In conversation: Victor Ruiz & Modeā
“If life was a synthesiser, I think it would be the Juno 106”
Actions follow words for Victor Ruiz. Blown away by Modeā’s 2022 release ‘Shine’, a track he rated “one of the best electronic music records ever made”, the Brazilian didn’t waste any time tapping the young Irishman for a collaboration. The resulting EP ‘Bloom’ released on Adam Beyer’s Drumcode is an inspiring meeting of style from the two techno artists.
Still vibing following their standout collaboration, Mixmag grabbed the pair for a tag-team interview.
Stream ‘Bloom’ now on Drumcode.
Victor: So, tell me Modeā, if life was a synthesizer, what would it be and why?
Modeā: If life was a synthesiser, I think it would be the Juno 106. Such a wide range of sounds capable of invoking so many different emotions! It’s also my favourite one.
Victor: What is your biggest fear?
Modeā: I think my biggest fear would be wasted potential. The fear of not pursuing something you love for some reason really scares the life out of me, but it’s also a motivator!
Victor: How would be a perfect day in your life? Details!
Modeā: The perfect day for me would consist of getting up early & getting some exercise done, followed by a productive day in the studio. Sometimes I’ll work in to the night in the studio if I come up with a great idea, but I usually like to end the day by spending time with my parents & two brothers!
Victor: How did you develop the Modeā sound that we all love so much?
Modeā: I think when it comes to my ‘signature sound’ it’s more about the feeling that I try to invoke in my music rather than the actual sound. When working on a track, I try not to worry about which genre it might fit in to, or which DJs will play it etc. I try to focus on how the music makes me feel inside and if I could see it connecting with someone else. You’ve got to write music for you and you only. Be the audience for yourself and the rest will fall in to place, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing! Be the Shepard, not the sheep.
Victor: How do you see yourself in 10 years from now?
Modeā: That’s a great question. In 10 years time I really hope to still be doing what I’m doing now. My biggest dream growing up was to travel the world, so I hope to have achieved that by then haha! I have a pretty clear vision of where I’d like to be and I have big goals in mind that I’d like to achieve. Let’s come back to this question in ten years from now and we’ll see!
Modeā: Which song brings out the most emotions for you?
Victor: That’s a hard one. I have my favorite song of all times which is Blackbird from The Beatles.
But lately a song that more than once made me cry while listening to it was “I Am Loving Awareness” from East Forest, Ram Dass and Krishna Das. It’s a mantra with a beautiful message and it touched me deeply when I listened to it for the first time.
Modeā: How would you describe your signature sound?
Victor: Big, fat and dirty bass lines with a melodic approach, leading to a dreamy yet euphoric journey. Lots of energy with soul and heart. It’s like who I am
Modeā: Do you have a certain method for starting a track?
Victor: Generally, I like to play with a synth line or a bass line, maybe a sequence, something that inspires me. From that I like to create harmonies and try to unfold melodic layers and textures. Then I add the beat and, if I’m lucky enough, the track just kinda writes itself.
Modeā: If you could choose a superpower, what would you choose and why?
Victor: To be able to speak all the languages in the world. I think communication is such a powerful tool and more than once I felt powerless when I was in a different country and couldn’t understand the local folks and couldn’t communicate cuz no one could speak the languages I speak.
Modeā: What is a standout memory for you from touring?
Victor: It has to be Time Warp Brazil when my mother went on stage with me. She saw me playing a few times but that day was very special to me because I was hitting a milestone in my career, in my hometown (São Paulo), and she was there to witness and celebrate with me.
But besides that, it’s the human encounter I have with friends, colleagues and people in general. Touring can be very lonely sometimes and meeting new people on the way always makes the journey better and more fun.
