About Ricardo Baez.
Florence’s very own tastemaker Ricardo Baez has always been immersed in music. On one hand, he had his Italian father's extensive collection of old blues and jazz records. On the other hand, the 80’s pop cassettes his Venezuelan mother used as the soundtrack for her dance classes.

This melting pot gives Baez a different way to make his musical mark, as shown at his legendary party Tropical Animals in Florence, which has been running weekly since 2010. Tropical Animals has been cited as one of the most important drivers in the evolution of club culture in Italy, broadening people’s music tastes. Ricardo Baez’s trademark sets are unique- genre blurring, technically excellent and full of surprises. Ricardo Baez always leaves his audience wanting more.

And then there’s the sensational guests he books week in, week out. From Avalon Emerson to Marshall Jefferson, Vladimir Ivkovic to Jayda G (just to name a few). Ricardo Baez’s knowledge of electronic music is incredible.

It didn’t take long for his eclectic style and boundless enthusiasm to start turning heads internationally. Soon after hearing about Tropical Animals, the world wanted a piece of Ricardo Baez. Berlin came calling through Tresor, Watergate and Renate. Then Frankfurt’s Live at Robert Johnson, New York’s House of Yes and Le Bain, and London’s XOYO and Corsica Studios.

Ricardo Baez is also a well accomplished producer, taking all of his musical savoir faire and impeccable taste as a selector and making something new, that is instantly recognisable as his own. After releasing on some of the most prestigious labels in electronic music, he realised his music needed a place to call home. Since 2018, that home has been his own label, also called Tropical Animals. Other exotic creatures and musical chameleons that share his hot house include Whitesquare, The Cyclist, Robert Owens, Rebolledo, and the pioneer of Italian disco, Daniele Baldelli.

Recently, he has appeared on compilations for Running Back, Correspondant, Polifonic, and Hotmix Records, as well as outstanding releases on Mule Musiq, Permanent Vacation, Bordello a Parigi and Correspondant.

Winter 2024 brings Ricardo Baez’s pièce de resistance: His stunning debut album, Tutto Passa, available on Live at Robert Johnson. Every track filled with meaning, an anthology of the most important moments in Baez’s life. Stay tuned - the lucky few who have heard it say this work of art is going to be yet another outstanding contribution to music. We’d expect no less.

Order

Ricardo Baez - Tutto Passa

Flug 8 & Khan Of Finland - Melt On The Beach

Sometimes it takes a while for new collaborations to take form. As is the case here with »Melt On The Beach« by Flug 8 alias Daniel Herrmann and Khan Of Finland alias Can Oral. Both met nearly 25 years ago while contributing works for Playhouse back then: Daniel was asked by LARJ label boss Ata - back then busy running Playhouse - to contribute to the design of the first Captain Comatose album »Going Out«. Captain Comatose was a funky little project started by Can and musical friend Snax. The guys liked Daniel's works and thus never lost touch.

Fast forward 20 years later when a phone call started the idea of exchanging musical material between Frankfurt (Daniel's home back then) and Berlin (Can's home base) via the internet. Both wanted to experiment making music together without being in the same physical space — no problem in these times - but would it work?

At first a small collection of individual pieces emerged, gradually taking shape and evolving. That this could actually work surprised both. When Can spontaneously created a megamix, condensing all the material into two long tracks, both new it would work indeed.

The result right before your eyes and ears displays a...  more
credits

released April 4, 2025

Written & Produced by: Khan of Finland & Daniel Herrmann
Published by: Edition Acid / Random Noize Music
Mastered by Lopazz.
Distributed by Kompakt
Artwork by: Khan of Finland
Layout by: Studio Mizurio

Also available on Bandcamp and all the other digital platforms.

Label: Live At Robert Johnson, 2025
Catalog No: Playrjc106

Format: Digital / Compact Disc (CD)

Flug 8 & Khan of Finland - Melt On The Beach

It’s not easy ploughing a furrow that ain’t already been ploughed in dance music, but Tim Paris makes it look easy.  Nestling somewhere between the sideways slant of a sepia Sunday morning and the electrostatic seduction of a Saturday night, Tim has carved out a cultural niche that is his, and his alone. 

