Industry talks: Gijs van Klooster

Earlier this year, Ambitus visited Gijs van Klooster. Where the late American Rudy van Gelder was a phenomenon in the world of jazz recordings, artists today within the Ambitus genre are drawn to van Klooster’s studio from far and wide. In addition to prominent Dutch artists such as Joep Beving, Lavinia Meijer, and Rangel Silaev, international artists like Hania Rani, Niklas Paschburg, and Michele Bravi also find their way to his studio in Amsterdam. What is it that makes his studio so beloved by artists from both the Netherlands and abroad? And how did an iPhone recording lead to the breakthrough of van Klooster’s work?
“In the end, someone who plays the music on Spotify in their car should still grasp what the creator intended.”
“What does a day in your professional life generally look like?”
“That can vary from day to day. For example, I recently had a five-day session with the Norwegian artist Vetle Nærø. In practice, this means we are super focused. Furthermore, I also have to create an atmosphere that helps maintain that focus. I see myself more as a performance producer; someone who helps the artist ensure that the pieces they’ve written make an impact. You could compare it to reciting a poem. It can be done in a thousand different ways. My job is to work with the artist to closely examine a written piece and work on the delivery. By analyzing it so thoroughly, you quickly get new insights and a sense of context. From there, I work with the performer to carefully consider what we want to express, how we want to execute it, and how we want it to sound in the recording. And that is actually the most enjoyable part of my job; that I get to guide the entire process from an idea to a finished sound. In the end, someone who plays the music on Spotify in their car should also grasp what the creator intended.”
Gijs adds, “to elaborate on what I just mentioned about Spotify in the car… The second element of my work is mixing; perhaps the most crucial part of making a record. You’re constantly ensuring that the listener’s attention is captured at every moment. That is so that the entire concept comes to the surface. And this is also a really enjoyable part of the job.”
As for my final task, which I actually have to complete every day, this might be much less exciting. But I also spend time answering my emails daily. Business as usual.”
“Do you also help with composing when people come in? Or is it more arranging?”
“I think it’s more arranging than composing. In the past, I composed a lot for commercials and films. During a recording, I might sometimes say, “Hey, why do you play that part twice, or I would leave this part out,” so in the end, whether you like it or not, you’re refining a composition. I mainly try to help show what someone wants to achieve with it themselves.”

Gijs working with Hania Rania in the studio
“I try to help someone realize as clearly as possible what they want.”
“I remember a great example of a girl who came to me. She had this kind of soul vibe and had written some Otis Redding-like songs using just three fingers on the piano. I immediately heard drums, guitar, and bass to go along with it, which she couldn’t play herself. So then I get to work, saying, “Okay, this is what I think you hear in your head when you play it.” And that’s basically my highest goal. To see someone walk out with a big smile, saying, “Yeah, this is how I dreamed it would sound.”
“I really like that you say, “This is probably what you hear in your head.” That’s quite impressive! But how do you describe something like that?”
“Well, that’s the fun part of music. As an engineer, I always try to understand the ideas behind the music. I’ve always wanted to know how things work. How does that microphone come through the speaker? Why is that bassline in that one Beatles song so cool? Why does it hit so hard? What does compression add to this track?
That’s also how I look at a composition, apart from genre. Does something work or not? Yeah… it’s hard to explain. What makes something beautiful? How do we end up feeling this certain way about a piece of music? It’s a hard-to-grasp phenomenon. Another example. You don’t have to be a fan of Queens of the Stone Age to understand that they’ve made an awesome track. If you look at it from a different perspective, you can still be impressed by how those guys handle their ideas during a studio recording.”
“It was briefly mentioned in the introduction: you’re now somewhat regarded as the godfather of recordings in the ‘Neo-Classical’ genre. If you look at the Ambitus website, you’ve probably worked with 90% of these artists. How did you end up here?”
“Well, I can only say one thing about that. I think it’s because, at the beginning, Joep (Beving) and I made two quite genre-defining albums that went worldwide. And as for Joep and me, it’s just one of those boyhood dreams that came true—”the right time at the right place.”
“Can you elaborate on that?”
“Joep had recorded something in his kitchen that eventually became Solipsism. And he asked me, “I want to release it, Gijs. Can you help me?” I said, “Sure, let’s do it.” It ended up being released by Deutsche Grammophon. The most prestigious classical label in the world for over 120 years. And in the end – I still remember this clearly – there was one iPhone recording in the mix. We had a beer with the CEO during a release party, and half-drunk, I told him that there was an iPhone recording released on their label. I spent a long time mixing it to get it to sound consistent with the rest!”
I have to say, a few months after releasing that record we had to take some time to let everything sink in. It all came about so unexpectedly. To make a long story short, I was still fully involved in the app world at the time and had a start-up, so my studio was often empty. Since I had just become a father, I was looking for subtenants to at least keep the studio. That’s how it all happened—Joep and I started sharing my studio. We put Solipsism together in the evenings, just working with a mindset of; “This is what we think is really cool.” And three months later, we had 60 million streams and everything started coming at us. It was partly luck, of course, but mainly just amazing to achieve so much success out of nowhere.”
