Volta

Born in 1982, Volta (Raphaël Parisod) is one of the few French-speaking Swiss artists who has been touring for over 25 years. From the start, he was influenced by his older brother—you can picture him at age 7, standing on a stool, mesmerized, as he explored DJing alongside his brother. By the age of 10, armed with his first synthesizer, he began learning music production, often visiting Hug Musique, the oldest musical instrument store in Europe, located in Lausanne. Fate would later bring him back there to work, 20 years on. Raised on the sounds of the early German-Swiss rave scene of the '90s, he absorbed the techno movement deeply—attending the 1995 Street Parade and discovering legendary labels like Bonzai and R&S, as well as pioneering producers such as Emmanuel Top, Jam & Spoon, and the early waves of Detroit techno arriving in Europe, notably via artists from Underground Resistance. During his teenage years, he immersed himself in a wide range of electronic music, from Kraftwerk and The Prodigy to Massive Attack—sounds that would go on to shape his DJ sets. Once old enough to enter clubs, he discovered Jeff Mills, Kevin Saunderson, The Hacker, and many other icons of the techno scene at Lausanne’s iconic Loft Club. These DJs became endless sources of artistic and technical inspiration. After performing at Space in Ibiza at only 18, he burst onto the Swiss scene, playing House, Electro, Trance Rave, and Techno alongside major artists like Vitalic, Dave Clarke, DJ Hell, Rolando, Marco Carola, and Gesaffelstein. Today, there isn’t a local club, festival, or event that hasn’t called on him to deliver an ecstatic dancefloor experience. The "Volta touch" is synonymous with dance music in the truest sense. He doesn’t follow passing musical trends and effortlessly switches between genres. Mixing exclusively on vinyl and using a wide range of techniques, he masters his environment, crafting musical journeys that spark curiosity and captivate open-minded audiences. In July 2003, Raphaël opened the vinyl shop VR Records in Lausanne and founded R-Productions, an event agency responsible for organizing major electronic music events across Switzerland. He was the first to introduce a more modern vision of electronic music to massive venues like MAD in Lausanne, booking an impressive lineup of artists for over two years. He also launched numerous event concepts such as Pirate Audio, Le Moulin Bleu, and more recently Les Club François—all of which have become staples in the Lausanne techno scene. In late 2003, he opened his own DJ school, where he teaches not only vinyl mixing techniques but also computer-assisted music production. Volta is affectionately regarded as a local hero—not only because he shares his love for music by motivating new talent and creating spaces for them to perform, but also by actively teaching and mentoring. He is also the founder of the Chocolate DJ Contest, a competition that has helped discover many artists now performing throughout Switzerland. His straightforward yet professional outlook has earned him the respect of an entire generation of music lovers. In 2006, he signed his first track—a remix of Jesse Somfay—which was played by artists like Troy Pierce, Ellen Allien, and Gregor Tresher. He then moved on to producing his own music, collaborating with Swiss artist Salvatore Freda (Fredator). Their work was released on legendary labels like Liebe Detail, Music Man, and Remote Area, and their tracks were played worldwide by electronic music legends such as Richie Hawtin, Sven Väth, Carl Cox, Luciano, Umek, and many others. For the past 10 years, he has been the founder and director of Wavestudios, an agency specializing in creating audio content for brands. He continues to teach the art of DJing and electronic music production—balancing studio hours, teaching sessions, and his unmissable Club François nights.