Ransom Note

Not one to shout too loud or make a scene, Eric Cloutier is a resilient disc jockey and producer who perhaps represents techno and its truth in the most humanistic and humble of senses.

For many years he has worked tirelessly perfecting his craft and for anyone who has witnessed him dj, they will know that the intricacy, dedication and commitment is meticulous. 

His sets are free roaming, fast paced and wild. They are designed to encourage as much provocative thought as they are to move the feet and sound best played loudly beneath the cloak of darkness.

This special mix which he has recorded for us is no exception to that. A pensive, beat juggling affair which blurs the lines between techno, IDM and dub. It's a real treat and we are humbled and delighted to be able to feature him as part of our Ransom Note mix series.

Scandinavia is home to a remarkable collection of dj's and producers who have crafted a fun filled take on dance and club music across decades.

As the co-founder of Karlovak Records and the label boss behind Velvet Pony, Art Alfie has been a crucial figure in the evolution of the leftfield house and techno community in both his native Stockholm and beyond. His sound has been well received and championed by a way of chance taking promoters and dj's who have warmed to his creative experimentation and playful take on the genre.

Over the years he has released numerous EP's via the likes of Toy Tonics, Howl Records and many more. He has also collaborated prominently alongside close friend Mr Tophat and the pair have released a splendid array of music through Junk Yard Connections, Bass Culture Records and beyond.

In 2017 Art Alfie released his debut album via the acclaimed Studio Barnhus label and ever since has been experimenting with the leanings and evolution of that record since.

We invited him to record a mix for Ransom Note and we weren't quite sure what we were going to get. That's part of the excitement Art Alfie brings to the forefront and why we are delighted to welcome him to the series.

Ceri is a producer and disc jockey who has made a name for herself through hard work and graft. She hasn't taken the simple route as any former resident of infamous London party Jaded will tell you. Nine hour sets in the small, odd hours of the day allowed her to hone her skills and amass a reputation as an intricate and well versed selector.  She knows how to read the room.

In 2017 she launched her label, Find Your Own Records. The name seems like little coincidence for a dj who has worked tirelessly to carve a niche for herself with releases on the label having gone on to be supported by the likes of Ben UFO, K-Hand, Ryan Elliot, Move D and more. 

Ceri's own musical taste is broad, at time susprising and as delightful on the dancefloor as it is in the headphones. We are delighted to be able to feature her as part of our mix series.

Timothée Victorri is a French producer and dj based in Seoul, South Korea.

He has been gathering attention for a string of intelligently crafted house and techno focussed EP's, released on his own label S.O.N.S.

For six years he has worked tirelessly, self releasing music which has delighted and enticed dancefloors across the world. He has received applause and recognition from a great number of outlets including dj's, magazines and buyers. His records now fetch high prices on Discogs and yet at the same time he isn't a man who lends himself to hype, notoriety, fortune or fame.

We are very lucky to be able to feature him as part of our mix series.

There's a lot to be said for those who work behind the counter, those who sell records and carry an encyclopedic knowledge of music without necessarily shouting about it to all far flung corners of the world. Often they are the most sincere, most knowledgeable and most dependable of all having offered countless recommendations to customers and buyers for little reward but for their sheer love of music.

Dj Skimask is an alias of Patrick Henderson, a London based collector and occasional disc jockey who works behind the counter at one of the most loved second hand record stores in the UK. Reckless Records still proudly waves a flag as one of the most reputable record dealers in the country and has been built upon the dependability, curation and assistance of friends and staff.

As a collector and a DJ, Patrick's own taste is impeccable, spanning a breadth of wild electronics, experimental soundscapes and beyond. We asked him to record a mix which represents a portion of his collection and he delivers in fine style.

Now here is a special treat for you on a fine lockdown Friday.

Dank Matter is a DJ from Glasgow with whom many will be familiar with, whether they know it or not.

For years Ian has worked tirelessly behind the scenes of electronic music curating record labels, hosting raves, managing venues and basically putting his heart and soul into making people dance in one way or another.

As a DJ he draws for an exquisite assortment of high energy italo, disco, house and techno which has both enticed and uplifted dancefloors the whole world over.

Technically on point and one of the city's best in the booth this is a mix showcasing the vast and varied sound of crossover electronic music, all underpinned by a fun filled groove which has kept both Glasgow and the world moving for a long, long time.

This one has been in the pipeline for quite some time.

Florian Kupfer is a producer and dj with whom we have kept tracks on for years, his releases are essential and his own take on the industrial fringes of leftfield dance and electronic music has made him one of the most intriguing figures in the genre. Mysterious and illusive, he tends to let the music do the talking and hasn't bought into the bulls**t which can accompany what can be at times a ludicrous charade. His releases have appeared on the likes of LIES, Technicolour, WT Records, Russian Torrent Versions, Obsolete Future and many more.

The music itself has always been abstract, rough, rugged and experimental. At times it has carried club focussed potential, yet not the big rooms and grand stages. For Florian it has always been about diy culture, dark smoked out basements and the accompanying counter culture. Real grit, real stress, real personality - music created as rough as the circumstantial day to day existence of us all.

The French electronic music scene is ever changing, it never tends to stand still for too long. However, there are several key faces and figures who make it rather special in the sense that they continue to do their thing, unphased, unchanged over time. From this they have forged fully fledged careers, often with a special sense of expertise in style and genre.

Molly is perhaps one of the defining pioneers of this era of French musicians.

As the founder of Récit de Voyage she has championed a wave of new producers who have taken things deeper than before, focussing on dense moody soundscapes and the tightly tuned fundamentals of dance music. Some call it minimal, some call it micro house, some call it tech house. In all honesty that doesn't matter, what it does do is captivate dancefloors through powerful, emotionally provocative energy which allows dancers to lose themselves in a transient, heads down state which is simply stunning to experience and observe.

Molly has herself released music via the likes of Giegling, Groovement, RDV Music and Aku. She is one of the tightest dj's around and we are delighted to be able to feature her as part of this series.

For many years now Beats in Space has been one of the most definitive radio shows in leftfield dance and electronic music, it has acted as an outlet for an endless array of producers and dj's to showcase their talent behind the decks and has helped spread their reach internationally. It has of course been pioneered by host Tim Sweeney via WNYU and remains one of the most crucial platforms within the circle.

Beats In Space has since been transformed into a prominent record label which has been responsible for the release of a large catalogue of material including features from Andras, Gonno, Tornado Wallace, Mount Liberation Unlimited, Powder and many, many more. The radio show has since evolved into a full bodied musical venture of which Tim should be most proud. It's no small feat.

We got chatting to Tim a little while back who offered to record us a mix of label focussed material. Some upcoming, some new, some old It's all in there, as raw and exciting as ever.

We are delighted to be able to showcase Beats In Space in such a capacity.

Earlier this month it was announced that Sepehr would be releasing his debut album via Josh Cheon's renowned label Dark Entries. That in itself provides a very telling introduction as to how excited we are to bring you this mix.

Based in San Francisco he is an eclectic, forward thinking producer who weaves and wanders between acid, techno, house and all out psychedelia. The city has educated him well, teaching him the rights and wrongs and he has evolved into a musical powerhouse along the way. Previous appearances have seen him release music via EON, Legwork and Trippy Ass Technologies. He has also previously released on Dark Entries in the form of the "Body Mechanics" EP. A moody acid driven affair which worked wonders in the club.

His new album sees him pay homage to his Iranian heritage, channeling the sounds and ideas prevalent on 70's records and their spirit. He reinvents the music for a new age.