The Most Valuable Lesson Oden & Fatzo Learned as Producers

Infectiously upbeat live trio Oden & Fatzo have earned a reputation as one of the most charismatic collectives in house music. Instantly recognized by their signature astronaut attire behind the decks, their sound, which merges funky basslines and warm vocals, has culminated in a Boiler Room Live Set at FLY Open Air 2022, releases on Hedzup, Locus, MicroHertz, Pitch Records, Knee Deep In Sound, and an upcoming sold-out show at London’s iconic Village Underground.

Oden & Fatzo members William, Alex, and Abel come from diverse musical backgrounds spanning rock, funk, and psytrance. This patchwork of influence fuels the imagination of their music and live show. Their inventiveness extends to their label Saké Records, which features cosmic collaborations with the likes of Herr Krank, Theos, and Baccus, among others.

Some say the harder you work, the more successful you’ll be. But for Oden & Fatzo, the most valuable lesson they learned was to avoid forcing creativity. “Be focused and committed to your creation, but don’t push yourself too hard,” they explain in an interview with Mr. Afterparty.

In their early history, the trio spent seven days a week in the studio but reaped little reward for their efforts. “The songs began to sound less creative and always the same,” they recall. “We were definitely pushing too hard, so we decided to take a one-month break.”

After returning from their hiatus feeling refreshed, the group reunited and wrote “OB1 Kenobi” in a single six-hour session. Soon after release, it became the trio’s first track to surpass 100k plays and attract international attention from an array of DJs and tastemakers.

Oden & Fatzo continue to uphold the importance of taking time off work and remaining open-minded and curious.

“Everything can be inspirational. We like going to the cinema, watching movies, reading books, comics or mangas. Music is a feeling, [and different activities outside of music] can help get you into the right mindset to create tracks and express interesting ideas.”