Dan Smith [DKS]

Elite Mastering Specialist

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13 Reviews
Dan Smith [DKS] on SoundBetter

With over 15 years of experience and 100 Billion streams to my name, I'm the go-to mastering engineer for artists like Culprate, Mr. Bill, Opiuo and many more. My precision ensures your music reaches its highest potential. Let's make your next hit unforgettable.

Hello, I'm Dan, a professional Mastering Engineer based in London with over 15 years of experience. I've worked with mainstream and underground artists, resulting in over 100 billion streams for my mastered tracks.

I specialize in electronic music but have expertise across various genres. My primary service is stereo mastering, ensuring your tracks are polished, dynamic, and commercially loud. I also offer stem mastering and mixing, which allow for more in-depth processing, yielding superior results.

Dedicated to transparency and attaining the artist's vision, I am known for loud masters that retain natural dynamics. Every track receives bespoke processing for exceptional results.

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Credits

Discogs verified credits for Dan Smith (14)
  • Moby
  • Section 63, Porno Breaks vs. Day Walka
  • Porno Breaks
  • Pornobreaks*
  • Porno Breaks
  • D:K:S
  • DKS*
  • Caninesounds
  • Caninesounds
  • Jess McAllister
  • letthemusicplay Featuring Kate Tempest
  • Porno Breaks / Section 63
  • Pornobreaks*
  • Porno Breaks
  • Various
  • Marmaduke Dando
  • Faithless
  • Filterwolf
  • Various
  • Moby
  • Various
  • Stumbleine
  • Evans The Death
  • Nik Kershaw
  • Various
  • Holy Ghost!
  • Raw Glory
  • I Said No (2)
  • Daniel Avery
  • Garnica
  • DPPLGNGRS
  • Tiga
  • Fiction (10)
  • iamamiwhoami
  • Stumbleine Feat. Violet Skies
  • Culprate
  • Al D'ior
  • Tony Momrelle
  • iamamiwhoami
  • Various
  • Run The Jewels
  • Culprate
  • Sorrow (6)
  • Kamera (6)
  • Tungorna
  • John Martyn
  • Blake Bastion
  • Dusty Springfield
  • Various
  • Various
  • Various
  • Aerocity
  • Barry Adamson
  • Stereophonics
  • Stereophonics
  • Stereophonics
  • Daft Punk
  • Boyzone
  • Joan Armatrading
  • Various
  • Various
  • The Moody Blues
  • Various
  • Various
  • Mr.K (4)
  • Various
  • Various
  • Various
  • Various
  • Various
  • The Stylistics
  • Various
  • Various
  • Aether (11)
  • KOAN Sound, Culprate, Asa (5), Gemini (40), Reso (2), Sorrow (6) & Opiuo
  • Hal Incandenza
  • Culprate
  • Bengal Sound
  • Culprate
  • Various
  • Aether (11)
  • Sorrow (6)
  • Rainbow
  • Various
  • Various
  • Cid Poitier
  • Alex Harvey
  • Various
  • Various
  • MistaKay
  • Various
  • Gundam (3)
  • Various
  • Aether (11)
  • Culprate
  • KOAN Sound
  • Repulsion (8) / Nova (104) / Pacific Numen
  • Various
  • Spooky (2)
  • VersA (2)
  • Cid Poitier
  • Kryo (4)
  • Spooky (2)
  • Sir Hiss feat. Emz (5)
  • Opiuo
  • Fats Domino
  • Bizzy B
  • El Stray / DJD (5)
  • Mabel (5)
  • Zha (2)
  • Zha (2)
  • Rygby
  • MOREOFUS
  • Sir Hiss & Emz (5)
  • Krytikal / L Nix
  • Gush Collective
  • Michael O'Neill (11)
  • The Human League
  • Big Country
  • Level 42
  • Diana Ross & The Supremes*
  • Status Quo
  • UB40
  • Various
  • Teffa / Mntcstrlixbeats
  • Thin Lizzy
  • Barry Gray
  • Yazmin Lacey & Congi
  • KOAN Sound
  • KOAN Sound & Asa (5)
  • VersA (2)
  • Steven Wilson
  • 10cc
  • Telex
  • Various
  • S Club 7
  • Small Faces
  • Heaven 17
  • Sugababes
  • Zha (2)
  • Bonobo
  • Ψαραντώνης, Denny Kem, Wareika
  • Yoofee
  • Gladys Knight And The Pips
  • Opus (23)
  • The Barry Gray Orchestra
  • Barry Gray
  • L'Avenue (2)
  • Robert Mellin, Gian Piero Reverberi
  • Barney James With Warhorse (2)
  • Derek Wadsworth
  • Death Of Guitar Pop
  • The Aliens (2)
  • Shpongle
  • Various
  • Grannie
  • Various
  • Slave (22)
  • Motiffe
  • L'Avenue (2)
  • KOAN Sound
  • Yoofee
  • Barry Gray
  • Clamm
  • Shpongle Remixed By Cosmic Trigger (3)
  • L'Avenue (2)
  • Shpongle
  • Nik Kershaw
  • Various
  • Ourman
  • Lost Frequencies, James Arthur (2)
  • Mr. Bill (3)
  • Various
  • Various
  • Various
  • Dusty Springfield
  • Kenny Rogers
  • Various
  • Chris de Burgh
  • Bob Vylan (2)
  • Mystery Skulls
  • Belphegor
  • Culprate
  • KOAN Sound
  • Opiuo, Vorso
  • Mabe Fratti
  • Cory Kilduff
  • Belphegor
  • Earthless
  • Mark Isham
  • Lighthouse Family
  • Cosmic Trigger (3)
  • Various
  • Simon Posford
  • Mystery Skulls
  • Phoenix
  • Relatively Clean Rivers
  • Various
  • AC/DC
  • Nirvana
  • Various
  • Various

