Jon Rualo, also known by his Ruvlo alias, has been pushing sound systems across the country to max capabilities with his absolutely lethal sonic arsenal of immaculate productions. Emphasizing a diverse array of sounds that all equate to a mightily efficient edginess, grit and grandeur are constantly thrust to the forefront of his energetic performances. Riding a wave of sensational success in 2019 with multiple widely-renowned releases that tightly secured support from many of the biggest names in the game, he comes into 2020 looking to solidify his place among some of the brightest up-and-comers in the scene.
Continuing this sensational momentum full steam ahead, he’s chatted with us about the industry, what he’s doing to stay busy during these times, and what he has in store for the future, along with handcrafting the 107th installment of our guest mix series with a mix so deep it only belongs in the Marianas Trench. Featuring unreleased tracks from himself, Slushii, Hairitage, Tvboo, Blurrd Vzn, Meso, Blvk Sheep, Deadlyft, Matt Doe, and more, this is not a mix to be trifled with. Check out both the interview and the guest mix for yourself below!
Tell us a little about Ruvlo from a project standpoint, what’s your main goal, ethos, etc?
The Ruvlo project is pretty straight forward- I’ve never really got into the branding side of things but that’s something I’ll be working towards to create a bit of an identity for myself. The project is just all about putting out music that I enjoy and hopefully others will enjoy as well. I mean, shit, I never thought I’d even make songs that would reach the audience that it has. Forever grateful.
I see you grew up in Staten Island and were very close with Zaxx and Blvk Sheep. How else did the area and its scene mold you into who you are today?
Honestly the NYC area hasn’t influenced me in the slightest bit. The scene out here isn’t like what you’d find in Texas or LA, it’s very bland and commercialized to be honest.
What are some things you’re doing yourself to stay sane during these unstable times?
Lots and lots of video games. Escape From Tarkov & Valorant consumes the majority of the hours of my days. I have to kick myself off to go work on music most of the time :)
Right now is the perfect time for producers to master their craft and focus most of their days in the DAW. We’re not going to get another chance to have this much free time ever again…
How do you believe artists can best capitalize on the current quarantine situation?
Learn how to run a good stream and broadcast some production or dj sets on Twitch. Subscriptions and donations can add up pretty fast if you get the right audience and attention! Right now is the perfect time for producers to master their craft and focus most of their days in the DAW. We’re not going to get another chance to have this much free time ever again most likely, so everyone should be taking full advantage of this. Also, for those that want to learn, now is the perfect time!
What’s your favorite thing about the music industry at this time?
It’s not about who is playing the most fests or shows right now. Those who are grinding and producing heat are the ones that are going to really stand out the most right now. I think a lot of producers that aren’t known are going to start getting their foot in the door because of this situation. The internet is a powerful thing.
I see you’re a big gamer and host sessions on Twitch, what games are you currently playing, and what are some of the ones that really roped you in back in the day?
Escape From Tarkov, Valorant and Modern Warfare. My favorite multiplayer game ever is Modern Warfare 2- it’s just the perfect shooter. Halo 3 is a classic as well. Going back a bit further, I was heavy on all of the Tony Hawk Games, SSX Tricky, Super Smash Bros Melee and some other PS2/gamecube games.
It’s not about who is playing the most fests or shows right now. Those who are grinding and producing heat are the ones that are going to really stand out the most
What’s it feel like when you’re at a show and an artist you really look up to rinses your track?
It’s always an amazing feeling. The chills that run through my body are always indescribable.
I saw an interview where you said you’re a big Lil Peep fan, is that the type of music that you mainly listen to in your free time?
Hell yeah brother. Lil Peep forever.
I’ve heard you have quite a bit of new music on the horizon, can you give us any insight into what you have coming next?
Some collabs with Slushii, Hairitage, MeSo, Blunts&Blondes, a handful of solo originals and a couple of remixes.
Walk us through the guest mix you made for us today!
This mix was pretty special to me because I got to finally dig deeper into the more deep wubbier tunes. Lots of vibes mixed with some heavy tunes as well. The progression of energy throughout the mix just hit different mannnnn. As of the release of this mix, there are 17 unreleased tracks in it – 6 of them are by me.
Tracklist:
BLURRD VZN – ID
A$AP FERG – FLOOR SEATS (TSIMBA BOOTLEG)
LYNY & YOJAS – SIPPIN
BADRAPPER – ID
ALICE DEEJAY – BETTER OFF ALONE (HELLBOUND REMIX)
W/ JUPE – BRAINTICKLER
PLAYBOI CARTI – R.I.P (KNOCK2 REMIX)
W/ ISOXO – ID
BOARDCROK – SUCKA SH-T
ID – ID (RUVLO REMIX)
MPORT & BACKLEFT – DEEP SPEECH
BLAIZE & DAZE OFF – ID
MATT DOE & COMPUTA – ID
HAIRITAGE – ID
ADIIDAS & SØMETHING- TWURKCITY
EAZYBAKED – BANDZZZ
DBEAR – BULK FLOW
HAIRITAGE – ID
RUVLO & HAIRITAGE – ID
RUVLO – ID
RUVLO & SLUSHII – ID
TVBOO & BLVK SHEEP – ID
REMK – ID
RUVLO & CRANKDAT – BLAH BLAH
SUBTRONICS – BLOW STUFF UP
DEADLYFT – ID
RUVLO – ID
RUVLO & MESO – ID
Dug the mix and want to check out more from this supremely talented artist? Make sure to catch him livestreaming at the Meso & Spicy Bois party on May 3rd to celebrate Meso’s debut album Fantasty at twitch.tv/MesoMaybeOfficial, and at Heart 2 Heart, a virtual charity event for COVID-19 relief efforts put on by LimeTimeEvents which you can find streaming at May 6-7 at twitch.tv/LightTimeEvents
