Following up his Beatport Top 10 hit “Brain Delay,” Broken Hill returns with “Keep Your Love”—a moody, vocal-driven collaboration with LA-based artist Familiar Faces. Built on analog synths and heartfelt restraint, the track channels Broken Hill’s signature indie dance groove while making space for vulnerability.
It’s out now on all platforms and stands as one of the strongest releases yet from the fast-rising producer.
In this interview, Broken Hill breaks down the systems he uses to move fast without getting stuck, how he deals with workflow bottlenecks, and why creating quickly often means knowing when to stop.
Do you keep templates, systems, or routines to reduce friction?
Yeah, for sure.
Now and then, I go through old projects and pull out sounds or synth chains I really like. I’ll turn those into little sample packs or save them as custom racks so I’ve always got some “Broken Hill” sounds ready to drop in. It saves time and honestly helps me stay consistent with my sound. Having your own go-to library means less time hunting and more time creating.
How do you approach setting up your sessions for momentum?
I always try to start with some kind of inspiration, whether that’s a track I just heard or something that happened that day. If I sit down with no direction, I find it way easier to lose focus.
Sometimes I’ll start with chords over a simple kick, other times I build drums and bass first and figure out the musical stuff after. I’m constantly adjusting as I go. I also like getting input from others, especially if I’ve been in the same loop too long. Outside ears always help.
What’s your process for dealing with bottlenecks?
I go on a lot of walks. Listening to something on AirPods outside the studio can completely change how it hits.
You hear stuff you didn’t notice before. If I feel like I’m spinning in circles, I’ll take a break and return a week later with fresh ears. I also ask for feedback from friends who aren’t producers. Sometimes their reaction says more than any technical advice could. If they’re vibing, I know I’m close.
How do you keep creativity high without overthinking technical setup?
Honestly, I make a lot of stuff just sitting on the couch or in bed with headphones.
The studio is great, but sometimes that casual setup helps me focus on ideas instead of trying to make everything perfect. I also like messing around with gear I don’t normally use. Keeps it fun. Trying new stuff always sparks something.
When do you abandon a workflow that’s slowing you down?
I like to work fast. If a piece of gear’s slowing me down, I’ll switch to a plugin. If I’m collabing and the other person’s moving slow in the DAW, I’ll try to split up roles so we’re not stepping on each other.
And if I’m halfway into something and not feeling it, I’ll just start fresh. I used to force stuff because I thought people might like it, but now if I’m not connecting with it, I let it go or scrap it for parts to use down the line.
What’s your process for capturing ideas quickly before they disappear?
My voice memos are full of rough melody ideas, vocal hooks, and even beatboxing.
Whenever something hits, I get the idea down quick– even if it sounds goofy. In my sessions, I also save any half-finished ideas or hooks in a muted group at the bottom of the project. That way, I can come back to them later or flip them into something new. You never know when that random idea will become the hook.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
