Imagine being plucked from a moment, as you’re transported to another dimension. You land in amongst a landscape of refracting sonic elements, levels of beats, samples and effects that are difficult to explain but are comforting in their cohesion – that is Watermark High AKA Paul Van Der Walt. We recently chatted about the progression in his sound, being an independent artist and the public’s perception of his music. Get ready, his “For Good” EP is an absolute game-changer.
How has your sound developed and progressed over the last few years?
I’m a self-taught producer so I always figured the more music I made, the better I’d get, so that’s what I’ve been trying to do. I think that I’ve gotten a lot closer to where I always wanted to be sound-wise, since I started in 2012. I’ve made enough stuff to figure out who Watermark High is, and also what I still want it to be in the future.
What visual references would you use to describe your style and sound?
I see a big part of my style as sound collage, so I guess, visually I’d also see it as a mix of very different kinds of visuals, to form a new whole, like an actual collage. Visuals with a lot of texture and analog grit, like dusty film or messy time lapses mixed with lots of pastel painted colours maybe?
Aside from the concept EP you released in December 2014, you seem to release your EP’s about a year apart. Is this a conscious decision or does it take a year for you to be ready to share your work?
It’s been a conscious goal of mine to try and consistently release new music. Since I started, I set out to have at least one official release every year. It gives me an excuse to keep working and in turn it hones my skills but it also helps me to stay relevant. I’m also just obsessed with it really, so I can’t imagine not doing any music for a year, or just a couple of months even. On the other hand, with having a day job and limited time for music, it also just kind of worked out that way, that about more or less a year turns out to be the amount of time it takes me to make stuff that I’m happy with and to get it out. I’ve always also done things like remixes and exclusive compilation tracks in between, which also takes up some time.
What has the reception for the first single, Galocher, been like and what can we expect from you on the new EP?
I know what I do doesn’t have mass appeal so I think I have realistic expectations, I’m even reluctant to use the word“single”to be honest, but the response has been rad I think. I’ve gotten some cool feedback, which is awesome as I have very little perspective on the music at this point. I’ve been working on it for months and I’ve heard it so much, I have no idea how other people would perceive it, which is always interesting. As far as what to expect, I guess just a progression on the sound that I’ve been working towards since I started. I tried some new things as well. I think this EP is a bit more synth-heavy compared to my previous stuff. I’m also still a “less is bore” kinda guy, but I have practiced some restraint this time round I think, there’s a bit more space occasionally while still trying to keep things intricate and interesting overall.
You release all your music independently, what is that journey like and how do you keep yourself motivated?
It’s tough and time consuming doing everything myself (pretty much) but I also enjoy the “business” side of it. And we live in a time where it’s totally doable to do it all yourself, for the most part. Coming from playing in and running loads of (punk) bands back in the day, I’ve always just kind of had this DIY, hands-on ethic. It’s also a case of feeling that no one else is probably going to care as much about this as I do and I’ve been doing this stuff myself since forever, I might as well keep at it until some help comes around. I never really struggle too much with motivation. I take my music very seriously and it’s such a huge part of who I am, that I can’t image not wanting to make this my life.
Did performing at Cape Town Electronic Music Festival have any noticeable effect on your career, in terms of new appreciation for your music or new inspiration to create?
I was in CT that week before and the whole experience was just incredible overall – my show was fun, but I also got to hang out with some local and international heroes of mine, partied my ass off, experienced some awesome music and learned a lot at the workshops, so as a whole it was just a really memorable and inspiring experience. I definitely felt that a lot more people “got me” compared to here in Joburg. The amount of positive feedback I got from people after the show was something I’ve never experienced in Gauteng so yeah, it was definitely inspiring.
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Download Watermark High’s “For Good” EP here or stream it on Deezer here.