Through his label Marketing Music, Tim has spent years pushing out some of the most distinctive and unconventional house records around. His long-standing collaboration with Ivan Smagghe as It’s a Fine Line is a testament to his ongoing hunt for the unexpected – always a step away from the obvious.

His own productions stretch from the fiercely original (It’s a Fine Line – Woman) to the beautifully restrained (Outback, Stones & Vinyl), and his remixes – for the likes of Metronomy, Polo & Pan, The XX, Silicone Soul, Salif Keita, and Telepopmusik – show a producer who never plays it safe.

Off the dancefloor, he’s made just as much noise: over 50 international performances with Belgian choreographer Nicolas Musin, plus work for France TV, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and the Philharmonie de Paris have all borne his unmistakable sonic fingerprint.

Now, Tim’s back with a new solo release on Live at Robert Johnson – That Boy. A return to the club, yes, but also a reflection of everything he’s soaked up along the way. Rough-edged, refined, and unmistakably Tim Paris.

Written & Produced by Tim Paris
Published by Copyright Control.
Mastered by Lopazz.
Distributed by Kompakt.
Artwork by studio mizuiro.
Also available on Bandcamp and all the other digital platforms.

Label: Live At Robert Johnson, 2025
Catalog No: Playrjc 123

Tim Paris - That Boy feat. Foremost Poets

There may still be electronic music artists in this age of overflow and convenience who follow their own artistic vision regardless of what attention it might bring, if any. With an output that shows individualism, ideas and a signature sound. An ongoing creative process, uncompromising and adventurous, even eccentric, with results of consistent quality and determination. Dennis Busch aka James Din A4 is an archetypical example for this type of artist. He flooded the scene with releases in the 00s with numerous monikers, mostly on his own Esel imprint, and they were all great. On the outside you had his singular artworks (he is also a very accomplished collage artist) and quirkily humorous titles, and on the inside you had his music, also seemingly informed by a collage approach (only with samples), managing to sound focussed and out of focus, often at the same time. If you listen to a James Din A4 track it probably is simultaneously playful and disciplined. Anything can happen, and a lot if it actually does.For quite some years, music releases by James Din A4 were scarce. Jan Jelinek, an ardent fan, re-interpreted some of his favourites from the vast back catalogue as an album in 2014, then ten years later the album „Ins Licht“ appeared, and it quite nonchalantly continued what seemed to have stopped, right on the same level of greatness. And now we know that it still continues, as the label Live At Robert Johnson releases the new album „Never Look Back“. Its title should not be taken too literally, as all the trademarks of his musical legacy are perfectly intact. You will find the light and air that seems to seep through the sounds, the frisky structural details, the jolly melodies, the subtle deepness, the minimalistic yet not too strict grooves. But do not be mistaken, this album is not looking back too much, of course. After all, this is music that is still evolving. Let’s hope for more glimpses of James Din A4‘s special and spacious world, they are ever needed.

Finn Johannsen

Titles:

01. Total Eclipse (5:32)
02. Never Look Back (04:22)
03. Hildegard von Bingen Techno (05:19)
04. Das Portal (02:01)
05. Stand-Up Ecstatic (05:14)
06. totally eclipsed (06:25)
07. Wake the Snake (03:42)
08. White Light / Black Hole (04:23)

Also available as a 12" vinyl pressing in an ultra-limited edition.

A1 Total Eclipse (5:32)
A2 Never Look Back (04:22)
A3 Das Portal (02:01)
B1 Stand-Up Ecstatic (05:14)
B2 totally eclipsed (06:25)

https://liveatrobertjohnson.bandcamp.com/album/never-look-back

Written & Produced by Dennis Busch
Published by Copyright Control.
Mastered by Lopazz.
Distributed by Kompakt
Artwork by Dennis Busch.

Also available on Bandcamp and all the other digital platforms.

Label: Live At Robert Johnson, 2025
Catalog No: Playrjc126D
releases June 6, 2025

James Din A4 - Never Look Back

A quarter into the century, Swedish producer-DJ-song writer Johan Blende has found his passion for making music again. With a record out last year on Sweden label Studio Barnhus, forthcoming releases on some of Europe’s leading electronic music record labels and more material in the bag than ever before, 2025 is oﬀ to a bright start. During the 2010s he was enjoying success releasing records mainly on Belgian disco label Eskimo Recordings collaborating with singers Mattie Safer, Gustaph, Kelli-Leigh,

Mickael Karkousse & Rebecca Scheja, along with remixing a variety of acts such as Lana Del Rey, Ms Dynamite & DJ Fresh, Korn, Skrillex, Goose and Klaxons, producing for bands like Fenech Soler & Le Galaxie and playing records in nightclubs across Europe, the US and Asia. To follow, a long overdue break was needed in order to explore things

outside music further and to try and get his inspiration back, a break which is now coming to an end.

Born in Stockholm he currently resides in warmer climates down south in Athens, Greece. The long love for all things disco is still there to be heard but the new material is also expanding on his more eclectic & electronic music roots whilst also slowly getting back into his first love in music craftsmanship that dates back all the way to the mid ‘90s

- DJ-ing.

Written & Produced by Johan Blende
Published by Copyright Control.
Mastered by Lopazz.
Distributed by Kompakt.
Artwork by studio mizuiro.

Also available on Bandcamp and all the other digital platforms.

Label: Live At Robert Johnson, 2025
Catalog No: Playrjc 125

Johan Blende - Kosmos EP

The twentieth edition of our monthly show on @radio80000.
Enjoy! :)

LARJ

This Is Your Time! Vol.20 - Reznik And Mano Le Tough

Live recorded at Robert Johnson, NYE 2013/14

Ata - Robert Johnson, NYE 2013/14

The thirty-second edition of our monthly show on @radio80000.
Enjoy! :)

@pablo-bozzi
@claumartinez

This Is Your Time! Vol.32 - Pablo Bozzi With Baby Mango

The thirty-ninth edition of our monthly show on @radio80000.
Enjoy! :)

This Is Your Time! Vol.39! - Moodman & Collectivo Miramar

Here we go again! The return of the Greek DJ and production duo Boys' Shorts - this time in remixed form!
»On The High Line« and »Dark Room Rendez-Vous« from their first ever release for LIVE AT ROBERT JOHNSON get the remix treatment for even more Boys' Shorts dancefloor mayhem.
First up is Romain FX with his »Pressure Remix« of »On The High Line« and the title gives a hint to Romain's approach: He indeed adds a bit more pressure stripping down the former 80ties fueled track by adding a big big bass line thus achieving a more concentrated punch in general. By keeping DJ City's beautiful cool vocals for their remix they manage to keep the same lascivious quality you find in the original version. We say: Mission accomplished.
The next ones are a real "All in"! Jason nocturne doubles his stake straight away! Two versions for you! Keep it rollin' "On The Highline", or do you like it more acidic? The choice is yours!
Former Chicago-raised and socialized DJ and producer Alinka is next with her version of »Dark Room Rendez-Vous«. We're happy the Ukrainian-born and now Berlin resident Alinka is back for LARJ twisting the knobs just the right way transforming the track into a straighter and slightly darker monster the original instrumental already is. It's a winner, thank you Alinka!
We stay with the same track but now it's Mala Ika's turn. The French producer originally from Guadeloupe throws in a deeper bass drum into her remix and holds this extra energy over the whole six minutes. Mala Ika also adds a happy little synth melody that transforms this typical dark tune into a joyous yet still dark track.
All in all these three remixes can be seen as a beautiful supplement to Boys' Shorts original outing and will definitely find their way to the clubs all over the world.

On The High Line (Feat. DJ City)

1 - Boys' Shorts - On The High Line (feat. DJ City) (Romain FX Remix) - Snippet

Live recorded at Robert Johnson on Saturday, October 10, 2014

Ata – Robert Johnson, October 2014

The fourty-fourth edition of our monthly show on @radio80000.
Enjoy! :)

@rkjvk
@katharina-davids

This Is Your Time! Vol.44 - RKJVK & Kat Davids

This is the forty-seventh edition of our monthly show on @radio80000.
Enjoy! :)

@basic-instinct-music
@idotoledano

This Is Your Time! Vol.47 - Basic Instinct & Ido Toledano

This is the forty-eighth edition of our monthly show on @radio80000.
Enjoy! :)

@pattnmusic
@hardtantoine

This Is Your Time! Vol.48 - Pattn with Hardt Antoine

5. MY THURSDAY NIGHT

This track talks about My Thursday Nights since 2010. These are the feelings that I still have before, during, and after my Tropical Animals parties.

