I caught up with Erik Sevenans recently, who records as First Snow of The Year, to ask a few interview questions to get an overview of his studio space. He sent me some photos of his set-up; a small hideaway in the loft space of his home in Belgium.

In this studio walkthrough, along with Erik's photos we discuss studio tidiness, Hologram Electronics, the much-revered OP-1, tapes and books. If you'd like to check out some of Erik's mysic, at the bottom of the page you'll see an embedded Bandcamp player where you can listen to his latest album 'Hibernation'.

HT: Your attic studio feels really intimate, like a tucked-away creative hideout. How does working in this kind of space influence your music? Do the seasons play a role in how or when you create your music?

ES: Back when I was 16 and living with my parents, I had a nice big space above the garage that I used to rehearse in with bands. I also started recording for the first time in that space. There was lots of energy in that room—space to move around and swing guitars. I made mostly rough indie rock back then, and the room definitely played a part in creating the energetic vibe. Now, nearly 18 years later (god time flies!), I live in a small, cosy house, and I even consider myself lucky to have a dedicated recording space at all. This little room just under the roof doesn’t allow me to swing guitars or jump around—I’d break stuff, damage the walls, or worse, trip over something.

Before setting up this studio, I’d already been making ambient music for a few years, so I decorated it to fit that mood and give myself the best chance to make music as spontaneously as possible: nice lights, plants, cassettes from other artists, pedals ready to go, and a clean desk.

As for the seasons—my artist name is pretty snowy. How I got that name is a different story, but funnily enough, because of poor isolation and the fact that I'm right under the roof, recording in summer is basically off the table. It gets well over 35°C in here, which is not ideal—trust me, I tried. So yeah, I end up having intensive recording periods, and they almost always happen in the colder seasons. I do release music all year round, but the actual recording is definitely seasonal for me.

HT: You’ve got a few guitars in the rack. I understand you don't tend to use amps too much—how are guitars used in your ambient compositions?

ES: If I’m honest, I’d like to use guitars more again. On my eRecord release (Norwegian White) earlier this year, there’s quite a bit of guitar action. I often used them with swell effects to create droning textures, then played some notes in between. With Hibernation, I leaned more on synths, and I think only two tracks had electric bass.

Amps are tricky in a small space like this, especially with neighbours just on the other side of the wall. I’m sure many guitarists can relate: my Fender amp is basically whisper-quiet on volume 1, but a full-on monster when I turn it just a bit higher. It’s not really designed for a cosy home studio.

I did buy a small Roland Jazz Chorus that I use from time to time when I want a sound that’s not just DI’d into the interface. That one sounds beautiful and can stay pretty controlled when it comes to the volume. But yeah, to conclude—guitars have taken a bit of a backseat lately. I’m sure they’ll return with a vengeance soon.

HT: Some artists embrace the chaos of a messy recording space and find all the wires and scattered gear inspiring. Your workspace looks calm and focused. Do you need a tidy studio to work, or did you just clean it up for the photos?

ES: Apart from the occasional build-up of coffee mugs, I do keep the recording space pretty tidy. It’s small enough as it is, and it wouldn’t work if it were cluttered with wires, mic stands, and gear everywhere. That said, I probably should’ve left three or four mugs in the pictures to make it 100% realistic.

One thing I’ve noticed: if the space is disorganised, I tend not to use gear. Then I just resort to plugins and soft synths. There´s nothing wrong with that, but for me it does take out the hands on organic nature of making music. If I would only record and produce in the box, some essence of my music making would for sure get lost.

When the desk is clear, it practically invites me to add a synth or hook up a looper, or delay pedal. I’ll often build a setup like that ad hoc, use it for a few sessions, then pack it away again. It keeps things fresh and evolving. Without that space and calm, I'd need to tidy up first—and by the time that’s done, the inspiration might be gone. Creation is a sensitive thing. You need to grab it when it hits, and this minimalist setup helps remove barriers

HT: We can see some Hologram Electronics pedals on the desk! These are really well-loved among ambient artists (I have the Microcosm myself!). Could you tell the readers what pedals you have and how you use them in your work?

