Ransom Note

Perhaps one of the most exciting happenings in electronic music as of late has been in the resurgence of Italy and the country's musical output. A new wave of talent has emerged producing exquisite sounds reminiscent of the days of classic italo and balearic energy. However, they have offered a new take on what was already a classic, reimagining such sounds for the present day and helping to revolutionise the sound. The likes of Periodica Records and Early Sounds have been pivotal forces and have paved the way for a new field of artists.

Modula is a producer and disc jockey from Naples. Filippo Colonna Romano has released music on the likes of Bordello A Parigi, Tief, Rawax and Tartelet Records. However, it was his most recent outing on Firecracker Records which truly caught our attention, a spectacular EP packed with elements of breakbeat, funk, disco and house.

We are delighted to welcome him to our mix series as he contributes in true style.

Perhaps one of the most exciting happenings in electronic music as of late has been in the resurgence of Italy and the country's musical output. A new wave of talent has emerged producing exquisite sounds reminiscent of the days of classic italo and balearic energy. However, they have offered a new take on what was already a classic, reimagining such sounds for the present day and helping to revolutionise the sound. The likes of Periodica Records and Early Sounds have been pivotal forces and have paved the way for a new field of artists.

Modula is a producer and disc jockey from Naples. Filippo Colonna Romano has released music on the likes of Bordello A Parigi, Tief, Rawax and Tartelet Records. However, it was his most recent outing on Firecracker Records which truly caught our attention, a spectacular EP packed with elements of breakbeat, funk, disco and house.

We are delighted to welcome him to our mix series as he contributes in true style.

This month marked the release of a somewhat singular EP in the form of "pur5u17". It was the first music which Miri Kat has ever released, a bizarre futuristic assortment of sonic experiments and glitchy playfulness. Her production methods are extravagant and based upon her complex passion for technology and coding. Her music is rooted in original engineering, live-coded from found sounds with open source tools. By day she helps programme and build electronic musical instruments and works prominently in tech, web technologies, algorithmic music, immersive multimedia, and generative visuals.

We invited her to deliver a Monday mix, an assortment of abstract material from far reaching space.

This month marked the release of a somewhat singular EP in the form of "pur5u17". It was the first music which Miri Kat has ever released, a bizarre futuristic assortment of sonic experiments and glitchy playfulness. Her production methods are extravagant and based upon her complex passion for technology and coding. Her music is rooted in original engineering, live-coded from found sounds with open source tools. By day she helps programme and build electronic musical instruments and works prominently in tech, web technologies, algorithmic music, immersive multimedia, and generative visuals.

We invited her to deliver a Monday mix, an assortment of abstract material from far reaching space.

So, this one is a little special and occurred somewhat by chance.... Swayzak is now the one man project of David Brown but for a long time was built upon a powerful partnership with James Taylor. The duo were perhaps two of the most unsung heroes of dance music in the nineties, amassing a reputation based upon quality and delivery as opposed to hype and drama. Their sound would go on to inspire and influence a generation right up to the present day and this is still very clear by those who continue to volunteer remixes of their work. As referenced previously Swayzak is now the sole responsibility of David Brown following an amicable seperation from James in 2011. Since then he has released music on the likes of Curle, Ellum Audio and the Swayzak run record label 240 Volts.

This month marks the release of a two part album, a retrospective collection of music recorded across the last twenty years, some heard and some not. It features remixes from prolific figures such as Mathew Johnson, Apparat and more. It truly is a homage to a sound which Swayzak can completely call their own.

So, this one is a little special and occurred somewhat by chance.... Swayzak is now the one man project of David Brown but for a long time was built upon a powerful partnership with James Taylor. The duo were perhaps two of the most unsung heroes of dance music in the nineties, amassing a reputation based upon quality and delivery as opposed to hype and drama. Their sound would go on to inspire and influence a generation right up to the present day and this is still very clear by those who continue to volunteer remixes of their work. As referenced previously Swayzak is now the sole responsibility of David Brown following an amicable seperation from James in 2011. Since then he has released music on the likes of Curle, Ellum Audio and the Swayzak run record label 240 Volts.

This month marks the release of a two part album, a retrospective collection of music recorded across the last twenty years, some heard and some not. It features remixes from prolific figures such as Mathew Johnson, Apparat and more. It truly is a homage to a sound which Swayzak can completely call their own.

You will probably know Nabihah Iqbal by the name Throwing Shade. Under this name she’s released a string of really amazing EPs that blend dream pop, RnB and house music and you can tell her tracks a mile off. But recently she’s decided to shed that moniker and produce under her given name, a move that’s coinciding with the release of her excellent album The Weighing of the Heart which has just dropped on Ninja Tune. The album sees her moving into new sonic territory, bringing in a focus on guitars, vocals and there is a great influence from 80s indie and kraut rock, and it sounds fantastic. I met up with Nabihah in her west London studio and we had a great conversation ranging from digging deep into her process of writing the album, the perceptions of women in the music industry all the way to the discussing the weird world of Mongolian Throat singing. Now, the album is out already and you should definitely check it, but we go pretty deep on the track Zone 1 to 6000 so you might want to take a listen to that one in particular so you can see what we’re talking about.

You will probably know Nabihah Iqbal by the name Throwing Shade. Under this name she’s released a string of really amazing EPs that blend dream pop, RnB and house music and you can tell her tracks a mile off. But recently she’s decided to shed that moniker and produce under her given name, a move that’s coinciding with the release of her excellent album The Weighing of the Heart which has just dropped on Ninja Tune. The album sees her moving into new sonic territory, bringing in a focus on guitars, vocals and there is a great influence from 80s indie and kraut rock, and it sounds fantastic. I met up with Nabihah in her west London studio and we had a great conversation ranging from digging deep into her process of writing the album, the perceptions of women in the music industry all the way to the discussing the weird world of Mongolian Throat singing. Now, the album is out already and you should definitely check it, but we go pretty deep on the track Zone 1 to 6000 so you might want to take a listen to that one in particular so you can see what we’re talking about.

Some say you are born with it, a groove that is. Phil Gerus is a producer and disc jockey from Moscow with a penchant for disco, house and funk. A classically trained pianist he was raised with music in his soul and has sinced developed a love for the productuion of dancefloor delight and a wide ranging musical odyssey. A relative newcomer he has received wide scale support from a variety of labels and has been supported by the likes of Tensnake, Marcel Vogel, Tom Noble and George Fitzgerald.

Between obscure samples, disco glory, golden house cuts and raucous edits he has quickly established himself as one of the most interesting producers to emerge from Russia in recent years.

Some say you are born with it, a groove that is. Phil Gerus is a producer and disc jockey from Moscow with a penchant for disco, house and funk. A classically trained pianist he was raised with music in his soul and has sinced developed a love for the productuion of dancefloor delight and a wide ranging musical odyssey. A relative newcomer he has received wide scale support from a variety of labels and has been supported by the likes of Tensnake, Marcel Vogel, Tom Noble and George Fitzgerald.

Between obscure samples, disco glory, golden house cuts and raucous edits he has quickly established himself as one of the most interesting producers to emerge from Russia in recent years.