Massi Rocket and Alfrenk link up on “Tribal Vibes,” a tech house record built from rolling percussion, vocal detail, and a bassline that keeps the track moving without overloading the arrangement. Massi Rocket brings years of experience from Milan’s club circuit, where he runs Rocket Club, the Motel Calypso party, and the label carrying this release. Naples-born Alfrenk brings over a decade of production experience, giving the collaboration a direct club focus from the opening bars.
The record came together by letting the initial groove dictate each decision. Tribal drums and tom patterns sit around the kick, while airy hi-hats, guitar accents, and spoken vocals give the track its character. The arrangement leaves enough room for each part to register, which keeps the percussion active and the low end controlled as the track develops.
In this How It Was Made feature, Massi Rocket and Alfrenk explain how SubBoomBass provided the main bassline and how automation kept a single preset moving across the arrangement. They also discuss the custom sample libraries behind the drums and percussion, along with their wider views on artistic identity, technology, and the pressure to follow short-lived trends.
SubBoomBass
The main plugin behind the bassline in Tribal Vibes is SubBoomBass, a synth specifically designed to create deep, powerful bass sounds with plenty of character. It offers a wide range of tones and sound design options, making it one of our go-to tools for Tech House productions.
For this track, we used the Bass – Digi Road 1 preset and added several cutoff and ADSR automations on Filter 1 to give the bass more movement and keep it evolving throughout the arrangement.
The rest of the production was built using loops from our own custom sample libraries, developed over the years, including kicks, drums, percussion, and FX. We then found a vocal that perfectly matched the vibe of the track.
Quick Fire Hot Takes About Production
#1 – We believe music shouldn’t be made to chase the charts. It should leave a lasting impression. To us, real success means creating emotions that stand the test of time.
#2 –The music industry often rewards what’s viral, but the artists who truly shape the future of music are those who have the courage to stay authentic.
#3 –A great production isn’t defined by the number of plugins you own, but by your ability to make the right creative decisions when it comes to sound design and mixing.
#4 –Technology has made music production more accessible than before, but creativity, critical listening, and experience remain the qualities that truly set producers apart.
# 5-Today, we believe artists should spend more time developing a distinctive sonic identity than trying to keep up with every new social media trend.
61 – Building a genuine connection with your audience is often far more valuable than chasing impressive numbers. A loyal and engaged community will always matter more than views alone.
#7 –The best equipment can never replace a great idea. Creativity comes from the person behind the equipment, not from the price tag of the studio.
#8 –Working within technical limitations can actually fuel creativity, as some of the most original ideas emerge when you’re forced to experiment and think differently.
#9 –Many trends in today’s music scene last only as long as an algorithm allows, while truly memorable records continue to resonate long after the hype has faded.
#10 –Following every trend may boost your visibility in the near term, but developing your own signature sound is what allows an artist to remain relevant for years to come.
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.
