Ric Niels delivers an introspective mix that shows he is the complete package…

Ric Niels is a producer defined by mood, movement and narrative intent. His atmospheric sound has found a home on respected labels and earned him long-term support from influential DJs and producers across the global scene.

Despite launching his career only a few years ago, Niels has already performed across major cities in South America, North America, Europe, and Australia, steadily building an international presence both as a producer and performer. Do yourself a favour and go listen to his numerous live recorded sets available on his Soundcloud: they are impressive proof of his club performance credentials.

On this Balance Selections, the Argentine delivers a tempered session focussing on a patient build. Featuring tracks from Guy J, Tantum & Hyunji-A, Kabi and more, this mix reveals a more deliberate and introspective approach from a DJ building a reputation for high-energy sets.

Tracklist

1. Ric Niels – ID (Intro Fever)
2. Ric Niels – ID
3. Tantum, Ric Niels, Kabi (AR) – ID
4. Nacho Lopez – Modular Signal
5. Ric Niels – ID
6. Fran Garay – ID
7. Ric Niels – ID
8. Polo – ID
9. Ric Niels – ID
10. Tantum – ID
11. Ric Niels – ID
12. Tantum & Hyunji-A – Keep My Letters (Simon Vuarambon Remix)
13. Ric Niels – ID
14. Ric Niels – ID
15. Guy J – Into The Void
16. Ric Niels – ID

Balance Selections Q+A

Name: Rodrigo Nardelli
Location:Corrientes, Argentina
Alias/Producer name: Ric Niels
Labels affiliated with: Sudbeat, Armadillo, The Soundgarden, Edge, Plattenbank, Proportion, Mango Alley.

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My last 3 releases:

What music did you listen to as a child?

To be honest, my first memory with music is me sitting at the computer, watching YouTube videos. There wasn’t much music playing at home — almost none, actually. Before discovering electronic music, I used to listen to Argentine rock, reggaeton, reggae… basically the kind of music that was popular around the city at the time.

When was the first time you realised that you liked electronic music?

I remember watching live videos from Tomorrowland and Ultra on YouTube — artists like Avicii, Solomun, and some of the EDM acts from that time.

When was the first time you saw a DJ in a club?

Yeah, my first electronic music party was at Mandarine Park in Buenos Aires, back in 2016. It was an Above & Beyond show, but there was a guy playing before them named Grum — and he blew my mind.

It was something different for me.

Which producers/artists/acts inspire you?

Well, there are a lot of artists who inspire me through their music, but if I had to mention a few, they would be Guy J, Stimming, Simon Vuarambon, Four Tet, and Fred Again.

For example, Close These Curtains (Stimming Remix) is a track that I fell in love with the moment I discovered it. There’s something about it that makes me feel nostalgic and happy at the same time.

Other things that inspire me a lot are traveling, discovering the world, the sea, and the mountains — not just when I travel for gigs, but also on vacations.

What was the last album that you downloaded/purchased?

Friedrich by Stimming — an absolute masterpiece. The music is perfect, and the best part is the story behind the album. Totally recommended

What is your current production and DJ setup like?

Yeah, I use hardware — and I love it. Right now, I have three different hardware synths: the Prophet-6, the Moog Sub Phatty, and the Roland JU-06A Boutique. I love all of them. I also have three pedals: the Eventide H9, the Strymon Timeline, and the Microcosm by Hologram. They’re great for experimenting and exploring new sounds.

I work in Ableton, and I also use some software synths like Diva, Serum, and Repro.

As for DJing, I prefer playing with CDJs and the V10 — I think they’re perfect for a good DJ performance.

What releases do you have on the horizon?

Well, I have a track signed to one of the hottest labels right now. I think it will be released this year, but I’m not 100% sure yet. I can’t tell you the label, but I can tell you that the track is featured in this mix ;))

Where can we hear you perform?

I have two confirmed gigs for November. The first one will be in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on November 1st, and the second one will be in Corrientes, Argentina, together with Mariano Mellino on November 29th.

Tell us more about the podcast you made for Balance?

For this special mix, I used a V10 mixer and Traktor Pro 3.

There are a lot of new IDs from me and other top artists — I really want to thank them for always sending me their music.

It only took me a few days to put this mix together, around three or four.

The top track in my DJ set currently is: