Nils Hoffmann sits in a lane where melodic house still feels like songwriting.
The synths are precise, the vocals usually carry purpose, and the arrangements keep enough club motion to work outside a passive playlist. That is why tracks like “Breathing,” “Afterglow,” “Running In A Dream,” and “Lonely” connect with fans who want melody, voice, and movement in one place.
A lot of recommendations around this sound end up circling the same huge names. That gets boring fast, especially when the better finds usually sit in the nearby Anjunadeep, progressive, and melodic house orbit. For this list, I wanted artists who share Nils Hoffmann’s balance of vocal focus, melodic patience, and DJ function, with the first three slots going to Magnetic Magazine Recordings artists that fit the lane.
Follow our melodic house playlist below before you dig in. This is where we keep vocal-led melodic house, progressive house, deeper club records, and new label releases that fit this exact pocket.
Our Handpicked List Of Artists Who Sound Like Nils Hoffmann
Laure
Laure is the Magnetic Magazine Recordings pick I would put first for Nils Hoffmann fans because “Moon Whispers” sits in the same emotional pocket: patient melodic writing, a soft vocal-adjacent pull, and an arrangement that moves without forcing the payoff. Magnetic covered Laure’s debut Magnetic Magazine Recordings release in an interview around “Moon Whispers”, and that context makes this an easy internal link for the lane.
The fit comes through in the pacing. Nils Hoffmann’s tracks often work because the melody has room to land, and “Moon Whispers” follows that same instinct. It feels personal without losing the steady motion that melodic house needs.
Bar Shaked & Maiyanai
Bar Shaked and Maiyanai belong near the top because “Move Me” gets at the vocal-led side of Nils Hoffmann’s catalog. The topline stays centered, the groove keeps the track moving, and the production gives the song enough room to breathe. Magnetic premiered the track and spoke with the pair around the stories behind the EP in this First Listen feature, which also gives the entry a natural internal link.
For Nils fans, this is the Magnetic Magazine Recordings record that feels closest to the “Breathing” side of his work. It has a vocal center, a melodic house frame, and a structure that can sit in a set while still feeling like a song.
pørtl
pørtl fits Nils Hoffmann fans from the production side. “Elodie” moves with patience, gives the synth work a clear role, and keeps the arrangement focused enough that the track never loses its center. Magnetic premiered the original release in a feature on “Elodie”, then covered the remix package later, so this is one of the stronger Magnetic Magazine Recordings picks for this sound.
The Nils connection comes through in the way the track develops. It needs no huge vocal to carry the idea, because the melodic writing keeps adding information across the arrangement. That gives it replay value for anyone who likes the instrumental side of Nils Hoffmann’s catalog.
Romain Garcia
Romain Garcia is the kind of recommendation that works because it sits close to Nils Hoffmann’s Anjunadeep circle without feeling like the default answer. His records often use melody as the main hook, then leave enough space around the parts for the groove to keep moving.
“Last Night” is the track I would start with here. It has a simple melodic idea, a steady pulse, and a warm emotional tone that should land fast for Nils Hoffmann fans. It also gives the list a smaller Anjunadeep-adjacent name that can pull readers past the usual Ben Böhmer and Tinlicker suggestions.
Rezident
Rezident is one of the better underused recommendations for Nils Hoffmann fans because his music carries a similar sense of restraint, melody, and emotional pressure. Magnetic has covered him before through Magnetic Mix 129, and that history gives the entry a useful internal link without stretching the fit.
“Muse” with Kate Morgan is the track to use because it puts the vocal in a clear role and lets the production move underneath it. Nils fans who like the softer vocal tracks should connect with this quickly, especially if they want something that still works in an Anjunadeep-style set.
Taglo
Taglo is a useful deeper pick for Nils Hoffmann fans because his records sit in that progressive, melodic, slightly trance-adjacent zone that keeps showing up around the Anjunadeep and melodic house crowd. He is less obvious than the usual big-ticket names, which is exactly why he belongs here.
“I Never Learn” is the entry point because it has a vocal idea, forward motion, and enough melodic lift to feel at home in the same playlist lane. It gives Nils fans a slightly firmer progressive angle without leaving the emotional center behind.
Sebastian Sellares
Sebastian Sellares is a smart pick for Nils Hoffmann fans who want the progressive side turned up. His records have longer arcs, wider melodic phrases, and a patient sense of development that fits the DJ side of this lane.
“Sea Of Souls” is the track I would use because it has the slow lift and melodic control that work well for listeners coming from Nils Hoffmann’s deeper records. It is less vocal-driven than some entries here, which helps the list cover the set-friendly side of the sound.
Kasbo
Kasbo has a direct connection here through “Running In A Dream,” his collaboration with Nils Hoffmann and Vancouver Sleep Clinic. That track is one of the easiest bridges for listeners who like Nils Hoffmann’s vocal-led material and want something with a slightly more indie-electronic edge.
Kasbo’s own catalog can lean wider than melodic house, yet that range helps this list. His writing often carries a clear emotional center, and “Running In A Dream” shows how well that approach fits next to Nils Hoffmann’s production style.
CRi
CRi belongs here because his records often carry the same song-led electronic quality that makes Nils Hoffmann work for listeners outside the club. Magnetic has covered CRi multiple times, including a My Toolbox feature and a later album review for “Miracles”, so the internal link path is already there.
“I Can Make It” is the track I would start with because the vocal idea feels immediate while the production keeps moving with a light touch. Nils fans who like melody with a real song form should get into this fast.
Nicky Elisabeth
Nicky Elisabeth is the final pick because her music gets at the performer-led side of melodic house. The voice, mood, and production all feel connected, which makes her a useful recommendation for people who like Nils Hoffmann’s vocal records and want something slightly closer to the artist-performer lane.
“Close To You” is the entry point because it has a direct vocal hook, steady movement, and enough melodic detail to keep the track from feeling disposable. It gives the list a female-led artist project that fits the lane without leaning on the most obvious names.
Follow Our Melodic House Playlist For More Artists Like Nils Hoffmann
If you came here looking for artists who sound like Nils Hoffmann, save our melodic house playlist below. We built it for vocal-led melodic house, progressive house, deeper club records, and newer artists who understand how to put a real song inside a dance track.
Follow it on Spotify, save the records that hit, and keep it nearby when you want new melodic house without digging through the same obvious names again.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