13 Reviews

Endorse Dan Smith [DKS]
  1. Review by K-Warren
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    by K-Warren

    Dan is a top notch talented mastering engineer with so much knowledge and passion for his craft. He has great energy which makes him easy and enjoyable to work with.

  2. Review by DBojiS
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    by DBojiS

    Dan mastered my first EP recently and it sounds amazing, far beyond my greatest expectations!
    Moreover he took extensive time to guide me through the intricacies of professional mixing and created multiple master versions in order to achieve a surgical precision in enabling my vision of the finished product.
    I’m now going through the process of completing my second EP with his excellent support and have learned and applied more in the last few months compared to the last seven years combined thanks to him going above and beyond mastering as standard.

    Thanks very much, really appreciated!

  3. Review by Vicky O'Neon
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    by Vicky O'Neon

    Dan Smith is an amazing mastering engineer. I've worked with him for many years now and I am so happy with every single song he's mastered for me. Sometimes I've had crazy deadlines, but Dan has always managed to get an excellent master back even under crazy time pressure. I couldn't recommend him more and I'm excited for the next project we have lined up together.

  4. Review by Blackboxx
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    by Blackboxx

    Can't recommend Dan highly enough. Always beautiful sounding masters that go above and beyond all expectations. I really feel like he understands the sound you are going for and is infectiosuly enthusiastic about every project whilst giving great feedback which makes the process smooth and easy. Definitely fast become my go to mastering engineer for any time I need high quality, beautiful masters.

  5. Review by Logan Anderson
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    by Logan Anderson

    Always a solid master from Dan! Love working him, incredibly easy and great response time, and always finds time to fit me in. Love the feedback he gives, how easy it is to go back and forth if changes are needed, and he really levels up my music! 5 Stars.

  6. Review by Zach S.
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    Dan is one of the finest mastering engineers in the game. He even gives feedback on mixes that are over and beyond what most mastering engineers do. He will get your tracks sounding loud and dynamic. Go with Dan! It will be one of the best choices you make with your music.

  7. Review by George Thorogood
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    by George Thorogood

    Dan mastered my album and did an amazing job, made the tracks sparkle in all the right ways. He is top of my list whenever I need something mastered as I know he’s going to do an amazing job everytime.

