Jody Vukas, a US-based producer and DJ, is known for his signature blend of melodic, tech, and progressive house that blends euphoric soundscapes with pulse-pounding beats. Jody’s unique approach brings together influences from across the dance music spectrum. Through every set, he aims to deliver immersive experiences that showcase his sound and energy, opting to not have predesigned setlist but instead adjusting based on the energy of the dance floor. In our interview, Jody offered a candid look into his artistic journey, exploring the creative process that fuels his unique sound and the musical influences that have shaped his evolution. He opened up about the challenges he’s faced over the years, from dealing with imposter syndrome to what led him to step away from his music career for several years. Despite the hiatus, his passion for music never faded, and he ultimately felt called back, reigniting his career with fresh determination.
You’ve described your sound as a blend of melodic, tech, and progressive house. What drew you to these specific genres?
I guess it is more of who drew me than what. In the years prior to stepping into DJing full-time, Danny Tenaglia was one of my favorites, the pioneer of tech house, along with Deep Dish, Behrouz, Sasha & Digweed… you get the picture. As a DJ, I have played across these genres over the years, so naturally, they have made their way into my productions and reflect me as an artist.
Your music seems to bridge different genres. How do you balance maintaining a cohesive sound while experimenting with different musical elements?
It’s something that seemingly transcends from the initial track idea to the emotion I want to share. Once I put the melody together, I build the rest of the track with instruments and sounds to complement and carry the melody.
Can you share your approach to infusing emotion into your tracks?
It’s quite simple, really. I find inspiration in many places, but other people’s music makes up the majority. When something in a song grabs me, I then want to take that feeling and share it through my own music. The fun part is the journey of bringing that emotion to life in my productions.
Can you describe some of the musical influences that have shaped your career as a producer and DJ?
How much time do we have?! Ha! As a product of the 80s, bands like Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, and Pet Shop Boys paved the way for underground dance music, as it was called. As a DJ and producer, I have already mentioned some of the pioneers of the industry. Additionally, there are artists like Chus & Ceballos, Steve Lawler, Dave Seaman, Dosem, Quiver, Nick Warren, Above & Beyond… there are others, but these are the first to come to mind.
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What recent projects or performances are you most proud of as you continue to grow your audience?
I have had several releases over the last few months that have been hanging out on Beatport’s Top Progressive and Melodic House & Techno Releases charts, right next to music from all the names I just mentioned. I am super stoked and grateful for that!
Can you walk us through your creative process when starting a new track?
Here’s the short version: once I know the feeling or emotion I am wanting to create, I start with the melody by pulling up a synth patch and playing around with different chords in different keys. Once I work out the initial melody piece, I start to add supporting sounds like a kick, hat, or shaker, followed by a bassline. At this stage, I work on expanding the melody while adding atmosphere and depth with additional layers. Once the stars have aligned, I jump into the arrangement, then mix and master.
What’s your philosophy on crafting a setlist as a DJ?
The philosophy is that there is no setlist. I have tracks that I know I want to play; however, I do not have a predetermined setlist. I play based on the energy and vibe on the dance floor. The crowd’s reactions inspire where I want to take them.
What do you find to be your biggest source of inspiration right now?
I am my biggest inspiration at the moment. I stepped away from my music career several years ago to build a cannabis business and was quite successful, but music was calling to me. In September 2022, I had emergency surgery. As I recovered, I asked myself, What did I truly want to do? Music was the word that kept coming up. I jumped back into the studio full-time on January 7, 2023. Since then, I have released 15 tracks last year and 17 this year so far, with 3 months left in the year. So yeah, I’m my biggest source of inspiration! Hopefully, my story will inspire some of you!
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What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career, and how have you overcome them to continue growing?
Getting my music in front of the bigger labels was extremely challenging. I sent many demos to top-tier labels only to discover that, 60 days later, they hadn’t even listened to them. That triggered imposter syndrome and doubts about the quality of my music. I’m sure many people have these thoughts and feelings. The biggest challenge wasn’t just that they didn’t listen but how I reacted and felt because they didn’t. This is supposed to be fun. I knew something had to change.
I downloaded Tony Robbins’ Ultimate Edge and quickly discovered that mindset is everything. To push through, my desire or hunger had to be stronger than the struggles and challenges I face. I created habits to support my goals, and the moments I don’t “feel like” working on a track or creating content are the moments it’s most important to do so. Whenever those moments present themselves, I tell myself, “Do It Now!”
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the future in both your production work and DJ career?
Some of my top goals are to release music on a hit list of labels such as Anjunadeep, Sudbeat, Armada, and Stereo Productions, to name a few. I know that I will hit these targets in the near future!
As for DJing, I want to do more touring next year and play a few festivals along the way. I love the production side of my career—the whole creative process, the collaborations with amazing artists, being in that state of creative flow, waking up and immediately getting in the studio to work on what you started the night before. However, DJing is my first love; from the very moment that I beat-matched two vinyl records… I’ve been hooked ever since!
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