My Thursday Night

3. TEARS OF JOY

You know when you're so happy you want to cry? When you feel like you've achieved a goal? Or when you love someone so much that you get emotional inside and feel a void between your chest and stomach? These are Tears of Joy.

Tears Of Joy

2. PICCOLO INCERTO FUTURO

When I was 11 years old, I left my small town in Southern Italy for Florence. Through the choice of my father, Wladimiro, we left behind all of my friends, part of my family, and my roots. Piccolo Incerto Futuro (Little Uncertain Future) is a dichotomy - a sad song that simultaneously gives hope for the future of two little children, myself and my beautiful sister, Deborah.

Piccolo Incerto Futuro

1. HI NO TORI 2772

The title of this intro track comes from a 1980s Manga. This story is set in the distant future... Planet Earth is dying from a lack of energy resources. A subjugating political regime ensures all human beings are produced in test tubes, their roles in society selected by computers, predicting how things could unfold now, with an uncertain ending. With this track, I wanted to represent the moment of change, from pure natural to technological evolution.

Hi No Tori 2772

4. INSIDE OF ME

This is a track to apologizing to myself - becoming aware of my mistakes and having the strength to move forward.

Inside Of Me

Flug 8 & Khan Of Finland - Melt On The Beach

Sometimes it takes a while for new collaborations to take form. As is the case here with »Melt On The Beach« by Flug 8 alias Daniel Herrmann and Khan Of Finland alias Can Oral. Both met nearly 25 years ago while contributing works for Playhouse back then: Daniel was asked by LARJ label boss Ata - back then busy running Playhouse - to contribute to the design of the first Captain Comatose album »Going Out«. Captain Comatose was a funky little project started by Can and musical friend Snax. The guys liked Daniel's works and thus never lost touch.

Fast forward 20 years later when a phone call started the idea of exchanging musical material between Frankfurt (Daniel's home back then) and Berlin (Can's home base) via the internet. Both wanted to experiment making music together without being in the same physical space — no problem in these times - but would it work?

At first a small collection of individual pieces emerged, gradually taking shape and evolving. That this could actually work surprised both. When Can spontaneously created a megamix, condensing all the material into two long tracks, both new it would work indeed.

The result right before your eyes and ears displays a...  more
credits
released April 4, 2025

Written & Produced by: Khan of Finland & Daniel Herrmann
Published by: Edition Acid / Random Noize Music
Mastered by Lopazz.
Distributed by Kompakt
Artwork by: Khan of Finland
Layout by: Studio Mizurio

Also available on Bandcamp and all the other digital platforms.

Label: Live At Robert Johnson, 2025
Catalog No: Playrjc106

Format: Digital / Compact Disc (CD)

Flug 8 & Khan of Finland - Melt On The Beach Part 2

Flug 8 & Khan of Finland - Melt On The Beach Part 1

That Boy feat. Foremost Poets

That End

Tim Paris - That End

That Summer

Tim Paris - That Summer

There may still be electronic music artists in this age of overflow and convenience who follow their own artistic vision regardless of what attention it might bring, if any. With an output that shows individualism, ideas and a signature sound. An ongoing creative process, uncompromising and adventurous, even eccentric, with results of consistent quality and determination. Dennis Busch aka James Din A4 is an archetypical example for this type of artist. He flooded the scene with releases in the 00s with numerous monikers, mostly on his own Esel imprint, and they were all great. On the outside you had his singular artworks (he is also a very accomplished collage artist) and quirkily humorous titles, and on the inside you had his music, also seemingly informed by a collage approach (only with samples), managing to sound focussed and out of focus, often at the same time. If you listen to a James Din A4 track it probably is simultaneously playful and disciplined. Anything can happen, and a lot if it actually does.For quite some years, music releases by James Din A4 were scarce. Jan Jelinek, an ardent fan, re-interpreted some of his favourites from the vast back catalogue as an album in 2014, then ten years later the album „Ins Licht“ appeared, and it quite nonchalantly continued what seemed to have stopped, right on the same level of greatness. And now we know that it still continues, as the label Live At Robert Johnson releases the new album „Never Look Back“. Its title should not be taken too literally, as all the trademarks of his musical legacy are perfectly intact. You will find the light and air that seems to seep through the sounds, the frisky structural details, the jolly melodies, the subtle deepness, the minimalistic yet not too strict grooves. But do not be mistaken, this album is not looking back too much, of course. After all, this is music that is still evolving. Let’s hope for more glimpses of James Din A4‘s special and spacious world, they are ever needed.

