MixWithTheMasters Jack Antonoff Writing and Producing ‘King’ by Florence + The Machine Inside The Track #79

The long-awaited second series with star songwriter and producer Jack Antonoff is here! In this release, the multiple Grammy award-winner takes you through his experience of creating ‘King’, the lead single from the 2022 album ‘Dance Fever’ by Florence + The Machine.

Antonoff recounts his first ever studio session with Florence Welch, during which they brainstormed with excerpts of her poetry and block notes on piano. He explains how their visions for the project aligned and the early writing process at Rak Studios evolved into the final production. Jack reveals how he recorded and treated bass guitar, drums, Juno synth, vocals, and more. He also elaborates on the desired effect of parts played in terms of composition and performance. Furthermore, Antonoff shares a few boldly unorthodox methods that have earned him such wide acclaim as a major creative force in modern music!

Part 1
First session with Florence, aligning visions, song concept, piano, Juno synth, bass guitar, lyrics

Part 2
Blending bass line with arpeggiator, stacking low end sources, panning, D.I. vs. amplifier, vocal chain, reverb

Part 3
Drum recording, playing, treatment, live pop aesthetic, fills, shocking the system, filtering, effects

Part 4
Layering brush stroke drums, compressing quiet vs. loud performances, deviating from the grid, gut instinct

Part 5
Brass & strings orchestration, harp, tape, arrangement, mix treatment, limiting, final touches by Serban Ghenea King