Brussels-based DJ and producer EMJIE has been gaining traction with a sound that bridges classic house and modern indie dance. Her productions balance melodic hooks, rhythmic vocals, and bass-driven structures, shaped by a background that draws from both electronic and rock influences.
Photo credit: Max Beck
Her rise has seen her perform at venues and festivals including Fabric London, Lofi Amsterdam, Sisyphos, Zamna Tulum, Fuse Brussels, Bar Americas, Pukkelpop, and Tomorrowland. Alongside her growing international presence, she also held a weekly residency on Studio Brussel during the 2023 season.
Following the release of ‘Spirit Higher – Extended’ alongside LP Giobbi via Yes Yes Yes, EMJIE continues to refine a production style centered on groove, texture, and melodic clarity.
In the following tips, she shares key techniques that shape her studio workflow.
1. Use a reference track
This tip is definitely my number one. Reference tracks really helped me when I started producing five years ago. I would quickly get stuck in my arrangement and elements, not knowing what to do next.
Choosing a reference track and adding locators in a project, delimiting the arrangement sections, really helps guide you. Analyzing each element in the reference will show you what your project might be missing, or what it might have too much of.
It’s a very DIY way of learning production, but this trial-and-error process is essential to understanding dynamics, shaping a sound, building tension, and creating transitions. Don’t be afraid to copy or take inspiration. Your final track will never sound the same, and it will help you develop your own style.
2. Groovy bass
I always start my projects with a kick and a bassline. A groovy bass immediately gives me the right feeling and direction. If I add drums and it doesn’t groove, it usually means the bass is the issue.
A few tips for a groovy bassline: use syncopation by placing some notes off beat, keep it simple, and let it breathe by mixing shorter and longer notes to create rhythm.
I also like using Splice for inspiration. With your DAW, you can convert a bass sample to MIDI and test it with different synths to make it your own.
3. Use instruments you can rework
Real instruments and analog sounds help define your identity and make your tracks stand out. They can become part of your signature if you use them consistently.
For my release ‘Could This Be Real’ on Insomniac x Femme House, I recorded a simple one-note guitar pattern with a basic rhythm. I then sped up the audio and added pedal effects, distortion, and reverb to transform it into something more textured while keeping a human feel.
4. Keys and layers
Happy keys and strong stabs are part of my signature sound. I’m not a trained pianist, so I focus more on melody than complexity.
Layering is key. I often combine different instruments, like piano and brass, and pay attention to frequency overlap. If your main sound sits in the mids, try adding higher layers for brightness or lower ones for body.
A useful trick for width is the Haas effect. Tools like the free Kilohearts Essentials suite can add a slight delay that makes sounds feel wider and fuller.
5. Saturation with Decapitator
This is a more technical tip, but it can make a big difference when adding saturation to drums or bass. Decapitator is widely used for adding punch, but it performs best at a specific input level.
To get cleaner results, add a utility before Decapitator and lower the input gain to around -18 dB. Shape your sound with the plugin, then add another utility after and bring it back up by +18 dB.
This approach gives you more control and keeps the saturation musical and balanced.
EMJIE’s ‘Spirit Higher – Extended’ is out now on Yes Yes Yes. Stream and download here.
Follow EMJIE: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
