Two months back, Berlin-based producer Nils Hoffmann released his extravagant sophomore album, ‘A Radiant Sign‘, which was warmly received by melodic house fans across the globe.
Released on Anjunadeep, ‘A Radiant Sign‘ has something for everyone: thirteen diverse tracks, featuring collaborations with TENDER, Panama, Julia Church, and more. Hoffmann, who has turned heads with his collaborations with fellow German producer Ben Böhmer, like “Breathing” and “Second Sun“, as well as standout solo singles like “Tarcu“, takes his vision to the next level on his latest effort.
‘A Radiant Sign‘ is both visceral and reflective, taking the listener through an expansive journey. Delicately layered synths and powerful melodic elements bring variety and ebbs and flows to the album, while the vocal tracks offer a poppier electronic sound that delivers the album’s most memorable moments. The trio of “Guiding Light” featuring Frisco, “9 Days” featuring Julia Church, and “About You” with Malou.
Luckily, we had the opportunity to catch up with the producer himself, where he shared more insights on the concept behind the album, his approach to his art, and exciting events ahead. Check out the exclusive interview below!
[RB]: Nils! It’s a pleasure having you on the River Beats blog. First and foremost, congrats on the new album! Since ‘A Radiant Sign’ came out last month, it’s been a steady jam in my daily listening. How has the reception on the album felt so far? Not to mention, it went #1 on the iTunes Dance/Electronic Charts!
[NH]: It’s been really great! It seems like so far most people have liked it, and to be able to play all these shows around the world and hear the crowd singing the lyrics back to me feels great. #1 on Itunes was a nice little bonus. We briefly ended up dethroning Drake on the itunes charts which I honestly wasn’t expecting.
[RB]: There’s a mix of deeper melodic tracks, pop-friendly tunes, and some major cinematic cuts – something for every occasion. What was your approach to the different songwriting styles and your process balancing everything on the album?
[NH]: The variety of styles came from all the talented people I had the pleasure of working with. Working with someone like Gordi brought a very different energy and background than someone like Niklas Paschburg for example.
[RB]: It’s the kind of album I’d love to have blasting at 3am in a dark forest somewhere with friends – likewise on my morning run, or when I need to dial in and get stuff done. From a listener’s point of view, how do you envision people taking the album in [how they listen to the album]?
[NH]: That’s amazing! People can really take it in and process it however they choose. It wasn’t meant for one specific setting. It can be up for interpretation so you can listen to it live, while you’re working, in nature, or in any setting really.
[RB]: On top of ‘A Radiant Sign’, you also recently had a killer official remix for Odesza’s “Equal (feat. Låpsley)”. What was it like to get invited into the Odesza world for your own take on the track?
[NH]: I’ve been an Odesza fan for a really long time now. We weren’t even 100% sure they would select my remix because we knew that a number of producers were up for consideration, so I was very humbled and excited when they chose mine. Odesza is incredible and their music is amazing. They’re overall an act that I look up to not only for their music but because they’ve created an entire world and scene around them.
[RB]: As if it’s not already clear, you’ve been a busy guy this year. You’re heading out to some new cities with Ben Böhmer this fall and the Anjunadeep tour that hits the Roxy in Prague, MÄX in Zürich, and the legendary Printworks in London. How are you feeling about everything you have coming up?
[NH]: I feel really good about these shows. Ben and Anjunadeep’s fanbases are great, so getting in front of them is always nice. We are trying to take the show to the next level. I was just on a phone call yesterday talking about getting new visuals made. I’m really excited about it.
[RB]: You’ve been on the road a lot more this year, which is awesome! What’s your day-to-day routine like when you’re at home in Berlin?
[NH]: When I’m home, I usually wake up fairly early and try to get a lot of production and songwriting done. I’ll often make instrumentals and demos during the day and often start sessions fairly late around 3 or 4 pm. I try to work on music while I’m at home because it can be hard to make music on the road sometimes.
[RB]: What kinds of things do you try to make time for outside of music? Is there something you love to nerd out about that would surprise your fans?
[NH]: Nothing super surprising to be honest. In my free time I enjoy being outside. I enjoy walks around the city, and exploring. I also like to play football. I’ve gotten to see some cool cities while on vacation which has been nice and has given me the opportunity to be present as opposed to when I’m on tour and not always getting to truly slow down and soak everything in.
[RB]: Lastly – 2023 is nearly here. We’re super happy 2022 was so good to you. What are you looking forward to most in 2023 and beyond?
[NH]: I’m looking forward to playing more shows, meeting new people, going new places, and hopefully writing some new music. I’m even starting to figure out what my next album is going to look like. I guess we’ll see what happens!
[RB]: Amazing – we certainly look forward to keeping up with your moves, and once again, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. Cheers! [NH]: Thanks for having me!
Two months back, Berlin-based producer Nils Hoffmann released his extravagant sophomore album, ‘A Radiant Sign‘, which was warmly received by melodic house fans across the globe.
Released on Anjunadeep, ‘A Radiant Sign‘ has something for everyone: thirteen diverse tracks, featuring collaborations with TENDER, Panama, Julia Church, and more. Hoffmann, who has turned heads with his collaborations with fellow German producer Ben Böhmer, like “Breathing” and “Second Sun“, as well as standout solo singles like “Tarcu“, takes his vision to the next level on his latest effort.
‘A Radiant Sign‘ is both visceral and reflective, taking the listener through an expansive journey. Delicately layered synths and powerful melodic elements bring variety and ebbs and flows to the album, while the vocal tracks offer a poppier electronic sound that delivers the album’s most memorable moments. The trio of “Guiding Light” featuring Frisco, “9 Days” featuring Julia Church, and “About You” with Malou.
Luckily, we had the opportunity to catch up with the producer himself, where he shared more insights on the concept behind the album, his approach to his art, and exciting events ahead. Check out the exclusive interview below!
[RB]: Nils! It’s a pleasure having you on the River Beats blog. First and foremost, congrats on the new album! Since ‘A Radiant Sign’ came out last month, it’s been a steady jam in my daily listening. How has the reception on the album felt so far? Not to mention, it went #1 on the iTunes Dance/Electronic Charts!
[NH]: It’s been really great! It seems like so far most people have liked it, and to be able to play all these shows around the world and hear the crowd singing the lyrics back to me feels great. #1 on Itunes was a nice little bonus. We briefly ended up dethroning Drake on the itunes charts which I honestly wasn’t expecting.
[RB]: There’s a mix of deeper melodic tracks, pop-friendly tunes, and some major cinematic cuts – something for every occasion. What was your approach to the different songwriting styles and your process balancing everything on the album?
[NH]: The variety of styles came from all the talented people I had the pleasure of working with. Working with someone like Gordi brought a very different energy and background than someone like Niklas Paschburg for example.
[RB]: It’s the kind of album I’d love to have blasting at 3am in a dark forest somewhere with friends – likewise on my morning run, or when I need to dial in and get stuff done. From a listener’s point of view, how do you envision people taking the album in [how they listen to the album]?
[NH]: That’s amazing! People can really take it in and process it however they choose. It wasn’t meant for one specific setting. It can be up for interpretation so you can listen to it live, while you’re working, in nature, or in any setting really.
[RB]: On top of ‘A Radiant Sign’, you also recently had a killer official remix for Odesza’s “Equal (feat. Låpsley)”. What was it like to get invited into the Odesza world for your own take on the track?
[NH]: I’ve been an Odesza fan for a really long time now. We weren’t even 100% sure they would select my remix because we knew that a number of producers were up for consideration, so I was very humbled and excited when they chose mine. Odesza is incredible and their music is amazing. They’re overall an act that I look up to not only for their music but because they’ve created an entire world and scene around them.
[RB]: As if it’s not already clear, you’ve been a busy guy this year. You’re heading out to some new cities with Ben Böhmer this fall and the Anjunadeep tour that hits the Roxy in Prague, MÄX in Zürich, and the legendary Printworks in London. How are you feeling about everything you have coming up?
[NH]: I feel really good about these shows. Ben and Anjunadeep’s fanbases are great, so getting in front of them is always nice. We are trying to take the show to the next level. I was just on a phone call yesterday talking about getting new visuals made. I’m really excited about it.
[RB]: You’ve been on the road a lot more this year, which is awesome! What’s your day-to-day routine like when you’re at home in Berlin?
[NH]: When I’m home, I usually wake up fairly early and try to get a lot of production and songwriting done. I’ll often make instrumentals and demos during the day and often start sessions fairly late around 3 or 4 pm. I try to work on music while I’m at home because it can be hard to make music on the road sometimes.
[RB]: What kinds of things do you try to make time for outside of music? Is there something you love to nerd out about that would surprise your fans?
[NH]: Nothing super surprising to be honest. In my free time I enjoy being outside. I enjoy walks around the city, and exploring. I also like to play football. I’ve gotten to see some cool cities while on vacation which has been nice and has given me the opportunity to be present as opposed to when I’m on tour and not always getting to truly slow down and soak everything in.
[RB]: Lastly – 2023 is nearly here. We’re super happy 2022 was so good to you. What are you looking forward to most in 2023 and beyond?
[NH]: I’m looking forward to playing more shows, meeting new people, going new places, and hopefully writing some new music. I’m even starting to figure out what my next album is going to look like. I guess we’ll see what happens!
[RB]: Amazing – we certainly look forward to keeping up with your moves, and once again, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. Cheers!
[NH]: Thanks for having me!
Featured photo by Eric AB, courtesy of artist
Connect with Nils Hoffmann: YouTube | Spotify | Instagram | Twitch | Twitter
Related Content: