In a recent Twitter debate, prominent British DJ and producer Oliver Jones, popularly known by his stage name Skream, stirred discussions regarding the role of mixing in electronic music production. Jones initiated the conversation by implying that fellow artist Fred again.. doesn’t mix his own tracks, but he was quick to clarify that this was not a critique of his colleague’s work.
Jones stated, “It’s not a negative thing. Artwork, a fellow producer, once asked me if I would fix a leaky roof myself. I said no, and he said ‘exactly’. It’s not right to criticize people for trying to make their product sound the best it can.”
Jones also provided insight into his decision to stop mixing his music early in his career, citing a desire to focus solely on the creative elements of music production. He tweeted, “When I stopped mixing my stuff (I was never good at mixdowns), I became more creative. There’s a significant difference between having someone mix your track and having someone ghost-produce it.”
While Jones’ comments were largely met with agreement, some Twitter users questioned the extent to which a track’s identity is shaped by the mixing process versus other production elements. One user compared using a mix engineer to having another artist “paint over” their artwork, sparking discussions about authorship and authenticity in electronic music production.
Jones responded by asserting that a mix engineer merely enhances the existing art provided by the producer or musician. Many Twitter users supported Jones’ stance, highlighting that mixing is a distinct discipline that requires a different skill set from other aspects of production and songwriting.
Twitter user Ben Chazley commented, “Mixdown or mastering is entirely different from the creativity of making new music. The producer is not always the sound engineer.”
The debate also touched on the expectations placed on electronic artists to handle all aspects of their music production. Several users pointed out that artists in other genres are not expected to mix their own work. One user noted, “People seriously underestimate how much creators in these genres do themselves compared to bands that often have multiple people writing/playing and a whole other crew doing literally everything else.”
Twitter user Stephen Disario offered a different perspective, arguing that mixing can be a part of the creative process. He suggested that some tracks derive their unique character from their raw mixdowns and might lose their vibe if polished by a professional.
Despite the varied viewpoints, the overall consensus seemed to side with Jones. Delegating the mixdown to a professional engineer to enhance the sound quality of the music doesn’t diminish an artist’s or producer’s role. Music is inherently collaborative, and insisting that electronic artists must mix their own work might be more about ego than improving music quality.
In the world of electronics and computers, where programming languages and coding have revolutionized music production, this debate sheds light on the evolving dynamics of the music industry. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and appreciating the distinct roles in music production, from creativity to technical expertise.
In related news, Skream recently released Skreamizm Vol. 8, the latest addition to his Skreamizm album series.
