Updated 4 Nov 2026
A PNL type beat lives on space, melancholy, and Auto-Tune. The French duo PNL, brothers Ademo and N.O.S, pushed cloud rap in France by slowing the tempo and letting one dreamy melody carry the whole track. The drums bounce in halftime, the synths and guitars drown in reverb, and the hook floats on heavy Auto-Tune. With a few free melody loops you can get most of the way there.
You do not need a finished beat to start. The PNL loops sit in step 1 and again at the bottom, ready to play.
Most PNL beats sit around 130 to 140 BPM in the DAW, but the drums are programmed in halftime, so the groove feels closer to 65 to 70 BPM. That slow, floating feel is the core of the sound.
The key is usually minor for the melancholy, but PNL also leans into major for the brighter, dreamier moments. Lock your session to the key of your loop so everything stays in tune. Minor keys like A#min for the dark cuts, major like D#maj or Emaj for the wavy, uplifting ones.
Keep the drums simple and let them bounce without getting busy. A halftime kick and snare pattern, soft closed hats with a few rolls, nothing crowded. The space between the hits matters more than the hits themselves.
The 808 is long, smooth, and slightly detuned, more felt than heard. Glide a few notes to follow the melody, add light distortion if you want weight, but keep it low in the mix. Cloud rap lives on atmosphere, not hard-hitting drums.
The melody is one idea repeated: a dreamy guitar, a soft pad, or a lonely synth lead, soaked in reverb and delay. Pick a melody loop tagged Guitar, Pad, or Ambient and let it breathe. One loop carrying the whole beat is the PNL way.
Build with the Auto-Tune in mind. The melody has to leave room for a sung, heavily tuned hook. Keep the top end airy, roll off harsh frequencies, and drench everything in reverb so it feels like it is underwater.
Less is more. Start with the melody alone, bring the 808 and drums in on the second bar, strip them back for the hook. PNL tracks often run long and hypnotic, so repetition is a feature, not a problem.
Use space as an instrument. Drop the drums for a bar, let the pad ring out, then bring everything back. The emptiness is what makes the sound feel endless and emotional.
PNL work with a tight circle of producers, among them BBP, Nk.F (of Trackbastardz), and Adsa Beatz. BBP produced the title track Deux freres, Nk.F produced Au DD with its spacey eighties synths.
Reference tracks: Au DD, Deux freres, Naha, and Shenmue. Study how one melody and a slow halftime groove carry a four or five minute song with almost no changes.
The biggest mistake is making the beat too busy. PNL is about restraint. Too many layers, loud drums, or a melody that keeps changing kills the hypnotic feel.
The second mistake is too little reverb and space. A dry, close melody is not PNL. The sound has to feel distant and wet. And do not fight the Auto-Tune, build the beat to sit under it.
Pick a loop and drag it into your DAW. 808 under it, clap on top, your first PNL beat is running.
All PNL loopsTempo, key and mood of the PNL loops, straight from our catalog.
| Loop | BPM | Key | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Got That | 110 | A#min | Ambient |
| Gefahr | 100 | Emin | Ambient, Dark |
| Hierher | 140 | D#maj | Ambient, Sad |
| Soundbite I | 130 | Ambient, Floating | |
| Roadmode | 110 | D#min | Ambient, Sad |
| Frag mich warum | 140 | Amin | Ambient, Sad |
| Departure | 115 | D#maj | Ambient, Sad |
| Fire | 111 | Ambient, Dark, Floating | |
| Hold Stars | 90 | F#min | Ambient |
| Count the Days | 140 | Ambient, Sad |
Usually 130 to 140 BPM in the DAW with halftime drums, so it feels like 65 to 70 BPM. Slow and floating is the goal.
Cloud rap with trap drums. It mixes Atlanta trap hats and 808s with ethereal, reverb-heavy melodies and heavy Auto-Tune.
Minor for the dark, melancholic cuts, major for the dreamy, uplifting ones. Match your session to the key of your melody loop.
A dreamy guitar or soft pad, atmospheric synths, a long smooth 808, light trap hats, and a lot of reverb and delay.
Au DD, Deux freres, Naha, and Shenmue. Listen for how little happens and how much space there is.
They are not royalty-free. Free in your own beats; a 50/50 publishing split with NDA Company applies to every commercial release. License Terms
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