A false calm blankets the grounds. The rear entry succumbs to the creeping dark as the wind extinguishes the dying light; the old gods reclaiming their fire. Beyond the pacing guards, senses dulled by the piercing air and warm drink, the creaking wood and subdued final breaths evade detection. As the lord delights in the sadistic pleasures that beckon his fate, a foreboding shadow-play of silhouettes shift along the paper screen. Careful footsteps build to a driven sprint and the unmistakable ring of an unsheathed blade. The shriek of the lord’s unwilling companion draws the guards, only to be greeted by the red that paints the room. 

The legendary Lyon-based label Hard Fist, known for their genre pushing output, have shared their latest 10-track compilation, the first digital release on the imprint since it's inception. Taking influence from all eras and all corners of the globe, the release is an eclectic mix of sound, grounded by a shared commitment to experimentalism. The compilation delights in skilfully transitioning the listener from jubilant italo-disco to desolate acid techno with very little notice. Our pick of the litter is Omar Joesoef’s ‘Frantic’, an anxiety-inducing stomper that would be at home on the soundtrack to any 80s slasher flick.

PREMIERE: Omar Joesoef - Frantic [Hard Fist]

"Design a nuTopia" 
space / display designer & party / festival decoratior

MCR. 100-140 BPM cruising speed - EBM, Acid, New Beat, Post Punk, Industrial, Italo, Proto Trance

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.

from Seoul, Korea,
based in São Paulo, Brazil
