Leila - Courtesy of Choice ۲۵ … asides and besides *Pre-Order

Release Date Friday 14th November 2025
All pre-orders will be dispatched/made ready for collection on that day.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, XL Recordings today announce a special, expanded version of Leila’s acclaimed second album Courtesy Of Choice. Originally released on 11th September 2000, the album followed the success of her Rephlex Records debut Like Weather and felt like a broadcast from a futuristic radio station no one else could tune into. Twenty-five years on, alongside collaborations with the likes of Bjork, Aphex Twin and Terry Hall and iconic performances at the likes of the V&A and Venice Biennale, more and more listeners have found the frequency. While Courtesy of Choice's influence continues to transmit through contemporary culture. the Iranian-born, London-raised producer remains utterly singular:

"I realised very early on that people don't really belong anywhere. That's what gives me the freedom to do any kind of music...I don't feel any commitment or loyalty to anything. My commitment is to noise." – Leila

This new version, Courtesy Of Choice… asides and besides, re-presents the original 14 track album — including the previously vinyl-only “Relax the Pleasuredome” — alongside a wealth of unreleased material. Leila chose to re-edit rather than remake the album (she has all the original data… midi and audio), choosing to set the parameters of only recovering buried details while preserving its spirit. “I wanted this reissue to be honest,” she explains. “Nothing added, just making sure the performances came through as they were meant to.” Among the twenty unheard tracks are Roya Arab’s striking collaboration on Cabaret classic “Mein Herr,” the surrealist collage “A Reasoning” with a sample of Max Ernst, the hypnotic “Acid Frog Fave,” the digi rave blowout “Birdie Rave,” and “techyarr”’s future forever funk from the realm of primetime Neptunes. Together they reveal both the breadth of Leila’s vision and the enduring power of an album that continues to sound ahead of its time.

Tracklisting:

3LP Tracklisting
Disc 1
A1. Brave
A2. Work
A3. From Before... What?
A4. Relax The Pleasuredome
B1. Sodastream
B2. Gush Goog
B3. To Win Her Love
B4. Thanks mr jones
 
Disc 2
A1. To Tell a Lie
A2. I Won't Forget
A3. Be Clowns
A4. Different Time
A5. Different Time (Reprise)
B1. young ones
B2. track 5
B3. existential megamix
B4. METHODOLOGIES
B5. Lush Nova Elec
 
Disc 3
A1. old dat biz 1#46 (wakey wakey)
A2. acid frog fave
A3. techyarr
A4. a reasoning
A5. old tech 38
A6. sweets (bring u back)
A7. new guardmeter
B1. to win her love
B2. what i offer
B3. mein herr
B4. some curious joy (cute tough beat)
B5. the cuban situation
B6. odds
B7. The Gamble Room
 
 

2CD Tracklisting
Disc 1
1. Brave
2. Work
3. From Before... What?
4. Relax The Pleasuredome
5. Sodastream
6. Gush Goog
7. To Win Her Love
8. Thanks mr jones
9. To Tell a Lie
10. I Won't Forget
11. Be Clowns
12. Different Time
13. Different Time (Reprise)
14. young ones
15. track 5
16. existential megamix
17. METHODOLOGIES
18. Lush Nova Elec
 
Disc 2
1. old dat biz 1#46 (wakey wakey)
2. acid frog fave
3. techyarr
4. a reasoning
5. old tech 38
6. sweets (bring u back)
7. new guardmeter
8. to win her love s&g asides
9. cowboy situation
10. what i offer
11. birdie rave
12. mein herr
13. some curious joy (cute tough beat)
14. the cuban situation
15. odds
16. The Gamble Room

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for looking at our listing, below are a few points to consider before making a purchase:

- All records we sell are Brand New - pre-orders will normally come sealed but if you are purchasing in stock items, please note the copy may have been unsealed for display in the shop. Please email straight after purchase to enquire if this is of importance to you.

- Orders won't ship until all items are released, so keep this in mind when purchasing multiple pre-orders or a mix of in stock and pre-order items.

- The 'Product' page will show the most up to date info we have with regards to the item and its release date, but this information is subject to change so check in with us if you have any questions.

- We unfortunately don't offer tax/vat outside of the UK via the website so please keep in mind that when the items arrives in your country you may be liable to pay a further charge before delivery. (all UK orders the price you see is the price you will pay). Please also note that we are unable to adjust the declared value on items sold internationally.