How It Was Made: Sinca – Silver Lines (Purified)
Sinca’s Silver Lines EP marks her first release on Purified Records, bringing her signature blend of deep house and progressive textures to the label. With past support from Bedrock Records and performances at festivals like Coachella and Burning Man, she’s cemented herself as a rising name in the scene. This release captures the depth and groove she’s known for, layering dreamy synths and emotive melodies with tight, club-ready rhythms.
In this edition of How It Was Made, Sinca breaks down the tools and techniques behind Silver Lines. From the synths that shaped its warm, analog-inspired tones to the processing that gives the drums their crisp snap, she shares a detailed look at her workflow. The EP’s title track brings a hypnotic, rolling energy, while Told U So takes a more uplifting approach with soaring leads and rhythmic movement.
Below, Sinca walks through the exact plugins and production tricks that brought Silver Lines to life, offering insight into how she works her magic.
u-he Diva
One of my go-to plugins for warm, analog-style sounds is u-he Diva. It’s great for creating vintage synth tones, especially pads, leads, and basses. The sound is super rich and detailed, and it gives that classic analog vibe, which works really well in melodic house. It can be a bit heavy on the CPU, but the sound quality makes it totally worth it.
For Silver Lines, I used the ‘PAK Karinanthon EP’ preset in Diva. I was looking for something dreamy to balance out the more energetic bass and groove in the track, and this pad just fit perfectly. It blended really nicely with the vocals and gave the track that emotional, melodic layer I was looking for. I didn’t add much processing, just a simple EQ to cut out the low frequencies so it wouldn’t interfere with the bass, but I left most of the sound as it was because it already sounded great out of the box.
For producers working in melodic house, Diva is perfect for adding atmosphere and warmth to a track. A little trick I like is using the LFO to automate the filter cutoff, just a small amount to create movement and make the sound feel more alive. Also, playing with the voice detune or unison settings can help make pads sound wider without needing extra plugins. It’s a great way to create those lush, floating textures that really bring emotional depth to a track.
Ableton Reverb
I don’t use that many plugins for effects and processing, sometimes I feel like they can pull you into a rabbit hole. But one effect I really enjoy using is Ableton’s built-in reverb. It’s super versatile and easy to use, whether you’re going for something subtle or more atmospheric. I like how you can quickly shape the space and depth of a sound without needing tons of extra plugins.
For Silver Lines, I used the ‘Drum Room’ reverb from Ableton on some of the drum elements. It adds a bit of texture and space without making the drums feel too washed out. I kept the dry/wet setting pretty low to keep the rhythm tight, but it still gave a nice subtle atmosphere in the background. I also played a little with the decay time to make sure the reverb didn’t clash with the groove.
If you’re producing melodic house, adding a touch of reverb to drums can really help glue everything together and give the track more dimension. My advice is to always use reverb in small amounts at first—it’s easy to overdo it. Also, experimenting with different decay times and pre-delay settings can create more interesting spaces without losing clarity in the mix.
Quick Tips For Making Music That Gets Signed To Purified
- Put a good focus on the groove: Of course the melody is important, but a solid groove is the foundation of any track in this genre, so spend time making sure the drums and bass feel locked in.
- Layer pads and atmospheres: Adding subtle layers in the background helps create that dreamy, emotional vibe.
- Automation is your best friend: Automating filter cutoffs, delays, or reverb sends can make the track feel more alive and evolving.
- Leave space in the mix: Don’t overcrowd the arrangement… Sometimes less is more, especially in melodic music.
- Trust your ears and stay true to yourself: It’s easy to overthink things, but if something feels good, it probably is. Go with what sounds right to you.
