An insider’s guide to Leeds

Lucky Iris (pictured) have been plugging away for a while around Leeds making massive hooky pop/hyper-pop adjacent bangers and are now getting the recognition they deserve getting played on Radio 1 and stuff like that. They're two of the hardest working people around and are also just really nice people, which helps. They also recently did a rework of my song "10,000 Hours" which I highly recommend, obviously. If you want to go feel some things whilst also having a good dance, check them out.

While it's not technically in Leeds, I highly recommend a trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, just a couple of junctions down the M1. If you like art and sculptures it's got a load of that going on; if you want to blow out the cobwebs with a good walk, whilst looking at aforementioned sculptures, you can do that; if you like lunch, they've got a great canteen. A perfect day out for displaying how cultured you are, even if you aren't that cultured.

Everybody should know about Silver Tongued Rascals (pictured) , the Leeds based ‘social commentators with dance-floor detonators’. The pure joy they radiate, on and off the stage, is something I’ve not felt often in the city – they totally meet you on the dancefloor, and welcome you with open arms! But of course, it helps that the music slaps.

I could eat the fettuccini with wild mushrooms and marsala cream from Sarto for every meal (although my heart wouldn’t thank me). It’s creamy, salty, and oozing in luxury. A friend who used to work there once brought me a deconstructed version to make at home, including homemade pasta, which ensured he’d be in my good books for life.

I’m really into what Jack Donnison (pictured) has been doing. Super dark sprawling experimental tracks if you’re in the market for getting unsettled. Jack’s also been writing music for indie films for a while - definitely worth checking out.

My tip is of course Cosmic Slop and MAP Charity for an evening. Endless great selections and a night you’ll remember. MAP are doing great things for the music community in Leeds, so a party in celebration of that every other week is essential. Otherwise, I’d say get out to the Dales and have a pint in the Craven Arms in Appletreewick.

Jellyskin (pictured) are the musical equivalent of riding a giant sea beast; both terrifying and exhilarating. Their live shows are a whirlpool of genres, from dance punk and techno to Britpop, all wrapped up in a psychedelic package. They'll take you on a wild ride, then dry you off and offer a tasty snack for the journey home.

When I'm not getting lost in a sea of sound, I love exploring Leeds. The Thackray Museum's late-night events are a must visit. They offer a unique blend of workshops, performances, and talks, all wrapped up in a cosy community vibe. And let's not forget the ultimate LS9 treat: a samosa chaat from Anand Sweets. It's just around the corner and their menu is an absolute triumph.

My current favourite Leeds artist is Kevin Lycett, a visual artist perhaps best known as a founding member of The Mekons (pictured), whom I discovered by living in the same building as him. We just recently went to see his latest solo show “shut eyes open eyes”, a display of the last four-ish years of his work, and it was really, truly beautiful. To my eye he presents a very thoughtful view on a full spectrum of nature. From landscapes and nature for nature’s sake, to incredibly dark, perhaps even more beautiful, detailing of death and the end of things. All presented without comment and with incredible use of texture to create an amazing sort of physicality to the pieces.

My main church in Leeds is Thai Aroy Dee, but I feel like a lot of people know about that place, so I’ll again keep it local and talk about Piassa in Chapeltown. Incredible Ethiopian food with a really, really friendly vibe. Got a slight sort of holiday sports bar thing going on, and I’m gonna say the coldest, frostiest pint of Stella that I know of in Leeds. That paired with the lava pot in the centre of the veggie plate makes me incredibly happy. We asked the owner once how he made it and he replied ‘chickpeas’. We asked how he made the chickpeas taste so good and he sort of shrugged and said, ‘spices’. Very, very lovely clever people.