Russ B Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, Tim Schaufert has emerged as one of the most distinctive voices in downtempo electronic music, captivating listeners worldwide with what he calls “haunted chill music”. With over 259,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 15 million plays since he started releasing music commercially in 2017, this Berlin-based producer has carved out a unique sonic space that blends ambient textures, future garage rhythms, and deeply emotional soundscapes.
The Sound of Emotion and Nature
Schaufert’s music is characterized by its atmospheric depth and emotional resonance. When asked to describe his sound, he explains: “I tend to gravitate naturally to either chill or dark and mystical moods and often end up doing a combination of both. There is nothing in particular that I want the listener to feel, but I hope to convey the inspiration that nature gives me and the sense of curiosity that dark, eerie moods instill in me”.
His production style stands apart through meticulous attention to detail and an embrace of imperfection. Rather than quantizing every element to a rigid grid, Schaufert deliberately keeps sounds “off grid” to inject human feeling and organic movement into his tracks. He incorporates foley sounds everyday audio recordings like footsteps, rustling leaves, or ambient textures alongside lush reverbs and unusual drum rhythms to create immersive sonic environments.
Nature serves as a primary muse. Schaufert often records or incorporates natural sounds into his productions, allowing the inspiration from forests, landscapes, and organic environments to shape his compositions. His track “Journey,” for instance, was written “while stuck in Berlin, dreaming of escaping to somewhere with beautiful nature”, a longing that eventually became reality as he traveled more extensively.
Musical Influences and Evolution
Schaufert’s musical journey took an unexpected turn. Growing up, he listened to minimal and house music genres prominent in Germany’s electronic scene but took a complete shift after a break from music during his university years and struggles with mental health. When he returned to production in 2016, he had lost interest in house music and instead discovered chill and wave music, which resonated more deeply with his emotional state.
His primary influences include Burial, Direct, and classical music—an eclectic combination that explains the haunting, textured quality of his productions. Unlike many producers whose childhood listening habits directly inform their sound, Schaufert acknowledges that “there is not that big of an influence from my childhood and early teens on my current sound”, making his artistic identity something he consciously crafted rather than inherited.
Production Techniques and Philosophy
Working primarily “in the box” (entirely within his computer with minimal external gear), Schaufert uses Bitwig as his digital audio workstation of choice. He switched to Bitwig after trying both it and Ableton, preferring its user interface and workflow despite their similarities. His piano, however, has become crucial to his recent work, serving as the one piece of external hardware he connects directly to his computer.
Schaufert’s production philosophy emphasizes movement and texture over perfection. He layers multiple effects on single sounds, uses extensive automation to create evolving timbres, and employs techniques like gain writing manually adjusting volume levels within audio files rather than relying solely on compression to achieve dynamic control. His approach to vocals is particularly hands-on, involving detailed editing and processing to ensure every nuance serves the song’s emotional core.
The producer has also created several sample packs that reflect his production aesthetic, including “Tranquility”, “Midnight Chill”, and “Ambient Selection” (with collaborator AK). These packs emphasize quality over quantity, featuring carefully curated sounds that incorporate ASMR elements, granular synthesis, and organic percussion the same tools he uses in his own productions.
The Trans-Atlantic Love Story: Collaborating with CASHFORGOLD
One of the most defining aspects of Schaufert’s career has been his prolific collaboration and romantic relationship with Detroit-based vocalist CASHFORGOLD (Jacqueline Torgerson). The two met in 2016 on SoundCloud when CASHFORGOLD reached out asking to collaborate. What began as a professional partnership quickly evolved into something deeper.
“In July 2017 she came to Berlin and things became more than just a working relationship”, Schaufert revealed. The couple split their time between Berlin and Detroit, with CASHFORGOLD spending the majority of 2017-2019 in Berlin recording music together. Their creative chemistry has produced two EPs “Rebirth” (2018) and “Glass Houses” (2019) along with numerous singles that have been featured on major chill music channels like MrSuicideSheep, Trap Nation, and Chill Nation.
Their collaboration “Wherever You Go” exemplifies their synergy, with CASHFORGOLD later revealing the song was written “about wanting to leave Detroit and be in Berlin with Tim… and that unfolding love story”. Tracks like “Gold”, “Throwing Stones”, and “Give You Up” (with AK and Sublab) showcase their ability to blend ethereal vocals with Schaufert’s textured, atmospheric production.
Recognition and Notable Releases
Schaufert’s breakthrough came through MrSuicideSheep, one of the most influential channels in the chill electronic music community. Receiving confirmation of a MrSuicideSheep upload was a “euphoric moment” for Schaufert, marking the achievement of the last goal on a five-item list he had written for his music career. The channel has featured at least nine of his tracks, exposing his music to millions of listeners globally.
His most popular tracks include:
- “Over This” (feat. YOSIE) – over 7.3 million streams
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- “Journey” – over 5 million streams
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- “Falling” – nearly 4 million streams
- “Sublime” – over 2.3 million streams
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Beyond his solo work and collaborations with CASHFORGOLD, Schaufert has worked with numerous artists in the downtempo and future garage community, including AK, Sublab, Subsets, Akacia, TWO LANES, and YOSIE. His remix of TWO LANES’ “Drifting” became a standout, receiving prominent placement on Chill Nation and Lowly Palace, the label that has released much of his music.
Life Transitions and Personal Growth
In February 2020, Schaufert suffered an injury that “turned [his] career upside down,” but the support of his listeners allowed him to continue pursuing music. This challenge, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, tested his resilience but also deepened his commitment to his craft.
More recently, in 2025, Schaufert experienced another significant life transition, moving to a new country (beyond Berlin). Initially planning to stay only three months, he found himself increasingly connected to his new environment: “I planned to only stay for 3 months, but the longer I lived here and the more connections I made, the less I wanted to leave. It’s been 10 months now and while I will have to leave for a while, I don’t want to leave forever”. This experience inspired his track “it doesn’t have to end”, reflecting the bittersweet tension between rootedness and freedom that characterizes much of his work.
His song “standing next to you” similarly explores themes of belonging and normalcy: “It’s about feeling like you belong, like you finally arrived at something normal”, suggesting an artist who continues to search for emotional and geographical grounding through his music.
The Berlin Context
While Schaufert’s music is more introspective than the pounding techno for which Berlin is famous, he remains deeply rooted in the city’s innovative electronic music culture. Berlin’s openness to experimentation, its concentration of creative talent, and its supportive infrastructure for independent artists have all played roles in shaping his career. The city’s aesthetic simultaneously gritty and beautiful, melancholic and hopeful finds its echo in Schaufert’s “haunted chill” sound.
Teaching and Giving Back
Beyond creating music, Schaufert has become an educator within the production community. He has appeared on platforms like DAW Nation, where he broke down his production techniques in detailed tutorials, and created presets and sample packs to help other producers achieve similar sounds. His “Bloom – Chill Presets for Serum 2” pack, released in 2025, offers 64 presets designed for chill, ambient, and lo-fi productions, complete with custom wavetables and intuitive macro controls.
He also offers music production teaching services, as noted on his Instagram bio: “Teaching music production, message me”, making his expertise accessible to aspiring producers who want to learn his approach.
A Lasting Impact
Tim Schaufert’s contribution to electronic music lies not in revolutionary technical innovations but in his unwavering commitment to emotional authenticity. His music doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is: the sonic expression of a contemplative artist processing nature, relationships, displacement, and belonging through carefully crafted soundscapes.
His productions invite listeners into quiet, introspective spaces—perfect for late-night drives, focused work sessions, or moments when you need music that understands complexity and ambiguity. With releases continuing into 2025, including tracks like “I Think You Care,” “Reaching Out,” and “wish you could see it all”, Schaufert shows no signs of abandoning the path he’s carved.
In an industry often obsessed with loudness and spectacle, Tim Schaufert reminds us that there’s profound power in subtlety, beauty in imperfection, and connection in vulnerability. His haunted chill music doesn’t demand your attention it earns it, one carefully placed sound at a time.
For those wanting to explore Tim Schaufert’s music, his work is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and SoundCloud. His most iconic collaborations with CASHFORGOLD and his solo tracks like “Journey” and “Homeward” offer ideal entry points into his atmospheric world.
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