Golden Bug: The Ransom Note Mixtape

Among the selections, you’ll find current favouites like SAVE’s Rainy Monday — a digital dub gem from Marc Nguyen’s project on Ivan Smagghe’s Les Disques de la Mort, alongside recent discoveries like Blotter Trax’s Superconductor on Optimo.

Get into that comfy chair with a good glass of wine and a proper sound system…. and press play:

Listen below:

Who are you?

I’m Antoine Harispuru, aka Golden Bug — a Parisian living in Barcelona.

Where are you?

I’m based in the laid-back neighborhood of Gràcia — a chill mix of old-school bars and trendy spots, with a vibe that’s hard to beat.

And what are you?

I’m involved in a bunch of different things in music. First off, there’s my main project, Golden Bug, where I spend countless hours in the studio crafting sounds. I also DJ regularly here and there.

I have a live act called The Piscolabis Experience, alongside my Japanese friend Vega Voga and Argentinian partner Pablo Volt.

I run my own label, La Belle Records, where I release my own music as well as tracks from artists I love and believe in.

On top of that, I co-manage a music supervision agency with my partner. We represent catalogs from some amazing indie labels and place their music in all kinds of audiovisual projects.

What does your music sound like? 

Think drum machines in a haze of smoke, chopped-up sounds with a machete edge, drenched in delay — a raw, sonic kaleidoscopic patchwork of electronica, dub, and psychedelia.

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

My brain tends to run a bit too fast for my liking when I’m not making music — so creating helps me stay neurologically grounded.

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

It was my brothers who first got me into electronic music, around ‘92 or ‘93. Back then, I was skating all day, so I was more into stuff like Dinosaur Junior , Beastie Boys, Pixies… I can’t really remember what the very first record was, but I clearly remember Musik by Plastikman — they bought it at Rough Trade in Bastille, back when Ivan Smagghe was working there with Arnaud Rebotini. To be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan at the time, but looking back, it’s a gem that hasn’t aged a bit — totally timeless.

Where was the mix recorded?

I recorded this mix in a small village on the Costa Brava — a place of seagulls, tramontana winds, and sea urchin-covered rocks.

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

Sitting in a comfy chair with a good glass of wine — and most importantly, a proper sound system.

What should we be wearing?

Nude would be a nice option.

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

In a tropical jungle, with a McIntosh sound system, a rotary mixer, a USB stick, few vinyls and family & friends

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

I’d say it’s Rainy Monday by SAVE, dropped on Ivan Smagghe’s label Les Disques de la Mort.

It’s a project by Marc Nguyen, who I first discovered through his work as Colder on Output Recordings.

He dropped this new project and album a few years back, and this track has always stuck with me — the vibe, the production, the originality… it’s got that special something.

A little digital dub gem I keep coming back to on repeat.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Daniel Avery’s set at Nuits Sonores 2022 — the perfect mix that got everyone on the same page.

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

I’d say a Francesco Farfa set at Rex Club in Paris — that one really stuck with me. I’ve been a fan of Farfa since I was 17. He’s a DJ who’s always inspired me with his technique, his selection, and his unique style.

But honestly, the whole Tuscan scene hypnotized me for years, with legendary clubs like Tenax and L’Insomnia, and DJs like Sandro Vibot, Miki, and Joy Kitikonti. Such great memories !

I also really loved a recent set by Vladimir Ivkovic at this dark little club in Barcelona’s Raval called Les Enfants Brillants — such a special vibe.

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

Technics decks, a mixer, and a solid sound system, but for now I’m just rocking one deck and some dope speakers.

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

I’d say it’s the whole vibe that drives me and gives it meaning, but if I had to pick, the intro track definitely plays a big role.

What were the first and last records you bought?

The last record I bought was Blotter Trax – Superconductor on Optimo : An insanely well-produced record with some truly killer ideas that totally blew me away.

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

I’d say something between a multicolored donut, a sparkling mushroom, and a giant mango.

If it was an animal what would it be?

A mix between a turtle and a chameleon.

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

Harry belafonte – Day – O

Am I going to my dream job?

No doubt about it.

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

But honestly, right now I’m seriously doubting it.

Do I feel energised, rested, and confident?

Rested like a little Buddha.

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?

It depends, but a good drink and good food fix a lot of things.

If you were trapped on a desert island with one other person, who would you choose? How long would it be before you eat them?

No doubt — I’d choose to be stranded with my daughter Lola. I’m pretty sure we’d figure out a way to avoid any family-style cannibalism. I mean, if there’s a sea, there’s fish… and if there’s fish, there’s fishing… and if there’s fishing, well, that means some pretty chill meals !

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

I’d choose a good trek through the desert to clear my head.

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

I’d say Paris in the 1920s, during Les Années Folles. It was a time of incredible cultural energy — jazz was taking over the city, Afro-American culture was making waves, Art Deco was on the rise, and the nightlife in neighborhoods like Montmartre and Montparnasse was electric. That’s actually where I was born, and where my grandmother had her studio and used to paint.

Upcoming in the world of…

A tidal wave of candy & MDMA to lighten the mood.

Anything else we need to discuss?

If you’ve got a moment, check out my latest album Piscolabis II – Anniversary Edition. It features cool collaborations with the incredibly talented Simone Marie (Primal Scream), Phoebe Coco, Scarlett O’Hanna, Max Blum, and Kim Giani.

It’s an expanded version of the original album, and I really hope you’ll enjoy it.

Piscolabis II (Anniversary Edition), by Golden Bug

Tracklisting:
Nightfall In Camp – Cada Dia
SAVE ! – Rainy Monday
Baba Stiltz – Day Trippin
Asok – Asok Dub
Grace Jones – Hurricane Dub
Drugface – Inna Di Clouds (Cut Dub)
Golden Bug – Boomerang
Blotter Trax – Muscle Relaxer
Alexis Letan – Butter Flies
Aidern Ayers – Canyon
Issakidis – Le Jardin Et Son Jardinier
The Advisory Circle – And The Cuckoo Comes
Golden Bug feat. Simone Marie – NoLo
Les Rockets – On The Road Again