How It Was Made: EVONLAX – Akeelah (Cafe De Anatolia + Afro House) 

EVONLAX has been building a name in the melodic and Afro House scene with productions that combine emotion and precision. Originally from Georgia, he began his musical path on guitar before moving into electronic production.

Artists like Avicii, Kygo, ILLENIUM, and Fred again.. have influenced his sense of melody and structure. Over the years, creating music became more than a skill for him. It became a way to express feeling and tell stories through sound.

His new release Akeelah, out through Café De Anatolia, reflects that connection between rhythm and storytelling. The track blends textured percussion with melodic synths that rise and fall naturally across the arrangement. Every section builds with intention, allowing space for both atmosphere and groove. It captures the warmth and pulse that define EVONLAX’s production style, where each sound feels deliberate and balanced.

In this How It Was Made feature, EVONLAX explains the production process behind Akeelah. He breaks down how Serum provided the core melodic layers, how Endless Smile and Pro-Q 3 shaped the movement and tone, and how PHA-979 helped align the percussion for clarity. Each tool served a specific purpose within the mix, contributing to a final sound that feels cohesive and alive.

Serum

Serum is a wavetable synthesizer that’s become a staple in electronic production for its clean, powerful sound and flexibility. It allows you to sculpt everything from lush pads to gritty basslines, with a clear interface that makes sound design approachable. Its modulation options and effects rack give it huge creative potential without needing endless third-party plugins. 

In this remix, I used Serum for the main lead sound made is using 2 OSC, first is a saw wave and the second is also a saw wave, but slightly detuned with voices, I also used serum for some pads and plucks. Lead sound is introduced in the second part of this track, and slowly opens up, creating more tension as it gets closer to outro. I made some easy plucks using serum’s OSC’s and for pianos I used stage grand which is stock Fl piano and truepianos. 

For other producers working in deep or progressive house, Serum shines for creating atmospheric layers and evolving melodic elements. Automating filters and envelopes adds life, and layering subtle noise oscillators can help create a more organic feel. Don’t just use presets as-is — tweak them so they become uniquely yours in the mix. 

Endless Smile 

Endless Smile by Dada Life is a one-knob effect plugin designed to create massive tension and release moments. Behind its simple interface, it automates filters, delays, reverbs, and distortions to build up energy in a track. It’s made specifically for electronic music producers who want quick and powerful build-ups without needing dozens of automation lanes. 

I used Endless Smile during the breakdowns to slowly increase intensity before the groove returned. Around 40% on the knob was enough to introduce reverb and filtering, making the percussion-driven drop feel explosive when it all came back. On certain vocal layers, I added subtle Endless Smile sweeps to make transitions flow naturally. 

In Afro House, Endless Smile is perfect for enhancing atmospheric transitions while keeping the groove intact. Instead of cranking it all the way, keep it subtle — layering it on percussion groups or vocal chops adds energy without washing out the mix. This plugin is all about controlled tension. 

FabFilter Pro-Q 3 

I mean, there is no need to talk, Pro-Q 3 is a go-to EQ plugin offering precision and flexibility with an intuitive interface. It allows dynamic EQ, linear phase modes, and an endless number of bands, making it ideal for both surgical corrections and creative shaping. 

I relied on Pro-Q 3 to balance the mix, especially between drums and low-end elements. I cleaned up 250 Hz in the percussion bus to avoid muddiness and used dynamic EQ around 50 Hz to keep the sub consistent while still leaving room for the kick. On melodic plucks, I boosted the upper mids so they stood out against the dense rhythmic layers. 

Afro House tracks can get very percussive and layered, and Pro-Q 3 is essential for carving out space. Using dynamic EQ lets you preserve the natural movement of drums while controlling resonances. Don’t just cut aggressively — sometimes a small boost on a shaker or vocal chop can bring the groove alive. 

PHA-979 (Voxengo) 

PHA-979 is a phase alignment plugin that lets you adjust the phase of audio tracks with sample-accurate precision. Unlike a simple delay, it allows you to shift phase across the full frequency spectrum, which is especially helpful for aligning layered sounds. 

I used PHA-979 to mix drums, make hihats more stereo and adjust the stereo for percussions. In Afro House, where the groove depends heavily on percussive energy, any phase cancellation weakens the impact. With slight adjustments, I made sure the sub reinforced the kick instead of fighting it, giving the track much more drive. 

For Afro House producers, phase alignment is an underrated but powerful trick. Using PHA-979 to tighten kicks, subs, or even layered percussion loops can completely change the groove’s feel. When everything hits in phase, the track feels more alive and moves the dancefloor. 

Quick Fire Hot Takes On Production And The Industry

Hot Take #1: Afro House is leading electronic music right now because it blends culture, rhythm, and emotion in a way no other genre does. 

Hot Take #2: In Afro House, percussion is the melody — automate small details in your drums, and you’ll make the whole track breathe. 

Hot Take #3: Artists should pay more attention to storytelling in their tracks; Afro House is about journeys, not just drops. 

Hot Take #4: The best gear isn’t the flashiest — one good synth and a few strong percussive samples can outshine an entire plugin folder. 

Hot Take #5: Trends come and go, but Afro House will always stand out because it connects people on a deeper, more spiritual level.