Ransom Note

Ransom Note is an online music, arts and culture magazine. We provide a home for readers and writers with boundless enthusiasm, esoteric knowledge, fierce opinions and impeccable taste. With our core team immersed in all aspects of dance music, we publish news, articles, and interviews covering the greatest in innovative, underground culture from across the globe. We offer regular, exclusive music and mixtapes from our favourite artists, and publish features shining a light on everything from the freshest new artists to the untold tales from rave history. Alongside this we offer musings on film, books, life, and art, generating some context and controversy as an antidote to the reheated PR that clogs up the internet. Our office is fuelled by Tunnock’s Bars, cat memes, hangovers and a ridiculous, never ending love for our culture. We're always interested in getting new writers on board – feel free to get in touch if you’ve got a story to tell. With love until the grave.

Moon Roq: The 'Shine A Light On' Mix

Moon Roq is the collaboration of two musical minds: Franklin & The Iron Glove. Originally born as a carefully curated mix series, their journey has since blossomed into a project that now includes a vibrant blog and finally, a DJ duo. The sound of Moon Roq is rooted in their shared passion for infectious, hypnotic grooves, which glide through the realms of house, disco and techno. You’ll also find a deep, rhythmic sonic exploration woven throughout their performances, which also echoes across today’s mix - recorded live at The Glove That Fits in November 2024. Tuck in! https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/moon-roq-the-shine-a-light-on-mix/

12-16
04:10:05

PREMIERE: Bozzwell - I Know What I Saw - Atlantis Audio

Best known as one half of acclaimed Sheffield electronic duo Hiem - whose disco-infused productions have graced labels like Crosstown Rebels and Eskimo, and featured collaborations with Phil Oakey and Roots Manuva - Boswell is now stepping out under his full birth name for a bold solo venture into stranger sonic territory. "I Know What I Saw" trades "lissom disco" for the eerie glow of unexplained phenomena, weaving a compelling tale of skywatching and UFO abductions in Sheffield. Originally from North Wales and a veteran of the UK electronic scene since the early '90s rave days in Liverpool, Boswell has worn many hats 0 from his early Subboy white labels to his Bozzwell alias on Suicide Recordings, and his critically acclaimed 2010 solo album "Bits & Pieces." he's following his vision intomore atmospheric waters. Out today via Atlantis Audio, the track offers our first glimpse of Boswell's forthcoming album *Going Down Slow*, due January 19th, 2026. It's a bold shift in direction from an artist unafraid to explore the unknown, Press play and keep your eyes on the skies. Listen below: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/premieres/premiere-david-j-boswell-i-know-what-i-saw-atlantis-audio/

12-15
03:15

PREMIERE: Strange Fruit - Iridescent (Jonathan Kusuma Hypnodubmix) [Gentle Tuesday Recordings]

There’s a particular alchemy that happens when a band and producer find themselves on the same wavelength – not through careful planning, but through the natural convergence of shared musical worlds. Jakarta’s Strange Fruit and electronic artist Jonathan Kusuma have arrived at exactly that point with the Hypnodubmix of “Iridescent,” the first glimpse of the band’s forthcoming Drips EP. Strange Fruit has always inhabited dual territories. While their shoegaze-leaning live sound draws from dreamy, guitar-driven atmospheres, members Baldi Calvianca and Irza Aryadiaz have deep roots in electronic music – producing, DJing, and moving through the same underground circuits as Kusuma himself. This isn’t a band reaching outside of their comfort zone for a remix; it’s a collaboration between kindred spirits who’ve been orbiting the same musical universe all along. With releases on Cocktail d’Amore, Correspondant, and Minh, Kusuma strips “Iridescent” back to its essence and rebuilds it as something altogether more hypnotic. Pulsing basslines, dub-driven rhythms, and spectral traces of the vocals drifting through the haze. It’s patient, immersive, and designed for those late-night moments when the dancefloor becomes a meditation. With three more remixes still to come ahead of the EP’s 2026 release via Gentle Tuesday Recordings, Strange Fruit are charting a new path… Read more: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/premieres/premiere-strange-fruit-iridescent-jonathan-kusuma-hypnodubmix-gentle-tuesday-recordings/

