Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2012

Yes, DJ Ruby is lovely. But look beyond the big eyes and porcelain skin and you’ll find an adept electronic music producer driving a small band of like-minded techno track makers.

“Psychedelic trance was trendy at the time I started going out, but I was looking for a different sound,” she says of her beginnings, trying to be heard over the noise at Womb where she’s hosting the top floor event. “It was becoming possible to produce on a laptop, so I decided to give it a try—it was easier than I expected.”

Ruby (beer or biiru pronounced backwards) began playing between bands’ live sets, but was soon hosting her own events. Plact—a Womb midweekly—gives budding track makers a chance to test out their new creations in a welcoming environment.

“There really aren’t that many producers here—Japanese tend to simply play others’ tracks they think are cool,” she says. “So I thought there was the need for an event where producers can test out new compositions.”

Ruby praises Tokyo’s club scene for its size and diversity, but says things have gotten stale. “There is not enough originality in the parties and productions,” she says, “and too much imitation of the West.”

Regarding her own career, she says being a pretty woman in clubland can be a mixed blessing. “As a girl you are judged on your looks and fashions in a way that guys are not, which can be a drag.”
Still, Ruby benefits by bringing attention to detail to her appearance, her productions, and her DJ sets for fashion launches by the likes of Anna Sui. “I’ve gotten quite finicky about sound quality,” she says. “I’m often sampling analog sounds to digital and then back to analog again. Peoples’ ears are analog, so digital can sometimes sound harsh. Recently I’ve become interested in acoustics and the science of sound. I’m thinking about producing ambient/environmental music.”

Sputnik Lounge, Jul 13; Nomad Life Cruise, Jul 15 and Yokohama Hanabi Taikai, Aug 18-19. Info: http://ameblo.jp/fejin/