Leopard of Honour - Visions of Garuda

Mancunian producer’s nod to the constellation ‘Aquila’ evokes the brightness of the most important star of all.

18 months ago, Leopard of Honour, AKA Mancunian producer David Roocroft, released his ‘Palais Royal-Blue’ EP. While the lead song from the release urged the listener to “stay on the outside”, it was the second song which convinced me to actually go outside. With its stuttering drum-crashes, 80s-inspired synths, rueful vocal and a metronomic BLEEP running throughout, Good Wives belatedly formed part of my personal soundtrack to last year’s (what-little-we-had-of-a) summer.

With Visions of Garuda, Roocroft provides more of the same with a shimmering and sun-kissed funk beat, the potency of which lies in its innate ability to prepare the listener for the day ahead. Until now, Leopard of Honour has been quietly operating beneath the radar, but with a brand new Twitter account, several performances booked throughout the year, and a new song featuring more hand claps than a sycophantic audience, the summer of 2013 may just be his time to shine.

You can download the single now for free.