Deconstructing Dance Gavin Dance’s “Young Robot” Production Tones

Dance Gavin Dance is a band that defies easy categorization, and their track “Young Robot” off the album Mothership is a perfect example of their controlled chaos. With 83 tracks of intricate guitars, funky bass, dynamic drums, and a dizzying array of vocals, it’s a production masterpiece. We got a look under the hood at the raw multitracks from producer and mixer Kris Crummett, and the session reveals a ton about how to build a mix that’s modern and polished, yet feels completely natural and alive.

Let’s break down some of the key production techniques that make this track hit so hard.

The Kris Crummett Philosophy: Modern Polish, Old-School Soul

If you follow modern rock and metal production, you know Kris Crummett’s name. His work stands out because he merges an old-school ethos with modern application. This isn’t about fixing it in the mix; it’s about capturing incredible sounds at the source. By using the right mics, preamps, and player performances, the raw tracks already sound like a record. The result is a mix that feels polished and huge without sounding sterile or over-processed. “Young Robot” is a masterclass in this approach.

Building a Powerful, Natural Drum Sound

Right out of the gate, these drums sound fantastic. They are punchy, deep, and full of life, providing a perfect foundation for the rest of the track.

The Foundation: Solid Direct Mics

The close mics on this kit are killer. The kick is punchy and solid, and the snare top has all the crack and body you could want. While you can always reinforce your drums, these tracks are a prime example of a core sound so good that you could likely get a fantastic mix without reaching for a single sample. The goal here would be reinforcement, not replacement.

Bringing Drums to Life with Room Mics

A great drum sound is born in the blend between the direct mics and the room mics, and this session has some incredible room options. Kris provides a “room front,” “room top,” and a “low ribbon” room track, each serving a unique purpose.

• Room Front: This mic is packed with the length and sustain of the kit. It’s the perfect track to get aggressive with. Try sending it to a bus and mangling it with heavy-handed settings—it can add explosive energy and glue the kit together. Learning how to artfully smash a room mic, often using parallel compression, is one of the most powerful tricks you can have in your toolkit.
• Low Ribbon: This mic is all about body. Placed low, it captures the powerful resonance from the shells. Blending this in is an instant way to add weight and power to the kick and toms, making them feel bigger and more resonant in the mix.

Why Natural Tom Sustain Matters

One interesting detail is that the toms, while gated, retain a good amount of their natural sustain. Some producers prefer to capture only the tight transient and create sustain with samples or reverb. Kris’s approach of preserving the natural drum’s decay provides a more organic, breathing tom sound that works perfectly for the dynamic, rock-oriented feel of the track.

Crafting a Dynamic and Funky Rhythm Section

The rhythm section in “Young Robot” is constantly moving and grooving. The bass and guitars are not just a wall of sound; they’re distinct voices that weave in and out of each other.

A Multi-Faceted Bass Tone

The bass rig consists of a clean DI and two separate amp tracks.

• The DI: It’s a clean and solid foundation, capturing all the low-end fundamentals and clear note definition.
• The Amps: This is where the character comes in. One amp track is much more full-range with a bigger, rounder low-end, while the other offers a different flavor. Having multiple amp tones is a pro move, as it allows you to automate the blend to suit different sections. For a sparse verse, you might want a more defined, less sub-heavy tone. For a full-power chorus, you can bring in the amp with the bigger low-end to fill out the soundscape. It’s all about creating options for a dynamic arrangement.

Guitars with Character, Not Just Chugs

Forget a wall of super-saturated, down-tuned chugs. The guitars in “Young Robot” are much more in the rock territory, with printed effects that are integral to the sound. There are no DIs for the rhythm parts because the tone—with all its delays and modulations—is part of the composition itself.

The track is filled with an army of lead and clean guitar parts that create distinct “scenes.” From spacey clean tones in the intro to intricate, layered, and panned lead lines in the verses and pre-choruses, each part has its own unique sonic identity. The effects are baked in because they are just as important as the notes being played. Kris’s approach highlights how modern mixing in music is evolving, where production and songwriting are deeply intertwined.

The Arrangement Is Everything: Flutes, Claps, and Vocals

What truly sets this track apart is the sheer creativity of the arrangement. It’s packed with ear candy and complex vocal layering that presents a unique mixing challenge.

Ear Candy and Creative Moments

There’s a flute in this track, and the story behind it is a great lesson for any producer. The guitarist’s girlfriend was just visiting the studio, happened to play a part that doubled a guitar line, and they hit record. It’s a perfect example of being open to spur-of-the-moment creativity. You never know where a great idea will come from. Add in the claps and tambourine, and you have a sonic landscape rich with organic, interesting textures.

Taming the Vocal Beast

The vocals in “Young Robot” are a production epic in their own right. You have doubles, harmonies, octaves, falsettos, and powerful screams, often with multiple layers and counter-melodies happening at once. The performances are incredible, with a unique tone and amazing command.

The main challenge here is creating space for everything. The vocals need to be front-and-center, but not at the expense of losing the awesome details in the guitars, bass, and drums. This will require some surgical work. Carving out specific frequency pockets for each element is crucial, which is why having a solid grasp of surgical equalization is non-negotiable for a mix this dense.

The Big Picture: Mixing in “Scenes”

This is not a “set it and forget it” mix. “Young Robot” moves through distinct sections, each with its own vibe and instrumentation. The intro is a different world from the verse, which is different from the chorus. A successful mix of this song requires heavy automation across the board—changing levels, EQ, and effects to ensure that each “scene” has maximum impact while still feeling like part of a cohesive song.

Understanding these production choices is a huge step, but watching a pro actually execute the mix is a whole other level of education. If you want to see how Kris Crummett takes these amazing raw tracks and crafts a finished, polished master, you can. At Nail The Mix, you can get your hands on the actual multitracks from “Young Robot” and watch Kris mix the entire song from scratch, explaining every plugin, technique, and decision along the way.

It’s one thing to talk about theory, but it’s another to see how to apply it in a real-world session to achieve a killer, professional sound. Stop guessing and start learning from the best in the business.

Want these exact multi-tracks? Click here to get the Dance Gavin Dance session with Kris Crummett.

Ready to level up your productions? Get access to the multi-tracks and the full mixing masterclass here.