[ Today we have the pleasure of sitting down with another rising star on our label, Wattikan, to chat about his remarkable experimental melodic techno productions as well as his upcoming ‘Echo Alchemy’ EP ]
A&R ~ Tell us where you're from Ondrej? Were you born and raised there?
Wattikan ~ Yeah, I was born and still live in Pardubice, Czech Republic. It's not too far from Prague, which is a lot more famous. We have a pretty cool culture scene in Pardubice, from folk to indie bands, hard-core, and even electronic music parties. I've also lived in Prague and Sheffield, UK, but I always end up back here. Though, Portugal's been catching my eye recently, not sure why yet :)
A&R ~ So you are a DJ too? Tell us more?
Wattikan ~ Well, I actually started DJing because of my music production. I've always been into live music and I play bass. I love messing around with sound on the computer, so I naturally started playing with synths and totally fell in love with them. DJing is super satisfying because it's awesome to see people happy and dancing. Plus, it's a lot easier to get people to dance as a DJ than with a live band.
A&R ~ Where do you reside for your DJ sessions?
Wattikan ~ I don't have a regular place yet, my DJing schedule is pretty random. Usually, we plan an event with other DJs and I'll play there. I do have plans to DJ more regularly though.
A&R ~ What style of music do you play out?
Wattikan ~ Mainly techno, everything from Berlin-style to acid to dark. I love a good techno bassline and a touch of classy darkness. I've also got some liquid funk and drum’n’bass in my collection that I plan to use for my gigs with 2Enough, that's a live duo I play bass and synths in.
A&R ~ Sounds exciting! How long have you been producing for?
Wattikan ~ I started making tracks influenced by Leftfield and Depeche Mode about six or seven years ago when I had more time from my live gigs. Those tracks are still waiting to be released :) Since then, I've been moving more towards techno, which is what I'm really into now. I love exploring different aspects of the genre. It’s like an endless journey of discovery.
I also produce tracks for 2Enough. Hanka Venclova, the singer and songwriter there, comes up with a vocal line and some chords on guitar or piano, and I fill in the rest with synths and beats.
A&R ~ Man that's fantastic, you really are multi-talented. What do you feel you want listeners to experience when they listen to your work?
Wattikan ~ When people listen to my music, I want them to feel the same thing I feel when I'm dancing to a good techno track. To get totally lost in the rhythm and weird echoed sounds. There's something deeply spiritual about it, like dancing around a fire to drums with a shaman thousands of years ago.
A&R ~ Agreed, this is why this genre has so many loyal fans. So tell us about ‘Echo Alchemy’? How did this EP come to be, what is your story behind it?
Wattikan ~ When I first started making my own techno tracks, I wasn't happy with the results. They lacked something, like a good groove or tension and release. But then in just a couple of months, I managed to create four tracks that I was happy with. Not sure how that happened :) I experimented with using unexpected samples for techno, like hardcore guitars or string orchestra parts, and I think it all ended up working well together.
A&R ~ That's for sure, definitely a unique sound. How many tracks are on the EP and what can we expect?
Wattikan ~ Well the EP consists of four tracks in total. The first of which, ‘Techynko’, starts with a steady kick drum and a melodic bass sequence. Then it picks up some acid techno vibes as it goes on. There's this aggressive synth in the middle that's straight out of a cyber world. The tension gets released by this soothing string harmony at the end.
The second track on the EP is ‘3AM Odyssey’. This one's inspired by an early morning in the city when you're trying to get home but end up at another party. The unique part is the heavy guitar riffs that hit during the peak.
'Dawnbreaker' comes up next and that's about a night at a rave. It starts calm but builds up to a crazy high before calming down to a fresh morning - hence the name of the track. It has some unexpected surprises and a deep sub bass line, mixed with digital synths and unique sci-fi sounds.
Last but not least, ‘Steampunk’. This one has a Japanese twist and pays tribute to the cyberpunk literature genre. The bass line is like a steam engine with some weird percussive synth noises. Dark melodies and fast arpeggios help complete the track.
I did all the mixing myself but I had S7 x Beatlab Ru44 do the final masters. They sound in line with the rest of the labels releases and really make things sound great!
A&R ~ Is it out soon, where can we get it?
Wattikan ~ The EP releases the 13th July 2023 but we've also prepared a bit of a surprise with the release of an accompanying mixed version which Sean Sever was kind enough to put together for us. You can pre-order both of these already! You should also come to our free listening session the 12th July. We'll be there to listen to the mixed version of the EP
A&R ~ Sounds good, will be there! So how did you come to be with the S7 Independent Record Label anyway?
Wattikan ~ When I had all four tracks ready, I thought it'd be great to release them, preferably with a label instead of just on my own. I sent demos to five or six labels that were accepting them, and I got two positive replies. S7 really stood out because they gave very detailed feedback on each track. I was so impressed, I didn't even think about the other label. And let me tell you - It’s been fantastic so far.
The label has helped me get the tracks onto all platforms, made great visuals, and handled the promo. We keep in touch regularly, and they always keep me updated.
A&R ~ Thank you for the kind words, we love what we do. So do you have any other unreleased works/productions we haven't heard yet?
Wattikan ~ Yeah, I've got a few new techno tracks that are pretty much ready. I tried to explore different techno sub-genres like tech house or hard techno. They might be better off as singles rather than an EP, but we'll see.
Maybe some of my next tracks will match well with them.
A&R ~ Keep experimenting with different sounds and continue to tell your story. Can we catch you at a party anywhere this summer?
Wattikan ~ I'm keeping this summer kind of free for travel and spending time with my kids. I'm planning to play some stuff in Pardubice in the middle of summer, alongside a 2Enough gig. I might also hit a couple of outdoor electronic festivals. We're planning more regular parties with my DJ friends, so hopefully we'll figure out a good format by Autumn.
A&R ~ What's next for you on your musical journey?
Wattikan ~ I really want to get more hardware synths, especially some analog ones. I think my next thing might be a live synths setup. My friend Sandy (Monostop) does something like that, and it's really interesting. I also like Saytek Live and other acts like them.
A&R ~ Thank you for taking the time to catch-up with us today. Looking forward to hearing more from you.
Wattikan ~ Well you won't need to wait too long! I'd like to have something ready by September. We'll see what you guys at S7 think about that :)