The Mole: The Ransom Note Mix

5 Minute Read

Music

Real House music from a real unsung underground hero.

For those in the know, The Mole is perhaps one of the most influential underground House music producers of all time. They don’t call him The Mole for nothing, he digs deep and encapsulates the true spirit of the genre and there’s few producers who’s catalogue has been as widely sought after and respected as his. Anyone who’s anyone who plays House music likely has more than a few of his records locked and loaded in the crates or on a stick.

For many years he has released music on the likes of Perlon, Ostgut Ton, Sound Of Vast, Kompakt, Internasjonal and more. More recently he has formed an affiliation and connection with Circus Company on which he has released both EP’s and albums.

Speaking of which he has a new record out, a deconstructed beat tape of sorts based upon influences from Hip Hop and cassettes alongside his deep rooted love of House music.

This mix follows soon after and to be honest, it’s one we’ve been excited about receiving for some time. The Mole is a bit of a legend round these parts.

Listen and read the interview below:

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you?

Hi, I am the mole. I’m on Vancouver Island, Canada. What am I? I see… toughest question right at the start. Depends when you ask me I suppose. At this moment, answering these questions, I am a musician promoting my upcoming music.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

My sound is Mole. Maybe looks like this ?

Where was the mix recorded?

In the record hole at my house.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

Club Letterbox in Vancouver this Halloween.

What should we be wearing?

A costume of course. It’s Halloween !

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

You know, I find this question, my reaction to it, quite odd. It is quite straight forward, meaning to invoke the imagination. A fun game. But I’m not connecting with the fantasy. And to make something up, as a sincere answer isn’t coming naturally, well that would feel quite false. So I must pass this one.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Right now? Maybe the first one, or the last two. Hard to say… Can I choose more than one ?

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

I heard a mic recording once, a Larry Levan’s in Japan. The quality was terrible, all distorted and stuff, it sounded like the mic was on the dance floor. The music wasn’t clear. But the people, the stomping and the cheering. So much energy. You can hear the room exploding. And it is all this heavy music, dramatic. Hard not to think about Larry’s imminent passing in retrospect. But the people. They are clapping and yelling. Shouting out !

But I don’t think that’s my favourite mix.

I really like the Sound of Gold series from Jay Lev.

I learned a lot from those. Maybe not my favourites, but I still enjoy listening to them.

Unlike Garth – Skunk Funk which I haven’t heard in years, but must have run the tape bald back in the days.

Coldcut – Journeys by DJ got a lot of plays… oh wait ! Now I know what my favourite must be. I just have to scour the internet to find it…. DJ… DJ … Dj Rupture – Minesweeper Suite !

Thank you. I had forgotten all about this mix. I’m going to have another listen. I wonder if it’s my favourite now

(Update – I have now heard 48 mins of this mix. Very fun, but not my favourite. Must be a Ron Hardy mix. Can I choose something live, something I heard live? That’s still going to be tough…. )

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

I’m not a big fan of back to back… could we do 3s? Probably Vince Lemieux. We used to have fun doing 3s.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

The first set ups I lived with were never mine. Always my mates. Ekeem, Koosh. Otherwise I’d go to someone’s house to jam. Maybe go one of the clubs early, try my hand before the doors. Bring a bag to the house party. Nowadays my rig isn’t fancy. Same 1200s I first bought. One was pulled out of a fire. Club burnt down, fire fighters soaked the place. Friend of a friend walked out of the rubble with the deck in my basement. Deck built like a tank.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

Both. And every one in between.

What were the first and last records you bought?

Stevie Wonder -Talking Book. Had to pay duty on High Dreams this week, my own record. Does that count ?

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Socks.

If it was an animal what would it be?

Sock Monkey

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

Again, I’m not connecting with this question. Going to pass

Anything else we need to discuss?

I don’t feel like we’ve discussed anything. There hasn’t been any back and forth, or anything reactive. This is me filling out a form and getting slightly bored with it (Socks. Sock Monkey) Forgive me – this has become absurd. But here I am, musician trying to promote my upcoming music. I’ll fill the word count if it’ll help get the music out. Socks. I suppose this is my opportunity to say something that means something. Gotta kick something that means something. Here’s John Cage “The possibility of conversation resides in the impossibility of two people having the same experience whether or not their attention is directed one-pointedly.” Sock Monkey