Try and use a low shelf filter to cut the lows on the vocal track maybe about 12dB or so, and then drag it up as far as you can into the midrange until just before it starts to sound worse in the mix. Then put some heavyish saturation-type compression on the vocal track (blockfish is a cool freeware compressor that works well for this and is easy to use). This combination of low cut and compression will allow you to turn up the vocals quite loud in the mix, and will also let you get away with more in terms of ambient processing. Perhaps more to the point, it's a key part of the sound of the the type of artists you're referencing above.
The vocals should now be practically exploding out of the speakers. Next, set up a simple delay, set to maybe 50ms or so and a low feedback so it dies out quickly, after just one or two repetitions. Set the mix so that the delay is slightly lower than the main vocals and play with the delay time until just before the delay sounds like a distinct echo-- this will sort of "thicken" the track without making it echoey. You can pan the delays to further dramatize the effect, if you wish.
Now run the eq'd, compressed, delayed "big vocal" track through your ambience processors of choice-- reverb, delays, chorus, whatever. Dial in your ambience effects with the whole mix playing, and use a predelay on them if one is available. Try and "time" the decay of the ambience so that it fits the tempo and delivery of the vocal track, so the tails from one syllable aren't washing out the next. Keep the ambience very low in the mix, almost subliminal (unless you're in a parking garage, you don't "hear" reverb in everyday life, you just kind of "sense" what kind of space you're in, right?).
You can also run a search on "vocals" in these forums or try posting a sample on the songs forum for more advice.
cheers.
post edited by yep - 2006/07/26 12:49:00