Few collaborations emerge from such an unlikely journey. What began with a chance meeting in Goa between genre-defying sonic explorer Nyland Sky and Berlin-based electronic producer Pawas (pictured above) evolved into Nerve 5, a release that bridges continents, traditions, and electronic music cultures. Created during a reunion in Berlin in late 2025, the project reflects the duo’s shared fascination with musical crossover, blending Nyland Sky’s experimental, neoclassical sensibilities with Pawas’ deep house, minimal, and Detroit-inspired grooves.
Released via Electromantica, Nerve 5 expands beyond a single track into a multi-part package featuring remixes from Germany and India, with contributions from Mathias Schaffhäuser, Adam Aalias, Spiralynk, and 8-Bit Culprit. The result is a release that moves fluidly between minimal house, breaks, drum & bass, and more, while maintaining the spirit of the original collaboration.
We caught up with Nyland Sky and Pawas to discuss the story behind Nerve 5, the influence of travel and cultural exchange on their music, and what happens when two distinct creative worlds collide.
Interview with Nyland Sky & Pawas
Take us back to the beginning—how did your first meeting in Goa happen, and what was it about each other’s musical approach that sparked the idea of working together?
NYSKY: me === not from your world == i == explore === kinds of information exchange === found music == strongest communication == explore ancient theories === met Bharata Muni in India === 2000 years later = same place = same mathematics = musical diversity === met Pawas === explore == genre crossover == information exchange ==
Pawas: Well, this entity just popped out of nowhere saying that they found me through the internet and would like to try and exchange some musical frequencies with me. I agreed instantly and without any further delay we started to jam, as they didnt understand the human concept of, resting and relaxing.
Nyland Sky’s work draws from everything from folk traditions to avant-garde experimentation, while Pawas comes from deep house, minimal, and classical Indian influences. What common ground did you discover in the studio?
NYSKY: exploring world == time crossing communication by music ==
Pawas: As you can see, verbal communication with NYSKY is quite – lets say, challenging, but to create music one does not need to say much. We both figured out our love for basslines and merging odd rhythms on 4/4 drums, rest is history !
Nerve 5 was created during a reunion in Berlin after your initial connection in India. How much of the track was planned beforehand, and how much emerged organically during those sessions?
NYSKY: explore possibilities == absorbing information == transform thoughts to waves == electrical = acoustical == initial articulation by sound ==
Pawas: We did most of the work in the first session, and in the second session NYSKY was present virtually in the first arrangement phase but to finish the track.
The title Nerve 5 feels both mysterious and evocative. What’s the story behind the name, and what does it represent for you?
NYSKY: ET structure touching neural network === musical energy flowing through nerves ===
Pawas: It took me a long time to figure out, what the vocals actually meant, i was too busy working on the track, until much later when NYSKY told me that it says, “Hit me on Nerve 5” and the other part of the vocals i still dont understand and its also not essential, maybe it’s their mother tongue or some kind of code, but music doesn’t need a certain language, its universal.
Cultural exchange seems central to this project. How did your respective experiences of India, Germany, and electronic music communities shape the final sound?
NYSKY: everything is possible === musical live line mesh === the rest is nerve 5 ===
Pawas: More like intergalactic–transcendental exchange. How did that shape the sound, well it’s up to the listeners to figure out. It’s more fun to play with your own imaginations and come up with the answers, I believe.
Pawas, you’ve described your music as “intelligent house,” while Nyland Sky often approaches music as a journey through time and genre. How did those philosophies influence the decisions you made while producing this track?
Pawas: I need to change that tag! Intelligent in terms of, something that tickles your brain and makes you think, why this person did that, or chose this sound or why are the beat counts uneven and the mix is not perfect. With NYSKY’s precision and my randomness, something totally unexpected was created, a cross genre track. We started the game on our distinctive philosophies, but when it came to action, we left them at home and just made music with no-mind, hence it turned out to be what it is !
The remix package stretches across multiple styles, from minimal house and breaks to drum & bass. What was your reaction when you first heard the different interpretations from Mathias Schaffhäuser, Adam Aalias, Spiralynk, and 8-Bit Culprit?
Pawas: All the remixers are old / new friends and musical peers. Also the idea of 2 german and 2 indian remixers made sense, since my life spans between these two countries. As expected, they all delivered with the utmost efficiency.
Were there any moments during the production of Nerve 5 where creative differences led to unexpected breakthroughs?
NYSKY: my first words = born by music = hard to pronounce = humbly accepted and distributed
Pawas: The only “difference” was lack of time, which did lead to the beginning of another track, once we finished working on Nerve5 before NYSKY took his leave.
Both of you have spent years building distinctive artistic identities. Did collaborating challenge any assumptions you had about your own creative process?
NYSKY: no assumptions == i am a guest ===
Pawas: Collaboration is kind of a reality check, it makes you think about your own creative process, which is usually taken for granted and how challenging it is on a daily basis, especially when you are making music with someone else. It is a very personal experience, and it only brings out the best out of you, if the collaborator is also on the same wavelength.
Looking beyond this release, do you see Nerve 5 as a one-off meeting of minds, or has it opened the door to a larger creative partnership and future explorations together?
NYSKY: met an other ancient musician === would like to fuse with him and Pawas
Pawas: NYSKY already has a plan 🙂 Thank you Magenitc for the well thought – out questions and also a big thanks to all the listeners, readers and suporter out there !!
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.
