Producing Songs I’ve Never Heard: Plastic Box by JADE [EPISODE 11]
Turning heartbreak into club synths with JADE’s ‘Plastic Box’ 💗
I’ve been looking forward to this episode all week—JADE’s latest release Plastic Box dropped on Friday, and I couldn’t wait to dig in. I even avoided her socials just so I wouldn’t hear any teaser clips in advance. She’s quickly become one of my favorite artists, and everything she’s done with this solo project—from the music to the visuals—feels so intentional and well-crafted.
Immediately, just from listening to the vocal, I already knew I was going to love this song. The lyrics were so vulnerable and the performance was top-notch, as usual, regardless of what the original production ended up being, I was sold.
🎤 Here’s the acapella if you want to play along and hear what I heard first:
For this week, I limited myself to only using sounds from the splice pack: Serum 2 Garage Essentials by Test Press. This was mostly a preset pack, so I ended up sourcing my drums from other samples I already had, just to have a bit more flexibility.
Thinking back to last week’s episode with Ava Max’s track, Lovin Myself, I had a feeling Plastic Box would suit a build up similar to one in the original production of that song - opening with a more floaty, emotional sounding arrangement that grows into a synthier dance track. Coincidentally, both of these tracks were produced by Pink Slip, so maybe I was subconsciously picking up on something there during my first listen.
With that in mind, I decided to start things off with a piano sound, building the chord progression and laying out how I thought that could develop as the song progressed. When the first prechorus came in it felt like that was that natural point to start introducing elements for the switch up I wanted for the rest of the song. I chose a more plucky, filtered bass, so that it could start to take on more of a dance-pop feel, ultimately leading to a harder sounding bass in the hook. As the track evolved, I ended up using three different bass sounds, each tied to a different section of the arrangement. It really underscored the emotional shifts happening throughout the vocal and gave each part its own tone.
One of my favorite parts ended up being a happy accident: the arpeggiated harp that weaves throughout the entire production. I initially added it to bring movement to the verses without losing the emotional weight. While experimenting with Serum 2’s new arpeggiator panel, I stumbled on something that worked perfectly - it blended beautifully with both the raw piano chords and the club-ready bass in the hook, helping tie the whole track together.
Once I had the core sections figured out, I had to decide what to do with the bridge. I realized I could echo the vulnerability of the first verse, then build from there into an alternate version of the hook. It felt like the right way to recenter the track after the more energetic sections while still ending on a high note. Let me know what you think of that switch-up.
🎧 Haven’t heard the original yet?
Listening to the original, I was surprised by how straightforward the production was - it leaned into a consistent tone throughout rather than building dynamically like I had imagined. That said, the choice felt intentional. It stayed close to the emotional production I used for my intro and final hook. Different approach, but same heart.
I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us with this upcoming album in the fall!
What did you guys think? Let me know in the comments!
🔎 Looking for more?
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the full playlist here
And make sure to check out my original music wherever you like to stream: https://spoti.fi/4jFkl9y