ReecePhilip's productions have always been "busy" and this one is no exception. it's very "Philip-esque" if you ask me. he has a trademark sound and this song certainly falls into the same trademark, IMO. and I just love the fact that he gets his kids to play and sing with him!
My thoughts exactly brother. He just has that knack for squeezing everything in and making it work. It may take a few listens to take in all that's going on, but to me this is what gives Philip his trademark sound. I often times feel he feels bad when he doesn't use all the samples I create for him...because it would be too easy for him to put everything in and figure out a way to make them all work. You did a really nice job on this too, Reece. :) Your voice gets better with each song.
Philip: What really gets me is how clear your productions always are. Don't ever sacrifice that for dirty or analog warmth, brother. Then again, if that's what you feel, go for it and follow your heart at all times. I'm glad you stopped using "the plug we will not mention". LOL! I call it Voldemort LOL! It just trashes everything in my opinion and muds things up. How people use that thing is beyond me. It's cool when used very lightly but man, jump on it a little more and your mix just jumps off a bridge. I wonder how much the creator of that plug paid people with big names to brag that they use it. Must be that I'm clueless because I cringe when I use it or hear other people using it...uggh!
You had mentioned widening...no man, I just about never use any widening on your stuff due to you using quite a bit of wide pans on things already. The only song I ever used a widener on that we've done was Trouble in the Hood (I'm unable) because I had to push the rock part of the mix near the pans we used on the rap part of the mix.
I didn't hear any of the stuff Ben mentioned on my end. I've actually never heard a mid "piercing" before...they add warmth, not presence over here. Mids and high mids sound fine here, I don't hear any sibs or high end harshness, no mud or low mid mud or congestion...a little rich in the LOW low end for me, but I know you want/like that which is why I added it in for skate/car. It's tight low end though, nothing flabby so we can get away with it. Not saying I disagree with what you hear Ben, but I sure don't hear it on the gear I use here. This baby sound clear as a bell with a thump that can rattle your bile ducts. :) What are you listening on?
Anyway, great job on this Philip. A lot going on of course, but in a good way. Sort of like coming over a bridge into a major city for the first time. You don't know what to look at...and you may have to go over that bridge 5 times to take it all in, yet it's beautiful every time. That's how this mix and your others come across to me...even without me being involved in them. You're just as great on your own with no one collaborating with you...things just sound a little different but always great and unmistakenly "Philip". :)
-Danny