Leonce - System of Objects (2024)

The ever prolific Atlanta icon and club music pioneer Leonce brings us his first full-length album System of Objects, and it’s about damn time. Over the last decade, he’s been one of the most prominent names in the US underground, touring the globe countless times. Releasing almost 30 EPs and singles on his own Bandcamp, many know him for his undeniably infectious R&B flips and edit packs. The focus of this project however, is pure electronic music, showcasing his unique voice in the rigorous realms of house and techno.

Influenced by Baudrillard’s book which shares the name of this LP, he’s taken a step back to observe and philosophize on his nightlife surroundings. “What I create and what inspires me is not just music, but part of a larger ‘system’ of nightclubs, sound systems, lights, fog, community and dancers. These ‘objects’ combine to create my form of art, real cultures that exist in the dark for a mere few hours”. Perfectly navigating between narrative and function, he’s soaked up the essence of these ‘objects’ and turned it into 7 club monsters.

Starting things off with Not Here For It, this sure to be big room anthem nods to 90s NYC, but without being soaked in retromania. On Amyl Nitrate and Kundle Dub, he blends intricate modular synthesis with his signature heavy tribal percussion, letting grooves ride out and hypnotize. Spectral vocals ride over a throbbing baseline on Tuff Talk, with an eerie, yet sexy result. Metal clangs meet mesmerizing minimalism on Eurorack Tears and Closing in, perfectly blending organic emotions with the frigid steel of machines. Ending things with the most jarring moment, Third Time’s The Charm pummels you with a complex web of terrorizing triplets, an alarming yet exciting end to this cybernetic ride.

System of Objects is club music for clubs, made by someone who spends a lot of time in them. Listening to it, you can see the strobe lights, almost smell the fog juice even if you’re at home. It’s a celebration of the fundamental elements that make up the culture that he is proud to be a part of. A futuristic classic and evidence of Leonce’s virtuosity in his art of the dance, this LP is sure to shake the system for years to come.