Will Hofbauer & Sangre Voss team up for ‘Steppe EP’ this June on Control Freak Recordings, featuring a remix from Discwoman’s Ciel. London-based Will Hofbauer and Sangre Voss, whose individual work has seen them appear on labels such as Rhythm Section and Will’s own Third Place imprint, team up for the first time on Control Freak Recordings for the wonky ‘Steppe EP’, picking up early support from Ben UFO, Bradley Zero, and more. Leading the release, ‘Pumice’ tumbles through rolling low end, crunchy percussion and an eerie breakdown for a high energy start to the A-side. ‘Flundra (Flundra Mix)’ follows with bubbling pads and speaker-rattling subs around a kick-less drop, leading into a shimmering breakdown. On the flip, ‘June-O’ sees the duo craft a low tempo slugger, peppered with tablas, bells and eagle samples around warped, loopy synthesis. Ciel’s remix of ‘June-O’ takes the B2 spot, adding stuttering percussion, vocal chops, and additional wildlife samples to the mixture to round out the release.

Steppe EP

PREMIERE : Will Hofbauer & Sangre Voss - June-O (Ciel's Venus Remix)

Boredom had set in, she'd been on the end of the line for what felt like eternity. Her fingers felt course from drumming on the table for so long; willing the time away so she could begin her life again. The music chirped loudly in her ear, the same snippet played on loop over and over and over again. Would she lose her mind waiting for an answer?

Set up to highlight the sounds coming out of their home of Los Angeles, Let's Play House's Nik Mercer and a fellow LA native have launched Zen 2000, an imprint that will platform friends and family who bear a deep connection to the Californian city. First up is a two tracker from House Of Ho, that sits somewhere between Hong Kong and the City of Angels, both sonically and in its origin, having been written, recorded and produced between the two locations.

PREMIERE: House of Ho - Please Hold [Zen 2000]

https://soundcloud.com/behua-icara
🛒https://behuaicara.bandcamp.com/album/behua-icara-ritmos-para-sanar-vol-2
🔊https://youtu.be/CGinV8hjsVI

Behuá Icára - Ritmos para Sanar Vol.2 is our second compilation in order to support artists from the Amazonian ethnia Shipibo Konibo Xetebo in Ucayali, Perú. All profits will go directly to the Shipibo Konibo Xetebo artists that has participated in the compilation.

In some of the tracks there is a collaboration between Shipibo artists and a producer, like Peruvian producer Valicha, with Shipibo deceased maestra Panshin Beka also known as Olivia Arévalo “The last Meraya”, Shipibo Rapper Wihtner FaGo with Eomac from Ireland, Reshijabe also known as Olinda Silvano with Carmen Villain Norwegian Mexican as well with Ciel from Canada, from Colectivo Shipibas Muralistas Milka, Nimia, and Shipibo artist Rawa has collaborated with Peruvian producer Aristidez.

The artwork is based on Shipibo artist Lastenia Canayo aka Pecon Quena and his guardian "The Maquisapa Monkey", with the graphic designer Beto Prieto, and the Xao Kené pattern by the Shipibo artist Inin Bita.

Behua Icara - Ritmos para Sanar Vol​.​2

Tongue

PREMIERE: Nico - Tongue [Behuá Icára]

These were the questions that he asked himself again and again. It were as if he was stuck in some sort of strange, wonderful loop in which little made sense but for the wonder of the four walls within which he was trapped. That was what it was really like to overthink - to be caught in a state of confusion and disarray, stuck ruminating of the weirdest and wildest fantasies unsure as to which might break the magnificence of the deep, dense cycle. For now he'd simply look from his window, gazing out at a world which carried on regardless...

Barcelona duo Sumluv are set to release a new EP, the pair have been reworked and reimagined by Otik, a special producer who has a unique capacity to deconstruct and rebuild material in a unique and innovative fashion. This latest reimagining is no exception and is due for release on Faneca Music.

PREMIERE: Sumluv - Overthink (Otik Remix)[Faneca]

The anticipation was almost too much to handle as they neared the derelict industrial estate. They'd almost forgotten this feeling after so long out of the game, but though it should have felt somewhat alien, the emotions soon came flooding back as the soft thud of a kick drum echoed nearby. How they'd missed it; the sense of freedom these spaces gave them couldn't be replicated. Nothing could come close. 

Zodiac Childs return to their own Zodiac Wax imprint for their debut album 'Atoms To Atoms', which comes split across a three piece vinyl package. Like much of their previous work, this long player is a homage to the pair's love of classic breaks and the UK's hardcore legacy, representing the past, present and future of their sound. Employing analogue synthesis and hardware they play with emotion and energy to produce a collection of tracks that transport the listener through 'the moods and feelings of a full night of rave experience'.

Atoms to Atoms

PREMIERE: Zodiac Childs - Breach [Zodiac Wax]

IG - https://www.instagram.com/tropopauserecords
SC - https://soundcloud.com/tropopauserecords

The aptly named ‘Upcycling’ is back with a fresh set of remixes taking contributions from Manami, Suze, Surgeons Girl, Outsider and Yushh. Delay Grounds wanted to take a slightly different approach to the process by giving each producer a single sonic element from each of the original tracks - taken from his field recordings - and allowing each to craft entirely new songs with their respective elements, hence: ‘Upcycling Rebuilt’.

Upcycling Rebuilt

PREMIERE : Delay Grounds - Metal Swinging (Surgeons Girl Rebuild)

Providing his debut for Ransom Note Records offshoot Insult To Injury, our fellow Amsterdammer and ECHOBOX radio DJ Oneven (a.k.a. Andrew Visser) offers up five pieces of electronic meatiness for our ravenous consumption. As a duel British/Dutch citizen, his electronic music heritage is strong and he draws on early IDM / Braindance methods to create a unique, trademark sound. With a huge passion for hardware, Oneven tries to keep the music as organic and honest as possible, mistakes and all.

Lead single (and synth master class) VM1S2RM springs out of the trap first, hurtling along at breakneck pace, peppered with curious bleeps, noises and percussion stabs, this IDM monster leaves little breathing room. Next up, M52t5, comes down a few gears and treats us to some laid back, electro tinged 808 beats and beautifully ethereal chords over the industrial, Kraftwerk-esque synth lines.

brrytmt takes us into another world completely, tugging at the heartstrings with its expressive, lofi chords, rolling over the top of some beautifully heavy, distorted beats. Tissue continues in that vein, more subdued machine sounds are juxtaposed to the frantic 707 rhythms and repeating vocal edit, conjuring up an eerily stunning scene.

Rounding off, we’re treated to more stirring, processed sounds with Dlaciebie. A sparse and precise piece of automaton music that invokes a certain sadness, proving once and for all that, machines do indeed have emotions...

Gebarentalen EP

BUY/STREAM

Oneven - Tissue [ITI#19]

There was a crackle as the radio sprung to life. A voice beckoned through the old system, he did not know from where it came and what it meant. Strange noises filled the room and the transmission buzzed and echoed in the chamber. This was the third time that they had tried to communicate with life beyond planet earth…

Space was a myriad of opportunities and unexplored adventures. It had always been but a matter of time before they finally managed to connect with something not from this world. Now that they’d found it they wondered whether whatever they’d found might become friend or foe.

Time would tell…

New Moon is set to release a beautiful record via Craigie Knowes. ‘Spins, Parities & Multipolarities’ is comprised of six beautiful ambient experiments – a collection of material far removed from the club ready sounds we usually associate with the label and producer.

Spins, Parities & Multipolarities

PREMIERE: No Moon - Transmission III [Craigie Knowes]

Crazy Times

4 - wool

Flow State

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.