Music production in the studio

Studio talk describes sound by comparison, and German has two ways of making one. nach etwas klingen takes nach with the dative and, as a rule, a bare noun with no article: Der Mix klingt noch nach Demo says the mix has the character of a demo, rough and unfinished, not that it resembles one particular recording. For a direct likeness German switches to wie and keeps the article: Das klingt wie ein Radio. The same pattern runs through the other senses, Es riecht nach Kaffee and Das schmeckt nach Zimt, and it stretches to judgements as well: Das klingt nach Arbeit means the job ahead looks long. English uses one verb phrase for both, which is why learners tend to reach for wie every time. In a session, the bare noun after nach is the form you will hear most.