Abel Ramos

Abel Ramos, Spanish DJ & producer, is someone we have been watching for quite some time. Having had a string of releases on big labels he is without a doubt one of the biggest names in the Spanish EDM scene. When we found out he was also going to play at Tomorrowland this year we decided to take action & ask him some questions. Check out the interview below.

abel ramos presspic

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to have this interview with you! How has this year been for you so far?

Thank you for dedicating your time to me. It’s been a very good year. I am happy with everything that’s going on both at production level as well as with the shows but above all, having been able to perform at Tomorrowland has been a fantastic experience.

How did you start producing & DJ’ing? Tell us a little about that and at what age did you begin?

Starting DJ’ing was pure coincidence, I never thought of being a DJ but that’s where destiny placed me. I started working at a club doing a bit and shortly after I started playing music, then production came later. I was curious to know the process of production and I started investigating and hooking up with friends who knew already about it, for them to show me the secrets and to learn how to get the sound out of the machines.

Wow we’ve never heard a similar story! Who or what inspired you from the beginning?

Even if I might have played other styles, in the 25 years of my career I have always been inspired by house music, it’s always been present in my life in one way or another.

Great. Well it’s actually special for us to interview a Spanish DJ/Producer & for our readers, as the Spanish market concerning DJ’s is relatively unknown here. Could you mention a couple of Spanish DJ’s/Producers that our readers should definitely check out & why?

It is true that there aren´t many known Spanish DJ´s out there. Within my circuit, I would tell your readers to look into David Tort or Albert Neve. I think they are at a brilliant level within production and they are DJ´s with great experience in the booth.

You’ve been mentioned as a DJ/Producer to look out for by the legendary Roger Sanchez before. How did that feel, did it motivate you to keep learning & producing?

Having an artist such as Roger looking into you and commenting on your work, as well as having him naming you as an emerging producer, is something incredible. It is something very motivating and it gives you strength to carry on working and learning every day.

You’ve released on several big labels already & produced many tracks. Maybe a difficult question but looking back, what has been your most special track so far? Maybe you can tell us a story behind the track?

‘Rotterdam City of Love’ published on Axtone, is my favourite track. Maybe because with this track, I started to let the world know what is now the sound that represents me. Right after finishing this track I passed it on to a friend who played at Space of Sound Madrid and Axwell played right after him and he decided to finish his set with ‘Rotterdam City Of Love’. Axwell heard it and asked him if he could pass him the cd – he told Axwell that he couldn’t but that he could pass him the email of the person who had done the track – And that’s how it happened. The next day I got an email from Axwell asking me for the track to play it at his sets and shortly after, he wrote back to see if I wanted to publish it on Axtone.

With which DJ/Producers would you it be your dream to make a track with & why?

I would love to do something with Axwell, his vision about music is something that fascinates me.

We completely understand that! Especially since your career started at his label. Alright, in your career you’ve been able to play alongside many amazing and legendary DJ’s, could you point out some highlights so far?

I love Antoine Clamaran´s technique it is superb he is one of those DJ´s all of the time. Axwell knows very well how to build up his sets, he knows how to get the crowd to where he wants and for example, I like the way Steve Angello creates the energy and connection with the crowd.

It was impossible to miss that you have played on Tomorrowland’s Madza Rebel Island stage this July. How did you prepare yourself for that set & experience?

It’s been an incredible experience. It’s not just the music. From the moment you go in you have the feeling you are in another world. There are all these details and the atmosphere you breathe is hard to find anywhere else. People go with the mentality that they are going to have a great time. It is a festival which I highly recommend to all lovers of electronic music to visit. I never prepare my sets, I am more of observing what is it that people want and then giving it to them, I like to improvise.

Could you tell something about your other summer-tour dates, which ones are you most excited for?

This summer I will be playing a lot in my own country and I like this, since it’s been quite some years that this wasn’t happening. Apart from Tomorrowland which without doubt is the date of the summer I will have my residency at Opium Barcelona every Monday – this is a club where the best artists of the world play. I will also be at various clubs in Europe and by the end of the summer I will visit South America. Really to me, all dates are as important as each other, I am as excited to play at a big festival than in a small club. No matter where you play, your effort needs to be just the same it’s a question of respect to the crowd.

Opium

Abel Ramos at OPIUM

Could you tell us something about an upcoming release/collaboration, what do you have planned and on which label etc?

Soon a collaboration with my friend Felix Leiter on Void will be released. I will also make something with David Tort and there is a new track which Steve Angello is already playing in his sets – I have to see what to do with it – But all this will be for after the summer so you’ll have to wait a little!

Thanks very much for this interview! We will be keeping an eye on you during the summer!

Thank you very much and I hope to see you all soon!