Fx Mchn - The Ransom Note 'Shine A Light On' Mix

Music

If you're not a fan of vowels, you'll love this. The R$N-signal which sits atop R$N Towers has this week found itself firmly planted in the direction of Fx Mchn, an elusive man of mystery who has a knack for creating lo-fi curiosities that are sure to turn your head so far that you'll begin to wonder if you're actually part-Owl. He's got another release out on the excellent London Housing Trust label so we asked him to put together an hour of aural gold for you to wrap your ears around. So sit yourself down and tune in while we get to know the man behind this goodness;

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

F. Mchn, on a farm in Sussex, I'm in the system.

If your music was a movie, what would the tagline be?

Life is cool in Cracktown.

What was the first electronic record you ever heard? How did it make you feel?

I’m not sure but I used to go to a roller disco as a kid every Saturday and they played chart music which, being the early 80s, was a touch electronic. Felt good.

What’s the best piece of music you’ve ever heard?

‘What Do You Expect Me To Do’ by Top Secret.

What’s your favourite place on earth?

High up in the Alps.

Where is the strangest place you've woken up naked?

It never ends up being a strange place.

Who captained Stingray?

Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner.

What do you do on Sundays?

I don’t really do different things on different days, my life is pretty disorderly. It’s a bit like how I make music, little snatches of time here and there, nothing planned or arranged. I think the guys that really make it in this business, as well as having a certain degree of talent, must be very organised and focused… All inventories and shoe polishing.

How far could you run if a bear was chasing you?

I’m quite unfit so probably a few metres then I would just lie down or bend over.

What's a cool word for 'cool' these days?

Coolio.

What would be your ransom note?

Don’t worry about the money, I’m taking the original parts out and using the track for myself.

When was the first fax machine invented? When was the last one made?

1846 and 2014.

Onto the mix…
Where was the mix recorded?

At home, sitting down, thrown together.

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

You could literally listen to this anywhere.

What should we be wearing?

Nothing and it would be ideal if you were waking up in a strange place.

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

Chalet in the Alps/big one/despite what they say, the format doesn't count.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

The STL track, it’s a masterclass in the art of holding back. Pure hypnosis.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

There is a rare mix-tape out there called Murray’s Musical Curry. Really enjoyed that one.

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

A single plastic turntable which I used to record onto a red twin cassette player. Plenty of micro rewinds. Now I have 1210s which I’ve had since my late teens and an Ecler mixer.

What were the first and last records you bought?

The first vinyl I bought was Jan Hammer’s ‘Miami Vice Theme’ on 7”. The last one was the recent Sherwood compilation which I love.

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

Something that needs a dip but there isn’t one.

If it was an animal what would it be?

One that’s reasonably high up in the chain of being but not high enough to get over complacent. A stork.

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

Too many to mention.

Upcoming in the world of FXMCHN?

A new label called Transit is re-releasing a track I did called ‘Dunn’ which originally came out on London Housing Trust. They have commissioned a very nice remix from Roman Flugel…it’s out in Sept. I'm currently working on a dub influenced album. Other than that not a lot, I need to get organised.