Learn how to build a track with GIL on the latest episode of Studio Sessions: The Breakdown

As part of our effort to give you even more ways to launch and grow your career on SoundCloud, we recently added The Breakdown to our Studio Sessions programming. In this new inspirational video series, we deconstruct another creator’s track and give you the building blocks to make your own music.

Last month, experimental artist CATNAPP discussed her process for creating “Down in the Basement,” and today we’re going into the studio with GIL – a Berlin-based avant-garde artist who’s breaking down his dark electronic track, “Compact Renewal.” 

GIL built the song’s foundation using drums, and next assembled a mini sample library, choosing one sample as the anchor to carry the track. By pitching and reversing this same sample he was able to generate more material and create a harmonizing effect; he then layered the kicks and shifted the frequency to sculpt these ambiguous pieces of noise into something cohesive and brutally beautiful.

From the first notes, “Compact Renewal” announces itself like a ship blasting a foghorn into dark harbors. Buzz-saw sounds relentlessly slice through the track and “monster-yawn” samples add a bizarrely almost-human effect. The end result? A percussive feat of mass proportions.  

GIL proves that you can upcycle the same sample to create something multi-layered and memorable. If you used one of his tips like this, let us know by @ing us on Twitter and mentioning #studiosessions.
Looking to go from layering kicks to kickstarting your career? Check out our creator subscription SoundCloud Pro for all the creator tools to help you succeed on SoundCloud and beyond.