The silence in the room was deafening; an air of unease had been present ever since she entered the room. For the past few days he'd made a decision to grin and bear it, there wasn't long before he could remove himself from this situation for good - until then he'd keep himself to himself and say nothing at all. In all honesty, he was out of words now, there was nothing left to say that hadn't been said already, she couldn't turn back the hands of time...

Infinite Machine made a statement with their final release of 2021. A celebration of them reaching 10 years in the game, the label are now looking ahead to another packed year continuing their exploration of the weird corners of contemporary dance music.

Following a label return from Soft As Snow last month, Infinite Machine welcome Greek-born producer Aroent to the family for a four-track EP, made up of three originals and a rework from Deaf Test boss Ploy. You can hear the different influences that inform his approach - touches of IDM, UK techno, bass and experimental funnel into the dense, layered compositions, which are full of heavy drum programming, crisp percussion and plenty of swing.

PREMIERE: Aroent - Say (Ploy's Skeletal Tool Remix) [Infinite Machine]

Molten Drum

Machine - DAMAGE002 - "Molten Drum" EP

Dawn Razor (@ awnazor ) returns to Scuffed with two moody, hypnotic techno cuts.

Dawn Razor - Raw Row

Elpac lurches into the NHS fold with their debut EP, taking form as a selection of four mounds of spasmic drum & bass and dancehall clay. The Pressure Dome affiliated artist captures the essence of his locality – Bristol – through the multiplicity of auditory colours and shapes that define the city’s approach to syncopated, warped electronica eclectica.

The release is fundamentally pacey and pushing, moving in an oddball step along threads of influence with regular moments of transient, oblique leakages. A rich undertone of UK-style sub frequency pervades the collection; the EP is laden with flowing, swelling, pulsing bass that is paired with an unconventional mash of synthesis and percussion.

@elpacuk

Artwork by Jiah Wells
Mastered by Fausto Mercier

Observe, extract - EP

Buy NHS023

Elpac - Stpz Ez

@count2count
@rizlaops
@atch222
@teqmun-tijmen-b

Markham Road Records is back steering steady with atch22, Count, Rizla Ops, and Teqmun in the driver seats. MR003 finds form as a quartet of percussion providing some real bang for your buck. This release was dreamt up for quick stepping activity, and the four tracks assembled provide a wide ranging toolkit to get us all moving. Although each artist provides a unique solution, movement was and remains the underlying idea behind this third release. 

Count’s “Hexagon” opens the project up with a spaced out ‘builder’ that seems to continuously fold in on itself. The track progresses through its 4 minute lifespan with natural and intuitive progression. With its sub heavy cadence “Hexagon” seeps through the speakers, and is sure to remain reliable when used under many circumstances. 

The second track of the release rebounds in as a ricochet rhythm from none other than London based RIZLA OPS. After receiving a demo titled “voo kah” we knew it was love at first sight… and the final iteration aptly named “Cortex” does not disappoint. When asked about the track RIZLA OPS shared “The triplet snare is locked in by a big roomy kick that squares it into that tool-y club space I notice my recent productions are exploring. Cortex finds its name in the buzzy bitcrushed bass that draws from ghosty drill, loose audio jack and ASMR machinery that buries itself in the cranium.” A steady mover with a circular undertone, it doesn’t take much to get moving when this track takes over the system. 

“sexta feira” finds itself on the borders of trance, dembow, and dubstep. Besides these initial patterning queues, atch22 also employs a variety of vocal stabs and modulation to keep the track moving. After a recent move to build a studio in Strahov Stadium (would definitely suggest looking this one up), atch22 has been back behind the monitors, with this track being the first product of his new musical home. The track defines itself in the world of peak time frequencies and fluctuates through a wide range of feelings. Truly something in it for everyone. 

MR003’s concluding track takes sonic blistering to a whole new level. Teqmun’s masterclass in unrelenting percussion continues to capture our hearts, and surge through our speakers. “Stop Scanning the Zebras” is a fast paced tech heavy track centered by vocals from the producer himself. “I imagined being so out of your mind that you can't stop trying to scan zebra's like barcodes with a scanner”. This track is easy to get lost inside of and therefore evokes some sort of free fall -> an exercise in letting go for eager ears in dimly lit spaces.

[MR003] VA

BANDCAMP

MR003 - Various Artists

Fetus, who has been gaining more attention with releases on Turing, the label he co-hosts with Oyubi, and on TREKKIE TRAX, will be released on 85acid.

The album begins with Wave Wave with its uplifting bass arpeggio, followed by Martian with its unique breaks and organic vibes. The title track, Flat W, showcases an even kick, and closes with Bug Bait, one of the most functional DJ tools on the album, with precise programming and sound design backed by Drum'n'Bass' experience. The ultimate club tool has been completed.

Fetus - Martian

Pumping Vocals, chunky electros bassline - Pure Energy ⚡️🌀

FortyTwo

Panoptican EP

All Over Your

BUY!!!

Ps and Qs

Rift EP out now on Bandcamp and Beatport. 
Available on July 17th on all other digital platforms.
Premieres via Insert and Couvre x Chefs

Rift EP

JURANGO - Rift

https://soundcloud.com/jamesbangura
https://soundcloud.com/artefaxrecords
Buy Release: https://art-e-fax.bandcamp.com/album/e-fax009
YouTube Stream: https://youtu.be/RW9ykXW_oyQ

Coming up next on Art-E-Fax, US artist James Bangura reels off a 6-track EP of breakbeat treats to make your head nod. Don’t be fooled by its more cool-headed cuts: dubby pumpers like “Interpretive Dance” and “Incoherent Response” will have you oiling your rave gears (...or reaching for the phone.)

E-FAX009

Silk Worm

PREMIERE: James Bangura - Silk Worm [Art-E-Fax]

Ransom Note is an online music, arts and culture magazine. We provide a home for readers and writers with boundless enthusiasm, esoteric knowledge, fierce opinions and impeccable taste.

With our core team immersed in all aspects of dance music, we publish news, articles, and interviews covering the greatest in innovative, underground culture from across the globe. We offer regular, exclusive music and mixtapes from our favourite artists, and publish features shining a light on everything from the freshest new artists to the untold tales from rave history.

Alongside this we offer musings on film, books, life, and art, generating some context and controversy as an antidote to the reheated PR that clogs up the internet. Our office is fuelled by Tunnock’s Bars, cat memes, hangovers and a ridiculous, never ending love for our culture.

We're always interested in getting new writers on board – feel free to get in touch if you’ve got a story to tell.

With love until the grave.

PREMIERE: Aroent - Say (Ploy's Skeletal Tool Remix) [Infinite Machine]

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