Mallrat - "Better"

Andrew Dawson starts with the most important step that most people skip: listening before touching anything. Because with “Better,” the magic is already there: an intimate vocal, guitars that drive the song, and a feel that’s quietly emotional… but also rhythmically specific. 

Then he spots the real problem: Mallrat’s vocal delivery has a swing and bounce that the original drums don’t support. So Andrew makes a bold call: stepping into co-production to reshape the chorus groove: new kick and snare feel, syncopated percussion, and “happy accident” chopped textures that sound weird soloed but come alive in context. 

And once the groove locks, he shows how to make the chorus feel urgent: 16th-note energy, layered bass movement, and sparkly ear candy that stays out of the vocal’s way while making the track explode when it needs to.