Raphael Ripperton should be on top of the world. In 15 years he has succeeded both as a solo artist and as part of duo, releasing a veritable treasure chest of electronic delights on labels like Border Community, Wagon Repair and Planet E – he has even started his own label. His name is now synonymous with the melodic and lush end of house, minimal and techno, and he has graced the decks of parties all over the world alongside the best the scene has to offer. Despite all this, Raphael was a humble and gracious man to sit down with, and happily told ITM about his introduction to music.

“I think the music choose me. I finished school when I was only 15 years old and I wasn’t really disciplined enough to stay seated all day. I was a hyperactive kid and I didn’t like being part of a group. Naturally, when I discovered electronic music and DJing, I knew it was my way. The only way.”

Of course, a lot has changed since then. From vinyl to CDJ to the all in one DAW, technology has made life a lot easier for producers. “The computer was the real revolution – it meant no more limits other than your imagination. I remember when I put together my first studio, item by item. It was costing me so much, and at the end you had to do the final mix in a big studio. I thank God everyday that everything can just be in the same place now!”

But despite the improvements to practical ease of production, Raphael is doubtful as to whether the digital will ever live up to the ‘full magic’ of analogue. “Weirdly, I had some trouble to find my analogue sounds in the new technology. In the 90’s I was working on an Akai MPC3000 and an SP-1200. These machines were grooving as hell. Every sound you put inside would come back more colorful. Now, with all the plugins it’s completely different. You can have 1000 virtual synths, but I’d definitively prefer one single piece of analogue gear.”

So apart from knowing the ins and outs of technology, I can’t help but wonder one need to become a producer of professional caliber. “I’m influenced by so many things. All my friends around me, my daughter, my family…. I’m quite a sensitive person and consequently I’m like a sponge. The more I meet people and the more I’m travelling, the more I’m listening to different kinds of music.”

Okay, makes sense. But where do you turn when you need to hear that quality in music you aspire to? “If you need some names, just a few of my influences are The Microphones, Radiohead, Nina Simone, Moodswing, Curtis Mayfield. Recently also Tara Jane O’Neill, Martyn, Max Richter, Emily Jane White or Soap & Skin.”

Now, as the discussion turns to his collaborative project Lazy Fat People, there’s one question I can’t help but ask of Raphael. Is he the lazy or the fat half? “I was not the lazy and not the fat. It was a joke about American people.” Fair enough – slightly embarrassed, I turn to the more interesting issue of the actual dynamics of producing music in a team. “It’s always really exciting to see if something will come out of a collaboration. You never know, sometimes something appears in 10 minutes, sometimes it takes many days. What I prefer in a collaboration is the exchange of ideas. When you collaborate with close friends the final result is always personal.”

“With Agnès, we’ll probably drink some beers and talk about new folk songs we’ve discovered. He might work on some ambient sounds, then I’ll add the bassline and the track just grows out of a moment. My starting point is never to think that this is going to be a track for the dance floor.”

2010 will see the long-awaited release of Ripperton’s debut artist album Niwa. In Japanese ‘Niwa’ means garden, this concept representing the two years during which Ripperton has tenderly cared to the seedlings of his creativity. With the contents already described as including “folk tingled downbeat experiments” and “delicious jazz blueprints”, it will be a painful wait until the February 1 release date. The fact that it was so good that Joris Voorn signed it to his Green label upon first listen is testament enough for me!

Despite the evident hype, Raphael’s humble demeanor persists, and he simply refers to the album as a “wide landscape” of sound. “Making an album is a weird process. It’s different for everyone. One day, I just told myself, “Okay Ripa, let’s go to the studio and have some fun”. I love the album concept in general. You get between 45 and 70 minutes just for you. I tried to make something really personal, free minded. Using toys and real instruments to provide variety in my electronic lab.”

Even if punters have to wait two months for Niwa, they will be able to catch Raphael at a slew of gigs over NYE.
*Ripperton will be playing dates over New Years in Australia as part of his ‘Niwa World tour’. Sounds ripping…

Ripperton tour dates

Wednesday 30th December – Peats Ridge Festival, NSW
Thursday 31st December – A Higher State at Sydney Centrepoint Tower, Sydney
Friday 1st January (morning) – Spice Afloat, Sydney
Friday 1st January (night) – Blow Your Own Way Boat Party, Melbourne
Saturday 9th January – New Guernica (w/ Pépé Bradock and Matthias Meyer), Melbourne