Earthy Measures 13th release sees them delving deeper with a 5 track EP from the Colombian, OKRAA - very much inspired by his native country, and his most personal release to date.

First track on the EP 'Song To Say Goodbye' is inspired by African communities in Colombia, Desplazamiento, & based on a native Colombian rhythm called 'Bullerengue' with added Electro & Acid elements.

Baile de Fuego (Fiebre Mix) takes its inspiration from communities from the Pacific coast of Colombia. Their native instrument, 'Marimba de Chonta' was used as the main source for the track, which was then processed and combined with elements of the UK Bass Continuum and Acid House

Bunde Niebla was inspired by the tradition of Colombian 'Alumbranzas', a local religious musical ceremony, with which the indigenous group of Yanakona's in the region of Nariño meditate through the use of self-made bamboo flutes and drums + prayer.

Many testimonies speak of spiritual healing and premonitions. This was also the chance to pay a nice homage to Colombian Indigenous musician and Luthier Cenen Omen, who inspired and taught music to several generations of local and indigenous people in a sadly forgotten area of Colombia.

The song also samples a track by an ancestor of OKRAA called 'Bunde Tolimense', which is the anthem for the Colombian region of Tolima.

Aura explores a more introspective nature, the lyrics in Spanish speak about facing your own ego, to understand it's a burden that you can let go of to finally become free/yourself/one.

Arbol: Ex-Humano was an experiment that OKRAA always wanted to try: Salsa + Acid House, which he did it after an Ayahuasca trip. In English - Tree: Ex-Human.

Notes from the artist -Desplazamiento (El Baile Como Salvación / Dance as a Salvation): Many indigenous people, and members from the country-side communities in Colombia have been forced through the years to leave their hometown due to expropriation of their lands, forcing them to live in cities in extreme poverty. The feeling of helplessness and the wish to help them but not being able to make a huge difference for the lack or shortage of money. There's many artists and musicians that have had to go through this, and they make art their way of coping with it.

-Espíritus y Árboles: The 'Awá', an Indigenous group from the area of Nariño in Colombia, have several ways of seeing life and beliefs that inspired me, one of them especially, which was that all humans become trees after they live their human lives, and they remain in the land as living creatures to guide or sometimes punish humans.

PREMIERE : OKRAA - Bunde Niebla

Pre-Order: https://timothyclerkin.bandcamp.com/album/dreaming-ep

Returning to the Ransom Note Records offshoot, Insult To Injury boss Timothy Clerkin presents four prime cuts of rave meatiness for our ravenous consumption. Showing off his chops, Timothy’s distinctive Acid sound collides head on with Jungle and Breakbeat elements, put through the mincer to form an EP of epic dance floor destroyers. 

Dreaming explodes out of the gate first, clattering in with a big, wobbly bass line before dropping into a rapturous rave anthem! Perfect for the late summer festivals. Tour de Trance takes the tempo down a notch, whilst revving up the Hands-In-The-Air-O-Meter! Big, analogue synths build throughout, sweeping us up and taking us to a place of pure ecstasy by the end.

Jangala continues this blissfulness, transporting us to a synthesized rainforest, where birds call and string sections play in perfect harmony. This paradise is fleeting though, as the carpet is ripped out from under our feet and we’re slapped around the face by a rave stab so aggressive, it probably has rabies. 

Broken Wing takes us to the close with eastern inspired melodies and drums interacting with an Acid bass and resonant synth stabs to generate a hypnotic state of being. As we approach enlightenment, the sounds build around us to transport us to a higher rave plain.

https://soundcloud.com/timothyclerkin
https://www.instagram.com/timothyclerkin/
https://www.facebook.com/timothyclerkin/
https://timothyclerkin.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/timothyclerkin
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheHereticuk

https://soundcloud.com/insulttoinjuryrecords
https://www.facebook.com/InsultToInjuryRecords/
https://www.instagram.com/insulttoinjuryrecords/
https://insulttoinjuryrecords.bandcamp.com/

Timothy Clerkin - Dreaming EP [Snippets] ITI#20

Artist: https://soundcloud.com/ellis-swan
Track: It Could Be Worse
Label: https://soundcloud.com/quindirecords
Format: 12" Vinyl, Digital, LP
Release date: 12/10/22
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Qhw8ez1rGVY

Drawing the night in around his private, unnerving vigil, Ellis Swan returns to Quindi Records with an album of cracked beauty and haunted balladry. The Chicago-based singer-songwriter debuted on the label last year with a collaborative project called Dead Bandit, a vividly produced instrumental set in thrall to the badlands and a laconic, languid Americana.
Under his own name, Swan records intimate, poetic songs in a stark fashion, so fragile they might disintegrate in between your fingers were you to pick them up. He draws the microphone close to pick up every whisper and drags the music through layer upon layer of tape fuzz, leaving room for atmospheric impressions which loom out of the walls like the ghosts of past misdeeds. These pieces play on the natural distortion and delirium which occurs at the farthest end of the night – the hour before dawn might hope to break the veil of darkness.
Swan’s is a hauntological sound, but like the late Israeli rockabilly icon Charlie Megira his process strikes a spooked tone past revivalism and out of time or place. The only anchor which places Swan anywhere is the subtle presence of Katherine Swan providing lyrics to ‘3am’ and lyrics and backing vocals to ‘It Could Be Worse’.
The impression cast is of one man and his guitar, but there are other textures tucked into the music – the muffled murmur of a drum machine or a low frequency organ hum, some desolate piano, other treated percussive impulses which might well have been the work of incidental sprites while the four-track was rolling.

