Ransom Note

House and techno DJ and producer John Daly has been releasing records for over ten years, primarily on his own Feel Music label, but has also seen his work feature on Drumpoet, Secretsundaze and One Track Records. The Galway based artist also releases under the moniker The Smoke Clears, an ambient project whose debut album was released to acclaim last year. He's provided this week's Ransom Note mix here for us, and a few answers to some questions...

House and techno DJ and producer John Daly has been releasing records for over ten years, primarily on his own Feel Music label, but has also seen his work feature on Drumpoet, Secretsundaze and One Track Records. The Galway based artist also releases under the moniker The Smoke Clears, an ambient project whose debut album was released to acclaim last year. He's provided this week's Ransom Note mix here for us, and a few answers to some questions...

In an age of odd dj names there is little as bizarre as that of Dj Normal 4. The mysterious producer has amassed a reputation as a bit of a breakbeat connoisseur in recent months having released music on Klasse Wrecks and Brothers From Different Mothers. More recently he has also featured collaboratively alongside Luca Lozano and Bufiman. His sound quite clearly draws upon influences found amongst the golden days of rave culture. Old school samples and broken percussion feature heavily amongst his sets and in much of his own music.

His online presence would indicate that he might not take himself too seriously, which in a time when techno dj's seem to be becoming increasingly moody is much appreciated.

We are delighted to be able to welcome Dj Normal 4 to our mix series for an edition which is anything but predictable.

In an age of odd dj names there is little as bizarre as that of Dj Normal 4. The mysterious producer has amassed a reputation as a bit of a breakbeat connoisseur in recent months having released music on Klasse Wrecks and Brothers From Different Mothers. More recently he has also featured collaboratively alongside Luca Lozano and Bufiman. His sound quite clearly draws upon influences found amongst the golden days of rave culture. Old school samples and broken percussion feature heavily amongst his sets and in much of his own music.

His online presence would indicate that he might not take himself too seriously, which in a time when techno dj's seem to be becoming increasingly moody is much appreciated.

We are delighted to be able to welcome Dj Normal 4 to our mix series for an edition which is anything but predictable.

There are few labels as widely admired as John Talabot's Hivern Discs which operates out of the Catalan capital, Barcelona. This year the label will feature a newly signed artist and it comes in the form of Cleveland.

Originating from Luxembourg and now based in Brussels Andrea Mancini finds himself very much aligned musically with his Spanish counterparts from Hivern Discs. His moody, emotive take on club music has led to the support for his sound from the likes of Oskar Offermann. His new release has been tried and tested on dancefloors around the world for months, as is often the way with a new release on Hivern Discs. Nothing is left to chance.

He steps up to take us on a tour of his sound in the present.

There are few labels as widely admired as John Talabot's Hivern Discs which operates out of the Catalan capital, Barcelona. This year the label will feature a newly signed artist and it comes in the form of Cleveland.

Originating from Luxembourg and now based in Brussels Andrea Mancini finds himself very much aligned musically with his Spanish counterparts from Hivern Discs. His moody, emotive take on club music has led to the support for his sound from the likes of Oskar Offermann. His new release has been tried and tested on dancefloors around the world for months, as is often the way with a new release on Hivern Discs. Nothing is left to chance.

He steps up to take us on a tour of his sound in the present.

Through his 'Coastal Breaks' mix CDs in the late Nineties, and his own Marine Parade label at the turn of the century, Adam Freeland was synonymous with the breaks & edits scene that was prevalent. As a resident at Fabric, he contributed to the renowned 'FabricLive' series as well as popular mix series 'Back To Mine' and 'Global Underground'. As an artist and remixer, he bothered the Top 40 and even earned a Grammy nomination. Living back in California now, the Brit is also part of 'The Acid', a band he's formed with Californian Steve Nalepa and Australian artist RY X. For your first working Monday of the year (probably), we asked him to make a mix from the middle of the desert for us, and answer a few questions...

We are now deep within the first week of the new year, positivity is everywhere and this might just be the start of something great. Here to soundtrack such a moment is Chinaski, a German producer whom in the past year released on Live At Robert Johnson and Uncanny Valley.

His sound is wide ranging, at times cinematic and epic, at others deep and moody. Visual representation is something considered important by Chinaski who also builds and edits video footage. His music is somewhat alike to classic synth heavy movie soundtracks of the 80's and this is in turn reflected by the imagery chosen and featured.

Glistening synthesizers, rough drums and beautiful soundscapes are all a part of the norm for a producer who's music is so much more than just for dancefloors.

The emergence of a new wave of European producers has led to the culmination of an enticing array of enchanting interpretations of dance focussed music. Pau Roca has been critically praised by the likes of Sonar for his involvement in the Barcelona house scene in which he is a hugely active member. As a journalist his ability to network and determine the variety amidst people has led him into exploring music from across the world.

He also runs two record labels in his spare time, Bons Records & Black Money Records. Both have been determined to showcase variety and have been involved in the reissue of exciting music lost amidst the passage of time. Bons Records for example recently re- released an EP from Joey Kay which had become notoriously hard to find.

01.- Donny Hathaway - I love you more (Slow Soul Flow mix)

02.- Prefuse 73 - Skin (Outro)

03.- J.Dilla - Airworks

04.- Lyn Christopher - Take me with you

05.- Linkwood Family - Miles Away

06.- Roy G & MM - Barely Breaking Steven

07.- Princess Di- Who's Dick Is This

08.- Santonio Echols - Deep Cover

09.- Caucasian Boy - In From Behind (Boom Boom Ina Bedroom)

10.- Jex Opolis - Conga Radio

11.- Dj Sonikku - Chemical Plant

12.- Steve Summers - Deep Necking

13.- Steaward - Gravity

14.- Inter Gritty - Lettermore

15.- Contours - Loose Wood

16.- Red Rack’em - Wonky Bassline Disco Banger

17.- Dj Q - San Francisco

18.- Dj Slym Fas - Luv Music

19.- Band of Misfits - Got to be real (fortchcoming Bons Records)

20.- Gay Marvine - Don't Stop

21.- Louie Vega - Heaven Knows (Vega Yoshisawa Unreleased Solo Mix)

22.- Idris Muhammad - Piece of Mind

Out of the Welsh valleys and now at home in Manchester, Rikki Humphrey has been hosting radio shows on KMAH and Reform Radio and just kicked off a new residency on the city's NTS channel. DJing all over the country and across Europe and South America, Rikki has supported a gamut of wide-ranging jocks including Space Dimension Controller, Italojohnson, Tornado Wallace, Bicep, Xosar, Hunee and many more, and he still finds time to fulfill a residency at TEAK in Cardiff. He's pretty new to us, so we asked him to pull a set together, answer a few q's, and shine a light on what he is all about.