For their collaboration “ZAR ZOR,” Turkish pop figure Salman Tin and UK producer Samantha Loveridge came together to blend Tin’s melodic roots with Loveridge’s club-driven production style. The track, released on Mahzen Media, carries Tin’s distinctive emotional delivery while grounding it in deep, hypnotic grooves suited for electronic settings.
Behind the production, the duo leaned on both acoustic and electronic textures, drawing from Tin’s heritage and Loveridge’s global dancefloor experience. Executive producer Eren Erdol helped shape the direction, ensuring the fusion of Turkish sensibility with modern electronic aesthetics landed seamlessly.
In this How It Was Made feature, Tin and Loveridge walk us through the tools, ideas, and creative choices that brought “ZAR ZOR” to life. From the vocal treatments to the rhythmic layering, each step reflects the meeting of two musical perspectives united in one forward-facing track.
Serum (Xfer Records)
Serum is one of those synths that consistently delivers when you need something powerful and flexible. It’s packed with wavetables, modulation options, and effects that make it easy to create sounds that cut through a mix. For me, it’s a plugin I almost always use.
On this track, the vocal inspired me to keep things simple but effective, and I knew a catchy synth line was needed. I started with a preset in Serum, tweaked it, added an arpeggiator, and layered it across different octaves to create a more dynamic feel. That layering gave the synth line both movement and body.
I recommend using Serum for bass and leads. Play around with octaves and automation on the filter cutoff—small tweaks can completely change the sound. It’s also worth experimenting with subtle detune or unison settings to add dynamics without overwhelming the mix.
Little AlterBoy (Soundtoys)
Little AlterBoy is a vocal manipulation plugin that lets you pitch and create harmonies with just a few adjustments. It’s simple on the surface but very effective for adding new dimensions to vocals.
For this track, the vocal has two layers to create width and texture. One layer is panned slightly left and left completely dry, while the second is panned slightly right and treated with Ableton’s vocoder, some reverb, and Little AlterBoy pitched down slightly. This gave the vocal subtle grit and depth, allowing it to sit in the mix without losing clarity.
Whenever I’m working with vocals, Little AlterBoy is one of the first plugins I reach for to experiment with tones and character. For anyone working with vocals, I’d suggest trying it on double-tracked parts to add subtle pitch variation—it’s simple to use and a great way to add presence and warmth.
Valhalla VintageVerb (Valhalla)
Valhalla VintageVerb is my go-to reverb plugin for everything from hall spaces to shimmering plates. It’s known for its rich, musical sound that can instantly transform a source with depth and atmosphere.
On this track, I used Valhalla VintageVerb across multiple channels to glue everything together with a consistent sense of space. Whether it was on synths, percussion, or vocals, the reverb created an environment that pulls the listener in.
I recommend treating Valhalla VintageVerb almost like an instrument in itself. Use longer decays to fill out breakdowns, then automate the mix level for tension and release. It’s also worth experimenting with EQ on the reverb return—cutting out lows can keep the mix clean while still letting the reverb feel expansive.
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