12-10
06:07

Seeds Mix #6: Angie QQ – A Meditation Through Taroko (Taiwan) 穿越太魯閣的冥想之旅(台灣)

Angela Lin, aka Angie QQ, producer and A&R behind the Sounds of Taiwan compilation, returned to Taiwan in May 2019 seeking refuge after the loss of her mother. Angela Lin,又名 Angie QQ,《台灣之聲》合輯的製作人與 A&R。2019 年 5 月失去母親後,她選擇回到台灣,尋找心靈慰藉。 What she discovered in Taroko National Park became the seed for this mix: a meditation on grief, memory, and the way certain places hold us when we need holding most. 她在太魯閣國家公園的體悟,成爲這張混音作品的起點:一段對悲傷與記憶的沉思,也是一種在最需要依靠時,被某片土地溫柔擁抱的感覺 Taroko’s hidden temples and fervent lushness offered Lin sanctuary. She describes the experience as feeling “totally alive” – each leaf, each butterfly, each beam of light made sharp from grief. High in those mountains, she felt her mother could finally see her. Later, her father revealed that Taroko was one of her mother’s favourite places in the world. Though earthquakes have since closed many of the park’s paths, this aural journey captures what it’s like to walk and meditate there: spiritual, powerful, introspective, and healing. 太魯閣隱密的廟宇與蓊鬱的山林,給了 Angie QQ 一處心靈的庇護。她形容自己在那裡感到「完全活著」——每一片葉子、每一隻蝴蝶、每一道光,都因悲傷而變得格外清晰。在高聳的群山之間,她彷彿覺得母親正在看著她,那份被看見的感覺,不只是來自母親,更像是一種對自己悲傷的覺察與釋放——她終於能正視自己的情感,並感受到母親的慈愛與支持。後來,父親告訴她,太魯閣其實是母親生前最喜愛的地方之一。儘管地震封閉公園裡許多步道,這張聲音作品呈在那裡漫步、冥想的感受:靈性、深刻、內省,並帶著療癒的力量。 Understanding how music can hold both landscape and loss, the mix moves like a meditation, like the scene in Totoro where they dance to make their garden sprout, capturing the moment when grief sharpens everything into aliveness, when even the sound of light becomes audible. 音樂可以同時承載風景與失落,這張混音作品如同一場冥想般的流動——就像《龍貓》裡,他們隨著舞蹈讓花園萌芽的場景,捕捉到悲傷將一切都銳化、化為生命力的瞬間,連光的聲音也彷彿能被聽見。 Angie QQ is a Taiwanese American cultural producer based in Los Angeles. With her label Pure Person Press, she “creates and collects records that preserve the spirit of Taiwan.” Her latest collaboration with composer Lim Giong, Sounds of Taiwan, is an ambient record that invites artists to sample Lim Giong’s personal field recordings of Taiwan – a sonic landscape of the island’s people, nature, and spirituality. Through her other company, East Never Loses,, she has transformed mahjong into a cultural movement. Whether through music or mahjong, her work seeks to connect people to Taiwanese culture. Angie QQ 是一位定居洛杉磯的台美文化創作者。她透過自己的公司 Pure Person Press,創作並蒐集保存台灣精神的唱片。最近,用和作曲家林強合作的作品《台灣之聲》,是一張環境音專輯,邀請藝術家取樣林強在台灣田野間錄下的聲音,呈現島上人文、自然與靈性的景象。透過另一家公司 East Never Loses,她把麻將變成一場文化運動。不管是透過音樂還是麻將,Angie QQ 的創作都希望把人們帶回台灣文化的懷抱。 “This mixtape was inspired by my time in Taroko National Park in May 2019. My mother had just passed 6 months ago, and to mourn, I returned to nature. Taroko has hidden temples and places of meditation tucked in all of its crevices. I was able to disappear and hide in its fervent lushness. Inside Taroko’s incredible energy, I felt totally alive. Up high in those mountains, I knew my mother could finally see me. I found out later from my father that Taroko was one of my mother’s favourite places in the world. Sadly, Taroko in recent years has been decimated by earthquakes. Many paths and roads are no longer accessible. Nature reclaims nature. I hope however, this mix offers a feeling of what it would be like to meditate and walk in Taroko: spiritual, powerful, introspective, and healing.” 這張混音作品的靈感來自我在 2019 年 5 月太魯閣國家公園的時光。那時母親剛過世六個月,為了悼念,我回到大自然的懷抱裡。太魯閣的山谷裡藏著隱密的廟宇和冥想之地,我得以在這片蓊鬱的綠意中消失、隱匿自己。在太魯閣那股令人震撼的能量裡,我感覺自己完全活著。在高聳的群山間,她彷彿覺得母親正在看著她—她終於能正視自己的情感,並感受到母親的慈愛與支持。後來父親告訴我,太魯閣其實是母親生前最愛的地方之一。可惜近年地震破壞了許多步道和道路,自然,最終還是屬於自然。我希望這張混音作品能帶給大家在那裡漫步、冥想的感受:靈性、深刻、內省,並帶著療癒的力量。 Interview: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/seeds-mix-6-angie-qq-a-meditation-through-taroko-taiwan-%e7%a9%bf%e8%b6%8a%e5%a4%aa%e9%ad%af%e9%96%a3%e7%9a%84%e5%86%a5%e6%83%b3%e4%b9%8b%e6%97%85%e5%8f%b0%e7%81%a3/

12-08
01:09:21

Andy Whittaker: The 'Line Out' Mix

Ibiza has changed a lot. It isn't what it once was that's for sure. However, from time to time you might just catch a glimpse of what it was and what it still means to an awful lot of people. Andy is an old friend of Ransom Note and for those in the know he's a bit of an unsung hero having worked behind the scenes at various record labels you probably love. He's probably signed some of your favourite records but he wouldn't tell you that himself. Anyway, a few weeks back he sent us this mix which was a recreation of a set he played at Sundays At Pikes this summer. Pikes remains one of the last strongholds of the culture in Ibiza, a place which represents the very essence of the island and the state of mind. Think balearic dreams, sunsets and all that jazz. It's the real deal. Anyway, Andy soundtracked it and it made us smile.

12-05
01:52:50

Odopt: The Ransom Note Mix

Odopt is the musical partnership of Ivan Maslov, a Buenos Aires-based producer and composer, and Gregory, a DJ with two decades of experience behind the decks, now residing in Paris. Since 2015, they've dropped rugged, hardware-driven bangers, carving out a niche in the space of Electronic groove. Their music is constantly doing the rounds on dance-floors worldwide and you may have crossed paths with Odopt over their latest release on Club Blanco, which has seen ongoing support from the likes of John Talabot, Orpheu the Wizard, Secretsundaze, Chida and Alexis Le Tan to name a few, or perhaps you crossed paths with them over last year's album on Snaker. Once a live act, today Gregory's marathon DJ sets carry the duo's spirit forward, packed with exclusive tracks, secret edits and a decade’s worth of unreleased material - this mix for Ransom Note stays true to their sound, which is their first podcast in three years! Let's go! Read the article: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/odopt-the-ransom-note-mix/ @odopt

11-27
01:38:08

Autumns - The Ransom Note Mix

Post-punk provocateur Autumns has been catapulting angular weapons over the ramparts since 2014… Carving out a fierce reputation across labels like Downwards, Opal Tapes, iDEAL Recordings and DKA Records. Christian Donaghey’s relentless live show has seen him tour worldwide alongside Veronica Vasicka, Silent Servant, and Wire, delivering workouts that pummel those lower frequencies into submission. Now, as he joins Ransom Note with the ferocious EP ‘Through the Construction of Grace’ EP, the “lanky, ginger man from Derry” offers up a mix that captures his intuitive approach to music-making. Recorded in his bedroom, it’s a journey through the sounds that have shaped Autumns’ “awful attempts at ripping off every bit of music that I like” from DJ Hell & Alan Vega collaborations to deep Post-Punk in Dub territory. It’s confusing, distorted vocals and atonal blasts that taste like marmalade, and moves with the scrappy resourcefulness of a raccoon. Worry less. Listen intuitively. Let’s get go… INTERVIEW: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/autumns-the-ransom-note-mix/ Tracklist: The Pop Group – Blood Money (Dennis Bovell Dub Version) Le Prince Harry – Sea of Trees (Autumns Remix) Autumns – The Unfortunate Touch Internal N.Y. Rhythms – Poli Ritmo Shkema – Seilai MLiR & Velmondo – Hokhmah Civilistjavel x Mayssa Jallad – Bynana (Version) A Certain Ratio – Genotype.Phenotype Froid Dub – Tears Maker (Vacant Heads Remix) Hell & Alan Vega – Listen To The Hiss Black Bones & Autumns – Cruising SPK – Napalm (Terminal Patient) 23 Skidoo – Just Like Everybody Reducer – Sensaround Dub Autumns – Trolley Coin @autumns

11-21
01:02:01

Yu Yang: The 'Shine A Light On' Mix

Shanghai’s electronic music scene has been shaped by a handful of key figures, and Yu Yang is undoubtedly one of them. Since the early 2000s, through her work with M Agency and club Haze, she’s been brought international heavyweights to China for the first time, whilst consistently championing local talent. After serving as musical director for W Shanghai – the Bund and the Shanghai EDITION, Yu Yang co-founded ALTER., a party series that brought together the world’s most forward-thinking selectors and China’s finest in carefully chosen venues. What developed was one of Shanghai’s most sought-after nights and a genuinely strong community around it. Yu Yang crafts sets that balance introspection with ‘fun’. Interview here: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/yu-yang-the-shine-a-light-on-ransom-note-mix/ @yuyang11

11-19
01:33:18

PREMIERE: Local Suicide - Obsessions [Iptamenos Discos]

Iptamenos Discos announces Houdini, the new EP by label founders Local Suicide. The record features three of their darkest and most powerful originals to date, alongside striking reworks from French electroclash pioneer David Carretta and rising Greek EBM force Alpha Sect. Houdini begins with Obsessions, a song built around a brutal bassline, analog synthesisers, and stark vocal mantras. It's a melting pot of darkwave and techno influences. "Obsessions, they come and go" is hypnotically repeated throughout the ordeal, resulting in a relentless, claustrophobic dance track.  Obsessions by Local Suicide will release as part of the Houdini EP as a limited 12" vinyl and digitally on the 21st November 2025. Three original tracks, two remixes.

11-18
04:54

Anna Logue Records: A Flavour Of The Label Mix

For over two decades, Anna Logue Records has been a beacon for those who understand that the early 1980s represented a golden age of electronic music – a brief, brilliant window when artists armed with synthesisers, drum machines, and raw creative vision crafted something genuinely revolutionary. Founded in 2005 by a collector-turned-curator who spent the mid-90s buried in the minimal synth scene, swapping tapes and haunting eBay for privately pressed 7″s and forgotten cassettes, the label emerged from a simple desire to rescue and celebrate the melancholic yet melodic treasures that deserved far better than wanton abandonment and obscurity. We’re happy to admit our ignorance of the label until being alerted via the reissue of Join The Car Crash Set. But having been turned on via that channel we delved deeper… a lot deeper. 0000428969_100 What began with Camera Obscura’s debut vinyl LP (through three problematic pressing rounds) has blossomed into a catalogue that honours both the artists of yesteryear and into the contemporary that are keeping the analogue flame alive. The label’s ethos is refreshingly purist – this is music made before the digital age smoothed off all those beautifully rough edges and that bleakness when electronics were raw and honest. Anna Logue Records isn’t part of the ‘music industry’ – it exists in deliberate opposition to it. Non-exclusive agreements respecting artists’ autonomy, every release is treated as art or memorabilia rather than product, lovingly designed with original band materials, lyrics, photos, and the meticulous attention of someone who still remembers receiving multiple parcels a day in pursuit of the perfect sound. Sister label Nadanna (a playful portmanteau of founders “Mr. Nader” and “Mr. Anna”) extends the mission into contemporary territory, releasing danceable works that blur the lines between minimal synth, Italo disco, and Electropop. Together, they form a small but vital operation – self-financing, fiercely independent, and still run by that same collector was too busy discovering bottomless pits of forgotten electronic to pay too much attention at college. The mix you’re about to hear traces the label’s journey in reverse, alternating between Anna Logue and Nadanna releases, from timeless classics like League of Nations’ “Fade” to previews of what’s next. It includes what the label’s founder calls “the perfect electronic pop song” (Blipblop’s “Ögat som ser”), features a performance from Rational Youth’s Tracy Howe on Techniques Berlin’s “Cold War”, and closes with the achingly beautiful “Zara In The Stars” – written by Quieter Than Spiders’ Leon Zhang in memory of a beloved dog at a sanctuary, a reminder that these endeavours carry real meaning beyond the music. Twenty years in, with projects like Delayscape’s double album and new Twins Natalia material still in the pipeline, Anna Logue Records continues doing what it’s always done; unveiling music that should be heard, released with passion by people who genuinely love it, for those who understand that sometimes, the best technology is the one that came before everything got polished to death. Best get that mix on and have a chat hey… Interview here: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/featured-music/anna-logue-records-a-flavour-of-the-label-mix/ @annaloguerecords

