Bleaching Agent: The ‘Altered Currents’ Mix

His recent Widowbait EP on Ransom Note perfectly encapsulates this aesthetic – a “deep down and dirty excursion into the murky depths of the UK underground.

The mix captures Bleaching Agent channeling a lifetime of DIY culture into slowly rising outsider anthems – spacey, pounding, and utterly essential.

“Have a hot shower on stand by because things are about to get mucky!”

Listen and read the interview below:

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

I’m Al. Lovely to meet you.

Is that Al or AI?

Uber sat navs will call me AI, which is massive egotism on the part of AI I think. I’ve just realised this conversation won’t make much sense written down.
For clarity, it’s AI spelt with an l, not an I

Who are you

I’m Bleaching Agent but have gone by the names Smear, Irene Grant, Barry Leach and a bunch of other aliases over the years I(let’s face it, most of us) have forgotten. Best known for having a great idea, getting bored with it after 6 months, alienating what few supporters I have, rinsing and repeating, for the last 20 odd years.

Where are you

Leafy North Leeds, but grew up in Dalmarnock (Glasgow council estate that was demolished a couple of years before I moved there) and Toryglen(Glasgow council estate they had the good grace to to wait to demolish till after I left).

And what are you

I’m writing this on a Wednesday at 8pm, so I’m quite sleepy at the moment.

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)?

How does your brain work when making music? how does it work when you aren’t?

How does your brain work when making music? how does it work when you aren’t?

What was the first electronic record you heard and how did it make you feel?

Dare by Human League, and the album cover absolutely fucking terrified me. Didn’t like it at the time but obviously a big fav now.

Also I have a(possibly false?) memory of having a nightmare aged 9, getting up in the middle of the night, watching Pages From Ceefax to calm down. Found out years later the background music that night was Kraftwerk – Autobahn and Harmonia – Deluxe.

Where was the mix recorded?

In my living room on a laptop 3 days ago at 2am in a panic, because an admin error on my part meant I’d accidentally used the first Ransom Note mix for something else.

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

Probably something really dull like the gym. But I don’t want to dictate to anyone. Do what you like. What kind of things does everyone do, by the way? Where are you? Drop Ransom Note an email!

What should we be wearing?

It’s too fast for Universal Works dads, so a pair of beige joggers you’ve been wearing all week. And socks. I’m wearing socks today.

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

Imaginarium in Leeds was always great as you’d occasionally find yourself DJing at a popup vintage boutique or, on one occasion, a kid’s 2nd birthday party. Sadly that’s judy recently shut down but I’d probably choose whatever their new location is.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Probably the Siegmar Fricke track at the beginning. I stumbled on it a couple of hours before recording, a really fun take on Irdial style techno but from an 80s noise tape artist. Obviously the rest of the mix is garbage(if I’ve played your music here, I am of course just messing. Except for that one tune….maybe yours!)

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Probably the first tape I ever heard which was Bass Generator’s Harlequinade from late 92. It had a handful of UK hardcore classics but as his shop was ahead of the curve on european imports it’s chock full of amazing tracks by lesser known folk, Defcon, Macromind, Wash DC etc, many of which I dropped for years.

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

Optimo. If your answer is anything other than Optimo, you’re probably not that good. Or fun.

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

Soundlab belt drives and some godawful Soundlab mixer bought in 1999. Currently without a mixer, so I’ve two 1210mk2s on a shelf. It’s ok though as the school I work at has 1200s and a mixer. Never owned CDJs.

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

I’m not great at either. Once at White Hotel I had my brother-in-law’s friend standing on a table behind me, and she was screaming “PLAY SOME DIANA FUCKING ROSS!!!!” at me from the beginning. So next time I played there I started with Love Hangover for her. She didn’t give a shit.

The track you end on.

What were the first and last records you bought?

Official answer is Michael Jackson by Scanner & Signs Ov Chaos, which I spent the first few years playing on 45 for aome reason. Actual answer is when I was 13, before I bought decks I bought Ruffneck – Everybody Be Somebody, thinking it was a gabber record. That answer makes me look stupid though.

Most recent one is a battered copy of McCartney II from Leeds Market.

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

Baking parchment. You never said it had to be food.

If it was an animal what would it be?

If I was a Berlin amphetamine casualty I’d say “A Techno Animal! ha ha ha ha!”. But I’m not, so I’m gonna go with a seagull.

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

Beatmatching? Probably none. I grew up mixing weird French speedcore, sometimes on 3 decks. First two records I ever played in a club were a breakcore track by Christoph Fringeli followed by Queen – Dragon Attack.

Impossible to work into a set? Dunno, Christian Treuter’s Zeppelin records maybe.

Am I going to my dream job?

I’m a high school music & drama technician, and it’s pretty bloody good as it happens.

Am I being compensated fairly for the value I bring to my job?

No, but the chat you get from kids is incredible. This is feeling a bit like therapy. Are you sure you don’t want to ask me if I prefer vinyl to USBs or something?

You just had a fight with the person you are closest to. do you not speak to them until they apologise…or do you apologise first?

I don’t speak to them till I’m ready to apologise to them.

If you were trapped on a desert island with one other person, who would you choose?

Besides my wife and child…I’d probably just want some time to myself to be honest. My answer is no-one.

how long would it be before you eat them?

Actually I’ll take….I dunno, you’d want someone who eats a lot of garlic and stuff like that so they’re marinated. But yeah, maybe a few days.

Your doctor says you need more exercise….what do you take up for exercise?

Why the hell are you talking to my doctor? Tell her I’m already walking a lot and she needs to keep her neb out.

If you could travel in time…where in time would you go? why?

Probably the mid 60s but realistically, am I going to get in with the cool folk? Am I moving to London to do hippy shit on Eel Pie Island? Probably not. Likely just do a bit of night school, get a decent admin job and plough on. Is that the most boring answer you’ve had?

Upcoming in the world of…Anything else we need to discuss?

I dunno, release-wise I owe a lot of people a lot of music! It’ll get done when it gets done though.

Tracklist –

Siegmar Fricke – Female Retort 3
Gerd – Brave New Era
Miles J Paralysis – Still Waiting
Robag Wruhme – Pontifekks
Wassermann – Fackelm Im Sturm
Ikävä Pii – La Conga Di Corto
Soulphiction – Legit Edits 1/A
Betty Botox – Voodoo 3
Punto – 3tempo3
Carstein feitz – Rappelkiste
Paul Johnson – MF Bass In Your Face
Mike Simonetti – Flee
Telex – Moskow Diskow (Cobra303 Edit)
Visage – Move Up (Alkalino Edit)
Tom Rowlands – We Are Nothing

Follow Bleaching Agent here.

Listen and maybe even buy his Widowbait release on R$N recs here