Finn Johannsen

Titles:

01. Total Eclipse (5:32)
02. Never Look Back (04:22)
03. Hildegard von Bingen Techno (05:19)
04. Das Portal (02:01)
05. Stand-Up Ecstatic (05:14)
06. totally eclipsed (06:25)
07. Wake the Snake (03:42)
08. White Light / Black Hole (04:23)

Also available as a 12" vinyl pressing in an ultra-limited edition.

A1 Total Eclipse (5:32)
A2 Never Look Back (04:22)
A3 Das Portal (02:01)
B1 Stand-Up Ecstatic (05:14)
B2 totally eclipsed (06:25)

https://liveatrobertjohnson.bandcamp.com/album/never-look-back

Written & Produced by Dennis Busch
Published by Copyright Control.
Mastered by Lopazz.
Distributed by Kompakt
Artwork by Dennis Busch.

Also available on Bandcamp and all the other digital platforms.

Label: Live At Robert Johnson, 2025
Catalog No: Playrjc126D

Stand-Up Ecstatic 

Stand Up Ecstatic

White Light / Black Hole

White Light Black Hole

Never Look Back

Das Portal

Totally Eclipsed

totally eclipsed

Total Eclipse

Wake the Snake

Hildegard von Bingen Techno

Imperial

Kosmos

Purple Train

Live recorded at Robert Johnson, Offenbach in August 2011

Ata - Robert Johnson, August 2011

151 minutes recorded at Robert Johnson on Saturday, 26 January 2019

Robert Johnson Archive 0001: Lena Willikens

60 minutes recorded at Robert Johnson on Wednesday, 26 December 2018

Robert Johnson Archive 0002: Francesco Del Garda

111 minutes recorded at Robert Johnson on Saturday, 23 March 2019

Robert Johnson Archive 0003: Midland

242 minutes recorded at Robert Johnson on Friday, 8 February 2019

Robert Johnson Archive 0004: Gerd Janson b2b Roman Flügel

CENTER YOURSELF is a podcast series curated by Robert Johnson. Each episode is created by one of our regulars—some are made for this occasion and some are hand-picked from the club's own archive.

@markussommer
@pagerevans

Recorded at Robert Johnson in November 2018.

Center Yourself 04 – Markus Sommer & Phil Evans

CENTER YOURSELF is a podcast series curated by Robert Johnson. Each episode is created by one of our regulars—some are made for this occasion and some are hand-picked from the club's own archive.

@andrew-weatherall
@roman-fluegel

In loving memory, we are happy to share this excerpt from Andrew Weatherall & Roman Flügel's all-nighter recorded at Robert Johnson in 2017.

Center Yourself 05 – Andrew Weatherall & Roman Flügel

CENTER YOURSELF is a podcast series curated by Robert Johnson. Each episode is created by one of our regulars—some are made for this occasion and some are hand-picked from the club's own archive.

"Recorded at Robert Johnson on the 8th of November in 2014, this mix is a mix (tautology!) of ambient appetizers, typical starter records, dance floor advances, introspective interludes and a slow approach to debauchery that followed. Or to be intellectually more lowbrow or honest and to prevent a sophomore essay about the art of the warm up: music that sounds good at the start. Thank you for listening." Gerd Janson

Center Yourself 16 – Gerd Janson

As the name states Live at Robert Johnson is the associated label of the respected venue in Offenbach and incorporates what the club stands for. The imprint has been establishing a solid ground for the new Frankfurt sound since 2009. By featuring internationally acclaimed artists LARJ has been providing DJs and audiences with essential tunes in an extensive range of high-quality house music. Laid-back dance-floor awareness with a sense for particularity in sound is what might describe best most of the releases and artists.

Live At Robert Johnson

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