Interview with Ramiro Drisdale

Born in Buenos Aires, Ramiro Drisdale has been releasing music since 2019, building a catalog of uplifting tracks on labels including All Day I Dream, Anjunadeep, Sudbeat, and The Soundgarden. His work has received support from Lee Burridge, John Digweed, Hernán Cattaneo, Nick Warren, Tony McGuinness, Jimi Jules, and others. Glade marks his first full EP on All Day I Dream, following three consecutive appearances on the label’s Winter Sampler compilations.

When you began working on Glade, did you have a specific emotional or visual landscape in mind, or did the concept emerge as the tracks took shape?

Generally, when I’m in the creative moment of making a track, I try to let go and just do whatever comes out naturally. That’s how Glade happened. That day I was inspired by that kind of sound, and when I finished it, the first thing that came to mind was, “this might resonate with Lee,” and that’s exactly what happened. So yes, it took shape as I was making it..

Can you describe a production decision on this EP that felt risky at the time but ultimately defined the final sound?

Having my own EP on All Day I Dream was always a dream of mine, and also a huge challenge, especially considering that the label is home to many artists I deeply admire and learn a lot from. Taking into account that my path as a producer started in 2019, achieving this required a lot of effort and work. I’m truly very grateful to be working with Lee. When I started composing the tracks, as I mentioned before, I don’t usually label them beforehand. It was wonderful how, as I was finishing the songs, I could already visualize them living in the cloud.

How does your creative workflow change when you’re writing an EP as a unified statement rather than individual club tracks?

 The creative workflow is the same in terms of production. What happens is that, like everything in life, one thing leads to another. The first track created for the EP was Jebel, and that track in turn generated the ideas for Glade and Norte.

Were any of the tracks on Glade born from sketches or ideas that sat unfinished for a long time before finding their place here?

Glade and Jebel came together quite quickly. In the case of Norte, it’s a type of harmony I had in mind for about four years (I swear). That’s why it’s called “Norte.” In my past as a musician, I used to play a lot of Argentine Northern folk music, and that harmony is very characteristic of that style. Honestly, the idea worked really well.

How has your sound evolved since your earliest releases in 2019, and what aspects of your identity as an artist feel most solid now?

 I couldn’t really characterize the evolution of my sound or anyone else’s, for that matter. It’s simply something that happens. It is what it is. Of course, there’s an obvious difference in both aesthetics and quality, but that’s the result of the maturity you build as a producer, and that’s always for the better. Whether people like it or not is subjective. Today I consider myself a flexible producer, and that has to do with constantly daring myself to try new things. I feel very solid in the production aspect, without a doubt.

Do you approach writing differently when imagining a dance floor versus a more introspective, home-listening environment?

In my case, when I make music I usually bring in an idea inspired by something—whether it’s a lived moment like a concert, a gathering, a conversation with a colleague, etc. That has a big impact. Your mood that day can also influence it. In the end, it’s a combination of events that ends up being poured into a song. That’s the beautiful part of it. So it’s very likely that if you come from a club night where you heard someone playing techno, you’ll bring stronger ideas than if you went to the theater to listen to opera, for example. It happens unconsciously.

How does being from Buenos Aires shape your musical sensibilities and the textures you explore?

Argentina,Buenos Aires in particular, is very special (you’ve probably heard this from countless DJs). We’re also lucky to have some of the best audiences. As I said before, everything is inspiration, and everything is connected. The energy that’s generated is hugely motivating. I think we owe a lot of that to Hernán Cattáneo, who has placed our country at the very top.

Do you think about mixing and layering these tracks with others when producing, or do you focus solely on their standalone identity first?

Nowadays, I try to make music that works for me when I’m playing it, whereas before that wasn’t always the case. Yes, when creating an EP you try to make sure the tracks work well together, but it’s not something you force, it naturally happens because you’re in that same “mood,” whether you want to be or not.

When listeners hear Glade for the first time, what detail do you hope reveals itself only after repeated listens?

I’d like people to walk away with that feeling of a good moment. I think Glade is exactly that, a good moment. It’s something you can listen to at the end of your day and feel good energy from, or even start your day with it. It has a very uplifting sound design; it’s not a dark-vibe track. At the same time, it drops with strength, so it works very well in a club. I hope it makes people feel the same way it makes me feel.

Looking ahead, does Glade feel like a closing chapter of a phase for you, or more like the beginning of a new direction?

Glade is the beginning of a beautiful new chapter.

Interview with Ramiro Drisdale