LV

South London duo LV, made up of Simon Williams and Will Horrocks have been at the forefront of UK electronic productions since 2007, beginning their musical endeavours together around 2000 while at university . Formerly a trio, including Gervase Gordon (Okzharp), LV have again and again shown an inventive flare for distinctly unique sounds. LV have also in the past worked on a side project named SwamiMillion, through which they experimented with improvisation and unpredictability via their love of hip hop grooves. LV have always thrived by working with new collaborators and environments. Their first album with urban folklore MC Josh Idehen, ‘Routes’ (Keysound) in 2011, expressed an amalgamation of a sense of ‘London underground music’ and the bipolar nuances of city living, with a uniquely funky touch unmatched before. In 2010 LV embarked on a musical trip to South Africa, to return with a single revered as one of that year’s most memorable and inventive dance music releases; ‘Boomslang’, featuring the vocalist Okmalumkoolkat. Their first album release on Hyperdub, Sebenza (2012) marked their return the South London-via-South Africa vibe as well as their distinct ability to transcend and forge new genres. Combining UK funky with South Africa's kwaito, two invigoratingly elastic dance music worlds that draw on a rich and overlapping heritage, LV proved themselves as versatile producers in their collaboration with three distinct South African acts; Spoek Mathambo, Okmalumkoolkat of the Dirty Parraffin crew & duo Ruffest. Their most recent album ‘Islands’ (2014 - Keysound), reignited the musical connection with Idehen. Resonating ‘London’ sensibilities throughout, Idehen’s prolific lyricism was swathed in dreamy yet sharp production, making for yet another modern classic. LV’s ability to conjure up new original sounds is exemplified by their impressive history of collaborations and remixes with other esteemed artists, having remixed the likes of Nitin Sawhney, Pinch, Zomby, Untold, Trim, Portico Quartet, John Wizards and Troumaca to name a few. ‘Ancient Mechanisms’ is the fourth album by globetrotting London production duo LV. It traces a train of thought that was sparked by a live session with Tigran Hamasyan for Gilles’ radio show back in 2012: two and a half years down the line and a trip to Belgium later, the finished record is as much about the workings of musical artefacts as it is about putting the virtuoso pianist into new contexts. Anyone who heard the Maida Vale session or LV’s remix of Road Song by Tigran will know how exciting it was to hear delicate jazz musicality at play with UK-tinged dance rhythms. Their collaboration gained LV & Tigran the Worldwide award for Best Live Session in 2014 and laid the foundation for LV’s forth-coming debut album on Brownswood, ‘Ancient Mechanisms’.