Ransom Note

Barcelona is a city of taste, culture and excellence. This is notably reflected by much of the music which stems from the city, the parties which exist there and the buoyant nature of the scene itself. JMII is one artist who has found himself at home amongst the sprawling streets, green parks and winding alleyways. Having released on Hivern Discs over a number of years he is now very much a staple member of the crew, his latest solo project titled 'Thrills' whipped up quite a frenzy with its melodic aggression and dancefloor orientated enthusiasm. We caught up with him to talk music, personal projects and more.

The people who exist behind the scenes of electronic music culture are arguably as important, if not more so, than those on the front line. Jess Farley is one such representative of a world which often remains undocumented, now credit is being paid where it is due. We were very pleasantly surprised when a mixtape landed amidst our inboxes some months back, as a selector she seems to be ahead of many and her tastes are diverse and informed. We caught up with her to talk day to day and a life upcoming.

Many an artist has faded into the abyss, lost forever, remembered only by one or two records which they left behind. In 2005, Marc Nguyen Tan, aka Colder released what would be some of his final music for the next ten years. A notable absence grew and expectations of a return had begun to fade: some waited impatiently, others presumed it to be a lost cause. However, in 2015, an unprecedented buzz began to build amidst talk of a new album. Now one year on it is with some delight that we can discuss the emphatic return of the enigmatic Colder. In April he released a 12" EP and now his latest collaboration with Mutado Pintado, 'Save', has been unveiled. We caught up with him as he contributes to our Monday mix series.

There are very few artists who can be said to have seen the lifespan of house music in its entirety. Born in Chicago, 1967, Boo Williams is arguably one of the most influential figures in club music: past, present and future. Alongside the likes of Glenn Underground he has become one of the definitive figures of the Chicago sound and has released records on legendary labels such as Relief Records, Moods & Grooves, Rush Hour and far too many others to name. This summer he will play at Odyssia Festival in Greece. We are honoured to be able to welcome him on to the site as part of our Ransom Note Mix series.

To be able to call Giles Peterson a fan is not a privilege shared by many. Howerver Indonesia's DJ Dea or Dea Barandana as he is known is one such artist who can add his name to the list. His unique blend of island disco, percussive dancefloor music, house and electronics makes him a particularly pleasant listen amidst the summer months. His sets are charismatic, energetic and engaging. In the coming months he is set to appear at Brilliant Corners, Love International, Ibiza and Worldwide Festival.

Ahead of his set at Love International festival in Croatia, the legendary warm-up DJ from Bugged Out and Back To Basics provides us with an exclusive promo mix, and answers some questions for us on site...

https://soundcloud.com/begin

https://begin.bandcamp.com

In 2011 Brian d'Souza released his first EP on Glasgow based record label Huntleys & Palmers, this was to be the debut of Auntie Flo. Some five years later his musical progression has evolved substantially. Last year saw him release the critically acclaimed 'Theory Of Flo' accompanied by a brand new live show. His sounds sees him dabble between the crossovers of world music, dance and balearic obscurity. He captures a sun kissed sound which you would certainly not associate with the bleak and rainy forecast which so often swamps Glasgow. He steps up to deliver us over an hour of percussion, exclusives, earthly samples and beyond: a real treat.

Spanish label, Downbeat, came to life as a party launching in 2007, later releasing their debut cut - Specter's 'Mind Over Matter' EP in 2009.

Prioritising quality over quantity, Downbeat carefully curate consistent releases of soulful house and balearic tracks from an impressive international roster of artists including Marcellus Pittman and Mick Huckaby and champion the sounds of US house.

A label with a penchant for the unusual, highlighted with tracks such as Chris Gray and Moonchildren's "It Was The Fried Chicken That Saved Our Sanity (Because The Ghetto Is Sad)" which has garnered serious play-out support from "DJ's DJs" including Jane Fitz and Owen Jay. We speak to Jose Rico, one third of the Downbeat trio alongside a mix of the smooth, slowed down, spaced-out sounds with which Downbeat have become synonymous.

Acclaimed ambient producer 36 (aka Dennis Huddleston) has just ushered his latest release into the wild - a mini-album called Seconds & Forever. Comprised of two extended tracks and influenced by late-'70s Tangerine Dream, it's already sold out its run of 250 copies. The album is out on Mystic & Quantum, the label run by fellow producer Vagon Brei. To tie in with the new release, Vagon has kindly made us a special R$N ambient mix, entitled 'Contemplations of a Forgotten Man'. Drift into it.

We were intrigued to speak to Rocco Universal about his self-described "genre-bending music for love making." Somewhat of a global nomad, moving from Italy to the UK and spending time in Asia, Rocco Universal is Patrizio Cavaliere's kitsch alias. Following his recent debut release on Leng Records, 'Tiny Islands', and before his upcoming release on ISM, we caught up with him for a chat. His words and the mix below have helped us discover the force championing sounds from a rich melting pot of Italo-influenced honey, where retro production methods, funk and disco sounds marry with those of Chicago house and Detroit techno.