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Festival Heat: Adriana Ruas’s Top MOGA Tunes
From shaping Portugal's underground through Kokölò and Pérola Negra to commanding dancefloors from Porto to Berlin, Adriana Ruas has built a reputation for deeply personal, genre-fluid sets that effortlessly connect house, dub, techno and everything in between. Her recent appearance at MOGA Caparica, the beachside festival that blends electronic music, culture and community on Portugal's Atlantic coast, was no exception.
Set against the backdrop of sun-soaked afternoons and ocean breezes, Adriana's opening set perfectly captured the spirit of MOGA: warm, hypnotic and full of subtle surprises. Here, she revisits a selection of standout records from that session, sharing the stories, influences and dancefloor instincts behind each choice. From soothing openers and rolling grooves to dub-infused gems and closing tracks that leave room for the next journey to begin, these are the sounds that helped define her MOGA experience.
Elastic (Phase III) - Opal Sunn
This track was part of one of my favourite releases of 2024, from Opal Sunn, duo by Alex Kassian & Hiroaki OBA. It’s also a very soothing track to start a mix with and that’s something I had in mind due to being at a beach during a beautiful sunny afternoon.
Grilled Romaine - Fennec
A Roller with momentum but not so much complexity. A great tool for a dancefloor to not stand still at any time.
Brennan - Hand Clap [Dubble 002]
Dub and reggae have been with me since an early age and have always reminded me of how much I love the sun and the beach, so why not bring those two worlds together? Keep an eye out for this label too!
Eggheads - Hatma Dub [ALQ003]
A great roller to keep the energy going, especially towards the end of my opening set.
Wicked Plastic - Monotix
One of my favourite finds of the year. The noise stabs, the syncopathed acid-like bassline and then the sensitive vocal as a background texture really make it for me.
Guerilla Dub - Audio Soul Project
I love the warmth of the drums and synths. I think it’s the kind of sound that really characterises what I’ve been searching for in records lately.
Sly Toot - Swoose
Released on Moxie’s label, On Loop. Swoose’s EP had several highlights, but this is the track I play the most. I love the percussion mixed with the trance-like vibe.
The Big If - Brother Nebula
A recommendation from Alfonsvs to close my set with. Brother Nebula, a producer from Texas, consistently delivers high-quality music. I always try to leave an opening set in a way that allows the next DJ complete freedom to take the energy wherever they want, and I believe this track creates the perfect space for that.
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