IN CONVERSATION WITH LABRINTH
Labrinth on inner demons, the music industry, and why he regularly has full-on…
MUSIC PT. 82: RUTHLSS
Ruthlss on Quantum Sound, dream figures, and bringing her piano-electronic world to Mastery at Funkhaus
Ruthlss is one of the featured artists on Quantum Sound, the new album via Houndstooth that builds on Mastery’s long-running series of immersive listening events exploring sound, altered states and deep listening.
In this conversation, Ruthlss speaks with Mastery founder and curator Bianca Mayhew about bringing her piano and electronic live set into the world, where her classical and electronic practices converge in a performance that allows for both emotional intimacy and subtle propulsion. With piano as the focal point, her live show weaves together synth motifs, ambient pads, vocal textures and minimal rhythms across ethereal techno, ambient, classical and experimental terrain.
Her album contribution, Dark Angel, reflects the deeper meditative core of the project. Inspired by a recurring dream figure described as a quietly luminous and protective feminine presence, the track unfolds through expansive piano, lush strings and drones, gradually guiding the listener into a grounded, introspective state shaped by slow evolution and hypnotic repetition.
The album is celebrated in Berlin at Funkhaus on 14th February, where Mastery partners with MONOM Studios to present Quantum Sound as a fully spatialised 4DSOUND journey. Alongside performances by William Russell and Jon Hopkins, Ruthlss will present her live set fusing piano and electronics, marking her Berlin live debut.
Bianca Mayhew: How does it feel letting your piano and electronic live set out into the world?
Ruthlss: I’m completely over the moon to be sharing my live set with audiences after many years of practice and dreaming of making this a reality. I’ve been making classical and electronic music alongside each other for a long time, and my live set is the point at which it all comes together, as well as creating space to express a whole spectrum of emotion; from the euphoria of dance music to the intimacy of classical and ambient compositions. I also have the freedom within this medium to fuse textures and subgenres in whatever way I want, which feels like a real thrill!
“My live set is the point at which my classical and electronic worlds finally converge.”
BM: Can you describe sonically what people might expect?
R: The piano is very much the focal point, with the set beginning and ending with solo piano. Around that, I weave in synth motifs, ambient pads, vocal samples and minimal drum patterns that gently ebb and flow throughout. Sonically it sits between ethereal techno, synthwave, ambient, classical and experimental.
BM: What’s behind the track name Dark Angel?
R: Dark Angel is a figure I have seen in my dreams. A quietly luminous, protective and feminine presence that I feel has guided me toward self discovery and hope through darker periods of my life. The track unfolds slowly through lush strings, synth drones and expansive piano parts, with the intention of gradually leading the listener into a transcendental state by the end.
“Dark Angel came from a quietly luminous presence in my dreams that guided me through darker periods toward hope.”
BM: What about this track felt fitting to the theme of Quantum Sound and their explorations into altered states of consciousness?
R: The track felt naturally aligned with the world that Quantum Sound creates because of its healing and transcendental intention. The hypnotic repetition of the piano motifs at the beginning is designed to bring the listener into a calm, grounded state. As the track evolves very gradually, it encourages deep listening and subtly shifts perception until you almost forget your surroundings. I hope that it can be something people can heal with, or use to ground themselves before being gently taken somewhere else, feeling fully enveloped by the warmth of the strings towards the end.
BM: How does it feel to play in Funkhaus Saal 1 on the same bill as the likes of Jon Hopkins?
R: It’s a great honour to be playing this legendary venue, particularly for my Berlin live debut, and to be on the same bill as Jon Hopkins is a total privilege. I’ve loved his music for a long time and it has served as the soundtrack to a number of profound moments in my life, so it’s hard to put into words what this means to me to be honest. I’m feeling very grateful and I know this is going to be an incredibly special night.
“The piano becomes a doorway from intimacy into propulsion and from stillness into subtle movement.”
BM: Are you looking forward to seeing William Russell and to the experience of playing in spatial audio?
R: I’m really looking forward to seeing William Russell play. I’m drawn to work that encourages deep listening and a real sense of immersion, and have read that his work illuminates the link between humans and nature which is beautiful. I also can’t wait to experience playing my own music in spatial audio – this is something I’ve been curious about for a long time!
BM: Do you have any kind of ritual or preparation to get in the zone for a live performance?
R: Before any live performance I need ten minutes completely alone. During that time I repeat affirmations that I’ve written for myself. They place me in exactly the right headspace before I begin playing, and make me feel confident and grounded as well as deeply appreciative of the opportunity and the audience from the start.
“Playing in spatial audio feels like stepping fully inside the emotional architecture of the music.”
BM: What goes through your mind when you’re on stage and playing?
R: When I’m on stage I just imagine I’m in my bedroom playing, and that it’s just me on my own. My bedroom is where I created and rehearsed my entire show, and where I still make any changes and additions to it, so visualising myself in that space stops me from feeling nerves or any sense of overwhelm. I am very much in my own world and honestly not much goes through my mind – I just like to get lost in it and enjoy playing as much as possible! During my most recent show at the Barbican, in the final improvised piano moments, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude toward my Mum and Dad for encouraging me with learning music from such a young age, because I feel like that’s the greatest gift they could ever have given me. They were in the audience that night and I was so happy that they could come and see me play.
