INTERVIEW // MODUL

Pyramids feels both ancient and futuristic. What was the initial spark that led to the record?

Well I've always been into sci-fi/alien films such as Alien, Blade Runner, The Matrix etc. I absolutely love the dark, atmospheric sounds combined with the futuristic, metallic, sharp, clanging sounds. So I feel that these types of films have really inspired this album in a massive way. I can't fully remember why I chose the name Pyramids, probably because of the amount of triangle LFOs used in each track for modulation!

The album balances heavy rhythmic machinery with decayed, dreamlike textures. How did you approach sound design on this project?

With this project, on most of the tracks I'd start creating a beat/percussion pattern on my Elektron gear (mainly the Digitakt 2 and Digitone at the time). I'd spend a lot of time on just 1 pattern to perfect the sound/dynamics and mainly the modulation such as envelopes and LFOs. Each channel of the pattern would be polymetric (using different time signatures per track) or polyrhythmic (experimenting with different track lengths) so that the one pattern didn't get boring or monotonous. Each track of the album started with this method as it's easier for me to figure out how I'm going to progress with the next part of the track.

Were there specific pieces of gear, patches, or environments that shaped the sonic character of Pyramids?

As I was starting the tracks on the Elektron gear (Digitakt 2 and Digitone), it was perfecting the patterns that I created on those boxes and then ultimately recording them into Ableton Live 12. When each channel was painstakingly recorded (I try not to use Overbridge much) into Ableton, I'd then work on the FX and dynamics. One of my main go-to on this album was the basic stock delay and 'Hybrid Reverb', that combined with multiple LFOs and the 'Expression Control' device gives some really experimental and pleasing results if automated correctly.

How did your working process evolve during the making of the album? Did it shift your approach to production in general?

I think each track that I made I learned something new about my hardware and Ableton. So really, each track has a progressively small technical advancement in some way or another. I think midway through the album being created I sold both the Digitakt 2 and Digitone to get a Digitone 2. I've never really been fully comfortable using samples, although the Digitakt 2 is awesome, I just find it a rigorous process trying to find a sample, tweak it and try and make it work for your track. With the Digitone 2 I can just create a kick drum from scratch and shape it exactly how I want, instead of using somebody else's kick drum.

When producing, do you aim for decay and texture as tools, or is clarity and precision part of your technique?

My main initial focus when producing is to make sure it's a fun process and not focusing on the minor details. When creating sounds on hardware first, I make sure it's as punchy and precise as possible and having the kind of 'meat' of the sound there and fully created to record into Ableton. When it's all recorded into Ableton I'll then focus on the minor details and full sequencing element where I can add long automation lanes and actually seeing the audio on screen helps massively. I try not to focus on the levels/EQ/dynamics of the track until right at the end of near completion of the track as it veers me off my creative 'trance' like state haha.

Tell us about your current modular and hardware setup: what gear or software helps define your sound?

I still use the Digitone 2 as my main sound source. I've recently built up a nice little modular rig that has 2 sound sources, Busy Circuits MCO mk2 and Mutable Instruments Plaits. For sequencing I use the Intellijel Metropolix which is absolutely bonkers for its modulation capabilities. It basically has x2 tracks of an 8 step sequencer but each track can have its own length and play order (fwd, rev, random etc.) and then have x8 'mod lanes' which can modify a plethora of things such as pitch accumulation, ratchet or octave shifts. For my main clock I use Pamela's Pro Workout which has x8 outputs of clock but you can change each one of the outputs to be an LFO or a Euclidean Sequencer so there's a massive amount of modulation sources there too. 

My main sound sources will usually go into either my Zzzorb filter or Wasp filter, each one has a very different character. If I want say a harsher bass tone or kick drum I'll send it through the Wasp. Zzzorb has some very smooth sounding sweeps and sounds beautiful to modulate the cutoff and res. I have a couple of utility modules such as a cv controlled switch, LFO and a summing mult which I couldn't live without! Then the end of chain FX modules are the Data Bender and FX Aid Pro, The Data Bender is amazing for glitchy/broken/skipping CD type sounds and the FX Aid Pro has multiple FX such as reverbs/delays/ring mod etc.

I'd say the Digitone 2's FM sounds definitely define my sound as I love those harsh tones that FM brings and there's not a sample in sight, just purely creating sounds from scratch which I'm proud of!

What’s your studio process like right now? How do you work your tracks start to finish?

It's a very similar process to how I created the Pyramids album really, just evolved with the gear I'd say. 

If I want to create a track I'll switch on the Digitone 2 and pick a key and scale (usually a minor scale like Dorian or Melodic Minor). I'll then create the percussion/drums and make some kind of polyrhythmic/polymetric pattern and work on it for a while until I'm happy with it. I'll then power up the modular rig, pick exactly the same key and scale on the Metropolix sequencer as I did with the Digitone 2, this will make everything I create on the modular sound good together with the Digitone. I'll then patch the sequencer into one of the VCOs such as Plaits, then into a filter, then the filter usually into Data Bender. When it's all patched together I then just play around with the sequencer and other patched modules, add a lot of modulation via my VC LFO, Pams and Metropolix and get it sounding great with the Digitone pattern.

When I have something going that is sounding good I'll then record each track as audio into Ableton. I'll usually record about 2 mins worth of material all in seperate tracks, then sequence each track, add FX automation then finally dynamics such as compression (I love the UAD API 2500 compressor). Then when all the levels are right etc. I'll bounce it down to one track and save it as a .WAV file.

Can you share anything about directions you’re exploring next?

I've had Reaktor 6 for quite a while now but never really 'got' the modular blocks side of it. Since owning and learning my modular setup I find it quite easy to use that side of Reaktor. So I've been incorporating my hardware modular setup with the software modular setup (Reaktor 6) which is so far proving to be extremely satisfying and really fun to mess around with, My tracks going forward will most likely be including this method. 

I've also got a few collaborations on the go with other amazing electronic artists, the main one being with 'Traumm' where we share the alias; 'Axon' so that's a really exciting venture too. 

I'm currently working on a new album which will demonstrate my newest methods of sound design and include the sonics from my modular setup too so I'm really looking forward to keep making tracks for that.

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MODÜL.’s Pyramids is available now as a limited-edition CD and digital download via NOIDED https://noidedmedia.bandcamp.com/album/pyramids

Digital only can be purchased through the artists Bandcamp https://modul87.bandcamp.com/music