It’s been twenty years since Roger Sanchez released a solo studio album and in the fast-moving world of dance music, two decades is a long time. But for the man who helped shape the global house scene, it was simply the time needed to get the story right. Roger is finally ready to share his long-awaited project, Spectrum – a body of work six years in the making. The album features an incredible mix of icons like Melanie C and Fedde Le Grand, alongside the freshest rising stars in the industry. With a brand new residency at Pacha Ibiza locked in for the summer and his latest single ‘Temptation‘ already heating up dancefloors, 2026 is officially a massive year for the legendary producer. We caught up with Roger to talk about the long wait, his love for new talent, and why Spectrum is the perfect snapshot of where he is today.
It’s been two decades since your last solo studio album. What was it about this specific moment in time, or perhaps this specific collection of songs that made you feel the world was finally ready for Spectrum?
I reached a point in my writing process where the tracks formed a cohesive story for me and I felt that was a good place to put the pen down and release this. When I work on albums, I tend to have a vision of the story I want to tell. This often changes during the process but when it feels right, I run with it.
You mentioned this body of work has been six years in the making. How has the vision for the album evolved from those first sessions to the final master, especially considering how much the global electronic scene has shifted in that time?
For me, most of the changes have been with some of the sounds I’ve used and engineers and sound designers that I’ve collaborated with on this album. I am constantly evolving my sound but the root remains constant: soul, latin percussion and dynamic beats. I think the stories told lyrically have also developed during the time of writing the album and really cemented together in the last year of production.
The feature list is incredibly diverse, spanning from Melanie C to underground artists. How did you approach balancing your signature house roots with the different energies these guest artists brought to the studio?
I work with artists and collaborators because of the perspective and vision they bring to the music we are making. I always learn from them and hopefully they can take something from me al. Each of the vocalists I’ve worked with has brought a unique colour to the album and, collectively, they have helped form the palette for the sonic painting of Spectrum.
‘Come My Way’ is the only track on the album where you’re solo. Does that track hold a different kind of significance for you compared to the collaboration on the other tracks?
I think it almost represents a sentence in the conversation that is the album. I wouldn’t say it holds a greater or lesser position on the album because it’s a solo track. I wrote close to 50 tracks for this album over the span of time creating it, and chose the ones that came together to form a cohesive story, in my opinion.
You’ve made a point to include both icons like Fedde Le Grand and rising newcomers. As a veteran who has seen the industry transform, how important is it for you to use your platform to spotlight the next generation of house producers?
I always love working with new, up and coming producers as they have a different perspective that I can learn from and hopefully, my position can help shine a light on their work as well.
With a new residency at Pacha Ibiza announced for this summer, how do you envision these new album tracks translating from the studio to the dancefloors?
I think some of the tracks will fit perfectly with the sound of Flower Power at Pacha in Ibiza and I can’t wait to play them out at this amazing club!
Looking back at your career from the early NYC days to your Grammy win, how does Spectrum define who Roger Sanchez is in 2026 and what do you hope fans take away from this album after such a long wait?
Spectrum is, as with all of my albums, a snapshot of where my mind and sound is at the time that I wrote it. I don’t know if it defines who I am, but it can give my audience a picture and understanding of where I am right now. I hope the fans who have been waiting a long time as well as new fans discovering my music for the first time will enjoy and appreciate where my journeys have taken me to bring me to this point.
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Words: Jamila Woodley