Annabel Fraser: The 'Ransom Note' Mix

Music

A familiar face from up Manchester way, DJ and radio host Annabel Fraser has become renowned as one of the city's most talented selectors. Whether it's on her longstanding monthly show on NTS Radio or through her residency at The White Hotel, Manchester's most exciting clubbing establishment, you can be assured she won't be serving up your regular 4/4 fodder.

Never constrained by genre, her DJ sets explore the vast and diverse corners of her record bag, from disco, new age and minimal synth to synth-pop, post-punk and electro, playing with mood, feeling and tempo throughout.

She brings a taste of that to her Ransom Note mix… Strap in for an hour of bright synth-pop, tough house jams and a dose of cosmic madness…

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

I’m a DJ based in Manchester

Where was the mix recorded?

I recorded this at Limbo Radio

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

I tried recording my end of night set at The White Hotel, after Cosmo Vitelli last week for Making Faces. The fucking Tascam died on me didn’t it, so I put together a mix of stuff I remember playing in the last hour. Listen to it whenever really…

What should we be wearing?

Anything as long as you’ve got mud up your legs at the end of the night

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

Anywhere really where I can have a heart attack in peace. Putting together a semi dance mix is graft when there’s no audience

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

I don’t have one

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Larry Levan Live At The Paradise Garage

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

I’ve still got the same decks, technics 1210’s mk2s. I’ve now got klipsch Heresey 2’s speakers and a A1 valve amp. My mixer blew up. I don’t own CDJs

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

The track you end on, but that’s not to say that the beginning or the end of the night is more important

What were the first and last records you bought?

I think my first physical copy of music that I owned was a Kylie tape that my sister bought for me. My first record was Papua New Guinea by The Future Sound Of London from HMV in Hanley. I bought loads of records last time, I can’t remember which one was my favourite

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

Rubber bands

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

None. I programme a lot of my records anyway. People need to chill out on the whole mixing thing, it sounds better with a bit of space sometimes

Upcoming in the world of…

Yeah, the one I’m most looking to most is at Bal Fashions in Sheffield on the 13th March. I played there last year with Textasy, but this time I’m playing 11-5am.