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The time has come for dance musicians to reclaim their instruments on stage! Imagine if we could
make listeners dream or crowds dance, not with the help of a computer, a synth or a drum machine,

but rather with the help of an organic and living instrument, obeying the precise actions of a musi-
cian... This is the ambition and inspiration behind ‘Hyperactive Leslie’, the new solo project by per-
cussionist and drummer Antonin Leymarie, whose pseudonym originates from the ‘Leslie speaker’,

a resonator in the shape of a cube, which gives the infamous Hammond organ (one of Antonin’s
favourite instruments), its warm and organic sound.

This French musician explores a singular form of open and rhythmic music, halfway between acous-
tic and electronic, inspired by minimal techno, jazz, traditional music and West African percussion.

«With this new musical project,» he says, «it’s as if I became the sequencer myself, as if I were re-
placing the brain of the drum machine.”

Simply put, Antonin is at the controls of a drum kit that he defines as «augmented», with objects
and materials added on, such as small pieces of metal or gum, gaffer tape, small broken percussion
instruments such as North African karkabous, tambourines or even an old zither, whose strings and
resonance provide particular harmonics. These objects, as well as parts of the instrument, are also
equipped with ‘piezo’ microphones that pick up his live drumming. These microphones transmit
the signal through various sound transformation processes (delay, filter, reverb) as well as through
an instrument called Pearl Syncussion, with harmonic and bass sounds, close to those of a modular
synthesiser. «With this device,» he continues, «I manage to get a sound that is more clipped than
traditional drums, less resonant. It strongly evokes the sound of minimal techno, which inspired me
a lot, and key artists I admire like Robert Hood, Jeff Mills or Richie Hawtin,.”
From the single Algo.r.itm to the new Joué EP

Hyperactive Leslie was born in 2020 with a debut single, Algo.r.itm, produced with the mythi-
cal French musician, sound engineer and producer Joakim, founder of the labels Tigersushi and

Crowdspacer. With the tracks «Slow» and «Fast», which he intended for adventurous DJs, Antonin
envisions a rhythmic, obsessive yet resonant music, rich in tonality, which brings warm and organic
colours to the dancefloor.
The release of the Joué EP, made up of six tracks, including a remix inspired by I:Cube, is a new step
in the development of this project. Produced by Maxime Delpierre and mixed in the Berlin studios
of Jan Brauer (sound engineer and member of Brandt Brauer Frick), the EP starts with the dense,
playful and innovative «Aphex», a track that clearly nods to the artful percussion of Aphex Twin.
«Joué» is influenced more by breakbeat art, bordering on hip hop and jazz, evoking the style of the
genre’s beatmakers, like Jay Dilla.
«Touché» evokes the experiments led by Antonin in Magnetic Ensemble; notes created by piano
keys and strings punctuate a rather minimalist and obsessive, electronic and percussive piece.
The more twirling «Tripplets» echoes the art of Malian percussion, with playful twists.
Delpierre and mixed in the Berlin studios of Jan Brauer (sound engineer and member of Brandt
Brauer Frick), the EP starts with the dense, playful and innovative «Aphex», a track that clearly nods
to the artful percussion of Aphex Twin.
«Joué» is influenced more by breakbeat art, bordering on hip hop and jazz, evoking the style of the
genre’s beatmakers, like Jay Dilla.
«Touché» evokes the experiments led by Antonin in Magnetic Ensemble; notes created by piano
keys and strings punctuate a rather minimalist and obsessive, electronic and percussive piece.
The more twirling «Tripplets» echoes the art of Malian percussion, with playful twists.
Jean-Yves Leloup