Thirty years into a career defined by emotional depth, genre fluidity, and an unshakeable commitment to musical integrity, Vince Watson is still finding new ways to reinterpret his own legacy. With ‘Eminesence: The Mixes,’ he invites three of the most respected voices in deep and spiritual house — Cee ElAssaad, Atjazz, and Osunlade — to reimagine one of his most beloved tracks. The result is a body of work that feels both reflective and forward-moving, a celebration of roots and a reminder of how far his journey has travelled.
WWD: You’re celebrating 30 years in the House and Techno landscape. How does ‘Eminesence: The Mixes’ reflect where you are in your artistic journey today?
Well, this release is more a reflection of the remixers, but it’s very satisfying when you’ve released a piece of music and 15 years later some top producers want to remix it. I’ve always been in that middle ground between my love for house and techno, and this will never change — it’s who I am.
WWD: What made ‘Eminesence’ the right track to revisit and reinterpret at this moment in your career?
The track is one of my best-known and biggest-selling tracks, so I was quite particular about who I wanted to touch it. I did the same with Progress a few years ago when Joe Claussell remixed that. I was not so mindful when I put Mystical Rhythm out for remixes, but now I’m able to take time and choose carefully. I’m currently doing the same with Peace Of Mind, my track with Jon Dixon.
WWD: You selected Cee ElAssaad, Atjazz, and Osunlade — three giants of deep and spiritual house. What drew you to each of them for this project?
Actually, this idea was originally Osunlade’s. I asked him to repress the original on vinyl, but he suggested giving me the music back and doing it myself — and he would remix it instead. Then I set about planning the other remixes.
Atjazz was someone I always wanted to work more with, and his remixes are legendary, so this seemed like the perfect moment.
For Cee, he has developed so much over the last few years — a very talented musician with great chord structures, authentic timeless house music, and I’ve been playing his tracks for a long time.
WWD: When you first heard their remixes, what struck you most about how they reimagined the emotional core of the original?
Cee’s remix blew me away. It really reminded me of the Joe Claussell remix I mentioned earlier — not simply a remix, but a musical journey, an uprising, a story that never stops. It’s a beautiful trip.
For Atjazz, I was hoping he would dub it out, and he did exactly that — bringing his chunky bass and funk, his signature sound.
And for Osunlade, the organic textures and jazz sections really top the whole thing off beautifully.
WWD: Cee ElAssaad’s version is described as a spiritual journey. What elements of his interpretation resonated with you personally?
The change of roots over the original chord structure, the freedom of the solos, and the musicianship touched me.
WWD: Atjazz delivered a dub-driven, chunky, hypnotic take. What do you feel he unlocked within the track that wasn’t present before?
He took it from being a Balearic lounge track to a club track, and I love that conversion.
WWD: Osunlade’s Yoruba Soul Mix brings a jazzier, more intimate energy. How did his approach shift the mood or meaning of the piece for you?
The original track’s vision was a lazy jazz lounge, and I was very happy with the jazz chops being included in this version. I just wish it was longer.
WWD: The original ‘Eminesence’ has a very cinematic, reflective quality. What was happening in your life or creative world when you composed it?
Eminesence was the first house track I made after my 18-month hiatus from 2012–2014. I lost my way during the minimal era, lost interest, and thought I was finished. It’s Not Over on Planet E was the first track I made as a comeback, but Eminesence was the first house track — the spiritual successor to Mystical Rhythm.
WWD: You’ve worked with legends like Laurent Garnier, Joe Claussell, Carl Craig, and Carl Cox. How have these relationships shaped the way you approach collaboration today?
Nothing. I always have and always will work with respect for people in the industry. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work with such established names without that. Common respect, love, appreciation, gratitude, and being humble. I love all these peeps.
WWD: Your catalogue spans Detroit Techno, Deep House, Ambient, IDM, and more. Where does ‘Eminesence: The Mixes’ sit within your broader musical universe?
The lazier side for sure. Loungey, chill-out, beaches. It’s a loooooong way away from Amorphic.
WWD: You’re also teaching at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. How do these different roles feed into each other creatively?
Teaching inspires me. I love giving back. I learn every day at the University and it’s a beautiful thing. After the summer I’ll be releasing a 4-track EP with three of my former students — something I dreamed about when I started working there.
WWD: You’ve launched multiple aliases — Amorphic, Quart, and FREQ. How do these identities influence or contrast with the emotional world of ‘Eminesence?’
FREQ isn’t out yet — the first album is now signed to De:Tuned for February, more on that later.
As mentioned above, Amorphic is the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Eminesence, and I’m very proud of this. It’s really not easy to make music at a consistently high level in such vastly opposing genres that still resonates with the peers in that genre, so I’m very proud of my projects.
Quart is on hold for the moment — it’s a future project and will be back with a new album at some point. That one is closer to Eminesence — it’s all jazz-based regardless.
WWD: Your ambient work, especially ‘Lost In Zero Gravity,’ shows another side of your musical personality. Do you see any connection between that world and the emotional tone of ‘Eminesence?’
Not really. Eminesence has a different intent and purpose. The ambient albums are wonderful to work on because I love telling stories, but they are very distinct and directional, whereas Eminesence just allows you to groove deeply.
WWD: You’ve played iconic venues like Berghain, Womb, Space Ibiza, and HoR. How does performing live influence the way you think about tracks like this one being remixed?
I used to just make music and see what happened. Then road-testing made me realise the value of intent beforehand — but it’s only when you hear your music on a big system that you understand its full potential. I’ve made a few tracks that I wasn’t sure would work well and they ended up blowing me away, so it’s vital to get the intent of the production right for the right destination.
WWD: What do you hope listeners feel when they hear these three reinterpretations together as a single body of work?
I don’t want people to think too deeply about any of them. I just want them to be played, enjoyed, and for listeners to go with the journey — it’s about being free and letting go.
WWD: Looking ahead, what role do you see collaboration playing in the next phase of your career?
It’s hard to see what the future is right now. The gentrified music circus around us is a strong one, and I feel that only the strong are going to survive the industry. Then collaborations become super important — to get back to roots together, unified as a scene that has its roots in music, not in being seen.
WWD: If you could choose any artist, from any era, to reinterpret ‘Eminesence’, who would it be and why?
Louie Vega and Jon Dixon. Louie for the chords and purity, and Jon for the jazz interpretation and improvisation.
WWD: What’s next for you after this release — creatively, emotionally, and in terms of your evolving sound?
Creatively, the machine keeps going — the VW30 tour and album launch after summer, then FREQ, the IDM project in early 2027. A few more Amorphic EPs, and after that DNA2 is coming, plus an album for Joe Claussell’s Sacred Rhythm.
I think I did the right thing by breaking up my music like this — it gives me creative space to do what I want and have an outlet for it. I think my VW fanbase are going to really love the FREQ project — it’s me but different: better, deeper, more technical, more expressive. I’m excited about it.
WWD: Sounds amazing! Thanks for the chat 🙂
‘Eminesence: The Mixes’ is available here