Bluebird / Number 13

After the widespread acclaim for "Shoulders Back" and "July V", Leif fires up his 10" TIO Series with another pair of dazzling, future-minded cuts for the more inquisitive dancefloor. Increasingly he's been moving away from house and techno conventions towards intriguing broken beat variations, and that's apparent in abundance on this new release. "Bluebird" rides on a set of tough but dynamic drum ripples, but the stand-out element is the gorgeous twinkling arpeggio that pirouettes over the top of the beat. "Number 13" meanwhile takes a moodier, dubbier approach without losing that deft programming, harmonic warmth and crafty rhythmic interplay that has become Leif's calling card in recent times.