If anyone has listened to the rapper Killer Mike’s latest album which got a Grammy, Michael, the album sounds like it’s coming from above you when you listen to it on headphones (haven’t listened anywhere else yet).

That sound is a phenomenon that I have noticed since I first started mixing and mastering years ago. My songs that I make in my house sound like they’re just at eye level and they boom into your face but most professionally mixed or mastered (not sure which process is creating that sound) songs have vocals and the overall song sat higher in the stereo field.

The album Michael just completely sounds like it’s coming from above. How can that sound be accomplished? What are these guys doing that’s making songs and sounds sound like that?

 

Which track?

 

The so called phantom center, where vocals usually sit, is supposed to feel, well, at the center. Sometimes this can be altered for effect, but it's pretty rare. especially on mainstream productions.

Sounds more like your setup and listening habits are at fault here.

But I'd gladly backpedal if the song you mention indeed has vocals coming from above lol.

 

they used newfangled elevate

 

Forget this.

 

Last edited: Jun 6, 2024

The entire album sounds like this.

 

First time observing this, interesting.

 

In Logic, there is Amos mixing and you can place each speaker not only in surround field, but also in "Elevation". In the headphone renderer, this gives the effect of height. I'm sure other DAWs can do that, too. But I can't imagine someone would mix an entire album that way. So my answer here could be wrong!

 

they recorded on the balcony!

no but seriously it was most likely dolby atmos in either logic pro, protools, cubase, nuendo, or even davinci resolve. someone recently made an ableton rack to do this also. it's available on sister site - "3d spatial panner rack ableton"

 

If it's coming from above its God and the Rapture is here.

 

Ok so I listened to it at home (HS-8 with Sonarworks calibration both on and off), on headphones (Beyer DT 770), in different mix rooms at work (Genelecs, Neumanns, all calibrated), and I have to say...

...the vocals are at the center, or I have shitty ears

 

Ghatdam. I've never been a fan of any project that he's been involved in, so I never rocked "Michael."
It's crazy—it's somehow worse than I imagined.
I tolerated short stints into five tracks. I didn't hear anything that seemed elevated... maybe a bit of play with the high frequencies of the vocals in parts of the field that could give you that impression? Dunno. I could've missed something while dodging hot garbage.