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2016: INCEPTION
While the true origins of the name "modus" lie all the way back in 2014, its current form would not arrive until the release of the song that started it all: the first chapter of New Year Protocol.
Originally devised as a way to recap the previous year's achievements, the series eventually turned into the multi-year, movie-like narrative that it is now.
The first official logo for the project featured an antenna like the one shown in NYP1's cover. This, however, would quickly change to adopt a new design - one that featured all five letters of the name "modus" in a single logo.
New Year Protocol: Inception
10 Minutes of Silence
tweak_the_modus
Independent
modus's first label signing would come early in the year, under the now defunct "Delta Sigma Records".
Rise (ft. Mona Moua)
Amethyst (ft. Lokka)
Delta Sigma Records
After Delta Sigma went under, this song was deleted from their Soundcloud. But thanks to the power of keeping backups on your computer, it's now back up on modus's archival account, "Lost Files"!
modus & Darco - Broken
Dreamscape Records would become modus's label of choice for the following two years.
Crystal Clear
Its catchy melodies and feel-good, mid-tempo vibes made this
modus's most popular song to date - and the first for many.
Dim Way
Limbo Collective
Beyond Real
Dreamscape
Kotori - Daijoubou (modus Remix)
Dreamscape
Crystal Clear VIP
After the success of the original, it was only appropiate to give Crystal Clear a new outing - this time, under Dreamscape's umbrella.
False Illusions
DEAD LINK's then-new sister label, KODOKU, would be home to this ambient-fueled theme, before eventually debuting on the main label the following year.
2017: FUTURE
Did you know the second chapter in the New Year Protocol Series was a last-minute decision?
What would've happened had modus not decided to continue the series?
Fortunately, it is now a question that need not be answered.
New Year Protocol 2: Future
Purified
This Paradise
modus's entry into then-popular Refracted Records would come with another laid-back, but at the same time fiery track in Purified.
Another track rescued from the vault to "Lost Files", modus's first attempt at ambient held the record for his longest production all the way up until New Year Protocol 5, a whole three years later.
Synthion ft. Bien
Looking Glass (modus Remix)
Perfection
Independent
Dreamscape
Toshi & Tciami
In Love with a Ghost (modus Remix)
Timer (with Ruby)
Ruby (now nyha) and modus would later organize a remix contest for this song with four winners.
Our Destination (with Antiscape)
Acadia Collective
Parhelion
Independent
Rainy Thursday Night
No Return
Distanced Records, where this chill house song was released, later went through a rebrand - however, the track remains in stores and their own archival profile on Soundcloud.
DEAD LINK chose this as the opening track for their then-new Imprint Vol. 3 compilation.
Inktome & Krydaform
Beneath (modus Remix)
To this day, this remains the closing theme for modus's weekly Twitch production show "modus LIVE".
By now, the New Year Protocol Series' continuity was a given.
The direction it took from there, however, or how many more chapters were to come, was still largely a mystery.
NYP3 was originally conceived as a revival of NYP1. The final product does still bear some resemblance to that original idea, although with new additions all over the track.
2018 also saw a logo refresh - the dubbed "fish" badge acquired a more 3D look to welcome the new year.
2018: REINVENT
New Year Protocol 3: Reinvent
LUCKYCAT
Guillotine (modus Remix)
Not everything in music is smooth sailing! This release was pulled for reasons that escape my memory, disappearing from the Internet - until "Lost Files" came to the rescue again.
Time Does Not Pass By
ÅŒkoi Collective
Intrex
Flunk (modus Remix)
Beyond Real VIP
Refracted Records
You'll find taking songs from the past and
re-imagining them a reocurring trend with modus.
The Arcade Boys
Punker & Intrex
Atlas (modus Remix)
collabor8
modus and his IRL friends went bowling one day. Next to the bowling alley was an arcade zone. The rest is history!
The cover art was so last-minute, it was released in black and white, without coloring. There's something to it though!
Au5 ft. Cristina Soto
Freefall (modus Remix)
Even Au5 had praise for this remix. That can only mean one thing!
Astrale
Horizon (modus Remix)
This remix was originally created for Novatone's Producer Contest in 2018, and later released independently.
Complextep
No Return VIP
Perhaps one of the most well-known modus tracks, and the first to feature a recording of a real instrument - an amazing guitar solo played by Wontolla!
No Return was one of those tracks that simply had a universe of its own. It couldn't not have a sequel - and with the same label that housed the original.
It's around this time that modus realizes what he has in his hands - an opportunity to turn a simple yearly tradition into something truly special. In 2019, the New Year Protocol Series slowly begins to take shape as the music storyline saga we know today.
That night of January 1st, an hour prior to release, another thing happened - a little premiere video known as "New Year Protocol: The Countdown" went live on Twitch. It was only a highlight reel of his previous streams that year - but soon that would also change.
2019: EVOLVE
New Year Protocol 4: Evolve
Crystal Clear II
Like No Return, in modus's eyes, Crystal Clear wasn't just one song. Or two!
Oblivion (ft. Greg G. & Austin Vocals)
modus's debut on Rushdown came after striking a deal for something much greater than just a single. However, not many would know its full extent until a few months later...
Sector Five
Widely considered as one of modus's most iconic tracks, it was inspired by the virtual environments of the Code Lyoko TV series.
A series of cryptic teasers and posts followed. And then...
NO LIMITS: THE DEBUT ALBUM
August 20th, 2019: It was time for the grandaddy of them all.
10 tracks, no pauses. A continuous mix for a 40-minute dive into the world of modus.
No Limits remains Rushdown's first solo LP since their 2018 rebrand.
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Prism (with Sharks)
modus's debut on Exobolt arrived as part of their "006" compilation, featuring a collab with another big name in the scene in Sharks. Powerful dubstep vibes and a psytrance twist at the end made for a popular anthem.
Over Me
Meanwhile, Rushdown was busy preparing a big compilation album in the form of "Colour Bass Vol. 1" - little did we know the genre would end up ballooning into one of the most relevant takes on electronic music today.
2020: INTO THE UNKNOWN
Not even a global pandemic could stop the power of music - artists around the world united in giving people hope. This was no exception.
For the release of the fifth chapter in the New Year Protocol Series, modus knew one thing: the saga was turning out to be something truly special.
With a well-defined storyline and new additions being made every chapter, it was time to expand that beyond the music itself.
And thus, "The Countdown: Alternate Reality Game" was born. An hour-long event prior to release, full of interactive puzzles to solve, and storyline segments featuring the characters of the Series, further diving into the lore.
New Year Protocol 5: Into The Unknown
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Skybreak & Keskuda ft. Sam Horvath
Reflection (modus Remix)
Exobolt
206 (with Adam Hayder, Tsumi)
Originally created for a producer competition, this track is named after its BPM. It remains the fastest tempo modus has ever worked with.
The Man They Call Ghost (with Adam Hayder)
Willpower (with Adam Hayder, Mylky)
You might know this as the main theme of "Feedback Hour", a segment of the weekly Twitch show "modus LIVE". It was released under Paper Skies' firm, 04 Collective, and to this day it's modus's most played song on Spotify.
2077
A donation message on stream in 2019, once repitched & processed, became the main growl sound for the 1st drop of this Cyberpunk 2077-inspired theme.
Chime
Pixel Perfect (Skybreak & modus Remix)
Rushdown
SUPERNOVA: A Samplepack by modus
modus's first foray into the world of samplepacks materialized in SUPERNOVA, a kit now used by renowned artists such as Chime, Skybreak, & Pixel Terror, as well as professional sound studios. It included a full-length demo track!
Engine Start
A track heavily inspired by games like Rocket League & artists like Tokyo Machine. The cover art features a real miniature Hot Wheels car!
Paracosm (ft. Miss Lina)
Rushdown
Complextep VIP
Because modus wouldn't miss an opportunity to use that shredding guitar solo again!
Jazz Metalfunk (with Catalyst, Donis)
This was modus's first, and so far only in-person collaboration with local talent from his hometown of Murcia, Spain. Originally composed as part of an assignment for his sound technician studies, this unique 3-genre mix would go on to be distributed like any other track!
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After the success of the first ARG, the NYP Series' premiere event would go on to adopt this interactive format again for "The Countdown: Alternate Reality Game, Chapter 2".
