We caught up with rising UK electronic music producer Jean-Claude Bastos at his home studio to discuss the creation of his breakthrough track “Running Free” and get an inside look at his creative process. What started as a casual conversation about music production turned into a fascinating deep dive into the artistic decisions that shaped one of this year’s most compelling electronic compositions.

So Jean-Claude, take us back to the beginning. What was the initial spark that became “Running Free”?

“Honestly, it started with a feeling more than a sound. I’d been going through a particularly intense period—lot of personal changes, career decisions, you know how it is. I remember sitting at my setup around 2 AM, just messing with this simple chord progression on my favorite analog-modeled synth. There was something about those particular intervals that felt like… possibility. Like doors opening instead of closing.”

The track has such a distinctive opening. Was that always part of your vision?

“Not at all! Originally, I had this massive intro with layers and layers of percussion. Typical producer mistake—throwing everything at it from the start. But after living with it for a few weeks, I realized the power was in the restraint. The minimalist opening you hear now came from stripping away everything that wasn’t absolutely essential. Sometimes the most important thing you can do as a producer is resist the urge to fill every frequency.”

Your Spotify catalog shows such consistency in production quality. What’s your studio setup like?

“I’m definitely a bedroom producer at heart, but I’ve invested in some key pieces over the years. My monitors are probably the most important element—you can’t make good decisions if you can’t hear what you’re actually doing. I use a combination of software and hardware, but honestly, the tools matter less than understanding how to use them. ‘Running Free’ was made with probably 80% software instruments, but I spent ages getting the processing chain right.”

There’s a particular warmth to your low-end that really stands out. Any secrets you can share?

“Ha! The secret is actually pretty boring—it’s all about the midrange. Everyone obsesses over the sub-bass, but if your midrange isn’t supporting it properly, all the low-end in the world won’t help. I spend a lot of time around 200-500 Hz, making sure everything sits together. Plus, gentle saturation is your friend. I probably run everything through some form of analog modeling to add those subtle harmonics that make digital productions feel more organic.”

“Running Free” has this incredible emotional arc. How do you approach arrangement for that kind of storytelling?

“I think of electronic music as cinematic, you know? Every section needs to serve the overall narrative. With ‘Running Free,’ I wanted to take listeners on a journey from introspection to liberation—hence the title. The arrangement mirrors that emotional progression. You start in this contemplative space, build tension through the middle sections, hit that emotional climax around the four-minute mark, then resolve into something that feels genuinely cathartic.”

The breakdown section is particularly powerful. What were you going for there?

“That section almost didn’t make it into the final version! I was worried it might be too emotional, too exposed. But my girlfriend heard an early version and said that breakdown gave her chills. Sometimes you need that external perspective to recognize when you’ve captured something special. The filtered vocal sample in there—that’s actually me humming the main melody, pitched down and heavily processed. I wanted something that felt human but otherworldly.”

You’ve mentioned the track working well in both intimate settings and larger spaces. Was that intentional?

“Absolutely. I test everything on multiple systems—my studio monitors, laptop speakers, car stereo, headphones, even my phone speaker. Electronic music today needs to translate everywhere. But beyond the technical aspects, I try to create emotional content that scales. The intimacy should work when you’re alone with headphones, but the energy should also translate to a festival crowd. It’s challenging, but that’s what makes it interesting.”

What’s your typical workflow like? Do you start with drums, melody, or something else?

“It varies, but for ‘Running Free,’ I actually started with the pad sound that appears around the two-minute mark. I was just playing around with filter automation, and this particular sweep felt like it was breathing. That became the emotional core that everything else built around. Sometimes the most important element in a track isn’t the obvious one—it’s that subtle texture that gives everything else meaning.”

Any production mistakes you made that you learned from?

“Oh man, so many! Early versions had way too much compression on the mix bus. I was squashing all the dynamics out of it, trying to make it ‘loud’ instead of impactful. Learning to use dynamics as an arrangement tool was a game-changer. Also, I initially had the kick drum way too present in the mix. Sometimes the most important elements need to work from the background, providing foundation rather than demanding attention.”

Looking at your YouTube channel, you seem to put a lot of thought into the visual presentation too.

“Music is just one part of the complete artistic experience now. The visual component for ‘Running Free’ was actually inspired by the same feeling that created the track—this sense of movement and possibility. I work with some brilliant visual artists who understand that the video shouldn’t compete with the music but enhance it. Everything should feel like it’s coming from the same creative source.”

Any advice for producers trying to create that same level of emotional connection?

“Be honest about what you’re feeling when you’re making music. Technique is important, but emotion is what makes people remember a track. Also, take breaks. I probably spent more time away from ‘Running Free’ than actually working on it. That distance helps you hear what’s really working versus what you think should be working. And don’t be afraid to delete things—some of my best decisions have been subtractive.”

What’s next in the studio for Jean-Claude Bastos?

“I’m working on some material that pushes even further into cinematic territory. ‘Running Free’ opened up this approach to storytelling through sound that I want to explore more deeply. Plus, I’ve got some exciting collaboration possibilities brewing that might surprise people. But that’s all I can say for now!”

You can experience the full emotional journey of “Running Free” by streaming it on Spotify or watching the complete visual experience on his YouTube channel. Jean-Claude Bastos continues to prove that electronic music’s future lies in artists who understand both technical craft and emotional storytelling.