ES: People who use Hologram pedals in their Ambient music are cheaters and should not be respected. Haha—just kidding! But seriously, those pedals (along with a DI) are the only ones that have a permanent spot on my desk and are always plugged into my interface as outboard effects.

Most people reading this probably already know about these specific pedals or even own one. They’re just so versatile and inspiring—ideas just flow through them. I also went through a bit of a pedal-buying phase during the pandemic. I didn’t go completely bonkers, but I was definitely collecting more than I was actually using. I’m sure there’s a technical term for that.

These days I’ve got a solid collection I can pick from. My all-time favourites I keep going back to are the Slö by Walrus Audio, the Mood by Chase Bliss, and of course the Avalanche Run by Earth Quaker Devices.

As for how I use them—it depends. Most often, I’ll track an instrument with one clean signal and another through the effects chain so I can blend to taste. Other times, I’ll send an already recorded stem—or even an entire track—through a pedal and back into the DAW.

Sure, I use plugins too, because they’re mostly sounding pretty great, quicker and easier, but for certain moments, there’s just something magical about tweaking pedals in real time. Anyway, what was the question again?

HT: You told me your OP-1 is your most-used piece of equipment. What is it about this little machine that feels so essential to your process? And for those unfamiliar—what is it and what can it do?

ES: First of all, I’ve always had this romantic idea of recording anywhere, anytime—on the road, while traveling. In reality, I rarely record outside my house. heck, I rarely leave the house for that matter. I´ve got a 2 year old to worry about! But still, that idea of freedom and adventure is there.

In a nutshell, the OP-1 is a synthesizer, drum machine, sequencer, and recording device—and it’s tiny, with insane battery life. I first saw it on Andrew Huang’s YouTube channel and it instantly checked all the boxes. I watched so many tutorials before buying one that I already knew how to use it when it arrived. I never really had that with any other instrument I bought.

It was love at first sight. The synth engines sound amazing, the sequencers are intuitive and playful, and the tape mode—frustrating as it can be—is really my thing. It’s my sketchpad, but also my go-to instrument for synth sounds.

It’s definitely not for everyone—it’s weird and expensive—but for me, it just clicked. I developed muscle memory on it, and now it’s my weapon of choice. For people that want to check it out in action, go and look up Novak The Enjoyer. He works all kind of magic on it.

HT: In the photo above we see a healthy tape collection with some great Ambient titles! You mentioned that cassettes, books, and vinyl inspire you in the studio. What is it about these physical items that makes them so meaningful?

ES: The cassette collection has slowly been growing over the past 3–4 years. When I started releasing music as First Snow of The Year, I didn’t know a single Ambient artist. I knew instrumental bands like This Will Destroy You, Explosions in the Sky, and Mogwai, but nothing truly Ambient.

It was only when I began posting on socials and releasing music as First Snow of The Year publicly that I discovered the community around Ambient music. I feel lucky to have worked with some great artists like Samatha and Far Away Nebraska on collaborations. Working on music together like that is something I definitely want to do more—it feels very natural in this genre. Call this my invitation to "slide" in my DMs.

Alongside those connections comes a lot of respect for other artists’ work. And impulsive as I am, I want to support that by buying a cassette or record now and again from artists or labels that I respect. Sure, I play most music from my phone like everyone else, because it’s instant and easy—but buying physical releases or merch isn’t about convenience. It’s about giving back to the community, being part of it, and helping keep it alive.

I’m not sure how long physical formats like this will stick around in this age of streaming and five-second attention spans, but for now, I want to support it however I can.

'Hibernation' is available in a limited run of 100 gatefold vinyl-effect CDr editions as well as a digital option in a range of high quality format options. You can take a listen to the album in full or buy a copy HERE!