At the moment there’s a big house revival and the free rave spirit is back; what are your thoughts on this?
R: I’m happy the scene doesn’t stand still and keeps evolving; it keeps me and the crowds moving. 🙂
Antwerp is where you live at the moment, but you’re half Chilean half Dutch; what kind of influence do you think this has had on your sound?
R: I think rhythm is something I was born with. Antwerp actually gave me the choice to make my dream come true.
You studied to be a goldsmith how did you get from that to being the respected producer you are today?
R: Well it didn’t come at once of course, but when I was studying I was already a bedroom Dj, and when I finished my study’s I started working as a goldsmith. I started to feel my interest was more with music, so when I got the request from a friend to help him out in the record store I said YESSS!!!!! Right away 🙂
After that I got hooked on Djing and also started producing. After a year I told my parents I wanted to follow my dream and see if I could become a DJ/Producer ….and here we are 🙂
You re-edited the tracks on the new Strictly mix; how did you put your own stamp on the Strictly sound?
R: I just did my thing, with keeping in mind the Strictly sound but giving it the Ramon Tapia touch!
How did you decide which tracks to choose from the Strictly catalogue, was it like being a kid in a candy store?
R: Yeah it was, oeff there are so many wicked tracks in their back catalogue. I checked first of all which tracks I had on vinyl and thought about which ones would be cool to edit and remix from them. Then I started to check the rest of the catalogue, but I could have made a 4 CD compilation as the goodies were everywhere 🙂
If you had to pick one track on the album, which would be your favourite and why?
R: Sir James – ‘Special’ – Ramon Tapia remix, this track is just big big big, and works really everywhere, every time!
Does the Strictly album reflect what you sound like when you play live?
R: Yes it does, as it goes from housey to more techy influenced music, so this pretty much covers what I play around.
What else are you working on at the moment that we should know about?
R: Well the Strictly Rhythms Vol. 6 is coming out with remixes and edits of old Strictly Rhythm Tracks, I Just finished a remix for Silicon Soul of their Classic track called ‘Right on’ for Soma Records, Working on a Track with Secret Cinema for his album out in 2011 and much much more!
