "You Tell Em" Video". The Fader. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

[4] Savvides, Alexandra (19 September 2008). "Leila interview by Alexandra Savvides". Cyclic Defrost. Archived from the original on 29 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

[allmusic-5] Bush, John. "Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 November 2019.

[tele-6] Thompson, Ben (5 July 2008). "Postcards from the planet Leila". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.

[7] Warwick, Oli. "Label of the month: Rephlex". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.

[8] Cardew, Ben (24 January 2017). "The 50 Best IDM Albums of All Time (2/5)". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

[9] Turner, Luke (2012). "Leila - U&I - Review". BBC Music. Archived from the original on 26 May 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

[10] Padilla, Sean (3 August 2008). "Leila: Blood, Looms and Blooms". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 19 March 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

[11] Lynskey, Dorian (3 July 2008). "Leila, Blood, Looms and Blooms". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

[12] Breihan, Tom (1 July 2009). "Warp20 Box Set Tracklist Revealed". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

[13] Gilard, Stephane (3 February 2012). "Leila - U&I". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 30 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

[14] Rosario, Richy (10 December 2015). "Premiere: Jump Into Zebra Katz's Mind Twisting World In the Video For "Nu Renegade"". Vibe. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

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