Arky Waters On Sydney's Underground, Finding Freedom In Bass Music And His Debut Album 'Holdin' On'
- Undrtone Blog
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
For Arky Waters, debut album Holdin' On isn't simply a collection of tracks. It's a snapshot of a particular moment in his life, documenting both his own artistic evolution and the community that helped shape it.
Released via Mammal Sounds Records, the album marks a significant turning point for the Australian producer. While earlier releases often emerged from solitary studio sessions, Holdin' On reflects the influence of Sydney's club culture, collaboration and the freedom that comes from letting go of creative expectations.
Looking back now, Arky can hear that transformation unfolding across the record itself.
"When I listen back to the album I can literally hear the moments where I'm starting to let myself feel free in the way I'm producing," he explains. "Ableton is almost becoming like an instrument that I'm finally getting used to."
Although Holdin' On represents his first full venture into bass music, the genre has quietly shaped his musical journey from the very beginning.
"Bass music was what got me into electronic music in the first place," he says. "It honestly just took this long to become technically good enough to produce it. To me, it's definitely the hardest genre to make."
That technical challenge has fundamentally changed how he approaches the studio.
Rather than building songs around existing sounds, Arky increasingly prefers creating everything himself from the ground up, paying as much attention to frequencies and physical impact as melody.
"There's definitely a lot less tinkering involved now," he says. "A lot of the time, if I want a sound, I'll try to make it from scratch. There's much more consideration for how the music will sound on a big system."
The shift hasn't only been technical.
Surrounding himself with Sydney's underground community has transformed both his confidence and the way he views creativity.
"Honestly, it's just made the whole process so much more fun," he says. "You naturally pick things up from other producers. Sharing resources and techniques makes the whole scene better."
That sense of community runs throughout Holdin' On, with the city itself becoming almost another contributor to the project.
Sydney's relative isolation has created an underground scene that absorbs influences from every corner of electronic music rather than following a single dominant sound.
"There's so much variety here," Arky explains. "I think it comes from the fact we're so isolated. The Sydney sound pulls from all over the world. We get to pick and choose what we like, and it creates something really unique."
While listeners outside Australia may not immediately recognise those influences, Arky believes there are still subtle clues hidden throughout the album.
"Maybe the voices in the interlude are a giveaway," he laughs.
For all its club-focused energy, Holdin' On never loses sight of emotional storytelling.
Growing up in bands before moving into electronic music left Arky searching for ways to preserve that same emotional honesty within dance music.
"I grew up writing really personal songs," he says. "When I started making electronic music, it felt really void of life in comparison."
Closing that gap has become one of his biggest creative motivations.
"I'm constantly trying to squeeze that same feeling out of electronic music."
That balance between technical precision and emotional expression extends to the album's collaborations, particularly Take a Trip alongside LX.
The track emerged during a relaxed studio session with no real expectations, yet still benefited from the pressure of a limited booking window.
"It was a weird combination of both," Arky explains. "We only had the studio booked for two hours, so there was definitely that feeling of wanting to get something done quickly. I think the best ideas need a little bit of pressure."
Elsewhere on the album, experimentation became just as important as efficiency.
Tracks such as OMG demanded countless hours refining bass design, despite their relatively minimal arrangements.
"The basses almost needed to have a conversation with each other," he says. "That took a really long time, but it was worth it."
That willingness to experiment feels increasingly important within today's rapidly changing electronic landscape, where trends can appear and disappear almost overnight.
Rather than worrying about what might perform best, Arky has consciously chosen to trust his instincts.
"It's really crazy," he says. "I've been making music for so long now that I'm over doing anything for external validation."
Having a supportive community has helped reinforce that mindset.
"I'm lucky to have great people around me who support what I do, so it never feels like a lonely pursuit making music that isn't necessarily the most popular sound."
With Holdin' On now out in the world, Arky already sees it less as a destination than the beginning of another creative chapter.
More than anything, the album reinforced the value of stepping beyond familiar territory.
"It was really healthy for me creatively to push my boundaries instead of sticking to what I already knew," he says.
That philosophy is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
"Moving forward, experimentation is definitely going to take the front seat," he says. "I want to see what I can get away with."
If Holdin' On captures the first clear snapshot of Arky Waters' artistic identity, it also points towards a future built on curiosity rather than certainty. As his confidence continues to grow, so too does his willingness to push further beyond the boundaries of his own sound.
