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Some producers chase trends. Some chase equipment. Tony Hoffer and Jeffery David chase truth in a song and an artist who feels safe enough to find it.
Tony Hoffer has shaped modern alternative culture with career-defining work for Beck, Air, M83, Phoenix, The Kooks, Chromeo, Depeche Mode, Belle and Sebastian, Supergrass, and more. His sound is a blend of atmosphere, restraint, emotion, and taste, where every choice serves the song and nothing chases trend. Dry drums with personality, guitars that feel timeless, synths that breathe like cinema, and vocals that sit with honesty instead of perfection. Artists call Tony not only for his ears but for his presence. He builds environments where curiosity wins and the song becomes a world of its own. His records do not just make noise in a moment; they stay with people. They last.
Jeffery David was the architect behind Echosmith and co-wrote worldwide anthems like Cool Kids, Bright, Over My Head, and the band’s entire catalogue. He has also worked with Seal, Zedd, The Goo Goo Dolls, Audien, and For King and Country. Through his creative house, Alchemy Music, Jeffery has guided and is guiding rising artists, including Gabriella Rose, Kyle Kelly, Ricky Lumi, Jackie Miclau of Mt Joy, and The Gwynn Sisters, while always searching for the next great voice to shape. His work lives at the intersection of songwriting, identity, and rollout, building careers through emotion, clarity, and long-term vision. He chose a different road, devoting years to growing Echosmith from the ground up while raising a family on tour, a path of intention and heart that shaped his belief that great artists are not discovered, they are developed with love, patience, and unwavering belief.
They first connected when Jeffery produced the Lonely Generation album for Echosmith and wanted fresh ears on the mix. One call to Tony and a friendship was born.
Two builders. Two worlds. One heartbeat.
Pull up a chair. Studio is warm. Coffee is on. Tape is rolling.
Jeffery → Tony
When you walk into a studio, what is one thing you do to make the room feel calm and creative, not rushed or pressured?
I try to make the studio feel like a creative bubble from the world outside, sort of our little zone of creativity that’s open to any and all ideas, experimentation, etc. Simple things help set the tone like dimmed lights, a few candles, and most importantly, me being chill. If I come across stressed or rushed for time, the artist will feel that energy too. Being calm, engaged, and bringing humor into the session can go a long way toward keeping things inspired and productive.
Tony → Jeffery
Before a session, how do you drop into that relaxed, inspired headspace where ideas feel free and abundant?
I want people to walk into wonder. Music playing, usually Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears for Fears, because it reminds me to stay loose and joyful. My wife greets everyone with great coffee or a cappuccino made to order. Snacks everywhere. The room feels beautiful, smells beautiful, sounds beautiful. If I remember to be myself and not try to be anybody else, the day opens. People leave lighter than when they walked in. That is always the goal.
Jeffery → Tony
What is a happy accident moment that changed how you approach records?
A happy accident that really shaped my approach to production and mixing came from using inexpensive, “non-pro” gear. I’ve always loved blending lo-fi, slightly broken sounds with elements that are super hi-fi.. When I first started producing, all I had were cheap multi-effects units from the ’80s and ’90s, and I used to worry that all the “real” records were made with high-end studio gear. But I quickly realized that mixing my junky gear with the fancy studio stuff created something unique to me, and I’ve stuck with that ever since. It taught me that you don’t need expensive equipment to make exciting, original sounds.
“I have never chased perfection. I chase feel and surprise. The broken sounds, the dry drums, the weird idea that was not supposed to work... that is where the magic lives.” Tony Hoffer
Tony → Jeffery
You love imperfections in vocals. What kind of moment secretly excites you?
When a voice cracks or someone reaches for a note they are not sure they can land. It means trust has entered the room. They stop performing for approval and start revealing the truth. You feel the air change. We polish later, but first we feel. Perfection is decoration. Emotion is the point.
Jeffery → Tony
What old school habit still anchors your process today?
When I first started producing, I was recording on 24-track, 2" tape. That meant limited space, and every sound had to earn its place. You had to think carefully about the arrangement to make the song both interesting and fit within those constraints. That process taught me the value of intention, making sure every element truly matters, and it helped my songs feel more focused and powerful.
These days we have unlimited tracks, but I still try to keep that same mindset. Even with 500+ tracks available, I set mental limits so I don’t overload a song. A little of the right stuff goes a long way and often makes a much bigger impact.
Tony → Jeffery
When someone plays you a new idea, what do you listen for first?
Point of view and tone. I do not want what anyone else could write. Some voices just carry truth in a way you cannot teach. That first spark tells me everything.
“There is only one you. That is the whole magic. My work is helping artists remember that.” Jeffery David
Jeffery → Tony
Let us nerd out. What is your vocal chain right now, and why?
My vocal chain typically starts with a Shure SM7A running into an Aurora Audio GTQ2 preamp, then through a Distressor or an 1176 for compression. I usually add just a touch of top, mid, and low EQ from the GTQ2 as it gives the vocal a nice presence and helps it sit forward in the mix. I’ll generally compress around 3–5 dB, but if hitting it harder sounds better, I’m all for it, sometimes 10 dB or more. I’m not precious about the numbers... if it sounds good, it’s good. When I want a more hi-fi sound, I’ll switch the mic to a Soyuz 017 FET through the same pre and compressor chain.
Tony → Jeffery
What is your vocal chain these days?
Shure 7B into a Neve 1073. No compression on the front end. Ever. I keep the mids and lows honest and add a touch of air on top. Usually a gentle high shelf on the 12k band, just enough to lift breath and articulation without getting brittle. If a voice is darker, I will open it a little more. If there is room rumble, I will add a light high pass; otherwise, I leave the bottom alone so the chest stays intact. I print clean at conservative levels and shape dynamics in the box later. The result sits in the middle of the track with grit and honesty while still feeling modern.
Jeffery → Tony
When a song is close but not landing, what is your first move?
If a song feels close but not quite clicking, I’ll look for a unique or “clever” element to add, something unexpected that gives the song a new bold character. I like every song to have at least one distinctive, maybe even modern or offbeat touch. More often than not, that’s the missing piece that ties everything together for me.
Tony → Jeffery
What do you do when an artist gets stuck creatively or the song needs that final touch?
If a session starts feeling like math, I stop everything. Artists get stuck when they leave their heart and move into their head. I will say, my treat, we are grabbing milkshakes. Or we take a walk. Or I play a film clip that reminds us why we love feeling things. When we return to the heart, songs return to us. I am huge on the song moving us before we finish it. If it is not moving us, it will not move anyone else.
Jeffery → Tony
We always say the song comes first. What does that really mean to you in a room full of gear, ideas, and pressure to make something happen?
We’re all in the room for one reason… the song. Together, we’re trying to figure out the puzzle of it and hopefully come up with something that excites us. And that’s paramount for me, having the song excite me and the artist. If we’re excited about it, there’s a good chance other people will feel it too. I’ve always chased that excitement versus chasing chart positions. The real reward is creating something special and timeless—something that continues to move people long after it’s made.
Tony → Jeffery
When you decide to truly guide an artist beyond the studio, what are you looking for?
Hunger, humility, vision. I cannot want it more than they do. When I helped build Echosmith, we worked when nobody cared, then worked wisely when everyone cared. I bring that same devotion into Alchemy. I love being part of both worlds, creating and producing the music, then switching hats to dream up how we roll it out and build a campaign that feels alive and true to the artist. I love speaking both languages, the creative and the business side, and finding the bridge between them. I go all in when an artist shows they are ready to walk into fire for something meaningful and lasting.
Jeffery → Tony
What is a small thing an artist does that instantly earns your respect?
I really appreciate artists who come to the studio prepared with ideas for parts, have lyrics written or are nearly finished, and are open to going on the journey of deconstructing their song together and putting it back together in a new (and hopefully better!) way.
Tony → Jeffery
What artist have you been into lately / who’s been inspiring you lately?
Lately, I have been really into the band Horse Vision from Stockholm, especially their song “Watching Over Me”. There is something so pure in how the guitars sit. Simple, intentional, almost stubborn in how little they try to impress you. And then the melodies just fall into that space like they were always meant to live there. Restraint can hit harder than fireworks. That one did that for me for sure.
And my son Jamie, who releases music as Meija, has been inspiring me. He produced this artist Jawny on a bunch of songs, but this one song, “Control,” is so gritty and cool and left of center. Jamie seems to write his own rules in his approach, and I love it.
Jeffery → Tony
When a song is close but not there yet, what’s your first move—silence, conversation, reference track, new instrument?
When we’re stuck on something, I’ll try to do something unconventional in the studio, perhaps something extreme to shake things up. I find that a good jolt will help us look at things from a different angle and reset our perspective. Depending on what the issue is, I may take something already in the track, like the drums, and process them through a synth for some filtering and distortion. Or I may plug an instrument into one of the studio's reverb units but use it as a distortion box instead. Using gear in ways it wasn’t intended usually leads to unexpected, inspiring results, and more often than not, it gets us unstuck.
Question for both
What do you love doing outside of music?
Jeffery: Ping pong is a constant for me. I literally carry a ping pong ball in my pocket because why not be ready for fun? And every day I walk five miles. I did not expect walking to become such a gift in my life, but it clears everything and brings me back to center.
And truly, my favorite time is family time. We are all immersed in music, but there is a lightness and playfulness we share that keeps me grateful. It is my reminder that life is bigger than work, even when the work is passion.
Tony: Outside of music, I love playing chess, spending time with my family, and traveling. Beyond that, music is just a constant part of my lif,e and it’s always around me whenever I’m awake.
Find Tony Hoffer’s Essential Works and Instagram.
Find Jeffery David’s Essential Works and Instagram.
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