11-14
01:35:21

Free Zing & Oliver Moon: The Wednesday Alternative Mix

If you’ve been keeping your ear to the ground on the dance floors, chances are you’ve already crossed paths with Free Zing and Oliver Moon. Free Zing’s bag runs deep with a heady mix of eclectic, emotive vinyl, stitched together with a fearless disregard for genre and alongside her, London’s Oliver Moon also brings the weight with dedication to the deeper corners of underground electronic music. Together the pair offer a journey that’s as fluid as it is focused. In the words of Free Zing & Oliver Moon: "This mix was born under the spontaneity of a beautiful coexistence. Two vast record collections living under the same roof inspiring each other, and a same vision: slower, sexier, warmer and mildly twisted electronic music. For two hours you delve into the minds of Free Zing and Oliver Moon, two people playing with their favourite b2b. The pair press record on a Monday morning and work through a window of their collection. The mix was seemingly unexpected but had been planned subconsciously for some time over previous sessions, probably influenced by a very inspiring summer. Moon starts with the latest release from the talented London based Studio Batsumi and Maria finishes with a beautiful pitched down piece by Martyné, a producer they both deeply admire. Everything in between is for you to discover… Enjoy the ride 🤘🏻❤️" Read more here: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/free-zing-and-oliver-moon-the-wednesday-alternative-mix

11-12
02:04:23

Rosie Ama: The Ransom Note Mix

This is a special one, a family one. Rosie Ama (Cain), as I’m sure you all already know, is a London-based DJ, radio host, and founder of Human Endeavour Records. She’s been in the fam a while now, operating on the outer fringes of dance music… which is exactly where you want to be if you're trying to avoid mainstream success and financial stability. Having cut her teeth as a writer and editor for online music platforms Stamp The Wax and this here Ransom Note, Rosie demonstrated such exemplary dedication to underground culture that we eventually had to take disciplinary action against her. The subsequent court settlement led to the founding of Human Endeavour; sometimes the best label launches emerge from legal disputes, rather than business plans. Officially launching in 2022 (once the legal paperwork was finalised), it serves as a platform for artists operating in the deep, dark and hypnotic corners of electronic music and has welcomed artists like Anastasia Zems, Justine Forever, Nandele, Medicine 8 and Thomass Jackson over the years. Before doing her own thing, Rosie made up one half of Kiara Scuro alongside friend Nadia, a DJ and production partnership that released music on Fabric Originals, Ritmo Fatale and Faux Poly, as well as long-standing radio residencies on Rinse FM and Balamii Radio. After a decade together, she’s gone solo turning her full attention to the label and her monthly Noods radio show, Melodic Odds, that showcases her love for sleazy low-slung chuggers, leftfield acid house and synth-driven 3am groovers. Whilst I’d never tell her this to her face, it’s actually a delight to welcome her back to the fold - this time without the need for lawyers - for a mix that captures her hypnotic, trippy vision of what dance music can be when nobody's watching the figures… Let’s get going then, shall we…

11-07
01:18:55

Asa Moto: The Ransom Note Mix

Hailing from Ghent, Belgium, Asa Moto is the dynamic electronic music duo of Oliver “Oli” Geerts and Gilles Noë—a pairing forged in 2012 that has since become one of the most inventive forces on the continent’s club circuit. Signed to Soulwax’s DEEWEE label, they blend analog synths, voice, funk and uncanny grooves into a sound both club-potent and artistically bold. Through acclaimed EPs like Martino and an ever-evolving live show, they invite you to dance differently—together. November see's the pair return to the imprint with a new EP called 'Music For Disc Jockeys Pt.1'. This mix is a tour de force if you will, they cram 82 tracks into one hour and somehow manage to make that make sense. We have no idea how they've managed it but somehow in a precariously bonkers fashion... it works.

10-31
01:00:00

In Search of Unicorns: A Horror Soundtrack Mix by VÍZ

Hungarian Transylvanian artist Réka Csiszér aka VÍZ with an irresistible soundtrack for Halloween, following the release of her sumptuous second album ‘Danse Des Larmes‘ on Heat Crimes earlier this year. Read more at Ransom Note. @user-273556483 @heat-crimes

10-27
58:44

Seeds Mix 005: Openmind's Leave your phone at home & discover paradise after a forage in the forest

Telepathic Fish co-founder DJ Food, aka one part of Openmind, takes us on a trip into the world of 90s chill out. Strictly Kev likes the company of plants whilst working on music so that's handy for us isn't it?! We're assuming he's talking about a beautiful Calathea sitting in the corner for inspiration, tho his dream plant setup - a conservatory packed with Romanesco broccoli, trippy Caladiums, and Persian Shields - is something we'd be well on board with too. Enough of the plant talk for a second and back to the music, ambient music to be clear. For those that weren't squatting in South London back in the early 90s, Openmind were the four-piece behind the mighty Telepathic Fish - the legendary ambient afterparty that transformed chill-out rooms from dub-playing afterthoughts into proper destinations. Kev, along with Chantal Passamonte (Mira Calix, RIP), David Vallade, and Mario Aguera, started in a shared house above a shop with no neighbours to complain/bash the door down. What began as art school parties quickly grew into Sunday afternoon sessions in squatted venues - a former dole office in Brixton and even the derelict Roundhouse on New Year's Day. They hosted everyone from Aphex Twin to Mixmaster Morris among wall-to-wall mattresses, UV installations, and  Coldcut's Matt Black with his boundary pushing video projections. The idea was simple: recreate that post-clubbing comedown vibe but on a massive scale, as an "aural and visual blanket" for club-rattled minds. They even published a fanzine called Mindfood and worked at the scene's hub, Ambient Soho record shop, helping shape what Simon Reynolds called a "wombeldelic sound-and-light bath" in contrast to the current trend of hardcore and it's relentless assault. Thirty years on, that spirit's having a comeback. Events like London's A Loose Ting are bringing back the bedding and the hushed reverence, while Berlin's Overflow is going full sensory overload with vibrating mattresses, fountains, and harpists. New York's Planetarium gatherings have people mostly horizontal, inspired by psychedelic therapy sessions. There's even and ambient sauna in South London you might have come across via the wonder of Music To Watch Seeds Grow By's recent takeover.  Our very own Watching Trees dabbled in said chill out space this year, pairing the abstract and the ambient with projected dappled sunlight visuals from the mighty Jamie House. Turns out people still need those little havens away from the madness, especially in this day and age! Also handily 30 years on the Openmind crew have just compiled the first-ever Telepathic Fish retrospective for Fundamental Frequencies - a double vinyl love letter to those hazy early-90s mornings when the music finally slowed down. For this Seeds Mix, Kev has leaned into his love of minimalism and systems music - repetition built from layers of loops offset against each other to form subtle polyrhythms. There's a deliberate avoidance of drum machines here in favour of organic percussion, and around the eight-minute mark, a section from Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia that captures the feeling of being deep in the forest, phone abandoned, discovering that paradise was just a forage away. Full interview here: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/seeds-mix-005-openminds-leave-your-phone-at-home-discover-paradise-after-a-forage-in-the-forest/ @strictly

10-21
01:00:03

PREMIERE: Gramrcy & John Loveless - Lucid feat. Tony Morris [Phantasy Sound]

A collision of rave outsiders: Morris’s unlikely pop mystique meets Gramrcy and Loveless on the FWD dancefloor… lnk.to/GJLPH149 In Berlin where the bassweight bubbles bright, Lived Gramrcy and John Loveless, deviant and polite, They stirred a pressure-cooker full of electroclash stew, With ISDN-line scramble and a hint of something new. “Oh!” cried Tony Morris (former teacher, taxi man), “I’ll hypnotize with repetitions, catch me if you can! I’m Scotland’s most unlikely pop sensation, don’t you see? A cult figure cabaret, as deviant as can be!” They mixed it up on Phantasy Sound with textural delight, The earworming anchor bobbed and bounced all through the night, From FWD-era gumption to the disco esoteric, They created ‘Lucid’ madness, quite atmospheric! The festival-rupturing Highdive had ruptured long before, Now ‘Feel So’ tipped the scales toward the ecstatic dance floor, With post-punk percussion prancing, hi-NRG in tow, From Chicago down to Rimini, watch the bassline grow! Said Peggy Gou and Daniel Avery, “What a splendid sound!” While 2ManyDJs spun it ’round and ’round and ’round, And Moschino’s models strutted to the supreme release, As rave outsiders intersected in their bubbling masterpiece! So if you seek the throbbing beat of something deeply odd, Find Gramrcy and John Loveless – that peculiar duo’s squad With Tony Morris chanting in his late-sixties prime, Making lucid nonsense music, one earworm at a time! Three years after their all conquering ‘Highdive’, Gramrcy and John Loveless return to Phantasy with ‘Lucid’, a pressure-cooker of FWD-era bassweight and electroclash scramble anchored by the hypnotic vocals of Tony Morris. Listen below, pre order here: https://lnk.to/GJLPH149

10-10
05:12

Golden Bug - The Ransom Note Mixtape

Recorded in a small village on the Costa Brava – surrounded by seagulls, tramontana winds, and sea urchin-covered rocks – this mix comes from the laid-back Barcelona neighbourhood of Gràcia, where Parisian-born Antoine Harispuru, better known as Golden Bug, has made his home. With a career spanning over fifteen years, Golden Bug has become known for his unique signature: drum machines in a haze of smoke, chopped-up sounds with a machete edge, drenched in delay – a raw, kaleidoscopic patchwork of electronica, dub, and psychedelia. His work has graced labels including La Belle Records (his own imprint), Les Disques de la Mort, Höga Nord, Gomma, Multi Culti, and Kompakt. This mix hits as the anniversary edition of Piscolabis II, where Golden Bug teams up once again with artists from around the world to craft a new series of aural excursions. From digital reggae to cinematic electronica with Londoner Simone Butler (of Primal Scream) and Brazilian artist Max Blum, to mutant disco with Franco-Italian musician Kim Giani, via slow-burning, incandescent techno led by the captivating voice of Greek singer Scarlett O’Hanna, and krautrock infused with dub in collaboration with London-based Phoebe Coco. These six tracks offer a bold and refreshing reinterpretation of the original album: a rich, textured sonic journey shaped by diverse and unexpected influences. Among the selections, you’ll find current favouites like SAVE’s Rainy Monday — a digital dub gem from Marc Nguyen’s project on Ivan Smagghe’s Les Disques de la Mort, alongside recent discoveries like Blotter Trax’s Superconductor on Optimo. Get into that comfy chair with a good glass of wine and a proper sound system…. and press play. Interview here: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/golden-bug-the-ransom-note-mixtape/

10-10
01:00:07

Braiden: The Wednesday Alternative Mix

Braiden is a London-based DJ and producer known for his genre-blurring sets and finely tuned ear for sound design. During the 2000’s he was a pivotal figure in underground club culture, helping to push and champion a new style of bass music which would go on to become synonymous with dance music in the UK and globally. Braiden gained early recognition through his diverse and dynamic DJ sets, which fluidly blend elements of house, techno, grime, UK garage, and experimental electronics. He first made waves as a presenter on Rinse FM, where his forward-thinking selections and deep knowledge of club music cultures earned him a keen following. His productions — including the acclaimed 2010 debut single “The Alps” on Joy Orbison’s Doldrums label — showcase a meticulous approach to rhythm and atmosphere. “The Alps” was reissued this year, cementing the EP amidst a new crowd with Braiden having ducked out of the spotlight for several years to focus on other outlets. Now he’s back, with new music as well.

