Raffaele Rizzi: “Nostalgic when thinking back”

Marcy and Rafaelle laughing - date: October 2016
In March 2017 I interviewed the charismatic Raffaele Rizzi about his DJ-debut in Naples. DJ Hollen was present at this first gig.

This post is also available in: Nederlands (Dutch)

raffaele in actie 3 - Raffaele Rizzi: "Nostalgic when thinking back"

In March 2017 I interviewed the charismatic and driven Italian techno DJ/producer Raffaele Rizzi about his debut in Naples. Raffaele remembers: "The audience was really young, warm and responsive."

“I remember my first gig very well. Thinking about it makes me a little nostalgic. My debut took place near Naples, in a villa. I was still very young, only 15.”

“Of course, I was very nervous. Playing for an audience is not the same as playing in your own bedroom. Only after you’ve had a gig in front of real people, you find out whether you’re heading in the right direction. Or not.”

Hollen

“It was a private party. Music-wise the emphasis was on minimal/electro sounds. The audience was really young, warm and responsive. DJ Hollen was also present at my debut. Since then, I’ve happily often shared the stage with him.”

“Preparing a set at home has never had my preference. Of course, I always take more music than I will ever be able to play during a set. You simple never know what crowd on the dancefloor you will get confronted with.”

raffaele in actie 1 768x512 - Raffaele Rizzi: "Nostalgic when thinking back"

Happy man

“I grew up with music. My father is a huge lover of rock, electronic music and dance and he has an incredible vinyl and CD collection. That lead to the fact that my family has always supported me. As far as that goes, I consider myself a happy man.”

Rino Cerrone

“You’re asking if I ever had a mentor? Well, from a technical point of view, that was my good friend Marco Cardinale. He taught me the basics. How to approach the DJ-world and how to play at my strength. He was incredibly patient with me. As far as my music-background is concerned, I would like to name Gabriel Ananda. The fantastic sound of the master was of the most influence to me: Rino Cerrone. I’ve been very fortunate because I got to meet him personally and I was able to have my first release on his label Loose Records. That was a huge honour.”

Shaky hands

“Talking about that first gig though, I will be honest. My hands were shaking and I was very nervous about the public’s response. Yet, soon after I started playing I noticed that the crowd was totally enjoying my set. Right there, in that instant, this incredible feeling was released that only a DJ can understand, and I said to myself: ‘This is what I want to do!’”

raffaele in actie 2 768x510 - Raffaele Rizzi: "Nostalgic when thinking back"

Up for the job

“In the end, all went well during that first gig. Despite the fact that, on beforehand, I was afraid that I wasn’t quite up for the job yet and that the music would stop any second. Yet, being a debutant, I couldn’t have asked for a better first experience as an artist. In retrospective, I wasn’t simply satisfied, I was ecstatic!”

“The dance scene is a world within one never stops learning. Every gig, every crowd is unique. What I’ve learned most the past years is: when to play what. Also, when I’m scheduled before the headliner, as professionally as I possibly can, I try to warm up the audience for that DJ. I’m convinced that a good DJ must be able to adapt to the line-up and the crowd.”

This interview with Raffaele Rizzi is originally published on DJMag.nl in March 2017.

Who is Raffaele Rizzi?

Raffaele Rizzi is a great example of the inexhaustible source of talents that Naoples continues to give to the world of electronic music for over twenty years. Raffaele Rizzi has an extended and variegated discography including releases on labels such as Rino Cerrone’s Loose Records and Unrilis, Markantonio’s Analytictrail, Mauro Picotto’s Alchemy, Stefano Noferini’s Deeperfect, 2000 and One’s 100% Pure Records and Bitten, and Christian Smith’s Tronic and more.

Born and raised in Naples, Raffaele Rizzi began studying piano at the early age of ten, firstly as self-taught and then under the expert guidance of teachers from the Musical Studies Center of his city. Mostly thanks to his infinite passion for music and the open-minded culture, seduced by the idea of being able to create a sound by increasing or decreasing the pitch on the turntable. At the age of 15 Raffaele Rizzi was seduced by electronic music and its repetitive although changing rhythms.

Influenced by the music of Gabriel Ananda and Rino Cerrone, musicians like him that find inspiration for their tracks looking beyond the classical schemes, Raffaele Rizzi is dedicated in developing its own musical identity within the techno trend, distinguished by dark, raw and thunderous sounds. Quintessence of the contemporary electronic, techno music becomes for Raffaele Rizzi the perfect tool with which to conquer freedom of expression, unexpected perspective from which to observe and analyze his artistic present and future. Over the years his sound goes from a techno with peculiar but elegant minimalist touches to more acoustic sounds characterized by deviant bass vibrations and connections of synths.

Considering the explosive succession of musical productions and the constant participation of the artist in the events, both in Italy and abroad, the contribution of Raffaele Rizzi to “Neapolitan Techno” is to be considered decisive. His sound, composed by a refined union of Berlin Techno with marked dub clues, has collected the grace of top caliber artists like Adam Beyer, Alan Fitzpatrick, Christian Smith, Joseph Capriati and Richie Hawtin.

More Raffaele Rizzi?

Share This Post