Ransom Note

@ottolindholm is a Brussels-based drone artist who performs live with a frankly astounding collection of analog gear, loop stations and a huge double bass. His self-titled debut album was released last month on Icarus Records. Three tracks long - each lasting somewhere between 8 and 17 minutes - and all three pieces were played and recorded in one shot. He's also recorded this rather adventurous mix for us, which covers a lot of sonic terrain - perfect for a Monday afternoon.

This week's Ransom Note Mix comes courtesy of vinyl addict and disco connoisseur Nick the Record. Frankly, what he doesn't know about crate digging isn't worth knowing. Unsurprisingly, his mix is jam packed with obscure gems and incredible sounds - we've had it on in the office all morning and now it can be the perfect accompaniment to your day as well.

Although Gabriel Berlanga has done the rounds, with records & mixes out on labels such as Correspondant, Nein and Melomana, undoubtedly here his Aeromuerto EP on Beachcoma brought this to us. A wonderful homage to analogue synths and the 16 step sequenced journeys they created brought aching joy to this R$N fella. Familiar at Razzmatazz, The Loft and Moog, Barcelona loves Undo.

With his own Factor City Records label (which has featured Club Bizarre, Offset and Morgan Hammer) to look after too, we asked the salt & pepper haired Catalonian to do a mix for us. And give us a little about his favourite food and stuff.

Be With Records is a London-based vinyl-only reissue label run by Rob Butler. With a broad, inclusive music policy and an emphasis on top notch sound quality, Rob has quickly established it as one of the most exciting reissue labels around.

In the short space of time since May 2014 he's given a new lease of life to overlooked classics from the likes of Ned Doheny, Letta Mbulu and Nohelani Cypriano, as well as more well-known records by The Streets, Cassie and even Kylie Minogue that either never came out on vinyl or were going for silly money on Discogs.

Ahead of next week's incoming Label Love feature, Rob's done an excellent label showcase mix for us. One take, all-vinyl, and a track from every Be With release - an impressive feat given the diversity of the catalogue!

We Are The Sunset is the ace monthly Balearic party at The Star by Hackney Downs run by Andy Taylor. If your Sunday evenings have been missing those blissed-out outdoor terrace vibes, then worry not - with the days finally getting longer and warmer, WATS should be the perfect remedy. Celebrating their 3rd birthday in just two months time, Andy's taken some time out to put together this sun-kissed Monday Is OK mix for us. From Cali soul and Balearic beat to AOR and underground disco, it's time to take the plunge.

http://www.theransomnote.co.uk/music/mixes/we-are-the-sunset-the-monday-is-ok-mix/

In 2013 a duo began to surface on the radar, associations and releases on Atomnation and Kompakt began to reinforce their status. The pair from the Netherlands, Harm Coolen & Merijn Scholte Albers, make up the Weval project which is about to release its debut album for Kompakt. They met in 2010 and describe their relationship and its outcomes as "organic". Their musical backgrounds vary and have led to a clash of ideas and concepts which is prevalent throughout their work. We caught up with the pair and asked them to record a mix.

Gateway to Zen is a party that’s been focused on building a loyal following of willing dancers and then pounding them with techno on a regular basis. They’ve had some great guests over the past year or so, including Oxyd, Leah Floyeurs and Ben UFO to name but a few, but they’ve also had a healthy focus on their residents; Nick Craddock, Diskomo Oblast, Tom Whatmore and Charlie Leahy. They’re going from strength to strength at the moment, with a Corsica Studios takeover planned for the 22nd April, so it seemed like the perfect time to have a chat with Mr Craddock to find out what makes the party tick. They’ve also provided our latest Line Out mix, a three-hour recording of the residents live from Bloc.

Autarkic - aka Nadav Spiegal- has been on a roll of late. Alongside his remixes for Moscoman's Disco Halal series (some of which will now set you back a hefty stack of notes), he's recently put the finishing touches to his own EP Can You Pass the Knife. A five tracker that finds Autarkic forcing wheezing, degraded hardware to spit out sinuous lo-fi grooves, Can You Pass the Knife is excellent from start to finish, joining the dots between abrasive 80s post punk and current Berlin techno with an seemingly effortless touch. After hearing has amazing Monday is OK mixtape, featuring some of the weirdest funk a Monday can take, we got Autarkic to Skype us and tell us what's up with his new EP...

Lindsay Todd has found himself in a rather unusual position as of late. The Edinburgh based gentleman has seen his Firecracker label reach dizzy new heights over the last two years. Finally his singular taste is being rewarded for the true value which it beholds and the records that he has been releasing slowly but surely have begun to gain the recognition that they deserve. As a DJ, there a few who carry as much knowledge as Lindsay, who plays out under the guise of House of Traps. He is also responsible for The Living Mountain record shop in Edinburgh, alongside a vast array of musical collaborations, projects and contributions. This one is a testament to those who do it for the love of it.

Based in Glasgow, Hi & Saberhägen have become a hotly tipped and sought after duo. Their music has been pushed and supported by the likes of Joy Orbison, Anthony Naples, Tim Sweeney and more. This coming week will see them release on the Proibito label, owned by Anthony Naples, which is quite a claim considering the duo haven't been making music for terribly long at all. There is some real heat and interest surrounding the pair so we thought it would be a good time to ask them to contribute and talk about what lies ahead.