10-08
38:21

PREMIERE: Hardways Bros - Mamman Brigitte [Outre Mer]

Hardway Bros French Caribbean outing… The Hardway Bros went outre-mer, To seek Mamman Brigitte so fair, With pockets full of tree frog songs, And voodoo drums and silken thongs. They sailed beyond the infinite sky, Where Mari Galante’s beauties lie, Through heat and rain and humid air, They combed the island everywhere. “Oh Mamman Brigitte!” came their cry, “We’ve brought you frogs that never die! They sing at night, they sing at noon, They sing beneath the heavy moon!” But she just laughed a laugh so wide, And vanished with the turning tide, And left the Bros to stand and stare, At sea and sky and humid air. Now Hardway Bros play cards with frogs, And sleep on very uncomfortable logs, While somewhere near the outre-mer, Mamman Brigitte is drinking beer. The latest Hardway Bros EP is a result of some recent downtime in Mari Galante: “I recently enjoyed a rare holiday on Mari Galante in the french caribbean – a place of incredible beauty, infinite sky and sea. It’s a veritable assault on the senses, heat, humidity, sun and rain, soundtracked by a million tree frogs. Strong voodoo vibes. Herewith an audio postcard from the real Outre-Mer…” We’re premiering the lead voodoo belter here.. Order full EP here: https://outre-mer.bandcamp.com/album/en-outre-mer-3 Listen below: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/premiere-hardways-bros-mamman-brigitte-outre-mer/

10-03
07:43

PREMIERE: NoLo feat. Simone Marie - Golden Bug [LA BELLE RECORDS]

Sitting in the space between digital dub and synth-pop, with nods to Spectral Display and Primal Scream’s Simone Marie on vocal duty. There once was a Bug who was Golden and bright, Who lived in La Belle Records by day and by night, With Simone Marie (who plays bass, don’t you see), They danced ’round a digital dub-a-dub tree. “Oh Piscolabis!” cried the Bug with glee, “Let’s craft something strange ‘tween Milan and the sea! We’ll mix synth-pop sounds with a spectral display, And premiere our tune on October the day!” Max Blum and Kim Giani came hopping along, With sonic UFOs and a dub-a-dub song, They twirled and they whirled in their Belle-ish delight, At La Boule Noire on a Froid Dub-ish night. The Golden Bug giggled, “How perfectly queer! Our NoLo will drift in its own sonic sphere!” And off they all sailed in their musical boat, While anniversary editions began to float. We’re premiering “NoLo,” a new track from the upcoming anniversary edition of Golden Bug’s Piscolabis II, out October 3rd via La Belle Records. The track features Simone Marie, known as the bassist for Primal Scream and The Jesus and Mary Chain, lending her voice to the collaboration. Working with longtime collaborators Max Blum and Kim Giani, Golden Bug crafted something that sits between digital dub and synth-pop, with nods to Spectral Display, with Marie’s vocals forming the emotional centre. “I’ve always been a fan of Simone’s unique musical universe but what brought us together this time wasn’t one of her cosmic basslines — it was her voice. A rare and soulful voice, one that seems to carry a thousand stories in a single note. It became the foundation of the entire track. As with many of my tracks, this one was born from a beautiful encounter — I started this track between Milan and Barcelona, and the vocals were recorded in London by Simone Marie.” Antoine aka Mr Golden Bug Golden Bug – Piscolabis Live Experience is happening on October 6th in Paris at La Boule Noire, with our very own adopted Froid Dub as the opening act! Details: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/premieres/premiere-nolo-feat-simone-marie-golden-bug-la-belle-records/

09-15
03:41

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