2021 saw a major step up for modus, as he graduated from his sound technician studies, and began to apply his new knowledge. The year before, the dubbed "fish" logo was ditched entirely, with a simple text caption as placeholder. By the start of 2021, however, this would finally change with a simplified depiction of The Protocol's core from the NYP Series - the modus logo as it stands today.
2021: INFINITE
New Year Protocol 6: Infinite
NO LIMITS: The Remixes
To modus, no debut album is complete without a remix compilation.
Thus, with Rushdown's support, he enlisted the help of four up-and-coming artists (two of them would debut on the label this way!) to curate this collection of new takes on the original LP from 2019, including a VIP from modus himself.
01. Kenopsia (Sub.001 Remix)
02. No Limits (ft. Loudar) (Quartzone Remix)
03. Kenopsia (Vital Mode Remix)
04. No Limits (ft. Loudar) (Convexity Remix)
05. Sector Five VIP
Ace Aura & Millennial Trash
Noddin' (modus Remix)
Who could say no to an opportunity to make an official remix for Ace Aura & Millennial Trash, on Most Addictive?
THE ASTRAL REALM EP
Rushdown
Conceived as a sidestory of the New Year Protocol Series, The Astral Realm features four connected tracks that tell the tale of an alternate world free from evil, violence, and greed.
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SUPERLUMINAL
Continuing the trend of NYP-themed tracks, SUPERLUMINAL touches on The Humans' journey throughout the universe to find The Protocol. For that, they must travel faster than light, and there's only one ship that can do just that.
HYPERNOVA Samplepack: The Next Iteration
After the success of SUPERNOVA, a second, more refined kit was only a matter of time - along with another full-length demo track!
Visionary (with Skybreak, Miss Lina)
modus's debut on Heaven Sent came as part of Skybreak's "Unity EP" - with a song that almost didn't happen! Originally conceived as a solo track in 2017, it went through many versions, and even a complete rebuild from scratch, before seeing the light of day.
Phaseone ft. Micah Martin
Hanging By A Thread (modus Remix)
modus's submission into Disciple's "The Second Biggest Remix Competition of All Time" never made it to stores, due to the nature of the competition. Despite that, it remains one of modus's most popular recent releases.
Disciple - We Don't Play (Rushdown Remix)
modus had the amazing honor of being one of the lead producers, as well as the mixing & mastering engineer on this gargantuan collaboration, which holds the unofficial record for the largest collaboration in electronic music history - 44 ARTISTS!
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2022: ALTERED
With expectations around the New Year Protocol Series being higher than ever, the seventh iteration, along with "The Countdown: Alternate Reality Game, Chapter 3" made for one of his most complete works to date.
An increasingly hybrid/cinematic direction gives us a clue of where the series is heading next, considering it is slated to end with Chapter 10, in 2025.
Is it over after New Year Protocol ends? Chances are, it'll just be a new era.
New Year Protocol 7: Altered
Colour Ringtone (with Vital Mode)
Two artists in completely opposite sides of the world teamed up to create the ultimate phone ringtone. This was the result.
Part of Rushdown's "Colour Bass Vol. 3"
Vals Galactica
It took 7 years for modus to start experimenting with time signatures other than 4/4. The result, however, would be nothing short of mesmerizing - this waltz of the stars was an unexpectedly well-received hit.
Timeless: Over Me II (ft. Sky Roses)
Sky Roses would breathe life into this direct sequel to 2019's "Over Me", part of Rushdown's "100", a compilation album celebrating 100 releases of the label that kickstarted the Colour Bass movement. Had it not been for Sky's performance, it's likely this track would never have made it out the vault!
Say It With Me
This endearing anthem is the grand finale closing act for Exobolt's "009" compilation, featuring powerful feel-good vibes and a tempo switchup halfway through. Say it with me!
No Return: Reboot
This complete, from scratch reimagination of the concept and world behind 2017's No Return, with its stronger cinematic influence, one-drop structure, revisited leitmotifs and subtle ties to the New Year Protocol Series, saw modus's debut on Ophelia Records, including a UKF Dubstep exclusive premiere.
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ULTRANOVA Samplepack
The third and final installment in the NOVA Samplepack Series, this new outing features more of the modus sounds you know and love, as well as brand new categories of sounds, a fully sampled Roland piano, and more.
Au5 ft. Evoke - Dragonfly (modus Remix)
modus couldn't have asked for a better ending to 2022 - an official remix for Au5, an all-time inspiration, as part of the Divinorum Remixed compilation offers a new twist to the original idea, and puts the icing on the cake for a year full of developments and new opportunities.
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2023: OVERRIDE
The battle is reaching its climax - The Humans have gained an ally in The Gatekeeper, and with it, they shall bring the fight to The Protocol, once and for all.
This episode marks the culmination of the New Year Protocol Series' transition into the orchestral domain, along with "The Countdown: Chapter IV", the series's fourth and penultimate interactive premiere event
Despite the Series nearing its conclusion, 'Override' is truly a feast for the senses.
New Year Protocol 8: Override
The Countdown, Chapter IV: Original Soundtrack
2023 would mark the first year where the cinematic soundtrack composed for a New Year Protocol Countdown event would be given a full release treatment. This includes all ambient soundscapes and epic orchestral medleys featured in the momentous premiere event.
01. Rebel
02. Sounds of The Alliance
03. Peace is Long Overdue
04. This Is It
05. Make It Count
06. Bringer of Light: Final Three
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SUPERLUMINAL: REMIXED
A running gag in modus's circle eventually turned into a reality, two years on from modus's iconic SUPERLUMINAL - a remix compilation seeking to break past terminal velocity, featuring twelve up-and-coming artists and 9 remixes in total, including a VIP collab with fellow spaniard Vizzen.
01. SUPERLUMINAL (Kosmic Fluid Remix)
02. SUPERLUMINAL (Cylriel Remix)
03. SUPERLUMINAL (Agente.001 Remix)
04. SUPERLUMINAL (Omnicorum Remix)
05. SUPERLUMINAL (Mataio Remix)
06. SUPERLUMINAL (Desx, DM8 & Ireyte Remix)
07. SUPERLUMINAL (CyberScythe Remix)
08. SUPERLUMINAL (Somanylynx Remix)
09. modus & Vizzen - SUPERLUMINAL VIP
Swing Futura (with Convexity)
A sine wave. That's all it took to create the main sound in Swing Futura's 1st drop - Convexity then provided the jazzy flavor that now encompasses this one-of-a-kind track, which became Circus Records' 600th release.
2024: UNIVERSE BEYOND
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Mind and Machine reach the end of the line in 'Universe Beyond', the penultimate chapter in The New Year Protocol Series, where The Humans, The Gatekeeper, and The Creator all team up against the unbounded malice of The Protocol, which has now seeped past their own world, and into the rest of the multiverse.
A 9-minute orchestral medley for the ages featuring everything from blistering brass passages and earth-shattering drums, to wicked choirs & string ostinatos, unleashing modus's full creative power and resources, along with a fully self-produced animated short film, and
'The Countdown: CLIMAX', the feature-length grand finale of the 'Countdown' series.
This is the Series's all-time high point, from both a technical and creative storytelling, and while a departure from modus's traditionally electronic sound, it remains the epitome of what modus is all about - telling amazing stories through the power of sound.
New Year Protocol 9: UNIVERSE BEYOND
The Countdown: CLIMAX - Original Soundtrack
'The Countdown' series of premiere events for New Year Protocol gets its final sendoff with 'CLIMAX', where The Humans and The Gatekeeper must prove their worth to The Creator, seeking its support in the great war against The Protocol. This comes with the most comprehensive soundtrack yet, featuring nine tracks charged with significance to the story, that culminate in the World Premiere of New Year Protocol 9: UNIVERSE BEYOND.
01. Leaving So Soon?
02. Rifts of Time I
03. Rifts of Time II
04. Rifts of Time III
05. Speak
06. Latent Bond
07. To Summon A Billion Suns
08. Convergence
09. Semper Ad Finem
Reconnect (ft. QORA)
'Towards the end of last year, I wrote Reconnect - a song about walking the fine line between sanity and madness, and the lifelong fight with your inner demons. As used as I am to making music that tells very exotic and grand stories, I wanted to zoom in a little more this time, and explore the self with a more personal, introspective theme.
Evelyn then put in an amazing vocal performance, and elevated the song to another level, all while being the nicest person in the process.'
YOU'VE REACHED THE PRESENT DAY
Stay tuned for new music!
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