Ruben Karapetyan, a highly regarded electronic music artist from Armenia, has gained recognition in the global progressive house community.
With his exceptional talent, Ruben Karapetyan has captured the attention and admiration of well-known labels, DJs, and producers worldwide. After a remarkable comeback following a ten-year break, the DJ and producer shared his profound insights and experiences in an exclusive interview with EG.
In this interview, Ruben discusses his return to the music scene and provides valuable observations on the ever-changing music industry. He expresses enthusiasm about the global growth of the progressive house movement, highlighting its unexpected popularity in countries like Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Throughout the interview, Ruben’s significant recognition and unwavering dedication to his craft shine, cementing his status as a respected and influential figure in the world of electronic music.
EG: Hi, Ruben! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? How did you kick start your year?
Ruben Karapetyan: Hello Electronic Groove, pleasure is all mine, thanks for having me! I have been great, back in the studio adding finishing touches to a few remixes that will see the light mid this year.
EG: So, last time we spoke, you had just returned after almost 10 years of absence. It’s been over two years since. How do you feel about the scene you returned to? What are some of the things you like and dislike the most about the current scene?
Ruben Karapetyan: My first impression was how big the progressive house movement became around the world. Some countries that you would never think would be following this sound, like Sri Lanka or Pakistan, are doing massive events with big-name DJs almost every weekend, and this was very exciting.
On the other hand, I noticed how much the business side of music has changed. Social media has taken over everything, and now it feels like we spend more time on social media platforms than actually in the studio or out DJing. It took me some time to understand the changes and accept the importance of taking pictures of my food and posting on social media (laughter), but with a great team behind me, MA. (for artists) and Movement Bookings, it was easy to adjust and adapt to all the changes.
EG: Thank you for being a part of our EG Podcast series with your latest mix! Tell us, what can fans of the series expect to find on this one? Is there a concept or idea driving this mix?
Ruben Karapetyan: I always do podcasts with the idea that most of the listeners are sitting behind the computer or just driving to work while listening. I always try to keep it deeper and darker, as I think it’s more pleasant to listen to than the music I would play at a club or a festival. This one is deep, dark driving progressive house, and it includes two of my upcoming original tracks from an EP signed to Clubsonica Records that will be out mid-this year.
EG: By the way, congratulations on the release of your remixes for Gorkiz & Mind Echoes’ ‘Without Your Noose’, and Martin Fredes & GEØVHÄN’s ‘Deep Story’! You must be excited to share these. What have the initial receptions been like so far?
Ruben Karapetyan: Thank you! I remixed ‘Deep Story’ about a year ago, and it has been getting massive support from top DJs for some time. Hernan Cattaneo and Nick Warren tested it for the first time at ADE 2023, and it was an amazing moment to see the reaction of thousands of people on the dance floor. As for ‘Without Your Noose’, Gorkiz is a close friend of mine, and I have a good relationship with Transensations Records, so it was natural to say yes to the remix when the label asked me. I am pleased to announce that both remixes are climbing up the Progressive house charts as we speak.
“I don’t think a machine can make and express all the emotions that we express through production”
EG: How would you describe your input on both these versions? How do you go about selecting which track to remix? What is it that you look out for?
Ruben Karapetyan: Every original or remix I do, I always make sure it doesn’t sound anything like the previous one. While both of these tracks were written around the same time, they are nothing alike. ‘Without Your Noose’ is more upbeat, with sounds closer to Progressive Psy, but it keeps all the progressive house elements. On the other hand, ‘Deep Story’ is more melodic, kind of hands in the air with rolling baselines.
As for selecting what to remix, I guess just like everyone else, I listen to the original and something has to grab my attention, like musical elements I can build my version around, a melody that touches my heart. For example, one of the latest remixes I did for TEELCO called ‘Into The Light’, I actually ended up using the full original melody and just changed the full body and drive of the track to be more of a dance floor driver. The original music was amazing.
EG: Is there anything else you can anticipate on the release front? Any particular releases you’re excited about? What can we expect from you on RKP and Mango Alley?
Ruben Karapetyan: There are two remixes that I am looking forward to. The first track is from Circulation, called ‘Swank’, and the second one is from Max Graham & Second Sine called ‘Hypercube’. I am a big fan of both artists and have shared the stage with Max more than once in the early 2000s. I am honored and humbled to be asked to join remix duties for these two legends, and to make it more exciting, they are both signed to my home label, Mango Alley!
On the RKP side, I have a lot of amazing music coming up. We already had releases from Hernan Cattaneo and Marcelo Vasami, Mayro, Maze28, Nacres, and I just signed Martin Fredes & Kazko for a 2-track EP with Nick Warren and Nicolas Rada and myself on Remix Duties. I’m glad to report that the label is doing great.
EG: Now, stepping outside of the studio for a bit…the use of AI in music has become quite common after its initial introduction, which raised many eyebrows. What’s your stance on this? Have you contemplated its possibilities?
Ruben Karapetyan: Yes, many of my friends keep telling me to look into the whole AI thing, and I am all about technology and I love it. I always try to keep up, upgrade, and move forward with it. For example, now I DJ with a laptop, using stems from original productions to remix tracks on the fly, and when I started, many raised their eyebrows at DJing with a laptop until they saw what it is that I am actually doing. I guess the same story is going to be with AI. It takes people time to get used to something new, but one thing for sure, I won’t have AI make tracks for me. No matter how much better AI can do in terms of production compared to me, I don’t think a machine can make and express all the emotions that we express through production. When it comes to mixing and mastering, I would not mind looking into it in the future, but as of now, I am sticking to my old ways of production.
“Every original or remix I do, I always make sure it doesn’t sound anything like the previous one”
EG: We have also witnessed a rise in acts that depend on the use of huge LED screens and breathtaking visuals, especially in melodic techno. Does this make some of the music too reliant on the visuals, or does it enhance the experience in your opinion? Should these acts be seen as more of a performance, rather than a live or DJ set?
Ruben Karapetyan: I always say that DJing is like telling a story to the crowd with musical notes, and to add visuals to go along with it definitely enhances the experience. I am glad to see that nowadays promoters and clubs pay very close attention to the visuals, as they do to the music and DJs. VDJs mixing visuals and videos live with your music are as talented and important as the DJ playing the music. One complements the other so well! So yes, definitely a performance. I have been experimenting with implementing video visuals to go along with my DJ sets, and it’s a project in the works. I feel it will add to the overall experience of the moment and take DJing to the next level.
EG: Finally, can you provide some insights into what’s next for Ruben Karapetyan? Where can your fans catch you next? Can we expect to see you on tour?
Ruben Karapetyan: 2024 is going to be a very busy year on the DJing side. I start the first part of 2024 with a tour in 5 countries and 7 shows, finishing up with the last show at Miami Music Week in the USA with Nick Warren.
Here are the confirmed dates so far:
Feb. 24: Thailand Debut @ White Rabbit Beach Club, Phuket, Thailand
Feb. 29: Mr D’s @ Sonorum, Goa, India
Mar. 01: TBA New Delhi, India
Mar. 02: Movement XV Anniversary – Calamander Beach Hotel, Unawatuna, Sri Lanka
Mar. 09: Ruben Karapetyan in Yerevan – Banderego, Yerevan, Armenia
Mar. 20: Miami Music Week 2024 – 94th Squadron, Miami, USA
Mar. 22: United We Groove – C-Level Rooftop Terrace, Miami, US
Also, I will be joining Mango Alley Label showcase tours this year as a resident, and I will be co-headlining this tour with massive names from the label.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Ruben! We wish you all the best for the future. Take care!
Ruben Karapetyan: Thank you for the invitation, Electronic Groove. Always a pleasure chatting with you!
Ruben Karapetyan’s ‘Deep Story’ remix for Martin Fredes & GEØVHÄN is out now. Download here.
Follow Ruben Karapetyan: Website | Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
