DJ Ravin

The Buddha Bar king lifts our spirits and gives us Music For Dreams

Interview by Dan Prince


Ravin a massive welcome to DMCWORLD sir…where on planet earth are you today?

“Hello DMCWORLD! I’m currently in Romania after two massive gigs, flying back to Paris now where I am based.”

What was the first piece of music you heard this morning after rolling out of bed?

“Unfortunately nothing, I was rushing for the airport…”

A wonderful start to 2015 for you with the release of Music For Dreams ‘Best of Volume 3’. I live in Ibiza where label boss Kenneth Bager is something of a chilled beats legend. When did you first meet this great Dane?

“Actually I am a great fan of the music from the Dreams label.  I have been using their tracks for my own compilations since the label began and we were talking a lot on the phone, then I met Kenneth in person at Midem in Cannes and the rest as the say… “


The album is a beautiful mix of spiritually inspired and blissfully deep electronica, house, nu-disco and chill out productions. What was your aim and direction you wanted to produce for the album…?

“I just wanted to create a beautiful journey featuring a mix of global sounds featuring a crescendo. I have included everything from old music for Dreams stuff to new gems from the label and to have something of a Buddha Bar touch as well. I am also including a fresh remix of Kenneth’s first solo single ‘Fragment One’,  done by me.”



What are some of the tracks you are especially pleased to have included…  

“To be honest? All of them.”

You have a remarkable story from your early days. Born on the idyllic island of Mauritius, you moved to Paris where after finding work at a record store, secured a residency at the world famous Rex club. So why leave the white sands of the honeymooners paradise…

“Hahaha! This was all about the dream of my parents due to the fact that they wanted us to study in the right places and so my father had to go to work in France.”

Did your love of music take over your life, did you just go in search of your dream?

“Yes definitely. I was bad at school, but when I started to work in record stores in Paris, I was able to explore and love all kinds of music including pop and rock.”

You met Buddha Bar’s Claude Challe at a Wiz Bombino party and soon was collaborating on singles. When the idea of creating an actual Buddha Bar CD…

“Yes I met Claude there and at the Les Bains Douches club as well. The first Buddha Bar CD came out in 2000, as we were receiving a lot of positive feedback of our music selection we decided to make the Buddha Bar compilations and they were massively successful.”

Had you any idea just how big this series was going to be?

“No, honestly it was a big surprise to us. Our distributors did a great job on them. It was unbelievable what the series did for the place, the CD made the place more famous as we were selling the compilation albums in more than 76 countries.”


DMC are of course the creators of the Back To Mine album series. If we came back to your house after a club or lounge session…what is the DJ Ravin Back To Mine selection you would spin us to continue the groove…

“I would play some ethnic grooves and some special edits from my musical library.”

Where has been the most remote place you have heard one of your albums?

“Huvafenfushi Island, north atoll in the Maldives, where you have only 200 people.”

You must meet so many different people who must inspire you when you travel to so many different countries. Can you tell us about some of the magical folk you have crossed paths with that has left an everlasting impression on you…

“I like travelling to Brazil for the culture of music and people.” 


Tell us about an album we may be surprised to find in your collection…

“Miles Davis ‘Dark Magus’.” 




The big 3 club records in your box this weekend, please give us a few words on each…

Kygo ID ‘Love It Fresh’.

New and very beach.

Damian Lazarus  ’Lovers Eyes’ Mix by Carl Craig

Simply stunning with Qawwali vocals.

Acid Arab ‘Samira’

Great Oriental fusion.”



You have created the music and soundtrack for many fashion shows and brand parties…but also for some very cool celebrities. What was it like to spin for Sting…did he talk music with you?

“Yeah, Sting is a very nice, great person who is very humble.  I was spinning for him in his private house where there were monks drawing mandalas. I was playing ambient and yoga music and he came and thanked me a lot for coming…and asked me to play a track from the Buddha Bar 3 compilation called ‘My Dear Masters’. Was all very cool.”

What is next on the agenda for DJ Ravin and Buddha Bar…

“I have a lots of gigs worldwide and will be releasing 8 CDs this year.”

3 bucket list adventures you would love to do in your lifetime?

“I would love to visit the Taj Mahal in India.

Take a safari on Mount Kilimanjaro.

And visit Tibet.” 




A song that reminds you of your childhood?

“Indian Bollywood stuff like Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar.”




And finally, a beautiful quote from you…”Whole worlds in a handful of beats. Sounds touching on spirituality. Rhythms transcending cultures. Harmonies of the East melting into western breezes. Tracks telling their private story.” Is there a more important language in the world than music?

“Without music, life would be a mistake…”

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MUSIC FOR DREAMS – ‘BEST OF’ VOLUME 3 – MIXED & COMPILED BY DJ RAVIN – Out on March 29th…

http://www.kennethbager.dk

http://www.djravin.com

Ravin Mix 1 preview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvFACYwFjoc

Ravin Mix 2 preview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq6F_KxhDoI