Nähmaschine
Labs
Nähmaschine Labs
is the creative home of London-based recording engineer and producer Vlad Popescu. If your project feels hard to categorize, too intense or too strange for the usual channels, Nähmaschine Labs is where it finds its form.Specialising in brutal, abrasive, and haunting music, with a solid grounding in psychoacoustics and spatial audio, Nähmaschine Labs focuses on rock, metal, hip-hop, techno, folk, country, and blues, especially when those genres lean into darker territory.
Years of pushing heavy guitars, brooding synths, and unorthodox production techniques in service to award-winning filmmakers, independent artists and bands, pioneering XR studios, and bold ad campaigns converge into a unique approach to bending sonics toward the unsettling and the unexpected. Each project is handled with focused intent and attention to detail from first draft or demo to final master, for audio that pulls weight rather than just filling space.
Showcase
Music for The Orb: Unfolding the geometry of synthetic imagery by Miranda Silverman
Music for Data Ghosts: Exploring AI-generated synthetic identities and digital footprints by Miranda Silverman
Music production for Pești: Popexcu’s first single off his 2023 release Spice City
Music, voiceover, and sound design for Astro Odyssey: VR educational cinematic immersive experience by Margarida Belo
Music and voiceover for Into the Virtual: 270° cinematic display of AI synthetic imagery capabilities by Miranda Silverman
Remake of My Girl by the Temptations: hyper-realistic digital Metahuman created by Miranda Silverman, showcasing LiveLink facial tracking technology
Music for Space Quest: Oculus VR game developed by Shihui Doris He and Miranda Silverman
Music for Square One Studio's Experimental Video: directed by Paul Lovas
Original score for Somnul lui Richi: Film written and directed by Iulian Stanciu and Laurentiu Gligor
Original score for Somnul lui Richi: Surreal comedy by Iulian Stanciu and Laurențiu Gligor
Original score for Tremurul Liniștii: Short film by Iulian Stanciu and Laurențiu Gligor
Original score for Tremurul Liniștii: Romanian thriller written and directed by Iulian Stanciu and Laurențiu Gligor
Services
Music Composition & Production
Nähmaschine Labs offers complete music production including songwriting, arrangement, instrumentation, and pre-mix preparation for artists, bands, filmmakers, game developers, and creative teams working on unconventional or dark material.
The focus is on creating music that uses contrast and space to deliver crushing weight and presence. Genres often intersect and production choices are guided by the track’s identity rather than a fixed approach, with particular attention given to material that resists easy classification.Sound Design & Post-Production
Mixing sessions focus on balance, clarity, and dynamic control. Processing chains are tailored to the material, and output formats include stereo, binaural, and Dolby Atmos, depending on the nature of the project.
Mastering ensures that tracks are ready for streaming platforms and physical formats, while preserving the character and intent of the mix. Analog processing and digital tools are combined to achieve competitive loudness, clear transients, and consistent playback across systems.End-to-End Audio Solutions
Sound design services include custom foley, UI and interaction feedback, ambient layers, and reactive elements. Nähmaschine Labs works across both linear and interactive formats, including film, XR, and games, with workflows tailored for stereo and multichannel outputs. Spatial audio is delivered using HRTF processing, both head-locked and world-locked sources, and dynamic positioning methods where appropriate.
Projects are developed with format-specific constraints in mind, ensuring that sound design enhances the experience rather than competing with it. Services include concept consultation, cue spotting, temp music creation, session management, and asset versioning.