10 Great Reference Mixes for Electronic Music

See reference mixes 6 to 10 in part 2 of this article.

Electronic Music has changed a lot in the past few years. From EDM to deeper sub genres like Dubstep, Trap, Future House, and various combinations thereof, the genre has evolved, both in the mainstream and the underground. So it’s time for an update: here’s a modern tally of great reference mixes to aid in your own productions, mixes, and masters. 

Wide subsets are on hand, including pop, underground fare, strange vanguards, and remixes. More importantly, each reference track has been selected with a specific aspect in mind.

Follow along with a free demo of  Tonal Balance Control , a plug-in that helps keep your sound on target in any genre. 

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To load the curves, download them and move them to the Target Curve folder, which you can locate in the following path on both Mac and PC /documents/izotope/tonal balance control 2/target curves. You will then be able to access the curves directly in Tonal Balance Control.
 

1. “Riptide” by Chainsmokers

Listen: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal

This outfit, to me, embodies the mainstream when it comes to electronic music: safe, harmless, and reflective of what underground trends have boiled up into the zeitgeist. Chainsmokers are often mixed quite well, with an eye toward commercial markets. So, it’s always a good idea to check in with them to see how modern mainstream electronic music is handled in the mix. 

With the song “Riptide,” we can see that a swing feel is coming back in the customary break—and this is reflective of the 90s aesthetic coming back into the mainstream (a lot of modern music feels like updated New Jack Swing). 

In terms of the mix, this tune gives us a good feel for how to trade which elements occupy the low end between sections. The kick holds down the lows in the verse, but it disappears in the pre chorus for a bassy synth to handle the bottom. Then for the chorus, we have a fantastically-mixed sub-bass interplaying perfectly with the kick. 

Indeed, this is a great reference for how to mix your sub bass with your bass instrument and kick drum. 

2. “Spacetrippy” by Black Hertz 

Listen: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal

Our next tune comes from Black Hertz, and it also shows off how swing is coming back, even in straight-ahead four-on-the-floor tracks. Yes there’s something significantly stanky about this groove, and it’s not just the way things are played and programmed. 

Listen to the timing of elements as they bounce in opposition to the kick drum. This could be done manually, but I’m willing to bet there’s some sidechain compression keyed to kick here, at least in the bass synthes and risers. 

As mixers, we have control over the groove through compression—especially sidechain compression. This tune is an excellent reference for that.

The mix is also quite clean and never fatiguing. Let’s look at the Tonal Balance Control curve to see why this might be:

Take a look at the midrange here, especially 2 kHz. We see things aren’t pushed so hard between 1 and 3 kHz, which might allow for the relative clarity of the mix—the deep bass and sparkling, never-harsh highs.

3. “Double Trouble” by Phantom BR, Konaefiz

Listen: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal

“Double Trouble” by Phantom BR and Konaefiz, though completely different from the previous one, is also a study in how to create groove through mixing. However, instead of a swung stanky feel, this one has a heavy manic energy that brims with off-the-walls menace. I love it. 

Let’s take a look at what’s happening in the Tonal Balance Control curve:

My lord, it’s all bass and 6 kHz. Yes, it’s harsher than the preceding mix. Yes, it’s more monophonic and squashed. That aggression perfectly serves the vibe.

4. “The Smoke (Dennis Bovell RMX)” by The Smile and Dennis Bovell

Listen: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal

A previous version of this article offered no remixes whatsoever. We’re aiming to correct that here, as remixing is an artform unto itself in the electronic world.

Our first remix comes from Dennis Bovell, who had some great material to work with: the original tune is by the new Radiohead subgroup “The Smile,” which sounds exactly like what you’d think half a Radiohead tune would sound like. The tune itself is funky as hell, and the remix holds the original in great esteem.

Instead of reinventing the song, the remix fits the original into a dubbed-out framework. It respects the choppy reverb aesthetics of Yorke and Greenwood, yet has a lot of fun with sputtering verbs. 

In terms of the mix, you’ll note the kick wins the battle for the low end, with a prominent presence at 50 Hz and below. The way the kick reigns supreme while respecting the fundamentals of the bass is to be admired, as is the handling of all the remix effects.

5. “Faceshopping” by SOPHIE

Listen: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal

SOPHIE was a tremendous talent, and I’m rather disappointed in myself for not having heard of this artist until I read the obituaries. Only then did I listen to the music, and man, what a powerhouse of artistic, production, and engineering talent. 

The song “Faceshopping,” though not new, is an insane piece of work, using out-there sound design to create a unique aesthetic. It might be of the industrial era, but it’s not industrial. It might have pop inclinations, but this is not pop music. 

As for mixing moments, pay attention to the relative dip at 700 Hz, the out-of-phase moments, and the way it sails past 0 dBFS. 

See reference mixes 6 to 10 in part 2 of this article.