My Secret Playground on ‘End Of Noise’, Sobriety and Rediscovering Creative Freedom
For Florian Herzberg, the Berlin-based Austrian producer behind My Secret Playground, music has always been a means of expression. Yet somewhere along the way, his relationship with creativity became entangled with addiction, leaving him questioning whether he could make music without the substances he had come to associate with the process.
His new four-track EP, End Of Noise, emerges from a period of profound personal change. Drawing together melancholic synthesisers, indie dance, 80s electronics and the rock and metal influences that shaped his earliest musical experiences, the record is as much about confronting the past as it is about discovering what comes next.
“I struggle with addiction, and in January 2025, I went through a detox process. For a while, I genuinely believed that I could only create music while under the influence of drugs. That was a major mistake. It has been a long journey toward happiness and back to a state of creativity, free from any constraints. I wanted to capture this in an EP.”
Rather than approaching the release as four independent club tracks, Herzberg conceived it as a collection of interconnected experiences. Each composition explores a different part of his recent life, with the music moving between vulnerability, nostalgia and moments of greater intensity.
“Since I stopped drinking, deep emotions have become very present once again. Among other things, I keep a dream journal and perceive my surroundings with great intensity. The four songs tell four stories from the last two years: shyness, the urge to use, a love for my musical roots, and the death of my father.”
That emotional openness gives End Of Noise its underlying purpose. It also explains why the record resists being confined to a single genre.
Herzberg's musical foundations lie in rock, and his productions have long incorporated elements of metal alongside the synthesiser-led sounds of electronic music. For him, combining these influences is not an exercise in stylistic experimentation for its own sake, but an expression of the freedom he has worked to reclaim.
“My roots lie in rock music. To this day, I find myself torn between genres. Making only dance music would quickly become boring for me. Since I’m no longer under any pressure regarding the type of music I create, it felt natural to incorporate all of my influences into my productions.”
His creative identity has also been shaped by the contrasting environments of Vienna and Berlin. Originally from the Austrian capital, Herzberg has spent more than a decade in Berlin, finding inspiration in both cities' complicated relationship with art, culture and nightlife.
“I have a kind of love-hate relationship with both cities. Each has given me a great deal, but has also taken a great deal away. Both are characterised by a certain melancholy and harshness.”
Berlin, however, offered something particularly important: an environment where artistic expression could flourish outside mainstream expectations.
“In Berlin, contemporary art is highly valued, even well beyond the mainstream. This allowed me to truly flourish. Without Berlin, I wouldn’t be where I am today as a musician.”
The city's nightlife has historically played a role in his musical journey, but his relationship with that world has changed considerably.
Following his decision to pursue sobriety, Herzberg has deliberately stepped away from club culture, choosing instead to concentrate on making music and reconnecting with the reasons he began creating in the first place.
“The decision changed everything, myself included. For now, I’m steering clear of nightlife and spending most of my time in the studio. Perhaps that will change eventually. I enjoy giving free rein to my creativity, and I often find myself reflecting on why I started making music in the first place. My primary motivation is to express myself, free from any commercial constraints!”
That renewed focus has coincided with the opening of Studio 154, his own Berlin studio and rehearsal space.
For Herzberg, the significance of having a dedicated creative home is deeply personal.
“My childhood dream has come true. When I sit behind my drum kit, I can look out at the TV tower. What more could you want from life?”
His commitment to live music extends well beyond his own productions. Since launching My Secret Session in 2014, Herzberg has worked with more than 130 musicians, developing a collaborative approach that continues to influence how he constructs electronic music.
Those experiences have taught him that successful collaboration requires more than musical ability.
“I’ve had the privilege of meeting incredibly talented musicians, which has enabled me to develop my own live performance concept. I’ve also learned that talent isn’t everything; punctuality and reliability are at least as important.”
That background helps explain his increasingly outspoken attitude towards conventional dance music production.
While he remains interested in making records that connect with people on a dancefloor, Herzberg has little patience for arrangements that prioritise familiarity over artistic expression.
“I am often bored by the rigid structures in dance music: intro, drop, outro…”
“There is little that is surprising, and hardly anyone takes any risks. It’s easier to just follow a template. And always the same kick drum. That is cowardly and does not align with my vision of art.”
His position is unequivocal.
“And yes, dance music can, and must, be art.”
It is a philosophy that increasingly informs both his creative decisions and his relationship with the wider industry.
Having previously pursued label opportunities, Herzberg has reached a point where securing releases on established imprints is no longer central to his sense of artistic achievement.
His catalogue includes music on Melopee, Jeahmon!, Sincopat and Ton Liebt Klang, but he now places greater value on making work that reflects his own instincts.
“I used to chase after labels until, eventually, it worked out. Nowadays, I don’t worry at all about whether or not my songs will appeal to a label.”
“I am free, and I intend to stay that way :)”
That independence is perhaps the most important thread running through End Of Noise. The EP's title suggests an ending, but its deeper significance lies in the possibilities that emerge when old habits, expectations and dependencies no longer dictate the creative process.
For Herzberg, there is no elaborate strategy for what comes next. After years of navigating personal and professional expectations, the freedom to create without a predetermined destination has become its own reward.
“I am leaving my old self behind, and the drugs along with it. I’m making music now with a clear head, and it’s truly ‘me.’ That is priceless!”
And when asked what the future might hold, his response is refreshingly simple.
“I don’t know what the future holds. For the first time in my life, I don’t have a plan :)”
My Secret Playground’s four-track EP ‘End Of Noise’ marks a deeply personal new chapter for Florian Herzberg, bringing together his musical influences and a renewed commitment to creative freedom.
