Independent
mastering
for underground music

I can’t lie I was really anxious about handing over my 3 tracks after spending so long mixing them myself but working with El Stray was honestly the best decision I made for my release. I chose stem mastering because I was really struggling to fix some muddy frequencies in the low-mids and get more clarity overall. I actually asked for a full mixdown first but El Stray actually said it’s not needed and it saved me some money!! He not only addressed those issues easily but also enhanced elements I hadn’t even considered to be an issue. He brought out this warmth and presence in the vocals and made the drums knock without sacrificing the track’s dynamics. Not sure how he did that with the drums but they sound so clean and the punch is absolutely wild, especially how they still sound so good around and don’t interfere with the other elements anymore somehow e.g. vocal and synth in the mids. What really stood out for me though was the collaborative feel and friendly guidance; he actively listened to my vision, offered insightful suggestions (which actually taught me a thing or two!), and was patient with 2 revisions until it felt perfect for me. This is what sets ESM apart from other engineers for me – you aren’t just another customer in a queue and he vibes with your tracks. My final masters have depth, clarity!!!!, and professional polish that elevates the whole release. Hiiiighly recommended.