For over two decades, Ramon Tapia has been a defining force in the electronic music scene, seamlessly blending techno, house, and everything in between. With a career that spans club residencies, festival anthems, and his influential label Say What?, Tapia continues to shape the sound of modern dance music.
Following his Amplify Series podcast for our collective, we caught up with Ramon to dive deeper into his journey, exploring the evolution of his sound, the ever-changing landscape of electronic music, and the key moments that have defined his path.
Dirty Epic: Your career has spanned over 20 years, touching on various shades of electronic music—from techno to house and beyond. How has your sound evolved over time, and what has driven these shifts? Do you see yourself as constantly reinventing your sound, or is it more of a natural evolution?
Ramon Tapia: My sound has evolved immensely over the years, especially on the technical side. I need the shifts, as I think reinventing yourself is a natural evolution on itself, but still essential for your own growth. And to be honest, it’s something I really love to do as it pushes myself to other heights.
Dirty Epic: Looking back, are there any defining moments or projects that marked a turning point in your musical direction?
Ramon Tapia: Things just evolved into my new musical direction, as I am always looking for new challenges and it’s essential to me to keep evolving. I think, the moment I wouldn’t evolve anymore, I have to think about stopping with my music career. But so far, things are still moving, and I have always found new ways to test myself.
Dirty Epic: The electronic music landscape has changed drastically in many ways over the years. What’s been a major shift you’ve noticed, and how has it influenced your approach? Do you take advantage of these changes to keep being inspired and continue to push boundaries after two decades in the scene?
Ramon Tapia: Well, I think the biggest change was and is, of course, the social media take over and everything that comes within. Sadly, being a skilled DJ or producer only is not enough to get noticed. But I harnessed these changes and made them my own in a way.
Dirty Epic: Beyond music, are there any creative outlets or hobbies that keep you inspired?
Ramon Tapia: If I have some spare time, I love to go to exhibitions and support artists that are not in the music sphere at all. It’s all about broadening my mind which helps then in return with inspiration.
Dirty Epic: What are some of your career highlights?
Ramon Tapia: I have quite some highlights, but one that always stayed with me was when I had my first ever tour in Colombia. So I stepped out of the airport, and literally the first thing I saw was a huge billboard with my face on it. Still kind of a weird feeling seeing yourself like that, haha.
Dirty Epic: What was your first encounter with techno, and what drew you into the scene? Was there a specific track, artist, or moment that made you realize techno was your path? Coming from a musical background with diverse influences, how did techno become your main focus?
Ramon Tapia: My first encounter with techno happened on a young age as my sisters always came back from clubs with cassettes or brought vinyl that were later played loud in the house.
I think one of the first tracks that I can remember that really got stuck with me was Cybersonik–Technarchy by Richie Hawtin, John Aquaviva and Daniel Bell, which is still a beast of a track if you hear it now.
I think Techno became my main focus when I started working in the record shop after school. This influenced me a lot to become a producer and DJ, and that’s when my music journey took off and here we are.
Dirty Epic: Regarding your label Say What?, it has been going strong for a decade now, how has the label evolved since its launch? Do you have any special projects coming up ?
Ramon Tapia: The label is an extension of myself and it mirrors my current taste and vibes as producer and DJ. I’m really thinking of doing a new album as it’s been already 15 years since my last one. I think the time is right to show the audience what my palette is these days and surprise everybody once again or at least try.
Dirty Epic: What do you look for when signing new artists to Say What?
Ramon Tapia: For me it’s like listening records in the record shop if the first couple of bars don’t catch my attention I am out. I am also not that much style-based and or a guy that only wants to release from well-known names – what’s good is good, or at least what my ear tells me. Just as with making music your gut feeling will always be right.
Dirty Epic: Has running a label changed the way you approach your own productions?
Ramon Tapia: Not really, I define the sound of the label, It’s not the label that defines my music. And for me the most important is still having fun and enjoying the process in general and not focusing on a certain approach that I should follow. Music has to come from the heart and then it will touch hearts.
Dirty Epic: In today’s fast-moving digital music landscape, what challenges do independent labels face?
Ramon Tapia: Creating visibility and making sure that the artists that you sign get the right attention. The music should reach the right listener and that’s the tough part, as a lot is randomized these days.
Dirty Epic: Production-wise, what are your favorite pieces of gear in your studio right now?
Ramon Tapia: I don’t use that much outboard gear anymore to be honest but there are two little things that would never leave my studio, one is my Digitakt which is just a fun piece of gear that can make you flip sounds super easy and not that hard to learn, second is an old piece of gear the Nord Micro Modular – a monster in a small package with huge sounds.
Dirty Epic: Considering all the genres you went through, has your studio setup changed a lot over the years? What’s the biggest upgrade you’ve made?
Ramon Tapia: I didn’t really upgrade that much to be honest, I love sampling and it’s always been an endless source of inspiration for me from House to Techno.
I am pretty much an in-the-box producer, but I’m always on the lookout for new and inspiring tools, either hardware or software. Boys need toys, you know what I mean.
Dirty Epic: What’s your workflow like when starting a new track? Do you have a go-to process, or is it different every time? Do you have any rituals or habits in the studio that help you stay creative and productive?
Ramon Tapia: I start my morning with a jam session of an hour to 2 hours and try to make something as fast as possible without really thinking of the outcome good or bad. This really pushes me and I found out that actually the best tracks I ever made where always made fast. The music you make then comes from the heart and you have no time to overthink anything, as this can be a totally horror and for sure a buzzkill.
With a legacy spanning over 20 years, he continues to push boundaries, refine his craft, and inspire both new and established artists. We are grateful to have had him as part of our Amplify Series, both through his mix and this dive into his musical journey. Keep an eye out for his upcoming projects, and, of course, catch him behind the decks whenever you get the chance.
-Interview by Rodolphe Vidal
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