The unbelievable Alcachofa album of 2003 was followed by another stunner. Playing to 300,000 at Love Parade 2006 Berlin an example of the other end of the scale. From Dorian Gray to Robert Johnson to Fabric and of course the terrace of Amnesia Ibiza – some places that are now synonymous with Ricardo shows. Across the globe anything might happen and when you stir fry this with the anticipation that hovers over any Villalobos show it probably will.Ĭlubs. A bigger studio means more tools but nothing else has changed, the approach remains the same as with that first Roland drum machine.įind yourself on the dancefloor and this same sense of purity and possibility applies. Work with people, share with people, listen to people. When they seem elusive build them, generate them yourself. In this cluttered almost claustrophobic place a staggering body of work continues to evolve, emerge and then park itself. There is a sense on a daily basis, and he is there every day when not playing, that anything could happen. Inevitably the studies stopped, all these records needed a home.ġ988 ish and there was also music to be made, the drum machine had been purchased.Ģ015 and Ricardo is based in Berlin and has developed a studio that feels like it might take off at any moment, just launch itself somewhere. Aged 15 and the first gig request, the school disco and the young collection gets played and before long University studies were being punctuated by the first proper gigs in Darmstadt. This mania, 30 something years later shows no sign of stopping.īack to the pasture.
Get some percussion and some vocals and you can have a party – a party that perhaps might never stop.Īged 10 he was joining these gatherings playing the congas and hoovering up the mix tapes that some older Dj’s were playing or even leaving behind.Īged 12 he was making his own mix tapes and selling them at school to be able to afford to buy records and then more records. Mr and Mrs V always included and even to a young boy it was quite clear. So in 1973 they left for Germany taking the percussive language of South America with them, the young Villalobos was still surrounded by music, musicians and performance. Born in Chile in 1970 the travels began at the age of three because Pinochet’s Chile was no place for family Villalobos. Here are some facts and a few gentle observations about a fiercely important presence in modern music.Īs both Dj and producer Ricardo Villalobos has always travelled to the sound of a different drum.