Interview with NHII
NHII’s music sits in a space that feels both ancient and future-facing. Deep percussion, tribal rhythms, emotional movement, and a live performance style that feels closer to ceremony than club set. His sound isn’t about trends or formulas – it’s about presence, intention, and letting music move freely across borders.
With releases on Stil vor Talent, Bar 25, Sol Selectas, and his own imprint Sounds of Khemit, NHII has built a world that invites listeners in slowly. Ahead of his upcoming Flow Music show, we sat down with him to talk about ritual, live performance, global influence, and where his creative energy is heading next.
Your music blends deep tribal rhythms, organic percussion and futuristic electronic textures. What draws you to this intersection of ancient and modern sound?
My inspirations are all kinds of worlds music, spanning genres like Latin jazz, psychedelic rock, ambient and all kinds of musical scales, which I like to incorporate in my music and tweak with my synthesizers. I guess that’s my German influence.
Furthermore my artist name stands for No Human Is Illegal, and I always felt that world music influences are also widening the horizon of the listener. After all music travels places, we can’t.
Your live shows often feel like ceremonies – immersive, percussive and emotionally charged. How do you approach building that experience for a dance floor?
I definitely like to play with emotions on the dance floor. For me a good set is a good journey, presenting different soundscapes and also reacting to the crowd.
My live set is very flexible, no computer. So I can decide on the fly where I’m going and be reactive and creative at the same time. It’s a big inspiration for my studio work as well. Some of the ideas for my tracks are getting born in a live set.
You’ve released on labels like Stil vor Talent, Bar 25, Sol Selectas and your own imprint, Sounds of Khemit. What stands out to you when choosing where to release your music?
It’s the connection to the people running the label. It’s just more fun to release if you vibe with the creators behind the label, generally spoken.
Now, I focus a lot on Sounds of Khemit. We built the infrastructure and reputation to be able to release my best songs (at least in my eyes lol) on Sounds of Khemit. It’s incredible to see the support all over the world, be it radio plays or DJ plays.
Sounds of Khemit has a strong storytelling identity woven through mysticism, symbolism and philosophy. How do those themes influence your creative process?
I’m very much influenced by the world around me. The idea of Sounds of Khemit was born together with my Egyptian friend Wael. I learned so much from him in terms of the history of Egypt and all that mythology and the lost knowledge. Truly a rabbit hole!
Since then it developed also into a philosophical approach of curating the label. The releases need to represent what we stand for on the dance floor and also the human behind it needs to mirror that.
For example, there was a demo, a really good one, but there was a sampler gun shot before the drop. I don’t want to hear a gun shot on the dance floor honestly.
You’ve travelled extensively and your music clearly reflects global influences. Is there a particular place or culture that has shifted your sound the most in recent years?
I think it’s Brooklyn, and it’s because of the global influence there. The beauty about it is that a good party in Brooklyn hosts people of 50 different nations in one room or warehouse. It’s a special feeling.
Your productions often feature intricate drum work and layered percussion. How do you decide which elements belong in a track and when to hold back?
It probably starts already with the idea behind the track. I usually have the idea of what I want to create in my head before I start. That involves a certain sound design and feeling. This way I also know when the track is done.
I believe that the less you think while creating, the less ego gets involved and the creation is more pure.
When you prepare for a set – whether it’s a peak-time club show or an open-air sunrise – what changes in how you curate and structure your musical journey?
I start planning the set in my mind when I arrive at the venue, talk to the people and get a feeling for the place.
I’m a long-time DJ and have many tracks, unreleased and released, that are for different settings. The live set is a bit less dependent on the setting and more about my musical vision at the moment.
Looking ahead, what creative direction is inspiring you right now? Are there new sounds, collaborations, or concepts you’re excited to explore?
I love collaborations. In 2026 there will be a collaboration with my friend Ameme, to be released on his label One Tribe. A collaboration with long-time friend Harji and Vice Luna will drop on Bedouin’s Human by Default imprint.
And one with my dear friend Akira Arasawa from Tokyo, featuring vocalist Shaw Dao. The track has a huge Japanese influence and the lyrics are Japanese and English. It’s a track about forgetting your troubles and being in the moment.
Personally I’m very excited to refine my woodworking skills and build the first NHII speakers!
What comes through most clearly with NHII is intention. Nothing feels rushed. Nothing feels forced. His music moves at its own pace, shaped by culture, collaboration, and a deep respect for sound as a living thing.
Whether on a festival stage, in a warehouse, or behind a fully live setup, NHII creates space for people to feel, move, and reconnect – with rhythm, with each other, and with something older than the dancefloor itself. His journey continues to unfold, and if the path ahead sounds anything like what he’s building now, it’s going to be one worth following closely.
