My Studio: Rooléh [South Records, Cécille, Moxy Muzik]

Ruud Koole, known as Rooléh, is an Amsterdam-based house DJ/producer who began making music in early 2020. In April 2021, he joined the Masters NL talent program, mentored by artists like Michel de Hey, Franky Rizardo, and Anil Aras.

Gaining recognition, Rooléh has released music on labels such as Cecille, Airtime, Moxy Muzik, and Lacuna, with his high-energy, sample-based house music, influenced by genres like Hip-hop, Soul, and Disco, being played by top artists. He also runs VOID Events, which started in his hometown with a friend and has since expanded to Amsterdam.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rooléh (@roolehmusic)

While releasing what may just be one of the biggest records of the year, ‘Daylight’, which sits as the title cut of his latest EP on George Smeddles’ South Records imprint and comes equipped with remixes from fellow A’Dam native Toman and legendary Spanish House stalwart Tuccillo, we invited Rooléh to give us a behind the scenes look at where the magic happens in this exclusive My Studio feature.

How long have you been in your current studio space/setup?

I’ve got a bedroom studio where I’ve been producing right from the beginning which was 4 years ago.

What elements in your studio help inspire you to write new music?

In my studio I like to play around with my Ableton Push. I’ll load up a sample, put in in slice mode and start hammering the touchpad on the Push until I hear something nice. 

What elements of your latest EP, ‘Daylight,’ stand out most from a production perspective? Are there any things that make it specifically unique compared to past productions?

If I had to describe the sound of my productions at the moment it would be exactly the way that Daylight track is made. It’s very repetitive, doesn’t have that many elements and it’s all sample-based. While the sound of the track is the same as I produce now, It still stands out from my other productions because it’s so euphoric and truly a one-of-a-kind piece. I haven’t made anything similar to it and I don’t think I ever will. 

What’s your favourite piece of hardware/software used regularly in your studio?

As I said before, I really like to use the Ableton Push. I also work completely inside the box, so there isn’t any other hardware I use besides the Push and a MIDI keyboard. 

What’s your favourite track you’ve written so far in your current studio?

Daylight is definitely one of my favorites, but I’ve recently build a track with my own voice called “Some Time” which I really like. There’s something unique when it’s your own voice on a track and it makes it 100% original. It’s still unsigned and I’m keeping it very tight, but I think this will be one of my next big tracks for 2025.

What are some absolute must-haves for any good studio?

A good laptop that can handle big projects and an Ableton Push… I keep saying it. Good speakers and sound treatment are also very important to me. 

What advice can you give aspiring artists who don’t have access to a studio or equipment or want to set up their first space for producing music?

Don’t start buying all sorts of gear because you think you need it in order to sound good. I bought a TB-3 and a TR-8, thinking I was going to produce a lot of tracks with them. The truth is, I haven’t made a single track with them. I work inside the box and don’t need any gear to make the tracks that I want to make. So think about if you’re going inside or outside the box before buying anything. 

If you could change one thing about your studio, what would it be and why?

My room is too small to have a proper sound treatment, so I’d like to have a bigger room so I can really make it sound good. 

Rooléh’s ‘Daylight’ EP (including Toman & Tuccillo Remixes) is available to download/stream via South Records on all major platforms here.