Some music begin with a carefully planned concept. Others arrive in a moment that feels impossible to predict. For Nelida Oyma, “Amber Feeling” was born beneath an unusually orange sunset, where a simple evening at home, an acoustic guitar and a sudden bass groove came together to create the spark for something entirely new.
Working from a home studio in France, Nelida Oyma builds instrumental music around emotion, movement and the instinctive power of groove. “Amber Feeling” brings together retro-inspired synth bass, electronic drums, Hammond organ and melodic guitars, creating a sound that moves between electronic production and organic musicianship.
In this exclusive interview with Spinex Music, Nelida Oyma discusses the unexpected moment that inspired “Amber Feeling,” the importance of groove, working independently with complete creative control, and how everyday experiences continue to shape the stories behind the music.
“Amber Feeling” began with the image of an unusually orange sunset. What was it about that particular moment that stayed with you strongly enough to become the starting point for an entire piece of music?
It was a beautiful evening at home, with one of those very orange sunsets we often get here. I was playing acoustic guitar while my wife was nearby having a coffee. I already had the guitar part of Amber Feeling in my head, but I was looking for something more. Suddenly I found the bass groove that you hear in the track. It immediately clicked with the guitar and I got really excited. I turned to my wife and said, “That’s it, I’ve got it!” That was really the moment Amber Feeling was born.
Because the track is instrumental, there are no lyrics to directly explain the emotion or story behind it. How do you translate a visual experience like a sunset into melody, rhythm, texture and atmosphere without telling the listener exactly what they should feel?
Nelida Oyma: My musical expression is always a reflection of an emotion or a feeling. I can’t really explain or rationalize it. When I compose, what I play simply reflects what I’m feeling at that moment. I don’t consciously try to translate an image into music or tell the listener what they should feel. The music comes naturally, and everyone can find their own emotion in it.
The repeating synth-bass groove, electronic drums, Hammond organ and rhythmic guitars create a distinctive blend of electronic and organic elements. How did you decide which instruments belonged in the track, and what does each one contribute to its emotional identity?
For me, the sound is always connected to the phrasing. For the bass, I wanted a retro synth sound reminiscent of 80s disco or funk, and the Hammond organ naturally found its place around that groove. I also wanted a steady, pulsing drum rhythm to keep the track moving. The guitars then respond to these elements and bring a more melodic dimension.
“Amber Feeling” develops gradually before opening into a melodic guitar bridge and then rebuilding layer by layer. What attracts you to this kind of gradual progression, and how do you know when a track has reached the right point to introduce a new element?
I always try to tell something through music, and for that I need movement and variation. I often keep fairly classic structures — intro, theme, bridge, return to the theme, build-up — but I like the elements to evolve within that structure. I especially love when the groove gradually becomes stronger, builds in intensity, and makes you want to move and dance.
Groove appears to be at the heart of the Nelida Oyma project. What does groove mean to you beyond simply creating something rhythmic, and how important is it that listeners can physically feel the movement in your music?
For me, groove is something deep. It’s the pulse, but above all it’s a feeling that creates sensations and makes you want to move, sometimes without even knowing exactly why. It’s that almost instinctive connection between rhythm and the body that I look for in my music.
You write, record, mix and produce every release yourself from your home studio in France. How has having complete control over the production process shaped your sound, and are there creative advantages to working without the limitations of a traditional studio environment?
Working in my own studio gives me a huge amount of creative freedom. I love trying different sounds, patterns or guitar effects, then going back and reworking elements as much as I need. That freedom is very important to me. I also like to keep control of the mix, because I see it as a very personal part of the creative process.
Your music brings together synthesizers, guitars and electronic rhythms rather than staying within a purely electronic framework. What draws you to combining these different sonic worlds, and how has that balance evolved across your releases?
I’m a bass player and guitarist, and many of my ideas start with the guitar. So for me, bringing it into electronic music feels completely natural. As I make instrumental music, I also like the idea that the roles can change: sometimes the guitar becomes the main voice, sometimes it’s a synth, while the other elements support it.
Working without vocals means that the instruments have to carry the emotional storytelling. Do you approach your compositions as narratives, with particular sounds representing different moments or feelings, or does the emotional meaning usually emerge naturally during the production process?
The meaning usually emerges naturally during the creative process. Proxima, for example, came from my imagination and my fascination with fantasy. Later, my music became more inspired by moments from life: a horse ride, early morning while wishing the night could continue, a beautiful misty morning in the mountains, or a sunset. These are starting points, but then I let the music tell its own story.
“Amber Feeling” was mastered by Calyx Mastering after you completed the writing, recording, mixing and production yourself. How important is it for you to know when to keep something within your own creative process and when to bring another specialist into the final stage?
My goal above all is to produce quality music. I like to keep control of the mix, but I don’t hesitate to get advice from experienced professionals to have an outside perspective. For me, mastering is the icing on the cake: it’s the final step that completes the track and gives it its finished form.
Looking beyond “Amber Feeling,” what kind of emotional and sonic world do you want Nelida Oyma to continue exploring? Are there particular sounds, instruments, environments or experiences you are hoping to translate into music next?
I’m already working on my next track, which will be centered around the idea of time. It will obviously keep a pulse, almost like a metronome, while different elements appear, disappear, come and go, always in motion. I’ll also be putting a lot of work into the sound design. I want a modern production with a strong identity, but one that can also connect with a wider audience.
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