Michael Hopkins (AKA Leisure Muffin) is an electronic musician and synthesist currently based in New Orleans, best known for his live performances. Hopkins composes -in the moment- generating music exclusively for the room.
Hopkins started playing shows in his teens in New York, Philadelphia, and other locations on the East Coast including collaborations with famed electronic musician Charles Cohen. For over 20 years, his career has enveloped a broad-spectrum of influences and styles, spanning dance and electro to kosmische-styled ambient textures together with minimal modern classical and free music forms
A long-time performer and guest of The Bunker New York’s dance parties; the Leisure Muffin 2014 release “In Wearable Hertz“ was the first for The Bunker label. The track features violinist Elizabeth Warren and intertwines post-techno rhythms and elaborate unfolding modular synth tones with a seeking sorrowful violin solo. The result is a composition that is at times mournful, graceful, and redemptive.
Hopkins is also an instructor and lecturer, teaching production, modular synthesis, and electronic music. In 2016, he presented a masterclass at University of Pennsylvania as part of MUSICA PRACTICA/ELETTRONICA VIVA, a series of conversations & performances focusing on hardware-based electronic music performance practice.
Most recently, his standout track “Isoprene” for The Bunker New York’s 15 Years of The Bunker (2018) anniversary compilation was hailed as a “deft electro burner” by Resident Advisor. A series of live shows and radio performances in support of the release have followed. He is currently working on his first full-length album.