Within week two we looked at an artist called Arca and the song Non-binary. I was looking specifically about the production techniques used in this song as there is a lot to unpack.
Throughout the song I can hear the use of granular synthesis. This is often used to create harsh and dirty soundscapes that can really fill a mix and add emphasis in unique ways. This is very popular technique with experimental artists as you can use samples or field recordings to crate totally unique and abstract sounds as described by Native instruments in a blog post titled ‘Granular synthesis: a beginner’s guide’ (Native Instruments, 2023)
Another reoccurring technique is within this track is using samples in very rhythmic ways. specifically using gun shots and bullet casing sounds within this song to use as almost an anchor point for the rest of the song. This anchor is very common across much of Arca’s work as many parts change and flow into new sections of the song, these samples stay consistent and play throughout( Broken English Prod, 2023). They also give the song a very metallic tone found in a lot of industrial music that adds harsh high end that cuts through the mix.
For their vocal work, It feels very raw and sounds Like just one vocal take for most of the track as It really adds emphasis for every word and makes the listener lean in and hear ever word clearly. For most of the track it feels very lightly possessed and lets raw emotion shine though most of the track. However, later in the track they start to pitch and formant shift their vocals up and down on emphasised words to add a level of intrigue to their raw vocals and interest for the listener as there was a lot of breathing room for the raw vocals initially then as these pitched vocal chops came in, they filled up the sonic space more to really push the song.
Overall I think that many unique and rarely used production techniques were laced within this song. This is a new genre I have barley explored and I am willing and open to look further into experimental music to discover more.
References:
Beat Spot (2024) Best ways to pitch vocals in Ableton Live. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKgeCI6gHEQ.
Broken English Prod (2023) What makes Arca’s production so unique? Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7tA7AiIppI.[Accessed October 20th, 2025]
Native Instruments (2023) Granular synthesis: a beginner’s guide | Native Instruments Blog. Available at: https://blog.native-instruments.com/granular-synthesis [Accessed October 20th, 2025]
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