BLOG: TOP MIXING ENGINEERS FOR PROGRESSIVE MUSIC

One of the prime considerations for any music release is having stellar production. Setting your sonic output ahead of your competition can be the difference between really enhancing your songwriting and totally undermining it.  I speak a bit more about this in the ‘How To Self-Manage Your Band’ Insight, which is out now.

Given streaming platforms’ tendency to shuffle between tracks and to place music amidst various other songs within a similar genre for discovery purposes, you WANT to be on a playlist where people go “Oh sh*t, what’s this?!” and subsequently check out more of your stuff if they’re not aware of your band already. 

Choosing the best mix and mastering engineer(s) for your band can be a tough choice depending on creative vision, budget, necessity for expertise and varying other factors. Some bands can effectively mix and master their own music and have garnered equally professional results and if you can do that then absolutely, go for it. Spend your budget in other areas! But when in doubt, it’s definitely advisable that you onboard an expert in this field to really give your music the power it deserves. Maybe they also have a tip or trick to further enhance your release from a song-writing perspective, too.

In no particular order I have compiled a list of mix engineers that are renowned for working with progressive music and who have worked with my own clients, helping them to achieve high quality production that gives their music the platform it requires to shine.

Forrester Savell - https://forrestersavell.com/

Famously renowned for his work on Karnivool’s ‘Sound Awake’ and ‘Themata’, it’s no surprise that many bands in that vein have flocked to Forrester for his magical mix following their success. Based in Australia, Forrester has also worked on various other acclaimed Aussie bands such as Dead Letter Circus, Acolyte, Twelve Foot Ninja, COG and Make Them Suffer, giving them that recognisable sound from Down Under.  I can also reveal that Forrester is also currently working on some of the Earthside songs (yes, the album is nearly done so here’s a teaser for you on the production front!). Forrester also offers mastering services.

Acle Kahney - https://www.4dsounds.com/

One of the pioneers of “djent” - Acle has a very particular sound when it comes to his production and of course the work for TesseracT speaks for itself. Acle is a great choice for bands who want high quality production but who might be on a slightly lower budget given that he accommodates projects based on specific needs of the client. Acle also offers mastering and many bands also go to him for that finishing touch if they can’t afford him for the actual mix and he even indicates on his website that his digital mastering services are suited to demos and bands on a budget. It’s never a bad idea to be able to say you’ve worked with a member of a hugely established band in the genre, too ;)  Acle has also worked with bands such as Heart Of A Coward, Sylosis, and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.

Buster Odeholm - https://odeholm-audio.com/

If you require that “end of the world” sheen to your music and you want to absolutely obliterate ears and potentially make your fans cry, then Buster really is the guy to bring on board. Another band member come producer, Buster is renowned for making Humanity’s Last Breath truly live up to their name. Not only is Buster an amazing mix engineer but he also does incredible production work. He’s currently working with Swedish act Allt and honestly, it’s some of the most exciting modern metal I’ve heard in ages. I don’t think there’s anything Buster can’t do - he drums, plays guitar, sings, mixes, masters, produces. He’s a one stop shop for your band if you need an all encompassing additional member and your music is on the heavier end. Buster has also mixed and mastered the likes of Born Of Osiris, Vildhjarta, Thrown, Shadow Of Intent, Allt and  Oceano.

Jens Bogren - https://www.fascinationstreet.se/

If you’re after a larger than life and epic sound then Jens has added his production magic to the likes of Earthside’s ‘A Dream in Static’, Anathema, Devin Townsend, Opeth in addition to some more metal fare such as Kreator, Arch Enemy and Soilwork. Jens is a top tier mix engineer and a lot of people opt for Fascination Street studios when they have the budget. He works alongside a bunch of other reputable producers and engineers as well such as David Castillo who is also a renowned mixer in his own right.

David Castillo - https://davidcastillo.se/

In his own words “David’s focus revolved around rock and metal music with an organic and atmospheric sound” and that’s on the money. David has worked with the more other-worldly  and atmospheric progressive metal such as Katatonia, Leprous, Soen, Earthside, Opeth, Long Distance Calling and more. He also worked alongside Jens on Earthside’s ‘Dream In Static’ and has contributed some of his services to their new album, too.

Matt Templeman - https://www.instagram.com/staywell.wa 

Australia’s hidden gem when it comes to production. Matt Templeman is responsible for every Voyager album since I’ve been working with them, and with every release his efforts have elevated the band and their ever-evolving sound to the next level. Based in Perth, Matt also works with many rock, pop and metal bands in the Aussie Scene such as Birds of Tokyo, Sly Withers and more. Matt is quickly is becoming a household name in the territory and his speciality is giving uplifting music that energy that really transports the listener to a happy place. 

Jacob Hansen - https://jacobhansen.com/

VOLA adopted the hands of Jacob Hansen for their highly acclaimed album ‘Witness’ and he certainly has a knack for making the Danes sound larger than life. In addition to VOLA, Jacob is the choice engineer for pop-prog-metal prospects Cold Night For Alligators and their latest album ‘Hindsight Notes’. A fine choice of engineer for two incredible albums emerging from this territory.  The Grammy Award nominated Jacob has also worked on other Scandinavian acts such as Volbeat and Amaranthe. A popular choice for that iconic pristine Scandi sound.