Symbiotic Audio

We want people to recognise Symbiotic Audio as energetic hardstyle with a classic touch, combined with our own distinctive sound design.

It should immediately feel unmistakably like Symbiotic Audio.

It usually changes from track to track.

Sometimes Geoffrey creates the melody while Jan works on the break elements and mid-intro, but other times it’s the other way around.

We generally develop ideas separately on two computers, then combine them.

Once a week, we get together in the studio to refine everything and turn those ideas into a complete track.

Our strengths complement each other in the studio.

One of us focuses more on audio quality, kick design and the technical foundation, while the other has a stronger instinct for melodies and spends more time refining the details of a track.

By combining those strengths, we create something neither of us could achieve at the same level alone.

That collaboration is what truly defines the Symbiotic Audio sound.

First of all, we don’t want to be put into a box.

We simply produce the kind of hardstyle we feel inspired to make at that moment.

In winter, our tracks often become darker, while summer tends to bring out our more euphoric side.

Collaborations also influence the direction — if we work with a raw artist, for example, we naturally bring more raw elements into the track.

The best way to describe us is simply: we make hardstyle across the spectrum, but there always has to be feeling in it.

We’re not interested in relying solely on extreme kicks, fake drops or unnecessary complexity just to sound modern.

Sometimes you don’t need to reinvent everything.

You just need to make a really good hamburger — something satisfying, memorable and exactly what people came for.

Working with Sylenth felt natural because we share a very similar vision for hardstyle.

For “Ascended”, Jan and Geoffrey created the melodies and a large part of the break, while also contributing to the track’s structure.

Sylenth added his own break elements, worked extensively on the structure and brought in most of the kicks.

We then combined everything into one cohesive track that represents both of our sounds.

Working with three producers can sometimes make the process more complicated, especially when everyone has a strong vision for the track — and we certainly have one too.

However, we’ve always managed to find common ground and create a final result that everyone is happy with.

At the same time, collaborations create many new possibilities.

Other artists bring different kicks, sound design techniques and creative approaches, allowing us to explore everything from rawer hardstyle to more euphoric tracks, like our collaborations with SYRIN.

We also learn from each other throughout the process.

Beyond the creative benefits, collaborations introduce our music to new audiences and can open doors to different labels through the artists we work with.

So although more opinions can make the process challenging, the opportunities usually make it worthwhile.

For both of us, a strong melody usually comes first.

Once we have a melody that genuinely excites us — and kicks that fit it — the creative process starts to flow naturally.

Without that solid foundation, it’s difficult to force an idea or build a track quickly.

We often sit down together in the studio, sometimes drawing inspiration from other music, and develop the initial melody.

Once that works, we become enthusiastic about the concept and usually know instinctively how to build the rest of the track around it.

The most difficult part is deciding when a track is truly finished.

Jan is a little more impatient: once the track feels complete, he’s ready to move on.

Geoffrey tends to revisit it several times, focusing on audio quality and refining the final details with his trained ears.

That difference can occasionally make the final stage more complicated, but we always work it out together.

We never release a track unless both of us are completely satisfied with the result.

From our perspective, there is still an incredible amount of creativity in hardstyle.

Many talented producers are making great music and deserve far more attention, so we definitely don’t believe the scene is dead.

The challenge is that the scene can feel dominated by major artists, booking agencies and one particular sound — currently the harder raw and uptempo-influenced styles with extreme kicks.

That can make it difficult for other sounds and less-established artists to break through.

Social media has also become increasingly important.

Sometimes an artist’s visibility and ability to act as an influencer seem to matter more than the quality of the music.

With festivals struggling to sell out, artists are increasingly used as part of the marketing strategy, which reinforces that trend.

That is one of the reasons we founded Hard Alliance: to create a community for producers who remain focused on making quality hardstyle and to give one another the support and opportunities that can be difficult to find elsewhere.

We hope the scene will eventually restore a healthier balance between online visibility, musical quality and genuine creativity.

First and foremost, artists need to stay true to their own sound, regardless of what is currently popular.

We’ve remained faithful to our identity throughout most of our career.

The one time we tried to follow a different direction, we lost our enjoyment and eventually stopped producing for a while.

That experience taught us how important authenticity really is.

We’ve always used elements such as reverse bass and triplet melodies, even when they weren’t fashionable, because they represent the hardstyle sound we genuinely love.

Reverse bass has recently become more popular again, which shows that trends eventually come full circle.

If you consistently develop your own sound instead of copying successful artists, people will eventually begin to recognise you.

Classic hardstyle has also been making a comeback, with artists such as Adaro revisiting that sound and classic events regularly selling out.

We believe there is room for a new interpretation of classic hardstyle — not simply recreating the past, but combining its feeling with modern production.

That movement could create a real opportunity for artists like us.

Right now, our main focus is perfecting the Symbiotic Audio sound, and we can feel that it’s gaining more recognition.

Our tracks have been played at major festivals such as Decibel and REBiRTH, so the next step is to perform there ourselves.

We’ve played events such as Intents and Electrum in the past, but our goal now is to bring a full hour of our own sound to a major stage.

We would also love to collaborate with artists we’ve admired for years.

This has already been an amazing period for us: we’re receiving support and personal feedback from established artists, our music has appeared twice on the Art of Creation playlists, and as longtime fans of Wildstylez and Headhunterz, that feels like a huge compliment.

Winning the Defqon.1 anthem producer challenge organised by Neroz Productions was another major milestone.

We won it with a track created together with Binary System, and that recognition showed us that our music is being noticed within the production world.

The next goal is to turn that recognition into performances, bigger collaborations and a lasting place for Symbiotic Audio within the hardstyle scene.

Geoffrey van Berkel to Jan van Raamsdonk:

“Do you ever get fed up with me criticising the sound design and focusing on tiny details when you already feel the track is finished?”

Jan van Raamsdonk:

“No. It actually keeps me sharp.

Sometimes I’m convinced that I’ve found the right synth or kick, especially after spending a lot of time on it.

Geoffrey may then suggest changing something, and although I don’t always want to at first, the track usually ends up sounding better.

So once again, he was right!”

Jan van Raamsdonk to Geoffrey van Berkel:

“How have you managed to put up with me for 20 years?”

Geoffrey van Berkel:

“First of all, Jan is one of my best friends.

Even after working together for 20 years, we still have a lot of fun.

It has also been incredible to watch Symbiotic Audio grow together.

We started the project from zero in 2017, despite already having production experience, and we’ve gradually built it into what it is today.

Sharing that journey and celebrating these successes together is something I would never give up.

We both have other musical projects, but Symbiotic Audio will always be our number-one project and our main focus.”

Of course, everyone has their own taste, but if you love hardstyle built around reverse bass, crunch kicks, powerful melodies and genuine emotion, we invite you to check us out.

We aim to keep the spirit of hardstyle’s golden years alive through those elements while giving them our own modern sound.

Our music is made for more than just the dance floor.

Some tracks are designed to make you go all out at a festival, while others can be enjoyed through headphones when you simply want to lose yourself in the music.

If you’re looking for hardstyle that covers everything between those two experiences, give Symbiotic Audio a follow and explore our tracks.