“We had a beer with the label and, half-drunk, I mentioned that there was an iPhone recording released on their label.”
“Do you have any idea where that sudden success came from?”
“You can describe it in many ways, but I think it has to do with timing in the sense that several things came together at that moment. First of all, there was Nils Frahm who was paving the way but needed an extra push. If you see Frahm as a kind of blueprint for the genre (similar to what Cafe Del Mar did with Ibiza Lounge Music), Joep Beving suddenly appeared and made the genre explode.
I also think that album was released at just the right time. The world was trembling and in need of reflection. There was a tremendous desire to find peace. Additionally, the pieces in Solipsism are massive, of course. They are incredibly beautiful and pleasant to listen to. The fact that he played it so softly is mainly because he always had to record in the evenings while his children were sleeping.
From the kitchen of Joep’s house, the piano eventually made its way to the studio, where we started working on Prehension, that became his second album. This time with carefully placed microphones. That piece Ab Ovo, for example, is truly a beautiful piece. We worked very purposefully on that. I just wanted the listener to feel like they were lying on a bear skin under Joep’s piano. That’s the image I’ve always had. This is how you want to experience it. And that’s how I presented it.
I think that album was a very clear statement. But by the time of its release, we were already working on something different. That became Henosis. By the time Prehension was released, we had almost finished the 30 demos for Henosis. We really wanted to go all out with a lot of electronics and strings. Because of our shared love for electronics, we suddenly saw many more possibilities.”
“I just wanted the listener to feel like they were lying on a bear skin under Joep’s piano.”
“Has Joep also paved the way for all those other successful pianists?”
“Neo-classical music was clearly something that people needed. And as I said, it’s just really beautiful when someone plays the piano that softly. I think almost no one did that before. Moreover, I believe the piano is such a stunning instrument, but the beauty doesn’t stop with Rachmaninoff and Chopin and whatever else. It’s the need to be at peace with yourself. And I think that music is very much intended for that. It resonates deeply. It’s really wonderful when someone can take you to another world with just two chords and a melody.”
“Can you work closely with everyone like that? Or is it more of a feeling?”
“Ooh, that’s a complicated question. It’s definitely also a matter of feeling. I think everyone knows people they enjoy working with and those they don’t. I don’t always succeed in finding the right vibe with everyone either. But the most important thing for me is understanding what the artist wants. That should also be a bit of the starting point; otherwise, I have nothing to contribute. Of course, I can set up a microphone for anyone, but it’s important to understand what someone wants. What is the audience like? Or what I look for in the pre-production process: can someone handle criticism? But with so many years of experience, I can often determine in the first conversation whether the collaboration is a match or not.”
“Regarding leaving a mark on the music, let’s say I go to Spotify and listen to all the tracks you’ve recorded and mixed. Is there something I can hear that indicates it was your work?”
“I don’t know. Ideally, there shouldn’t be. But I do receive emails from people who claim the opposite. They write that I create atmospheres, that I build worlds, or that I manage to emphasize the expression of a piece in a certain way. I honestly don’t think I have a specific sound because I don’t have a fixed method. It really depends on the collaboration and the desired result. On the other hand, I am a very sensitive listener. And I hope that sensitivity is audible to the listeners.”
“Those are lovely compliments!”
“Yes, it’s really strange. And that’s also what’s important within a piece or an album, where you have to create a world. For example; Niklas, Hania, and Joep all prefer working on an album. Within a single track you have a world of its own. But within that album you have different worlds that all come together. And then you really create a kind of self-contained domain where all those elements fit together.”
Are there any artists on your long list that you’d like to collaborate with?
‘Actually, many. I just listened to Stréliski. I find her truly special and would really love to meet her someday.
It makes me curious why you mention Alexandra Stréliski. I would expect people to mention The Beatles or Prince, for example. But you focus a lot on beauty in the music itself don’t you?
‘Yes, I find her very interesting. I’m not so focused on success of the big names; I just want to make beautiful music. At one point, I was mixing Olivia Belli’s album when she came on my radar, and I completely absorbed it. I would love to make an album with her again. But in the end, I would like to work with everyone.’
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In conclusion, Gijs van Klooster’s journey in the world of music production and sound engineering has been marked by passion, creativity, and a deep understanding of artistry. His ability to cultivate an inviting atmosphere in his studio, combined with his expertise in both performance production and mixing, allows him to elevate the work of diverse artists. Whether it’s guiding them in refining their compositions or creating immersive soundscapes, Gijs’s collaborative spirit resonates strongly throughout his projects. As he continues to attract both national and international talent, it’s clear that his contributions to the Neo-Classical genre are of a tremendous importance for the scene and beyond.
For more information about Gijs visit gijsvanklooster.com