“Those shows were more like fantasy ambient soundscapes,” remember the producers, “they were slightly less straightforward, clubby, and a little more insane.” “There was a weird rendition of ‘Across the Universe’ by some German band we referenced,” Lopez says.
Step 2: Identify the Right References, Then Reimagine Them Completely
How it often goes, Lopez says, is that he’ll text Ross a few references that help him set the tone and vibe, he’ll explain the collection and walk through the moodboard, and then “let them do their magic with their fingers.” The key reference in this case was the song by Colón. “Instead of just DJing the tracks that Raul provides we make music that’s bespoke for the show inspired by them,” Ross says, “unless it’s a powerful nostalgic or personal moment, everything else you guys do front scratch,” Lopez adds. Hence why the song by Colón opened the show before the custom-made music started to set the rhythm of the runway.
Step 3: Everyone Does Their Thing, Then Regroups
“I’ll usually do a pass with Matt for a couple of sessions and then Raul will come over to give us feedback, or ask for vocals, or figure out what needs to be done,” says Ross.
They start the process anywhere from two months to just three weeks in advance, depending on how far along Lopez is with the collection. “It can come together pretty quick because Aaron gets excited,” Arkell says, with Ross adding, “we’re not crafting a vibe, we know what it is, we start with something strong already.”
Step 4: Vocals, Lyrics, and Key Concept-to-Reality Touches
“This is when I come into the studio and I’m like, I need more faggotness,” Lopez jokes. He is talking about throwing in those deep cut references only he can provide. Because the music is made from scratch, he explains, those references—for example, a year ago Lopez created a collection about the return of the metrosexual, which he folded into the soundscape as vocals—have to sometimes be literal.
Ross and Arkell explain that they’ll often recur to AI-generated vocals to fold in Lopez’s ideas. “We’ll write some stuff and have Lara Croft say it,” they joked. One season, Lopez recalls, they asked Chat GPT to define Luar. “From the runways of Paris to the bodegas of New York…” is what the computer offered. “Not no,” laughs Lopez, “it was hilarious, but it worked.”
