July 16, 2025
This July, the Polaris Music Prize jury unveiled its 10-album shortlist for 2025—a list led numerically by Quebec acts but featuring four shining entries from Toronto. For a city whose scene often...
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What happens when a fictional K-pop boy band outsells the real ones? In a twist straight out of a dystopian idol fanfic, the animated groups Huntr/x and Saja Boys—created for Netflix’s explosive...
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Drunk calls. Crying in the dark. Lingering heartbreak. Conan Gray’s new single “Vodka Cranberry” isn’t just a song—it’s a full-blown emotional unraveling, and fans are already bracing themselves...
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Andrew Choi was already a hidden force in real-world K-pop before becoming Jinu, the soulful lead of the animated boy band Saja Boys, a member of the K-Pop Demon Hunters. Choi co-wrote the quiet....
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Let’s be honest: when most pop stars go quiet, we assume they’re recharging in Bali, journaling in silk robes. Not Justin Bieber. Nah, he went into full stealth mode, dropped a random “SWAG”...
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It’s official: KATSEYE didn’t just sell out, they served out. Every single ticket to their upcoming live shows? Gone. Vamoosed. Snatched like a wig in a wind tunnel.The global girl group, part...
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Cue the frosted tips, cargo pants, and emotional harmonies, because the Backstreet Boys just dropped Millennium 2.0, and let’s just say, everybody (yeahhh!) is losing their minds.Yes, that’s right...
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Tyla just slid into our summer soundtrack with her new track “IS IT”, and let me tell you, it is everything. No cap. Straight off the jump, you get those booming amapiano kicks and warped vocal...
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The wait is officially over: Blackpink is back—louder, bolder, and more united than ever. On the opening night of their highly anticipated Deadline World Tour, the global K-pop phenomenon debuted...
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Justin Bieber has never been a stranger to the spotlight—but this time, the glare feels more personal. In a series of emotional posts, the global superstar cracked open the curated image fans often...
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When Coldplay’s Chris Martin looked out into the crowd at Toronto’s brand-new Rogers Stadium on July 8 and joked, “This is a very bizarre stadium a million miles from Earth,” we all laughed—but he...
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When Velvet Sundown burst onto Spotify earlier this summer, few suspected that the band’s four “members” were never flesh and blood. With their ’60s-inspired riffs and dreamy vocal harmonies, the...
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Introduction
Many aspiring music creators are captivated by the lavish, grandiose quality of certain beats. Tracks like Kanye West's "Devil in a New Dress" or many of Westside Gunn's productions embody this rich, opulent sound. But what exactly makes these beats sound so luxurious, even without lyrics? Is it the soulful samples, the complex chords, or perhaps the layering of instruments? In this article, we’ll break down the elements that contribute to this "luxurious" sound and how you can replicate it in your music, taking inspiration from famous creators who have mastered this art.
The "luxurious" or "rich" sound often found in beats like Kanye West's "Devil in a New Dress" and Westside Gunn's tracks can be characterized by several elements:
Kanye West's production on "Devil in a New Dress" is a masterclass in creating a luxurious sound. He achieved this by:
Madlib
Madlib, another legend in creating rich, luxurious beats, often samples obscure jazz and soul records. Here’s how he does it:
RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan is another example of a producer who has mastered the luxurious, gritty sound, especially on the “Cuban Linx” album by Raekwon:
Conclusion
Creating a "luxurious" or "rich" sound in music production is an art that combines thoughtful sampling, harmonic complexity, and creative production techniques. By studying the work of renowned music creators and experimenting with the elements they use, you can develop your own unique approach to achieving this sound. Dive deep, be selective, and always push the boundaries of your creativity.