Made at Imperial: "isn't it the future" by aqareo

"isn't it the future" is a pop cut from aqareo's self-titled album, released June 24, 2026 — recorded and mixed by Alejo at Imperial Audio, and one of the featured records on our homepage. Stream the full track on Apple Music.

What modern pop asks of a studio

Pop production is sound design as much as songwriting: layered synths, programmed drums, and a vocal that has to cut through all of it while still sounding effortless. That means the studio's job isn't only capture — it's arrangement triage. Which of the forty layers earns its spot? What gets tucked, widened, or thrown away so the hook hits harder?

How we approach records like this

• The vocal gets printed against the full production early — a vocal that sounds great over a rough beat can vanish inside the final wall of synths.
• Low end is a one-lane road: kick and bass negotiate, everything else moves out of the way.
• Album work means consistency — the same chains and reference levels across sessions, so track seven and track one feel like the same world.

Hear more from aqareo on Apple Music. Making pop in the Valley? Production is our favorite problem to solve.