Inspiration Series: Words of Niō

As part of our 'Inspiration Series', we caught up with multi-instrumentalist Words of Niō, hot off his latest digital release earlier this month on Get Physical Music.

Discover where he finds his inspiration for music, how he knows when a track is finished and why he started making music in the first place, in the following interview with Pirate.

Why did you start making music?

One day I was watching TV, and a bunch of videos by Depeche Mode and The Cure came on. I was blown away by the way it made me feel, but also by the sounds they were making. At that point, I realized I had found something very special.

I also come from a musical family but most importantly, I have always seen and used music as my main form of meditation. Since I was little, music has created a space for me to feel at peace - the entire world disappears when I'm making music.

Where do you find your musical inspiration?

Personal experiences, or people close to me. And of course, other artists. Everyone has a method or methods they use, in my case I really rely on emotion.

I also love listening to non-electronic music like indie rock, classical, new wave and other forms of expression in order to get a fresh perspective on music.

Lastly, I go to the club whenever possible. Seeing a great set by Dixon or Mind Against for example can bring a lot of inspiration to my creative process, it gets me fired up.

Are there any key artists whose sound has really influenced yours?

There are plenty and as we grow so does our taste. But there are a few that have been part of my journey, such as Depeche Mode, Bjork, Underworld and Pink Floyd to name a few.

The track 'Born Slippy' by Underworld completely blew me away when I first heard it. That piano progression is just a masterpiece. On the newer end, Mind Against's sound and emotion really resonates with me and I also admire Dixon, I love how free and eclectic his sets can be.

When’s the next record, what can we expect?

Right now my main focus is my recent release 'Cold Shoulder' on the legendary Get Physical, a label I've always loved and admired. This track is new territory for me, but as emotions vary so does my musical output. I'm also in the studio working on a new record that may come out next year but details are still being discussed.

Finally, how do you know when a track is finished?

Most of the tracks I release are actually tracks that come through me very fast. It's like I'm a medium between the source and the final result, so I usually just get that feeling or voice that says, “this is it”. But many times I just close the project and let it sit there for a few days or weeks, then I come back to it with fresh ears. Once I open it and listen to it again, I can tell right away whether it's done or not.

You can keep up with Words of Niō by following him on Instagram. Check out his latest release 'Cold Shoulder' on Bandcamp.

Feeling inspired? Book a DJ studio, rehearsal studio or recording studio in the UK, Ireland, US or Germany at pirate.com