Five Tracks: Villalobos (selected by Pirrès)
Ricardo Villalobos is heading to Traum this October, and we couldn’t think of a better reason to revisit some of his masterworks. We asked resident Pirres to select his five favourites — no easy task!
Beck – Cellphone’s Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Entlebuch Remix) I remember getting this promo about six months before it officially dropped—around 2006—and honestly, I couldn’t wait to play it. Villalobos takes Beck’s quirky, funk-infused original and transforms it into a hypnotic 12-minute journey that feels like drifting through a surreal dream. The “Entlebuch Remix” strips away the obvious and rebuilds it with sparse rhythms, slippery textures, and eerie vocal fragments—all shaped by Ricardo’s unmistakable sonic language. Over time, it became one of my go-to afterparty tracks—strange, deep, and completely transportive. And that bassline after the break? It still makes me want to bite my fist every time. Pure alchemy. Ricardo Villalobos – Fools Garden (Black Conga) This one always grabs me with its twisted groove—it feels like a fever dream that unfolds slowly but never lets go. The shifting percussion and chopped-up vocal snippets create a hypnotic atmosphere that draws you in without ever raising its voice. I love playing Fools Garden in the early hours, when the crowd is just starting to lose themselves. It’s not about big drops or flashy moments—it’s about the subtle tension and flow that Villalobos masters so effortlessly. Whenever this track hits the speakers, the entire room shifts. Ricardo Villalobos – Enfants (Chants) [A Side] + Enfants (Tambours) [B Side] I love playing both sides of this record. The A-side, Enfants (Chants), with its haunting children's chants, creates a hypnotic, almost meditative atmosphere that draws the room into a deep, immersive state. The B-side, Enfants (Tambours), complements it perfectly with intricate percussion patterns that add a rich rhythmic texture to the experience. The A-side is especially great for mixing—it's incredibly versatile and blends seamlessly with a wide range of tracks. When this record hits, you either get totally locked in or you can’t stand it—but either way, it leaves a mark. Every time I drop it, it reshapes the vibe and keeps the crowd fully locked in. Ricardo Villalobos – Trockenteile Released in 2004 on the album Alcachofa, “Trockenteile” is a raw, stripped-back groover that knows exactly where it’s headed. At first, it feels simple — dry, mechanical, almost restrained — but once it locks in, it moves the floor with intent. I love using this one to shift gears in a set, to push things forward without going over the top. It’s a “go!” track — the kind that drives dancers into motion and holds them there with pure rhythm. Timeless, direct, and always effective. Ricardo Villalobos feat. Los Updates - Baile This track is pure leftfield funk. Los Updates delivers off-kilter, almost spoken vocals that dance around the beat in a playful yet surprisingly tight way. Villalobos lays down a warm, elastic rhythm that’s as catchy as it is disorienting. It’s a strange record — but it grooves hard. I love slipping this into house sets; it always catches people off guard, but they can’t help but move to it. It’s a wildcard — but one that never misses when dropped with intent. Ricardo Villalobos is visiting Traum on Friday 24 October. Tickets are now available. Tickets
