MOD3LLR talks about Dark Matter
MOD3LLR is back with a fresh release, his 6th already. “Dark Matter” is a stunning 2-tracker with a solid, hypnotic and aggressive sound. This time he is trying to expand a little bit the spectrum to reach some more names and bring them into the pool of artists that will play his work.
With this stunning work released, we took the time to sit down with MOD3LLR and talked about the way this EP came together.
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Hey, how are you these days?
Hi, I’m good, thank you for having me on the site!!
Welcome. Tell us about how you ended up with playing and producing electronic music to make people dance.
For me, electronic music is about much more than just making people dance, I love to create sonic environments, audiovisual experiences and soundtracks that also make people move. Long story short, I’ve been playing records since I was a kid, started as a professional DJ when I was a teenager and that was about the time electronic music was hitting the scene hard so in the early days after a while playing different sorts of music, from hard rock, hardcore, indy, pop to new age, industrial or EBM, I was pulled into this new obsession with Techno, the way it sounds, the way to play it at the clubs … all came so fucking naturally to me!
For me, electronic music is about much more than just making people dance, I love to create sonic environments, audiovisual experiences and soundtracks that also make people move.
The music was strong, dark, hypnotic, percussive, repetitive, huge range of sounds and build to be mixed, playing records with 3 decks was like playing a new kind of instrument altogether. It required lots of skills so on top of that exciting new wave of sounds, new things to learn, to be listening to, to be experienced before you can create your live set on the fly, working to be able to tell your story on the mixer. At the time everyone was discovering set after set of new sounds, and new things since the music was something new too, was an amazing time early on!
I’m always open to learn or experience new creative things. Techno at that time was something “new”, felt really attractive to the scene. It was at that time that all things were starting out for me …, some great opportunities for me as a resident DJ running one of the biggest clubs in town for pretty much all ’90s. Playing in that club was where I grew as a techno DJ/artist, grew my identity in techno music and was where I started to feel this lifetime affair I have with the music.
What were the first types of music you tried to make and how did it evolve over the years until the sound you are producing at the moment.
My very first go to music for production was Techno. I think that very first time was with my partner David Guti at his studio, back in the days of using an Atari computer and a guitar pedal to use as Filter, good times! I guess it was sometime early 90’s, the music was techno-trance since David was leading hehehe.
My first solo production was not so long after, at home, with Voyetra Studio and a Pentium 100Mhz. At first, I was making some minimal techno inspired by lots of good stuff back. Things like Profan, Studio1, Concepts, ChainRaction, Maurizio’s … the music that was constantly in my sets every weekend, just one vinyl box for my minimal techno records.
I always loved the arty and futuristic sound of the minimal music back then, even when I was playing just with vinyl records.
I always loved the arty and futuristic sound of the minimal music back then, even when I was playing just with vinyl records, 3 deck’s were fundamental to create new tracks on the fly based on these really basic records. Then bringing your groove and soul into it, it was lots and lots of fun mixing minimal techno, creating sound landscapes. I really loved that. So back to your question, comparing that day, back at my parents home with very little resources to today – I don’t think the concept behind what I do has changed much at all, it was more of an evolution in all the different aspects. For me, it is all about trying to do creative things, projection and communication and, of course, how you tell your story.
Make sure you have fun doing what you like to do and share it, seems like everything is still the same when I think of it like that. Also, I strive for the same kind of sounds and moods but with that modern touch, Techno, Minimal, Electro, Experimental and Atmospheric can be the styles I swing by these days in the studio.
And how has your music been influenced by other artists, musicians, or life in general?
I listen to a lot of music, I follow a lot of different artist from different disciplines, not just musicians or DJs, I’m into the new ways to express your self creatively – so my influences come from many places… I think your artistic/creative personality is a build up of everything you experience or learn in life, what you like and course your state of mind. Which filters and interprets everything as a final part of the equation. So, yes, everything can or can not influence you, in my case sometimes I try hard just to relay or “be influenced by” my emotions or life events, digging into myself looking for creation, looking for something that truly came from myself, something you can call “your piece”. Other times I let myself be influenced by records I love, artists I like, it all depends.
Tell us something about the gear you use to produce and DJ.
I like to use everything, computer-based synths, analog, modular, I don’t really mind. I often choose the instrument set before I start recording, so I’m keeping the mood, usually, I put that instrument set together before jumping into production and exploring some ideas, once I am happy with the sound I keep the setup to build up the idea. I have just one main rule: I generate every single sound for each track, I never use any samples or library samples. Everything has to be synthesized.
Another important thing for me is having my performance set integrated into my production studio. I like to try the music I’m producing straight in my live performance.
Another important thing for me is having my performance set integrated into my production studio. I like to try the music I’m producing straight in my live performance. I produce lots of tracks just to fit in my sets. My DJ setup is based on NI Traktor, I’m using two D2 Midi Controllers as a 4 desk, Model1 Mixer, Moog DFan, TC Electronics effects and the UAD X6.
When you sit down to compose/produce, what’s generally your first move? Drums/synth work/melodies?
Some temp bits maybe a beat to work with then the bass line, but it depends on what I was thinking to do, sometimes play keyboards to listen to textures or even guitar. I guess I am looking for what inspires me to progress.
What DAW do you use and what are your favourite plugins?
I usually work with Logic, Ableton, ProTools… talking about plugs, I have been using UAD audio interface for a few years and recently upgraded the studio to UAD Apollo X6, all the analog plugs are available are amazing, compressors, filters, reverbs, distortions, multi-channel … you can find from the finest Neve EQ to the most old-school top-notch Studer Tape Compressors. So cool to have all that a “click distance”. I’m using lots from Plugin Alliance as well, Fabfilers,.. there is such an interesting range of tools in the market these days.
Let’s talk about “Dark Matter” your most recent work. How did this EP come together?
I’m a producer, the unique feedback I got is from the artists who are playing my records, so I wanted to expand a little bit the spectrum and try to reach some more names and bring them into the pool. And at the same time, giving more of the sound people loved from my previous releases so – “WIMPs” are trying to follow the line and “GIMPs” is for new listeners.
Two tracks. Both fantastic but we prefer Wimp over Gimp. They sound different. Tell us about it.
When you choose a song from the archive you just recorded in the last few months and try to put together an EP, it’s kind of hard work! Sometimes or pretty much all the time I do ask for help to my collaborators, David Guti, Pablo Kuntz, Javi Rene, Neil Barret to choose for me or help me with the selection based in their feedback. As I said when you are producing everything on your own and in your room studio you always like the latest most, sounds fresher and nicer, it can take a while to forget about your own music and gain some objectivity on it. But as soon that happens the older stuff becomes interesting again.
How much does “Dark Matter” differ from previous work?
I think it is different, Dark Matter is a bit more ‘commercial’ than “Subspace Analysis”. I was looking for different things from each record.
With the year ending in sight, what have you good planned?
There is lost of exiting projects for 2019 including European tour dates with the techno A/V show we have on production. The Tour Premiere will be in London this coming February. About music, there is an EP series and some exclusive vinyl publications as well for the first quarter.
I also have an LP on the near horizon so please follow to hear that very soon!
Thank you!