Who hasn’t heard of Roger Sanchez? 20 years in the dance industry, 10 years leading the biggest house brand in the world, producer of a clutch of house music’s biggest tunes, Grammy-award winner and an enthusiastic tech head; the S Man faces the world wearing his time-honored shades and besieged by bling.

Roger Sanchez is the DJ’s DJ, the producer’s producer and a pioneer in house music. Celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Release Yourself brand with a global tour and five new tracks, his beats will be unleashed on dancefloors across the world – starting with Australia.

In the lead-up to his tour down under, the S Man says he always looks forward to being here. “I have really seen Australia develop. So expect sexy house, lots of energy and music that will get people to throw their hands in the air.”

We can also expect a five-hour set. Roger promises he goes through extensive preparation for each show – and that he is definitely up to the task. “I listen to tons of music,” he discloses. “I tend to organise my set by what times I’ll be playing, rather than what the biggest hits are. There will be a lot of big, uplifting melodies – and definitely a party!”

Sanchez comes from a momentous time in musical history. Growing up in the cultural melting pot of Queens, New York, he was inspired by a local DJ to take on the turntables. Nurtured within the same city that birthed Paradise Garage, David Mancuso and Larry Levan, disco music, breakdancing, rap and hip hop, Sanchez would be inspired to work his love for Latin music, funk, soul and electronic equipment into the new emerging genre of house.

Releasing his first track Luv Dancin’ on the Strictly Rhythm label, would cement him in the industry as one of New York’s emerging super producer/DJs. A superb collection of singles, albums and compilations would accumulate, though it would be his 2001 hit Another Chance that propelled him into the international spotlight.

This smash hit would provide the global impetus to form the Release Yourself brand in 2002, inspiring a CD series, a residency in Ibiza and a radio show broadcast in English and Spanish, to then develop into a podcast with over two million subscribers. The success of his podcast would take out the 2006 International Dance Music Awards.

Release Yourself first started from a 1996 record released under his Transatlantic Soul moniker on the Deconstruction Label and featuring the vocals of Tonya Wynne. “Yeah,” Roger states, “first was the record, then the radio show in the UK, and then came the nights in Ibiza – to spread around the world. I have always strived to give my dancefloor 100-percent of what drives me – music.

“At the time, Release Yourself was born out of my frustration with the lack of club nights that were dedicated to the music and where people could release themselves on the dancefloor. The core idea of Release Yourself remains to give the very best club experience at every event and to immerse the clubber in another world. People still want to enjoy the best night out possible. House music – in all its forms – still rocks around the world!”

But does Release Yourself adapt and grow with the times? “I always change the look and vibe of Release Yourself every year,” Roger reveals. “It grows organically. The places I have travelled – South America, Ibiza, Japan or Europe – tend to give me a special vibe and sound. I also check out different scenes – like the tech-house scenes with DJs like Luciano or Carlo Lio. It gives me other approaches to my sound for Release Yourself while allowing me to develop.”

Without a doubt, he loves house music. He always has – and, he confesses – always will. “I’m not sure if I will ‘crossover’ to another genre [like trance],” The S Man muses. “But I might incorporate different sounds into my set. House is the sexiest club music out there. That’s what keeps me coming back!”