  8. Review by MOREOFUS
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    by MOREOFUS

    Dan has been great to work with on my past two releases. He also took to time to share advice on how the original mixdown can be improved, ultimately resulting in a stronger master. He mad the process feel collaborative and I’m always happy with the end results.

  9. Review by Culprate
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    by Culprate

    I've had all my masters done by Dan since 2011 and they've all been amazing!

    No matter how "good" I think I'm getting at the mastering process, his work always blows me away!

  10. Review by Ferdinand
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    by Ferdinand

    Have worked several times with Dan. Phenomenal engineer and true professional to work with. He has mastered two of our vinyl EPs and they sound killer.

  11. Review by Pato Bar
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    by Pato Bar

    I worked with Dan Smith on mixing and mastering a hip-hop song that I produced, and the song turned out exactly how I wanted it to sound! Communication with Dan is excellent; he maintains a 100% professional dialogue while being highly attentive to my vision of how the song should be while constantly pumping his insights and explains the important aspects during the process :) The result of the mix was amazing! He made the song sound huge, three-dimensional, and very clean, with a focus on all the smallest details. Dan has become my go-to engineer, and I hope to work with him much more.

  12. Review by Max (Protohype)
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    by Max (Protohype)

    DKS has mastered my last bunch of records and I’ve always been extremely pleased with the outcome. Sometimes I just can’t quite get the record to the finish line and Dan always helps me get there exactly the way I want to. Extremely professional, fantastic gear, fantastic ear. Highly highly recommend!

  13. Review by Mojo Filter
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Mojo Filter

    DKS has been my mastering engineer for 2 decades now and always gives me invaluable direction with my mixes and has cultivated a very personal approach to my productions. This pre-master expertise has enabled me to find the sound I'm looking for with in-depth feedback and an incredibly can-do approach to sound.

    His limitless understanding of dynamics coupled with an encyclopaedic knowledge of genres give his mastering and mixdown skills an A+.

    I'm sure a.i will model his back catalogue so you can have him in your pocket one day like a genie in a lamp.

Interview with Dan Smith [DKS]

  1. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  2. A: I work in two studios. The mastering studio is the world famous Fluid Mastering studio, based outside of London. This is a predominantly analog chain with PMC BB5 monitors. We have a whole host of digital processors but the analog equipment is what makes the difference. I also have a home studio setup where I do all of my mix work. Here I'm working with Genelec S30c custom built monitors, I mostly mix in the box at this studio although there is also a selection of analog gear to bring the music to life when the digital processors just aren't cutting it.

  3. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  4. A: My musical journey would never have developed the way it has without having listened to Nine Inch Nails as a kid. Prior to hearing them I was extremely anti-computers. If it wasn't played live I wasn't interested. But hearing the music Trent Reznor made using computers changed my perspective overnight and led to me becoming deeply entrenched in the electronic music scene.

  5. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  6. A: I'm known to most as a mastering engineer, which I've been doing for the past 15 years. Prior to that I was producing and mixing Dance records for various outfits and that has seeped into my mastering work. I'm able to go into much more detail where needed by working from the stems in a mix capacity.

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Migos, Marshmello - Danger

I was the Mastering Engineer in this production

Terms Of Service

Revisions: Free unless new mix (50% cost)
Turnaround: Up to 5 tracks: 3-5 days, albums: ≤2 weeks
Payment: Full before delivery.
Email preferred, WhatsApp mid-project
Delivery: 24-bit 44.1kHz

GenresSounds Like
  • Culprate
  • Mr. Bill
  • KOAN Sound
Gear Highlights
  • SPL DMC Mastering Console
  • Prism Maselec MEA-2 Stereo EQ
  • Manley Massive Passive Stereo EQ
  • SPL PQ Parametric EQ
  • Shadowhills Mastering Compressor
  • Rupert Neve Designs – Portico II Master Buss Processor
  • Cartec Tonal Harmonic Compressor
  • Weiss DS-1
More Photos
SoundBetter Deal

Single track mastered: £80 (GBP) - 2-3 tracks mastered: £70 each - 4-5 tracks mastered: £60 each - 6 or more tracks: £50 each