Collaborative Projects

The Great Curdling (2022)

Film by Jennet Thomas.

Commissioned by the Whitstable Biennale, a "Folk-Sci-Fi" short film set in a world where animals have "ended" and mourning them is taboo. Songs and sound design by Leo.

"...the 24-minute film teeters on the edge of plausibility yet ultimately delivers a darkly prescient take on our self-harming, planet-wrecking lifestyles..." Frieze Review.

Animal Condensed >> Animal Expanded#2 (2018)

Film / installation by Jennet Thomas for Tintype Gallery, London.

Leo provided unsettling arrangements of mediaeval music and noisy washes of synthesised sound design, mirroring the collision of images of an alternate reality in which characters embrace or resist a mysterious intelligent substance in this visually striking 'domestic science fiction', his third collaboration with the artist.

Worst Gift (2017)

Film / installation by Marianna Simnett for Matt's Gallery, London.

Part fairy tale, part body horror, Leo contributed music and arrangements to this stunning installation of film and choreographed light, shot on location in medical facilities and factories, his second collaboration with Marianna Simnett, following a live performance at the Serpentine Gallery in 2015

YOOROP (2017)

Film / installation by Jasleen Kaur for the V&A museum, London.

A vivid collage of shots of European locations, taken entirely from Indian films. The piece was projected onto the ceiling of Room 10a of the V&A Museum (Noble Living, 1350-1500), to uncanny effect. Leo wrote the soundtrack, based around recordings of harmoniums.

CANWEYE { } (2016)

16mm film and installation by Frances Scott for the Focal Point Gallery, Southend.

A haunting, labyrinthine work, shot on location in Venice and Canvey Island. Leo wrote the score, for string players who also appear onscreen. Exhibited as Frances' first solo show, Summer 2016.

The Unspeakable Freedom Device (2015)

Film and installation by Jennet Thomas, for the Grundy Gallery, Blackpool, 2015.

Leo wrote the music (based on analogue synthesizer mutilations of pieces by John Dowland) for this extraordinary narrative video, a wild, science fiction exploration of the cultural "after burn" of the image and ideas of Margaret Thatcher. Toured the UK during Spring 2015, re-exhibited in a new installed iteration at Block 336, London, 2016.

Shame Chorus (2015 and touring)

Performance by Jordan McKenzie for the Freud Museum, London.

Leo was one of twelve composers who contributed a song ("You Don't Need That Photograph") to this project, which set transcriptions of the lived experiences of members of the London Gay Men's Chorus, collected by psychoanalyst Susie Orbach. Jordan presented the resulting music at the Freud Museum, and on tour at UK festivals.

The Star and The Glow-worm (2015)

Site-specific performance in collaboration with Frances Scott for AIR Projects.

Taking place in the mysterious window of time precisely between civil twilight and sunrise on a May morning, a strange, quiet performance for singers walking through Granary Square, Kings Cross, London, based on words by William Wordsworth and devised by Frances Scott. Score and musical direction by Leo.

Nothing Can Stop Us Now (2014)

Five screen video installation by Richard Grayson for Dilston Grove / Matt's Gallery, 2014.

Taking as its starting point the 1943 political song "Stalin Wasn't Stallin", the piece featured five singers shot on location in London landmarks of economic and cultural power, coordinated as if by magic. Score and musical direction by Leo.

Imagination Dead Imagine (2013)

Score and performance in collaboration with Cerith Wyn Evans, commissioned by IMMA, 2013.

Leo collaborated with conceptual artist Cerith Wyn Evans on a new score for unaccompanied voices, for performance at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA).

Taking its title and starting point from Samuel Beckett's elliptical text, the piece combines lush harmonies with extended vocal techniques.

The Path Made by a Boat in Sound (3 down) (2012)

Installation by Tanya Axford, commissioned by the Whitstable Bienniale, 2012.

Leo devised the music for this installation - a combination of fleeting video images projected from pendulums and live musicians reacting to the movement of people within the gallery space.

"...a mesmerising work, the music of cello and piano is beautiful and immersive..." New Statesman Review.

School of Change (2012)

Video installation by Jennet Thomas, Matt's Gallery, London.

Leo wrote the music and worked on the sound design for this alternately hilarious and disturbing sci-fi video piece and appeared as the character 'Mr. New Structures'. Read an extended interview about the project (with stills) on Jennet's website and view the trailer here.

Vagabond Galactica (2012)

Soundtrack for gallery installation by Ruiz Stephinson

Leo prepared a surreal collage soundtrack for this installation by the artists Coralie Ruiz & Anthony Stephinson. To accompany their exuberant and unsettling imagery of fairground attractions, cartoon characters and space exploration, Leo prepared an analogous collision of electronic music, fairground organ and anachronistic sound effects.

De La Warhol (2011)

Live performance with Apartment House at the De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill

To coincide with the major Andy Warhol exhibition, 'Warhol Is Here', Leo worked with legendary experimental music ensemble Apartment House, writing a set of semi-improvised arrangements of Lou Reed / John Cale's 'Songs for Drella' and a new piece, 'X Chairman Maos'. Listen to it on SoundCloud here.

A Lot of Pianos (2010)

Live performance at the Markson Pianos Showroom, London.

For an event curated by producer / sound artist David Cunningham, Leo wrote a piece for 12 pianos, entitled 'Unison: Things Are Getting Worse". Staged to coincide with Markson Pianos centenary and recorded for broadcast on Resonance FM. Read more about the project on David's website.

Worker's Playtime (2010)

Soundtrack for event curated by no.w.here at the James Taylor Gallery, London.

Leo created a series of 'sonic interruptions' based on 1940s morale-boosting radio broadcasts (with bursts of 'Das Kapital'), to accompany a unique event organised by artists Brad Butler and Karen Mirza of no.w.here, exploring the effects of economic cuts on the arts. "Recessional Aesthetics" was presented at the James Taylor Gallery on 17th October 2010 - read more about it here.

The Golden Space City of God (2009)

Video installation by Richard Grayson, Co-commissioned by ArtPace (San Antonio) and Matt's Gallery (London)

Leo wrote the score for this 45 minute high-definition video installation, which featured a unaccompanied choir singing cult religious texts, filmed on location in San Antonio, Texas. Subsequently re-exhibited in New Zealand, Switzerland, Somerset and Southampton. Read more about the project on the Matt's Gallery website and view an excerpt here.

The Caucasian Chalk Circle (2007)

National Theatre / Filter Theatre production

Leo co-wrote a new score for this innovative production of Brecht's play, which toured the UK before a sold-out run at the Cottesloe (National Theatre). He also played the role of 'The Singer' in an acclaimed performance.

Not Wanting To Say Anything About John Cage (2007)

Site-specific solo performance

Commissioned by the Magazin4 Gallery in Bregenz, Austria, Leo created this eery spoken word / storytelling performance with field recordings and electronics, presented as an installation in a black box space.

Jammy Dodgers (2007)

Dance performance by Frauke Requardt Company

Leo wrote and performed the electronic music in this work, which also featured the Ingrid Laubrock Quintet. It was presented at festivals throughout Europe before a run at the Royal Opera House, Linbury Studio.

Moisture & Funeral (2006)

Site-specific solo performance

Commissioned by the TwoSee boutique in London, a spoken word solo performance with slide projections and electronics that played with the tropes of the fashion industry, human sense and perception, and automatic writing.

Interplay (2006)

Sound installation by Sandrine Nicoletta

Leo contributed improvised vocals to this sound installation, exhibited at the Galleria Maze, Turin. The voices of five singers in five languages were presented in Dolby surround sound, performing text scores by the artist.