How New Constellations turn emotion into sound with Massive X

Portland-based duo New Constellations write with an instinct that feels personal, grounded, and deeply human. Lifelong friends Harlee Case and Josh Smith have spent more than fifteen years creating together, shaping a sound that balances nostalgia with modern clarity. Their latest single, “Secret Safe,” out now via Nettwerk, captures that balance perfectly.

The track reflects both artistic and emotional continuity. Written during a time of transition as close friends moved away, “Secret Safe” channels distance into connection and change into affirmation. It is a reminder that creative work often mirrors life’s relationships; evolving, stretching, and holding form even as time passes.

Underneath the warmth of its melody sits a production process rooted in curiosity.

Jump to these sections:

1. Finding the track’s emotional anchor
2. Production by subtraction
3. Designing evolving parts with Massive X
4. Adding retro warmth with Super 8
5. Balancing simplicity and complexity
6. Setting the tone for the album

The pair rely on experimentation and happy accidents as core principles, building moments of imperfection into the DNA of their songs. Their workflow blends technical intuition with emotional intent, using tools like Native Instruments’ Super 8 and Massive X to explore texture while keeping the songwriting central.

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When you started writing “Secret Safe,” what emotional quality did you want the production to carry before thinking about synth choices?

“Secret Safe” started with the initial synth motif. The plucky, repeating synth line that you hear at the beginning. We initially didn’t really even know what the song was going to be. Once Harlee started singing and exploring the initial vocal ideas, the emotional identity of the song really began to reveal itself.

What came through almost immediately was a strong sense of nostalgia. It felt reflective and a little bittersweet, yet warm and familiar, like looking back on friendships and shared moments and recognizing how those relationships change over time. That emotional quality became the anchor for the production before any specific synth choices were locked in.

Once that feeling was clear, the production process felt more like listening than building. It was about giving the song room to grow naturally. Letting the emotion lead made everything else fall into place more easily.

At what point did you realize the track needed movement inside the sounds rather than more layers to build intensity?

Once we added the drums, the song shifted drastically. What originally felt like a slow, reflective ballad suddenly had a sense of immediateness and forward momentum. The breakbeat style drums changed how everything else needed to function in the track. At that point, it became clear that the synth elements couldn’t just be textural or static, they needed to move and drive forward with the same intensity as the rhythm.

My first instinct was to start adding more layers to match that energy, but pretty quickly I realized it wasn’t actually making the track feel more intense, just busier .The track was getting fuller, but it wasn’t feeling more alive. That’s something I’ve run into a lot producing electronic music, layering is an easy solution, but it’s not always the right one.

I often work from what I call a “production by subtraction” mindset, removing as much as possible while still preserving the core emotion and identity of the track. Instead of adding more parts, it felt more effective to focus on movement and evolution within the existing sound design, using subtle changes in texture, dynamics, and modulation to create momentum. That approach allowed the track to build intensity more intentionally and musically without losing its essence.

Pro tip from New Constellations: Don’t be afraid to experiment. A very common thing you will hear producers and musicians talk about are “Happy accidents” moments that come naturally or accidentally that end up making a big difference in the song. You can’t have happy accidents if you are too afraid to make them. Experimentation is key to that.

How did Massive X help you design evolving parts that could grow with the song without cluttering the mix?

Massive X modulation allows for really amazing movement. Swelling and shifting pads are my favorite. Really allowing a track to have a life of its own, with the synth sounds breathing and taking different shapes throughout the song.

Massive X allows you to modulate almost any parameter, which can be incredibly fun, and can yield some amazing results. I really love the Voice randomization feature. Sometimes modulation can seem robotic and soulless, the voice randomization feature gives a life and a character to the sounds that feel more organic to me.

Big, lush pads can take up a lot of sonic space in a mix. This can create a muddy mix as sounds fight for space. Massive X lets you make sounds that change slowly over time, using gentle modulation instead of adding more layers. By moving things like filters, tone, and effects a little at a time, the sound can grow with the song while staying clean and uncluttered in the mix. movement that changes over time but stays focused in frequency, space, and dynamics.

Super 8 has a very immediate character. Where did it fit into “Secret Safe” compared to the deeper sound design happening in Massive X?

“Secret Safe” is a song all about nostalgia. It’s about remembering the good times of the past with your friends. Super 8 sounds warm, thick, and classic, like an old-school analog synth, with a nostalgic, retro feel. I knew this would be the perfect sound to accompany the emotion of the track.

I love the plucky sounds that can be created with Super 8. I used it for the main pluck motif that repeated throughout the whole song. It creates the perfect vintage-sounding plucks I was looking for. I also used it to create the pulsing bass sound throughout the song.

Pro tip from New Constellations: Enjoy the process. The number one thing about being an artist is to be an artist. The best art and expression come from an artist that is doing what they love. If you are enjoying the process then there is no failure because the goal is to do what you love, everything else is just icing on the cake.

How do you balance Super 8’s simplicity with the more complex modulation possibilities in Massive X within the same track?

I like to use Super 8 for the main musical elements like chords, pads, basses, or leads. It’s simple, warm, and nostalgic sound keeps the track grounded and easy to follow. It gives the track a clear emotional center without adding too much movement or complexity.

Then I bring in Massive X to add movement and subtle life around those parts. It handles slowly evolving textures, small modulations, and details that you might not notice at first, but that make the track feel alive. That way, Super 8 stays steady and clear, while Massive X adds depth and keeps things interesting without feeling too cluttered. It’s really about letting each synth do what it does best, and making sure the sound grows naturally rather than overwhelming the listener.

Looking ahead to the full album, how does “Secret Safe” set the tone for how you want sound design and emotion to interact moving forward?

“Secret Safe” is sort of an outlier in terms of genre and sound design. It sits in a space that is needed in the album, an energetic moment at the beginning that really pulls the listener in and adds momentum right from the get go.

But beyond that, I think what it really sets up for the rest of the album is an approach to sound design that’s emotionally intentional. Every sound, every synth choice, every texture is meant to support the lyrical content and the feeling behind it. Moving forward, I wanted to carry that same principle into the rest of the album: using sound design not just as decoration, but as a way to amplify, reflect, and honor the emotion of the songs themselves.

Wrapping it all up

With “Secret Safe,” New Constellations continue to refine what makes their work unique: emotional honesty supported by technical skill. Their friendship, built over fifteen years of shared growth, remains the quiet engine behind their music. By embracing experimentation and staying open to imperfection, they keep emotion at the center of their sound.

The single signals not only a new chapter for the duo but also a continuation of what has always defined them. In a culture obsessed with control, their willingness to let the unexpected guide the process feels refreshing and deeply human.

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