The Leaf Library are a north London band playing experimental dream-like music built on layers of chiming guitars, pulsing electronics, noise and looping drones. They have released several studio albums as well as a number of electronic and experimental albums and EPs, singles, remix compilations and long form tracks.
The band have collaborated with musicians as diverse as The Clientele's Alasdair MacLean, singer Ed Dowie, noise group Far Rainbow, electronic musician
Teruyuki Kurihara and the Iskra Strings group, and have provided music for a number of exhibitions, films and installations.
The band formed in the mid 2000s around singer Kate Gibson and ex-Saloon guitarist Matt Ashton. After the departure of their original drummer Rob Smoughton (Hot Chip, Black Peaches) the band (including bass player Gareth Jones of Wintergreen) recruited drummer Lewis Young and guitarist SJ Nelson releasing their debut Daylight Versions in 2015. In their live shows the carefully constructed and occasionally delicate sound world of their records is replaced by a much noisier and intense experience, helped by the addition of vocalist/percussionist Melinda Bronstein, saxophonist Daniel Fordham (The Drink, Steven Adams and the French Drops) and flugelhorn player Laura Copsey of fellow drone pop travellers Firestations. Associated Leaf Library bands include Beneather (drummer Lewis Young) Sea Glass (guitarist Matt Ashton, Melinda Bronstein and Firestations guitarist Mike Cranny), The Nameless Book (guitarist SJ Nelson), Wintergreen (bassist Gareth Jones), Rushes and Steven Adams & The French Drops (both saxophonist Daniel Fordham), Melinda Bronstein solo and Basic Design (Matt again).
