// Published Originally in THE CLUBBING BIBLE Ibiza, 2013

This man is the musical Es Védra! Dozens of myths and legends help to create the distinctive, mysterious aura that surrounds Ricardo Villalobos just like the mystical rock off the west coast of Ibiza: He does not have an e-mail address or manage a facebook account. He drives around the island of Ibiza in a twenty year old Mercedes Benz. It is even said he has no bank account of his own. Rumours that circulate not least because the artist himself speaks only very rarely to the public, adding to the conundrum that is Ricardo.

In our digital world of 1 and 0 he is the virus. Not only does he still play vinyl but he also distances himself from social media and the world of online promotion. ‘The party itself is promotion enough’ he once said. And he is right in that one bad review in an internet forum nowadays is enough to make the party sound bad even if a thousand others had a great time and do not write about it online. Villalobos’ view of the clubber is not that of a consumer but of a contributor. As a punter you are just as responsible for the success of a party as the promoter, waitress or the DJ is: Everybody has to add their share to create the unique vibe that makes a party legendary.

Clubbing is living the moment, which is also the reason why one party cannot be compared to another. It is an evanescent spirit, nothing to capture or repeat with an online-recording of the club-set as an mp3. Therefore the DJ is not more important for the party than everybody else on the dance-floor. It is the humble self-image of an artist coming from modest circumstances as a Chile born immigrant in Germany. ‘I don’t like hype’, Ricardo Villalobos says 2005 in an interview for “Slices”, ’The hype produces a picture of a person which is not the reality. Someone likes your music without having heard it before, just because of the hype!’

Ricardo enjoys a rather musical upbringing and is influenced from very early on by the Latin-American music of his Chilean parents at an un-German volume. Having played in a club for the first time in 1988 he then starts producing acid house and techno in the early nineties. But it is in 1999 that his career really takes off with a gig at the very first Cocoon event ever in Ibiza. It is only months later that he joins the Cocoon Booking agency, becomes resident at Cocoon Ibiza and remains faithful to it ever since. As the first real terrace-whisperer he characterizes the sound of the famous Amnesia floor like no one else and almost single-handedly makes it to what it is today. Ricardo Villalobos shows how consistent work, ethos and doing your thing pay off in the end. For decades now he has been staying true to his beliefs, his promoter and not least his taste.

A taste that isn’t always easy on the audience, mind you. More like pieces of art than functional club tools Ricardo Villalobos’ music is not for the casual listener. With tracks that usually last around 15 minutes it takes attention and the willingness to let it in. The infamous ‘Fizheuer Zieheuer’ EP features the 37 minute long title track spread over two sides of vinyl. Repeating brass instrument samples over a faint hi-hat as the basis for a minute long experimenting with rhythms and folkloric melodies, distorted by relentless clangs. Imagine playing something like this in your average club.

In an interview for “FAZE Magazine” Ricardo once said that he believes there is club-music which is not danceable. Ironically, to really appreciate his clever and opulent productions you need the sophisticated sound system of a huge club though. So basically locking yourself in on Amnesia’s terrace in the afternoon and turning up his music while sitting alone in a lounge chair is probably the best way of understanding some of Ricardo’s music.

As such a listening session is not part of Amnesias summer line-up we will make do with an All Night Long set of Ricardo Villalobos on the Amnesia terrace at Cocoon. On September 23rd he will play uninterruptedly from midnight till close so if you are on the island at this time you are in for a treat. Electronic music’s enfant terrible will bring his share to make a good party, be sure to contribute yours!

Ricardo Villalobos plays at Cocoon Ibiza on September 23rd and at the Closing on September 30th.