How Cloverdale uses Ozone to balance UKG swing and bass house on “Nobody”

Canadian producer Cloverdale has been building his Channel 303 project as both a concept album and live performance series, leaning into hardware-driven production, DIY visuals, and a darker club aesthetic. The single “Nobody,” created with fellow Ottawa-native Return of the Jaded, brings UK garage swing into dialogue with bass-heavy house energy.

Ozone was central in making “Nobody” release-ready. From giving the percussion room to punch through the bass to balancing the sub frequencies with precision, Cloverdale used its modules to finalize a track that feels equally suited for underground dance floors and larger systems.

We spoke with Cloverdale about the tools inside iZotope Ozone that shaped “Nobody,” the process of tying Channel 303 into one cohesive sound, and why mastering in real time has become part of his workflow.

Jump to these sections:

• Shaping the garage-driven energy of “Nobody” with Ozone
• Deciding what stays raw versus refined
• Balancing UKG swing and bass house energy
• Role of Ozone in DIY mastering
• Keeping cohesion across Channel 303
• The most crucial Ozone adjustment on “Nobody”

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How did Ozone help shape “Nobody’s” garage energy for release?

For “Nobody,” the key was striking that balance between a light, shuffly groove and a bassline that had serious weight. The reese-style bass naturally wanted to dominate the mix, but we didn’t want the drums to feel like an afterthought.

That’s where Ozone really came in clutch.

The Impact module allowed us to add just the right amount of transient punch so the percussion could cut through clearly, while the Maximizer glued everything together at a competitive loudness without flattening the groove. What I loved was being able to keep the light danceable swing and movement of the UKG side while making sure the low end had that chest-rattling oomph you’d expect on big systems.

By the time we were done, the track felt like it had a bit of both underground and mainstream flair – exactly where we wanted it to land.

How do you balance raw hardware performance with Ozone refinements?

When I’m performing live, things are definitely a little more raw. When it comes to getting things right on the record, Ozone is always a part of the process. Apart from the standard equalizing, limiting, and dynamics, Ozone’s Imager has been a must-have staple in my toolkit for over a decade.

There is no better imaging tool out there in terms of sound, user interface, metering, and customization. On “Nobody,” for example, it was important for us to have some low end width on the bass while making sure the very low sub was still mono. Imager allowed us to still have some of the 200 Hz width without having it at 60 Hz.

On top of that, I also love Ozone’s Low End Focus. Nailing the kick & bass relationship in house and techno can often involve a lot of trial and error.

Low End Focus has been my number one tool for final tweaks to make sure everything is hitting the subs in the right way – not too much, not too little. You just want to balance the right amount of punch in the pocket.

How did Ozone balance “Nobody’s” UKG and house influences?

We definitely slammed this thing with a sense of polish and approached a genre that may traditionally feel a little bit more organic and warm.

We used Ozone’s Master Assistant to help dial in the Clarity and Stabilizer modules, making sure the overall track didn’t have any crazy resonant frequencies and all the elements had their own space to breathe. The track naturally had this push and pull between two worlds. On one hand, the shuffly garage swing that makes it feel loose and human, and on the other, that modern, heavy bass-driven house energy that’s all about precision and power.

iZotope Ozone was a big part of threading that needle of transparency and dynamics with big punch and loud bass.

How do you balance Ozone’s role with working with mastering engineers?

I’ll work with other engineers when I know they fully understand the vision, but more often I prefer to trust my own masters. I usually produce with a mastering chain already on. Maybe that’s unconventional, but I love hearing how the final product is going to hit in real time. If something feels too harsh or the kick isn’t sitting right, I know right away and can adjust accordingly.

It means I can spot and fix issues immediately, and by the end, the track often feels release-ready right out the gate. It allows me to send it to friends or maybe even DJ it later that evening.

Ozone was the first mastering tool I learned over 10 years ago, and has always felt like it’s been the easiest to understand and the quickest to operate. It allows you to spend less time mastering and more time just producing music.

How did Ozone help make Channel 303 sound cohesive?

I actually mastered the entire Channel 303 album in one continuous session. Since the record plays as a front-to-back mix, I wanted all the tracks to share the same sonic fingerprint.

Ozone was central to that. From bus processing to final limiting, its tools let me sculpt everything so “Nobody,” “Trinity Bellwoods,” and “Hear You Calling” feel like they’re part of the same world. It took a lot of automation and fine detail, but Ozone really glued it all together.

What key Ozone adjustment tied “Nobody’s” mix together?

At the end of the day, you’re not going to get a more important module than the Maximizer.

Using IRC 4 – Modern, we were able to get that commercial-level polish and loudness without sacrificing the low end or introducing distortion. It kept the sub clean and powerful, which is everything for a track like this.

Additionally, we applied a subtle upward compression to enhance the breakdowns and introduced transient shaping to ensure the hats and top-end percussion remained tight and snappy, even at high volumes. That combination really glued the whole thing together. It wasn’t about any one big dramatic change. It was about these small, precise tweaks that made the mix feel alive, dynamic, and ready to crush on any system.

Wrapping it all up

With “Nobody,” Cloverdale and Return of the Jaded leaned on Ozone to take a raw, hybrid production and finalize it for release. From balancing bass weight against garage swing to using Imager, Low End Focus, and Maximizer, iZotope Ozone gave them the ability to refine every element without losing energy.

For Channel 303 as a whole, Ozone provided the cohesion needed to make the record function as both an album and a live set. The ability to master continuously across multiple tracks let Cloverdale define a consistent sonic identity for the project. As Cloverdale continues to build the Channel 303 universe, Ozone remains a central part of his process, shaping records that are bold, polished, and designed for maximum impact in the club.

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