Chilean born DJ, Ricardo Villalobos, has spearheaded the minimal techno music scene for over a decade. As a young child, Ricardo moved to Germany from Chile with his family to escape the dictatorship of Augosto Pinochet. Settling near Darmstadt near Frankfurt airport. His mother worked at an airline, and his parents encouraged Ricardo to travel throughout Latin America. Influenced by Brazillin music, Cuban salsa, Argentinian tango and the music of the Andes - Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, Ricardo began DJ'ing as a university student. He soon helped start German independent label Placid Labour. Ricardo later released his first record on German label Playhouse in 1994. Widely praised for his innovative house beats with Latin American references, Ricardo has headlined electronic music festivals throughout Europe and Latin America. In 2008 dance and electronica magazine, Resident Advisor, named him as the world's top DJ.