Ptohotgraphy Cred: Liebmann

This edition of the How It Was Made series looks at the team behind “Turn The Lights Off” and the creative process that shaped it. Justė has been building an entirely new chapter with Night Drive, and the vision carries through everything she touches. Her sound blends melodic energy, spiritual themes, and a sense of motion that ties directly back to the story she has been carving for herself.

The collaboration with Jaxstyle and Jon brings that vision onto club systems with a very focused speed-garage foundation. They leaned into the characteristics that define the style and used a handful of tools that delivered exactly the tone and movement they needed. Nothing about this track feels accidental, and each element was shaped to match the balance between vocal presence, low-end movement, and rhythmic tension.

You can hear the precision in the Reese bass, the character of the M1 chords, and the vocal processing that adds the futuristic edge. The team approached this record with clear intent and technical restraint, and it shows. Below is the full breakdown of the plugins and tools they used in the studio!

Korg M1 Soft Synth

The M1 plugin is based on the original Korg M1 hardware synthesizer and keeps a lot of its classic character. In this track, the plugin plays the chords during the chorus.

We used the M1 to give the track the right UK Garage flavor with a pad organ style sound. It adds that warm, slightly nostalgic touch that works really well under the vocal.

If you’re looking for a synth with a true 90s sound, this one gets you there quickly.

Serum 2

Serum 2 is one of the most used soft synthesizers nowadays and can be used for a wide range of sounds. In this track, we used it for the Reese bass.

This Reese bass is important for the song because it gives the track the right body in the low mid frequencies and adds a real Garage feel. The preset was downloaded from Splice, from a Garage Essentials pack.

I find the Serum 2 is a good one if you’re looking for a solid soft synth, especially with the update they released earlier this year. The possibilities are almost endless.

ShaperBox

ShaperBox is a plugin that can modulate sounds in several different ways. We used the volume module, and with the LFO set to 1/16 you get a tight stutter effect.

We used ShaperBox as an effect on the vocal in the chorus and drops, where you hear the stutter coming in. This gives the vocal a more futuristic, 2025 type character.

If you’re looking for a plugin that can create stutter effects, this is a great option. It also has a lot of other possibilities, like distortion, reverb, scratch FX, repeat tricks, and more.

Quick Fire Hot Takes on the Scene and Production

(Answered by Jon)

Hot Take 1:
The AI chaos is coming. Stick to your gut feeling.

Hot Take 2:
The market will be flooded in generic releases. Spend time developing your own sound to stand out.

Hot Take 3:
The details. It is all in the details.

Hot Take 4:
Go some place new to get inspired. Travel, observe people, listen to them talking, spend time alone and let the inspiration settle.

Hot Take 5:
F*ck trends. They saturate and disappear faster than ever. Stay true to yourself and your own sound.