Interview – Jose Wated on his debut album Can I Change My Epiphany?

___________________

Jose Wated – I started in 1988 when I bought my first synth, a Yamaha DX 100, and I joined a band playing covers of Depeche Mode. Then we recorded our first original EP in a studio where I was introduced to the process of producing a record.

Nowadays, the basics from a technical point of view feel the same, but the tools are infinitely more advanced. To give you perspective, my first computer was an Atari 1040, which had 1,040 KB of RAM. My current computer has 32 GB of RAM. Isn’t that crazy?

MI4L – The clubbing experience has undergone significant changes in recent years. As someone who’s witnessed this evolution, how do you feel about today’s club culture compared to when you first started?

Jose Wated – I feel the present scene is more production-oriented toward a big audience and more money-driven. Don’t get me wrong; in the end, this is a business, but I miss some of the—let’s call it—ingenuity and soulfulness of the rave era, where it was more people-oriented.

MI4L – Your music often defies convention, blending diverse elements and influences. Can you tell us about your musical background and how those early experiences have shaped your sound today?

Jose Wated – I did four years of classical piano, and I also play some guitar. I like all kinds of music, but if I have to choose one big influence, I’d say Depeche Mode’s Black Celebration. I really think I still carry a significant influence from that record in my present sound. Additionally, all the progressive house records from labels such as Hooj Choons and Bedrock, among others, have been major influences.

Jose Wated – In the last couple of years, I have started experimenting with visual mediums. My endgame has always been composing for movies or TV; I love cinema and have experimented with music production using the three-act structure.

I envision my tracks as scenes of a “movie,” with the album being the finished product. In this case, I would love to be more conceptual with the whole theme—maybe for the next record.

Jose Wated – For me, being authentic is everything—much more important than pushing against mainstream trends. That has never been my objective; maybe it comes naturally, but not by design. For sure, it has made my journey a little difficult in connecting with wider audiences, but nobody said this was going to be easy. This is a marathon, not a 100-meter dash, if that makes any sense.

MI4L – You’ve expressed admiration for figures like Nirvana, John Talabot, and Paul Thomas Anderson, as well as historical figures like Winston Churchill. How do these diverse influences find their way into your music? Do they shape how you approach storytelling through sound?

Jose Wated – These influences are everything to me, but I can’t really explain how they find their way into my music—they just do. As I mentioned before, much of this comes naturally, and I don’t overthink the process. I guess they definitely shape how I approach storytelling through sound, but it’s a natural process that I can’t even fully understand in terms of how they end up in my finished work.

MI4L – You’ve been a long-time contributor to Savia Park, where you’ve released some of your most treasured works. What is it about this label that allows you to express your truest artistic self?

Jose Wated – I value loyalty a lot, and Savia Park has been there since the beginning. For me, most of my commercial work is easy to place with a label, but my more conceptual tracks are not as easy to release. That’s where Savia has been a beacon of light for my most valued work, and I will always be grateful to them for their support and fierceness.

MI4L – Your philosophy and approach to art seem to walk a fine line between chaos and brilliance. How do you find balance in your creative process, especially when working with so many contrasting ideas?

Jose Wated – I do not find balance; that’s for you and the audience to dictate. I just have a process that always starts with chaos, for sure. Then I revisit the work and try to give it order—that’s my method. I don’t work specifically on one piece; I work on several tracks at the same time, giving each one some attention in every session until I feel they are digestible. However, I am never satisfied with the end product. Any serious producer will tell you that the work is never finished.

MI4L – Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of your music and your place in the constantly shifting landscape of electronic and experimental sounds? What new directions are you excited to explore?