Meet the Brothers Ramirez: DJ the Arc and DJ Lagosa
By Manuel A. Melendez
Before they are set to open for DJ Dancing FaraZ at SpringFest, I sat down with the Brothers Ramirez to ask a few questions about their music, their origins, and their hopes for the future as DJs.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Simeon’s responses were sent independently from the interview due to scheduling conflicts. They have been edited to fit the rest of the interview. All photos provided by the Brothers Ramirez.
Manny: Hello! Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. We thought it’d be great to [get it out] before SpringFest and get everyone excited. [Plus] the campus can get to know you [both] and what you do. So, before we get started, introduce yourselves [along] with your DJ name.
Matias: So, DJ name– I go by Lagosa. My real name is Matias Ramirez. I’m a freshman here at UAF, and [this] is my passion.
Simeon: My DJ name is DJ the ARC. [The name] comes from my iconic orange jacket from Arc'teryx.
Manny: Beautiful. How did you get started as a DJ, and were there specific albums or artists that stood out as being formative while you were learning the ropes of DJing?
Matias: So, as a duo [DJ Lagosa and DJ the Arc], he does more of the music, and I do more of the light show. Recently, I started doing more research and finally figured out what to get [for the light shows]. I got my lasers set up and [now] do a live light show production.
Simeon: Playing music at parties from a playlist evolved into trying out DJing and finding that it was something I enjoyed. Actual Life 3 from Fred again.. was definitely an inspiration [for me] to get into DJing more seriously.
Manny: Awesome! [Matias], how long did it take you to learn that process– to create the light show?
Matias: A lot of long nights in the dorm with the lights off [both laugh]. I started back in September/October [of 2023]. We did a couple of smaller parties and started looking more into music production. I got a synthesizer [and] a couple of pianos, and I just felt inspired in the dorm– creating music and light shows.
Manny: So, you said the lights came first for you, and eventually, it trickled down into music production. Speaking to [the music], do you have any specific genres or sub-genres of electronic music that you gravitate toward?
Simeon: I'd say that I gravitate towards the more electronic and experimental side of dance music.
Matias: I gravitate toward a lot of house music. I’m just– I’m really into the groove [both laugh]—a good, groovy house track.
Manny: Same.
Manny: [Matias], do you have any house artists that you find frequent your playlists?
Matias: A couple of guys really inspire me. One of these is Berlioz. He’s a UK artist [who] recently dropped an album last year. It’s jazz house– a little different but really interesting. [The other] is Supershy, DJ alias of Tom Misch [an alt-rock artist]. He dropped an album in January– groovy, emotional house, and it’s just wonderful to listen to.
Manny: Sweet! I’m gonna check that out! What’s your process when you’re creating a setlist for a show? Do you have pre-made go-to setlists that you already have on hand whenever you need to use them? Or do you go fresh every time?
Simeon: To create a setlist, I usually think about the people there and the experience I want to create. I like to start with a fresh set list every time because every event is unique in its feeling.
Matias: So, we try to build a set off the vibe. We try to find a song or two that represents what we want to create at the party, and then we try to find more songs that flow into that. We don’t really have set setlists. We have lots of music that we love listening to and playing, and we try to create a new vibe for every party. A cookie-cutter playlist doesn’t apply to every function.
Manny: Hence the question! I one hundred percent agree with you. I did want to note that your set for the Silent Disco went really well, but I also got the sense that you were making changes on the fly and not letting [the setlist] play itself. Next question! When you’re playing a show, what elements do you look for to know it’s going well? Speaking of your experience of seeing the vibe, how do you determine when to let a particular track linger and when it’s time to move on to the next one or try something else?
Simeon: I think you can just tell when a song will go over well with a crowd. I usually gauge whether to move on from a track based on the emotions I'm picking up from the crowd.
Matias: It’s about the crowd. If the crowd is dancing– keep the song going. If the crowd isn’t dancing– you gotta move on [and] mix in the next track. When you’re playing a track, you can’t just let it play– you gotta change it as it goes, add some filter sweeps, add some bass drops, change the EQ [equalizer settings], and change it up.
Manny: And these are all things you’ve learned to do [on the DJ deck]?
Matias: With the set, we have our DJ decks, and then I have synthesizers and a drum machine. With the drum machine, I can overlay a song with my drum beats and spice it up. Oftentimes, I’ll find eclectic pop songs or an older ‘90s house track and add new drum beats to that, adding some syncopation and putting our spin on it.
Manny: Kind of like a live remix.
Matias: Exactly.
Manny: Can we expect any current remixes for popular hits in both of your sets, or do you feel like you go for deep cuts and project [them] onto the audience to see how they feel about them? A mix of both? [On that note of deep cuts], who are some of your favorite DJs, and can you recommend any of their albums or playlists?
Simeon: One of the coolest parts of going to a concert is hearing songs you may have never heard before. This can be a great way to discover music, so we will aim mostly at deep cuts. One album I can assuredly recommend is Giorgio Moroder's 1977 album From Here to Eternity.
Matias: Currently, we’re working on a couple of songs. We’ve sampled some clips from some concerts– some unreleased tracks that aren’t quite out yet. But yeah, we’re going to go more for deep cuts. We want the SpringFest set to be unique for everyone. It’s gonna be mind-altering [both smile]. The lasers themselves will be immaculate, [and] the music’s gonna go with them– the lasers will be dancing along with the music played by me. Some very unique light installations [are] in the works, so we’ll see!
Manny: Fantastic! I’m super excited! Do either of you have plans to pursue music full time after graduation? Is music producing something you want to continue with even if you choose a career to go along with it?
Matias: I don’t know about [choosing it] as a career path. But I think we’ll definitely both be pursuing smaller gigs and little parties even past graduation.
Simeon: Music production is certainly a hobby for me. [This] keeps it fun and not too serious. Working with music and sound is something I see myself spending my whole lifetime doing.
Manny: What would be your dream music festival lineup? Where would you want it to be held? There are no limits so it can be anyone who’s alive or dead and you can either be performing in it or just experiencing the festival.
Matias: This is a great question.
Simeon: Dream lineup would be Squarepusher, Chemical Brothers, Giorgio Moroder, [and] Jean Michelle Jarre.
Manny: Okay, one last question, strictly for me: I'm a huge electronic music fan, so I have to ask: Can we expect any Fred again.. in either of your setlists? Or any '90s electronica? Pretty please?
Matias: In terms of vintage, I think we’re definitely gonna mix a couple of melodies from some ‘90s stuff– do you know Alice Deejay?
Manny: Yeah, of course. Are we talking about “Better Off Alone”?
Matias: Exactly. Exactly. Yeah, so that melody right there is a beautiful melody. Even though it’s been used in so many house tracks, we’re gonna try and make a new remix and get some new samples.
Simeon: I am a Fred again.. fan, so there is certainly a chance you will hear that in one of our setlists, maybe even something from his Tiny Desk Concert.
Manny: I love that! Listen, I won’t keep you anymore. Thank you very much! I appreciate your time and as a big electronic music fan, I couldn’t be more excited for your show!