When South African producer and DJ Napsoul steps into the studio, it’s not just about laying down grooves: it’s also about shaping a sonic identity.
His new EP “The Wave“, out now via Dealt With Records, captures that balance of personal storytelling and cutting-edge deep house production that has quickly marked him as one to watch. Across three tracks – “Ride On”, “Know Me”, and “Never Forget” – Napsoul threads hypnotic rhythms, emotive synth work, and subtle nods to amapiano into a cohesive package of sound.
What makes “The Wave” stand out is its emotional depth. While the South African deep house scene continues to surge globally, Napsoul isn’t content with simply following trends. Instead, he dives inward, experimenting with texture, space, and groove to create tracks that feel both intimate and expansive. “Ride On” sways with laid-back, layered grooves, “Know Me” pares things back to sparse percussion and flickers of log drum bass, and “Never Forget” merges amapiano elements with classic house sensibilities – bridging past, present, and future in one timeless cut.
Already earning support from Traxsource, Deep Clicks, and Sound Vessel, Napsoul has proven he can move both curators and dancefloors. But what lies beneath these tracks is just as important as their reception: a process of growth and discovery, one that every producer can learn from. And, of course, top-tier production work.
We asked Napsoul for five quick-fire tips for producers looking to instantly upgrade their music. He delivered. Take a listen to “The Wave”, and take note of some golden advice from a master.
1: Shift delay on drums and instruments.
I add a shift delay to most of my drums and some of my instruments to create an off-time groovy like feel.
2: Keeping things simple and exploring sound design.
I strictly use stock plugins and focus more on tweaking the sound to my liking. This allows more flexibility to manipulate the sound vs using refined sounds from 3rd party plugins.
3. Adding dry delay to core melodies.
Creates more depth and results in a more unique and experimental sounding effect.
4. Producing with headphones and arranging with studio monitors.
Helps with my creative flow. Headphones allow me to focus and get the foundation right whilst using studio monitors gives me the flexibility to direct the sound and put everything together.
5. Adding atmospheric sounds or white noise for ambience.
Works best for instrumental electronic music. Contributes to the overall feeling and direction of the track making it easier to set a theme or tone.
Stream “The Wave” here.
The post Five Forward-Thinking Production Tips from Napsoul appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.