PREMIERE | Ellis Swan - It Could Be Worse [Quindi Records] 2022

It had been several days since they'd had contact; with each one that passed time seemed to drag, minutes felt like hours and hours felt like days. It seemed like the only solution to their ongoing feud, nothing else had worked for them - time and space was the only way to heal the wounds, if they could be healed at all. It took a lot of will power to stop themselves from connecting... Picking up their phones, flicking through one another's social media accounts, passing each other's houses - it had become ingrained; it was muscle memory.

Loss marks the fourth album from Tokyo-based Bristolian A Taut Line, and his first full length record in over five years. Set for release on his own label Diskotopia, which he co-helms with BD1982, the music represents a smattering of his influences, from dub techno, funk and trip hop to acid, ambient and jungle, all thrown into a pot and stirred up good and proper. Like the title of the LP suggests, the theme of loss contextualises the 12 tracks which for the first time feature A Taut Line's vocals and a palpable sense of expansiveness that has long characterised his output.

DSK063

PREMIERE: A Taut Line - Is It Creation [Diskotopia]

The pixels darted and danced across the small screen, they flickered and flashed with a radiant glow before vanishing forever not to be seen again. In the background the sounds and sirens of a magical world chirped and chimed as he pressed the buttons furiously with vigour.

It was time to smash bowser, to leave him in the dust and banish him from the box.

The arcade was crowded, an existential escape from the wild world outside. Music played loud and the whoops and screams of excited patrons echoed through the ranks of the old building.

It was all that was left.

XINDL is set to release a new record via Subject To Restrictions Discs. It's a nostalgic affair, a nod to old 90's EBM, electro and beyond as the record whizzes and skips between sounds. This track 'Smash Bowser' is a bit of a secret weapon.

PREMIERE: XINDL - Smash Bowser [Subject To Restrictions Discs]

https://soundcloud.com/rantzen
https://soundcloud.com/user-324785473
🛒 https://minddance.bandcamp.com/album/mystic-minds-vol-2
🔊 https://youtu.be/O9A3ayPw_ok

Mind Dance return with the second volume in their ‘Mystic Minds’ VA series. Launched last year as a way to continue the strong collaborative nature of the electronic music underground, each installment will shine a light on local Australian talent and their cross-continental contemporaries.

Continuing this mission with a new batch of friends, family and former label mates in tow, round two rallies six artists from home soil and overseas for another deep excursion into the vast expanses of dance music.

From across the pond we have Dutch producer and Music From Memory regular Dazion who kicks off the VA with a wonky slice of rhythmic downtempo, and Phran, a Barcelona-based artist and member of IVAN - a duo alongside Ivy Barkakati - who puts his foot on the gas with a stomping techno cut.

Closer to home we have Aussie dance veteran and the man behind Mind Dance’s last release, Andy Rantzen, deliver a tight bleep-soaked acid jam, followed by Leo James and Mousse flying the flag for Melbourne with twinkling IDM and laid-back vocal house, respectively. Finally label boss Furious Frank closes out proceedings with a downbeat percussive house number to usher in summer, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere that is...

Tracklist: 

Dazion - I Want Takeaway
Andy Rantzen - Sleepwalkers in the City 
Leo James - Lonely
Phran - 2K
Mousse - Liquid Stye 3.0
Furious Frank - Textile Man

PREMIERE: Andy Ranzten - Sleepwalkers In The City [Mind Dance]

Reda Saiarh aka @redasa concocts a trippy take on Belgian new beat for @humanendeavourrecs

More info: https://djmag.com/listen/premiere-reda-saiarh-tele-music

Premiere: Reda Saiarh ‘Tele Music’

BUY / STREAM : Sales / Pre-sales Link: https://bfan.link/weiter-1
Thomas Burkhardt - Weiter
Label Name: - LIN/LOG (https://soundcloud.com/lin-log)
https://soundcloud.com/thomas-burkhardt-2

„Weiter“ is a love letter to music I grew up with and furthermore it is a window to our future. Humans tend to forget their past and believe that future only brings progression, knowledge and wealth. They forget about their spiritual roots and sacrifice their inner thoughts to algorithms in anticipation of redemption and peace. But truth is, all beings have to fight their inner demons for themselves. So stand up! „Es geht weiter!“

BUY / STREAM

PREMIERE : Thomas Burkhardt - Sonne

Lil Electronic Speedy G Tune for ya! Its been a while i hope you lot enjoy!

Free Download

Untitled Speed (FD006)

Electro flip of Mind Body and Soul by DJ Bigga G

Mind Body & Synth

Direct Dub System - jungle Juice

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: XINDL - Smash Bowser [Subject To Restrictions Discs]

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