The Sound of Leisure

The Sound of Leisure every 4th Friday of the month 8-10pm

The Leisure Allstars are production duo Ali Betty and Rory Kinsella. Hailing from laidback Bristol, it was no surprise that their debut single, ‚ÄòGet Your Hands In The Air‚Äô, took so long to come out but when it did it soon became an underground hit. A fusion of heavy beats, reggae vocals and Charleston horns, the single picked up rave reviews from DJ and iDJ magazines and every freestyle DJ worth their salt, and was licensed by DJ E.A.S.E from Nightmares On Wax for his ‚ÄòMy Definition‚Äô compilation album, The Milano Fashion CD Series, and Germany‚Äôs Unique Records. Most recently, their track ’35 Summers’ featured on the Big Chill ’15 x 15 Vol. 2′ compilation series, as well as picking up strong radio support from Ninja Tune’s Solid Steel and 6 Music’s Craig Charles.

Collaborators so far include Full Cycle and Massive Attack vocalist Hollie Grant, singer-songwriter Lizzy Parks, UK dancehall artist Lady Chann, and the much-in-demand vocalist Yolanda. Their remix of Mr Benn Ft. The Ragga Twins ‚Äì ‘Without A Trace’ is out soon.
The two are also accomplished DJ’s, performing as The Leisure Allstars with label mates Jon Kennard and James Lynden. As a collective, their brand of party rocking hiphop, funk, breaks and drum & bass has seen them make a real name for themselves in Bristol and beyond.
After years of solid graft on the local scene, the Allstars have risen through the ranks and have performed alongside some of the world’s finest DJs, including pretty much anyone who’s anyone in he worlds of hiphop, funk, breaks and drum&bass, as well as playing at some of the country’s best clubs including The End, Big Chill House, 93 Feet East, Cargo, Market Place and 333 in London, Medicine bar in Birmingham, Space in Leeds and Mixed Bizness in Glasgow, plus Glastonbury and Big Chill Festivals.
As well as producing regular mixes for Ninja Tune’s Soild Steel radio show, the collective’s Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll concept mix CD became record of the week and subsequent best-seller at Manchester’s legendary Fat City record shop. Fat City declared: “The UK has a new party mixtape champion …”
Reviews
The Leisure Allstars – Get Your Hands In The Air (LEI003)

‘The most up to date thing on the mix, just a fat groove. It’s got these showbiz horns mixed up with the big drums, just the kind of twisted beat that takes it to another level. Totally up my street.’
[DJ EASE – My Definition mixed by Nightmares on Wax, Oct 06]
‘…Just my sort of block rocking party breaks Рgreat drums, swinging horns and a tasty vocal sample. Right up my street! Nice squelchy remix too’
[Dr Rubberfunk – BBC6 Music]
‘Chart 9, Club 8/10. Perfect dancefloor tune to get the night started in fine style. Feelin’ the cutup feel of the remix especially’
[Justin Unabomber]
‘Dope party-rocker from the Allstars that burns the dancefloor up Рnow get your hands in the air! 10/10 … plus excellent remix that turns the dirty jazz-funk vibe of the original track into a warm, bouncy stomper 09/10′
[Eddie Rishue]
‘Just heard your new reccccid on Piccadilly website … sounding great man!!’
[Diesler – Tru Thoughts]
‘A masterpiece in sample-based dancefloor mayhem pulling together dope break beats, double basses, 1930’s horn sections and vocals straight outta Kingston on the hottest cut of the moment’
[Blowback, Oct 05]
‘This cheeky piece of reggae inspired, sample heavy business finally gets to see the light of day. The original will probably get most bodies on the tiles with its Scruff-inspired Charleston sampling antics’
[DJ, Oct 05]

The Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll Mix (SDRR001)
‘Stand back please the UK has a new party mixtape champion … If you were into the Nextmen’s ‘Childs Introduction to Jazz’ and ‘Live From the Newsroom’ mixes you will love this.
I can’t think of a more inspired and entertaining mix available today…you cant fault the mixing and arrangement whilst the party starting qualities are unbeatable, and with a cheeky sense of humour it will stand many repeated listens’
[Fat City Records, July ‘06]

The Leisure Allstars Ft. The Good People – A Lot To Say (LEI012)
‘My God, this sounds like ‘Coast To Coast’-era Alkaholiks! There’s that same sun struck haze, the same mix of gritty beats and minimal psychedelic…..The Blackgrass rerub comes on like Common Ground/Up Bustle & Out, but check out ‘Mr Benn’s Hambone Skank’ on the flip for some prime ska/stax grind with the best bassline of the week. Essential. (4 Stars)’
[DJ MAG]

The Leisure Allstars Ft. The Good People – How We Roll (LEI014)
We’ve been dropping the Substatic remixes in our A/V sets and it always goes off. DJ Food (Ninja Tune)
I really like the Substatic remix of How We Roll! Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts)
This joint is FIRE!!! Fort Knox Five

Really love the Mr Benn & Drake Scorpio ‘Snazz Hands’ Remix. Great things all round!! Diesler (Tru Thoughts / Freestyle)

The Leisure Allstars remix is killing this one! Aldo Vanucci

Straight up quality goodness from my Bristolian brothers! Particularly liking Mr Benn and Drake Scorpio’s big bumbaclot remix! Parker (Goodgroove / Jalapeno)

Definitely feeling the original cut. Production is great. The Substatic mix is bonkers too. Aaron (Bastard Jazz)

Two fantastic beats on this one. Neck-snapping original for the warm-up, bubbling Substatic remix for the heat of the night. Welcome back Leisure! Tom Central (Keep Up!)

Once again Leisure serve up another must have record! The Substatic remix especially has been, and will be for a while yet, a regular feature of my sets. Ladies and gentlemen, you really are “rockin with the best”. Cheeba (Solid Steel)

Another beat-based bonanza from the ever reliable Leisure camp, with some tip-top remixes to boot. An early stocking/dance floor filler. Cheers gents. DJ Moneyshot (Solid Steel)

The Substatic remix is probably my favourite cut of 2009. It nices up every dance that dare take it on. Amazing stuff all round. Boom Monk Ben (Solid Steel)

Just given a listen to all the tracks, all pretty dope, actually each one was more dope than the last! Very good work! DJ Switch (DMC World Champion 2008 & 2009)

Mr Benn tickles my bass button. His tunes always seem to capture the
downright jolliness inherent in Mr Scruff but without the annoying twee
pish. Substatic mix is also really nice. Got a ‘Modeselektor when they’re at
their best’ feel, low slung with proper development throughout the track. Production Unit, (Glasgow)

Liking this, with tracks 1, 2 & 4 all ready to hoof in Serato. Good, solid variety between the remixes too, in tempo, weight and style. There’s too many dancefloor-orientated singles/eps appearing with a long list of remixes that all sound a bit similar in my opinion, so this is rather refreshing indeed. Point To C (Mixed Bizness)

Feeling the original mix. nicest beat of the bunch. FineArt (the Blessings/LuckyMe)

This is great. I’ve been playing Leisure Allstars tracks for a while now and they always do the business in the clubs. Mr Benn tracks nearly always feature in my sets and this remix he’s done is no exception. Another winner. Kormac (Scribble Recs)

Yeah, this is some feel good music – I like how it rolls! Profisee (Cloak x Dagger)

Leisure Recordings

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at 10:00 am and is filed under Slideshow. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.