Simon Goff is a British violinist, composer and sound engineer based in Berlin. His studio credits include Apparat, Dustin O'Halloran, Hauschka, Hildur Gudnadottir and Johann Johannsson. with an upcoming release on manchesters gizeh records and a solo lp due early next year, We caught up with Simon to discuss his ‘Circulation’ mix for mezzanine and his musical journey so far.   

Where are you based at the moment?

I’m currently based in Berlin. I’m originally from Yorkshire in the North East of the UK and after a few years on the road with no fixed home, I settled in Berlin. I’ve now been here for 6 years.

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

Contrast is a powerful tool in music and I wanted to include music from across the spectrum of my own influences. These tracks represent my musical DNA from classical string music to the Kraut Rock legends of CAN.

Are there any tracks that are special to you from your selection and why?

All of these tracks have a special meaning to me, but I think ‘Lento’ by Howard Skempton is a standout. It is written for string orchestra and is so simple but hauntingly beautiful. I was lucky enough to study at Birmingham Conservatoire where Howard is a teacher of composition. Whilst I never studied directly with him, being around him and his composition style was very influential. His music is British in the best way it can be.

Did you have a musical upbringing?

I didn’t grow up in a musical family but I was lucky enough to be encouraged at a young age to make music. This led me to spend most of my childhood both playing classical music in orchestras and string ensembles in the North East of England, whilst also writing music and playing the bass guitar. I was lucky enough to be mentored by the session bassist Herbie Flowers as a teenage which influenced me a lot.

How did the violin come about as your primary tool for musical expression?

I started to play when I was 8 years old. It’s been a long journey but really I’ve stayed with the violin because it still fascinates me. I believe in a philosophy of balance and the violin is really an amazing example of elements balanced to create harmony. On string instruments, the finest change in the makeup of the instrument can fundamentally change the sound. Being the smallest of the string family, these changes become minute. Finding the point where the violin speaks it best is a trial and error of adjustment until everything sits perfectly. Ultimately, this is what musicians are all doing, trying to find the balance to allow our voice to speak.

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

The experiences we all have throughout our lives are ingrained into us, and I think this will always come out in someone’s expression. Recently I finished my first real solo record of music that hasn’t been written as a commission. I started writing with the pure intention of just allowing my intuition to inform my creative process. I wasn’t directly thinking about any past experiences in particular but when I listen to those tracks, I hear what formed them.

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


In the past few years, I have written a lot for film and theatre and when doing this I am always creating with the visual in mind. Often it happens indirectly, more through a general direction and feeling that I want to achieve but as the music develops, I then work more closely with the imagery of the work. When making my solo record recently, I wasn’t thinking about imagery for the album art while making the music, but I definitely have a visual image and feeling in mind when creating the music. This has gone on to inform a lot of the visual material I am creating for the album.

What's on the horizon for you?

I have a new trio record coming out on the Manchester label, Gizeh on the 28th August. This is the second record made with Canadian guitarist Aidan Baker and the American percussionist Thor Harris. After that, I’ll be releasing my first full-length solo record with the Berlin Label, 7K! Which will come out in Feb 2021.

‘The Bit’ by Aidan Baker / Simon Goff / Thor Harris is due for release on 28th August on Gizeh Records.

You can listen to his 'Circulation’ mixtape below: