Sensing Antenna is back with a renewed focus on the personal journeys behind the music. This time we welcome Z@p, born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and now based in Barcelona. A longtime resident of Phonotheque and Cartulis Music, Z@p stands out for his timeless productions and hypnotic DJ sets that blend depth, tension, and emotion. With releases on My Own Jupiter, Time Passages, and Cabaret Recordings, he continues to shape the global underground with precision and soul.
1. Walk us through the moment you knew you'd found 'your sound' what did that feel like, and what specific decisions in the studio led you there?
I always find it tricky to answer questions about “my sound” or “my style,” because I feel I’m always moving in different directions with my productions or DJ sets. I don’t have preconceptions or fixed ideas before I start, no formulas, no attempt to follow the direction of previous work. It’s usually like starting with a blank canvas every time. So honestly, there was never a single moment where I felt like I’d “found my sound.” I see it more as a constant search for something new, and that’s what keeps it exciting and fulfilling for me.
Of course, I understand that from the outside you might hear a kind of footprint or recognize certain patterns, but internally, the way I see it is exactly as I described.
2. How do you navigate the mental and emotional challenges that come with balancing intense creative periods with the demands of touring and performing?
It’s not always easy, but if you want to stay productive, you need to find balance in your life overall both on the road and in your daily routine. I’m not going to lie to you, I don’t have this mastered yet, that’s why I say it’s not always easy. But the positive side of having made music for so many years is that I can usually translate ideas quickly once I’m in the studio and focus.
That’s something that comes with time and experience, I guess.
I also think it’s important not to put pressure on yourself when it comes to releasing music. At least for me, I only make music when I feel motivated and inspired. So, as you said, there are moments of intense creativity in the studio, and other times when the focus is more on touring and performing and I think that’s perfectly fine.
3. When you're in the studio, what influences or gear choices help you translate your most authentic self into sound and how has that process evolved?
I don’t think it has much to do with gear choices, maybe it’s more related to experience, which helps me translate my most authentic self into sound.
The decisions I make when choosing one kind of drum sound or texture over another are influenced by all the experiences I’ve collected working with music over the years. That’s definitely something that evolves, but I don’t think it can be tied to a specific piece of gear or anything purely technical in my case.
4. How do different places and cultures you've travelled to show up in your music, and what's the most unexpected way a location has shifted your creative perspective?
I’m sure places and cultures influence an artist’s work, but I feel it often happens in ways you can’t clearly recognise. Everything that surrounds you is going to affect your music on a subconscious level and sometimes on a conscious one too.
But if I had to name one place as an example that always inspires me, it would be Japan.
I’ve been lucky to play there several times in different cities, and each time I’m there I find inspiration in so many aspects of the culture. The architecture and design in particular never fail to blow my mind and inspire me.
5. What's one piece of advice you'd give to producers struggling to find their authentic voice while dealing with the pressures of the industry?
There should never be pressure in the studio to begin with, the same goes for performing, but I feel the studio is even more delicate because you’re creating music that, if released, will be out there forever.
It’s your mark, so it should be 100% real and authentic. Probably patience is the best advice I can give: don’t rush things.
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