Inner Wave Recommends
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Next up in the Recommends Series is the amazing Inner Wave, whose album SEE YOU WHEN I GET BACK is out now via Nettwerk (link) + the companion film which you should catch in theaters!
Photos provided by Ambar Navarro for Synth History.
Without futher ado...
Pablo Sotelo:
Peavey T-60
I love my Peavey T-60. I bought mine at a pawn shop in San Francisco while on tour back in 2018 for $400. I’ve never heard of this guitar before and as I learned it had a phase switch I never stopped using it. It’s so versatile the pickups can switch from humbucker to single coil depending on where the tone knob is. And when both pick ups are on u can flip a switch so they are out of phase. It’s my favorite guitar ever plus it looks cool. Only downside is that it’s really heavy but that’s usually the case with my guitars for some reason.
VCR TV
I keep my sisters old VCR TV in The Swamp (the studio). I like to play a lot of movies in vhs with the sound off in the background. I find that the visuals tend to be very stimulating and helps with getting into a creative state.
Squier Bass 6
I bought a bass 6 for the recording of “SEE YOU WHEN I GET BACK” and it quickly became one of my secret weapons. I loved playing the same guitar part but an octave lower and adding chorus to it for that “Cure”/ Peter Hook sound. It really expanded what we were able to do with the guitars.
CZ-1 Casio Keyboard
The Inner Wave secret weapon. We’ve had this thing for over 10 years now. We first had the Casio 101 which is a smaller version and eventually upgraded. I love how plasticky some of the sounds are. I would say most IW songs have at least one sound from this keyboard.
Bowie
Bowie is my dog. He’ll scratch the door and come inside, hang for a few min and then ask to leave. He’s seen us make a ton of music and usually looks unimpressed but he serves to remind us to stay humble.
Jean Pierre Narvaez:
Acoustic Nylon Guitar
I like to use my acoustic nylon guitar when I’m working something out in my room (pre-demo). The nylon strings sound so warm and comfortable to me. Sometimes the scratchy metal sound from nickel strings bothers me.
Ibanez-Rickenbacker Clone Bass
I think Cruz found this bass on facebook marketplace. It’s got this thumpy, ballsy, punchy sound that we all love. Reminds me of early Interpol records when Carlos D was hitting serious octave jumps. Those are some of our favorite bass-lines from childhood.
Jose Cruz:
Sequential Prophet 5
Truly the Cadillac of synthesizers. Giant wooden keyboard with giant knobs and a giant sound. It was the first synth to be polyphonic (can play chords) and has patch memory (can save your sounds) and it’s all sweet spot. You can double track, layer octaves, and the sound only gets bigger. If it’s good enough for Bernie Worell (Parliament/Talking Heads) and Yellow Magic Orchestra, it’s good enough for me.
Good Food
Our fuel. Probably where most of the album budget goes haha. I secretly go into every session wondering what we’re gonna order in. We’re all a bunch of foodies so naturally you see an eclectic assortment of fun bites coming in. Whether it’s ceviche, mediterranean, italian subs, or pho, we love to take food breaks to keep the hangry away.
Yamaha PM1000 Console
I drove to El Paso, Texas to pick up this beast. It’s a 70’s 16-channel Japanese made recording console that was meant to be a knock off of a more expensive 70’s British console. I had it customized right before the recording of SYWIGB by our tech, Eduardo Reyes, to add phantom power (we wanted to rely heavily on condenser mics on this album) and customize the EQs to my specifications. It was a blast to be able to sweeten every drum, guitar, and keyboard before it hit our tape machine. You feel like a real engineer when you’re be able turn physical knobs [laughs].
And lastly, a question!
Synth History: Can you tell me about your new film and what it means to you? What was the process like making it?
Inner Wave: Making the film was a spiritual journey. It was an exercise in trusting the process even when the odds were stacked against us and a testament to the strength of teamwork. Stepping into an entirely new world felt surreal, but everyone in the band, along with Abraham Recio, our co director, and the rest of the cast and crew, helped create something special that we are incredibly proud of. SEE YOU WHEN I GET BACK is a comedy horror film that parodies the life of a touring musician. With fantastical elements and plenty of humor, it feels like an extension of our personalities and sense of humor. It allowed us to express parts of ourselves that we felt could not be fully conveyed through music alone.
Synth History Exclusive.
Photos by Ambar Navarro.
Lighting Assist Max Flick.
