Name: Uasmi Nasser aka Mode Collapse
Nationality: Russian-Yemeni, Georgia-based
Occupation: Producer, songwriter, rapper
Current release: Mode Collapse's Alternative Dreaming Techniques EP is out October 24th 2024.
Recommendations: The Strugatsky Brothers' Doomed City book; Karantamba's Ndigal album

If you enjoyed this Mode Collapse interview and would like to know more about him and his music, visit him on Instagram, Soundcloud, and bandcamp.



When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening? Do you listen with your eyes open or closed?

I think all of us musicians have the same «professionally deformed» way of listening - we focus on instruments, the parts we like in melodies or patterns in drums/percussion. It’s not necessarily better or worse, just different.

Though I really like to just tweak in the bathroom while listening to something and sing along silently.

Entering/creating new worlds through music has always exerted a strong pull on me. What do you think you are drawn to most when it comes to listening to and creating music?

I agree with that! When I listen to music, sometimes I get dragged into imaginary universes so hard that I realize I just passed a 40-minute walk in a second.

According to scientific studies, we make our deepest and most incisive musical experiences between the ages of 13-16. What did music mean to you at that age and what’s changed since then?

I discovered a lot of great music through the skateboarding/rollerblading I was doing back then, and I am really grateful for that.

I remember one time when I was around 13 or 14, I heard Boards of Canada and thought, «Wow, such a great and unique band. They play instruments without even singing, and it sounds so good.»



At that moment, I didn’t know about the concept of electronic music at all.

Tell me about one or two of your early pieces that you're still proud of (or satisfied with) – and why you're content with them.

I think my early electronic music stuff, when I just had an Arturia Minibrute. I made an entire track on it and received great feedback from some very established musicians.

At that time, it was really important for me, as I just left the band I was playing in and didn’t even know if I would have the capacity to do music. Just getting kind words from someone you respect sometimes can make a great difference for you.

What is your current studio or workspace like? What instruments, tools, equipment, and space do you need to make music?

I used to have a lot of gear, but I had to move to another country, so I sold most of it, and to be honest, I don’t feel bad about it at all.

Right now I just use Ableton, some plug-ins, and Max for Live devices I create myself.

From the earliest sketches to the finished piece, tell me about the creative process for your current release, please.

For me, it’s like driving a car when you have tens of years of experience - I really can’t tell how I do it. I just dive into it and try not to think about it too much.

But two things are important for me in music writing - being sincere and having an idea that you want to tell to a listener.

What role and importance do rituals have for you, both as an artist and a listener?

Rituals in general have a crucial part in my life. I like rituals. Starting from basic ones, like coffee in the morning, to more situational ones, like listening to Death Grips while waving hands like MC Ride does.



Are you acting out parts of your personality in your music which you couldn't or wouldn't in your daily life? If so, which are these?

I wouldn't say I necessarily act, but I am more open when I perform or write music for sure. I am a pretty chill person in day-to-day life, and performing allows me to just throw all my emotions out, dance, and have fun.

I’m like a battery - I need some time to charge and time to discharge.

Late producer SOPHIE said: “You have the possibility [...] to generate any texture, and any sound. So why would any musician want to limit themselves?” What's your take on that?

I love SOPHIE, and it’s a really good take.

I don’t think you need to limit yourself somehow but still follow the concept and idea you have for your music.

Do you feel that your music or your work as an artist needs to have a societal purpose or a responsibility to anyone but yourself?

Yes. Sometimes I like to throw some jabs about stuff I care about here and there.

Some topics are important to me, and I want to talk about them in my music: different group rights, identity crisis, wars, the world we live in, you name it.

Once a piece is done and released, do you find it important that listeners understand it in a specific way? How do you deal with “misunderstandings?”

I don’t think there’s necessarily a right or wrong way of understanding my music. I like it when people process it through themselves and find something that is close to them, something that they felt while listening to my music.

Sound, song, and rhythm are all around us, from animal noises to the waves of the ocean. What, if any, are some of the most moving experiences you've had with these non-human-made sounds? In how far would you describe them as “musical”?

It’s pleasant, right? I think sometimes we’re so dragged into our artificial environments we don’t have time or ability to just sit down and listen to the world around us, even if this sounds corny.

I think this was a crucial factor in the creation of music in general - people tried to mimic the sounds they heard around themselves.

We can surround us with sound every second of the day. The great pianist Glenn Gould even considered this the ultimate delight. How do you see that yourself and what importance does silence hold?

I think silence is as important as sound - you need to incorporate it both in music and life.

Sometimes, silence can make more for your music than adding another instrument or a layer.

Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

I like to see people who live for their craft, who are fully committed to it. For me, it’s equally interesting to look at someone who makes an amazing cup of coffee or an art piece.

But still, there are certain mediums you choose to express your views, feelings. You still probably can do it with coffee, but it will be a pretty hard task.

What is a music related question that you would like to ask yourself – and what's your answer to it?

Any interesting story about one of your favorite bands?

Death Grips interview, where Zach Hill (drummer) speaks 12 minutes about drums, Andy Morin (keyboard) says only one phrase: «And you get to play really loud» and Stefan Burnett (MC Ride, vocalist) just sits silently.