A thick, side-chained synth pad provides the "pumping" feeling that mirrors a heartbeat.
If you could open the mythical "Midnight City" stem files, what would you find? The song's power comes from the brilliant production, and the stems would offer a masterclass in modern synth-pop production.
: Anthony Gonzalez’s dry and wet (reverberated) vocal tracks. m83 midnight city stems
The isolated stem showcases a wide stereo ping-pong delay paired with a massive, sidechained plate reverb. The sidechaining ensures that the reverb ducks out of the way when the vocal note hits, preserving clarity while maintaining a massive tail. 2. The Wall of Synths: Frequency Bracketing and Layering
If you want to try your hand at mixing this track, I can show you or explain the exact plug-ins needed to recreate these sounds. What Share public link A thick, side-chained synth pad provides the "pumping"
Listening to the isolated saxophone stem reveals a masterclass in effects processing for acoustic instruments in an electronic context:
Unlike many songs where stems leak or are ripped from video games (like Rock Band or Guitar Hero ), the "Midnight City" stems were released through legitimate channels. : Anthony Gonzalez’s dry and wet (reverberated) vocal
Since the official stems are rare, the best way for a producer in 2024 to get "functional" stems is to use AI software.
The saxophone isn't dry; it is treated like a lead guitar. It features stereo delay timed to the track, a large hall reverb, and a subtle amount of saturation to help it sit cleanly on top of the dense synth layers.
In the final mix, this stem is treated with an expansive stereo reverb and a subtle slapback delay. This places the saxophone in a massive virtual cavern, matching the cinematic grandeur of the rest of the track and providing the perfect emotional climax. Production Lessons from the Stems
5. Reverse Engineering "Midnight City": Key Lessons for Producers