DJ Ransom: Habit Off.

DJ Ransom plays the Moonbar this Friday night.

Melbourne’s DJ Ransom would have to be one of the best known names in breaks around Australia, up there with Phil K and Kid Kenobi for skills and reputation. He’s been playing to crowds for years now and is renowned for pulling mixes that in your head shouldn’t work but in reality sound amazing. We had a brief chat before he lands in Brisbane.

What's DJing for you? What sort of release does it provide?

“It’s habitual nowadays. Music and records are such a part of everyday by now that it’s like eating or sleeping.”

Describe the style of breaks that you play.

“Not too fiddly, mostly rhythm orientated. I prefer mostly drums, percussion and bass type tracks but I play some more musical type ones too, as well as some garage and electro influences coming through.”

Why break-beat? What in your mind decided on breaks rather than say, house or techno?

“I started liking hip hop when breaks of an uptempo variety were a big part of it. By breaks I mean actual breaks like Scorpio or Apache as opposed to today’s breaks records. By the time house and techno blew up I was mostly buying old records and playing a total mish mash at parties. Trying to be Jazzy Jay or something.”

How's the Melbourne scene going. It seems to be gaining a lot of profile worldwide with the work of DJ's such as yourself and Phil K.

“Melbourne is the shit actually. Nu Breed are signed to Tayo's label Mob. EK has multiple releases out, one of which is on the Plump DJs new mix CD. Phil.K is about to sign with a UK label that I'm not at liberty to divulge and is doing a possibly all Aussie breaks CD for Mixmag or DJ {I cant remember which}. Plus the party scene is every week status and there is a healthy amount of CDRs by people like Brewster and Agent 86 floating around.”

Have you any more production in the pipeline?

“I have an LP with my group Crackpot coming out on Tummy Touch Records mid year. Hip Hop wise Raphs EP The Cusp is out which I have a beat on, plus my retrospective comp of productions 90s Revival is ready to roll as well. As far as breaks I've done a couple of remixes and that’s about it.”

What can Brisbane audiences expect from your set up the Moonbar this coming Friday?

“Breaks and maybe some r&b/hip hop type stuff. Depends on the vibe in the room what I play. The crowd always dictates that.”