MusicRadar Tech & Storm Mollison: Club Grooves, Chill Vibes, and a Synth Safari

Storm Mollison kicks things off by cracking open the creative process behind her latest track, “UR ALL MINE (STORMS S3XY MIX)”. She doesn’t just hit play and call it a day—nah, mate, she’s all about dissecting the journey from the original to this alternative version. The original track gets a quick spin, setting the stage for what’s about to be a full-on remix adventure.

But here’s the twist: the club version wasn’t coming together as easily as a sausage sizzle on a Sunday. Instead, this alternative mix took the lead, with Storm throwing the acapella into the DAW and seeing what stuck. It’s a classic case of letting the music steer the ute, not the other way around. By starting with vocals and layering in chords, she builds the track from the ground up, showing that sometimes the best ideas come when you’re not even aiming for them.

Once the vocals are in, Storm dives headfirst into sound design, wrangling synths and pads like a pro. She’s a self-confessed zonology fanatic, stacking lush phase pads and dreamy Serum layers until the whole thing shimmers like a mirage on the Nullarbor. The pads aren’t just background fluff—they’re the glue holding the track together, with sidechain, filters, and a healthy dose of saturation for good measure.

But the real secret sauce? That’s the Transit plugin, which Storm reckons is her current favourite for building transitions that hit harder than a summer storm. Whether it’s arpeggiated nylon synths or big, reverb-soaked drops, she’s not shy about layering sounds to create movement and growth. If you want to hear how all these elements swirl together, you’ll have to watch the video—words can’t do justice to the sonic fireworks on display.

Storm’s approach to percussion is anything but shy—she piles on layers of afro drums, hats, shakers, and snares until the groove is smoother than a surfboard after a fresh wax. The drums aren’t just there to keep time; they’re the backbone that gives the track its swagger. She’s all about percussive bass, too, opting for a log drum that snaps and pops in all the right places.

What’s wild is how she manages to stack so many drum layers without turning the mix into a dog’s breakfast. Each sound has its place, fattening up the rhythm without overcrowding the dancefloor. Storm admits she can go over the top with percussion, but if it feels right, why not? It’s all about creating a groove that’s both intricate and inviting—perfect for late-night club sets or a cheeky backyard boogie.

Vocals in this mix aren’t just front and centre—they’re chopped, filtered, and woven into the fabric of the track like a secret ingredient in Nanna’s pavlova. Storm takes the original vocal and transforms it, focusing on ad libs and atmospheric snippets rather than the full lyrical performance. The result? A vocal element that’s more about vibe than storytelling.

She leans into repetition and space, letting the “na na na na” ad lib become the star of the show. With a bit of auto-tune and reverb, the vocals float above the synths, adding a dreamy layer that’s less about singing along and more about getting lost in the sound. It’s a clever flip that turns the vocal from a lead role into a lush, ambient texture.