Niklas Paschburg is a producer and composer from Hamburg whose debut album ‘Oceanic’ was met with critical acclaim. His latest album for 7K! records ‘svalbard’ continues to explore the space where electronic, classical and cinematic music meets. We got the chance to chat with Niklas ahead of his ‘circulation’ mix.

Where are you based at the moment? 

I'm currently living in Berlin.

Can you tell me a little about the concept behind the mix?

This mix reflects some of the tracks which have followed me over the years. I've focussed more on ambient tracks, some new ones and also some classics. I think this is a colourful mix of what I've discovered over the years, from Brian Eno to Low.

Did you have a musical upbringing?

Yes, I enjoyed a classical approach to music education throughout my childhood. I took part in my first piano lessons when I was 5 years old and continued with different teachers over the years until I was 18. After that, I studied composition for film and theatre at University for one and a half years before breaking into the industry. 

What does your studio look like at the moment?

I've just moved into a new studio where there is finally space for all my instruments and my live set-up. It hosts an upright piano, several acoustic drums, a few other acoustic instruments (accordion and harmonium), a couple of analogue synthesizers and (most importantly) a large couch!

Tell us a bit about your journey as a musician. How aware are you of involving your personal experiences into your creative process?

I believe that everything I do, I'm interested in, or I experience, is reflected in my music and creative process. Sometimes it can be like a mirror. For example, being inspired by nature reflects in my music and helps me to draw a sonic picture of the landscape and my feelings. Or it can be the opposite. I've written most of my 'calm' piano pieces when my emotions were more tumultuous. 

Do you ever think about who might end up listening to your work?

I'm always curious who's listening to my work. And that's why I love playing live. It's a chance to finally see the people who are listening to my music and engage with them on a more personal level.

Which musicians and artists do you feel most inspired by?

To be honest, I'm currently not listening to that much of other people's music. I've been busy with different projects and have written quite a lot of new music over the last months. During that period, I haven't really listened to anything new. But I'm looking forward to discovering more artists over the winter months. 

How important is collaboration in your creative endeavours?

It has become more and more important to me over time. I'm currently in the process of collaborating with a lot of artists. It's a new field for me as I used to do everything on my own, but I really enjoy the exchange of ideas and dynamic that working with other people brings.

What are the key ingredients to a Niklas Paschburg track?

There definitely should be an accordion, a few synthesizer tracks, percussion, probably a kick drum, not forgetting the piano. 

Do you ever think about the visual element of your music while you're making it? Album art, videos, etc.?

At the moment, I'm mainly getting inspired by nature and expansive, visually stunning landscapes. I'm writing the music as a direct connection to this and then thinking about how I can translate it back into a visual format.

What's on the horizon for you? 

There will be a lot of collaborations coming up in the future. I've also worked on a couple of projects which I can't reveal right now. But let's say there will be moving pictures involved!

‘Duvet/ If’ Reworks is Out Now on on 7K! Records.

You can listen to his 'Circulation’ mixtape below: