We chat with Berlin's own Juan Ramos, of Discodromo's infamous queer party Cocktail D’Amore, before he plays Le Bain on Saturday, June 30th for Parka Records.
LE BAIN: Are you touring Mexico and the U.S. as we speak?
JUAN RAMOS: At the moment I am visiting my family in Connecticut, so I'm just about to start the tour.
Are you excited about one city in particular?
I’m equally excited to play all the parties that have been kind enough to invite me to play. With that said, I am especially excited to head out to LA for Lights Down Low with Fatima Yamaha and to Mexico City with my buddies from Bears in Space for their Pride party. I’ve heard lots of great things about both parties and I’m confident they won’t disappoint.
Are you excited about one city in particular?
I’m equally excited to play all the parties that have been kind enough to invite me to play. With that said, I am especially excited to head out to LA for Lights Down Low with Fatima Yamaha and to Mexico City with my buddies from Bears in Space for their Pride party. I’ve heard lots of great things about both parties and I’m confident they won’t disappoint.
GreenVision (Juan Ramos & Trent) live at Cocktail D'Amore
Do you expect any of those to compete with your infamous Berlin queer party, Cocktail D’Amore?
In general I would have to say it’s probably hard to put any party in the U.S. next to what Discodromo has built at Cocktail. Of course, our rules in Berlin are much more relaxed, which allows us to really stretch a party out and let the transformation from beginning to end really be a focal point. We have lots of regulars that come on the rowdy, sweaty Saturday nights and many people who come to enjoy the Sunday vibes into the early hours of Monday morning. No shade on the U.S. scene, but there just really isn’t any comparison…for now! [Laughs.]
Your label ESP Institute has described your recent EP, Rambutan (as Greenvision, your duo with Trent) as “an intense cerebral workout,” but at the same time “playful, melodic, euphoric.” Is that a good description of your music, both as a producer and a DJ?
I would definitely agree with that statement. I’m certainly drawn to the headier side of things and Luca [Trentini, a.k.a. Trent] and I connect very well on that level. The mindset that we share is that whatever the situation, whether producing together or alone and playing records as individuals, is that every moment should capture all the wonderful and strange variety of feelings that can be had. We like to challenge ourselves as often as possible about our own perceptions of taste and style and present it as such for the audience in hopes of presenting something unique.
Greenvision "Banana Paradiso" (snippet)
You like to say, "The endless succession of segues, from record to record to record, is just another way of expressing the fact that we're all in this together.” Tell us more about that.
I can’t quite remember where I picked up the quote, but it’s something that really struck a chord with me. Sharing music is a very personal endeavor for me, and as I tend to be a bit reclusive, the way I communicate best socially is through this medium. I take great joy and pride in putting together selections that lead a sort of unspoken conversation between myself and the dancers and the dancers amongst themselves. Trying to constantly find our commonalities and bring people closer together in ways they may not in the “outside world.”
The "inside world" being the club.
At the end of the day, clubs act as a social equalizer and the least we can do as DJs is to give the people, who allow us to live the lives we do, the most memorable and personal kind of experience possible and remind them that their fellow dancers are people deserving of love and respect.
The "inside world" being the club.
At the end of the day, clubs act as a social equalizer and the least we can do as DJs is to give the people, who allow us to live the lives we do, the most memorable and personal kind of experience possible and remind them that their fellow dancers are people deserving of love and respect.
On Saturday, June 30th, Le Bain presents Parka
feat. Juan Ramos, Lawrence Lee & Peter Fonda
The Standard, High Line | 10pm
