Every great music scene needs three critical ingredients: great talent, solid venues, and hungry listeners. Binding these together is the producer—that gadget-nerd savant who develops and captures the elusive sound that musicians and listeners crave. Beijing’s up-and-coming audio alchemist is producer-engineer Martin Rawlins.

“Working with Martin is like working with your best uncle,” says Richard Todd of RandomK(e), “he knows loads of stuff but doesn’t act like a big-head. He is typically English in that he is smart and silly in equal measure, but don't be fooled, he is a complete pro and a sonic geek—he totally knows his musical onions.”

And what does it mean to “know your musical onions” you ask? You figure you could get a microphone and record some pretty juicy stuff, right?

Having produced music for almost 10 years myself, I can tell you the answer is no, you couldn’t. From a good song to a good recording is much, much farther than you think—and the road is fouled by mud, smoke, and snarling hobgoblins. Of the many ways to produce a song, most of them are embarrassingly wrong.

“Anyone can buy a good microphone these days, but what a musician really needs is somebody who knows how to use it,” says Martin, “I also play a few instruments, so I have a level of understanding which hopefully builds trust and helps us to get the sound we're looking for.”

After coming to Beijing 4 years ago, Martin slowly gained the trust of some of Beijing’s best bands, producing for RandomK(e) and Johnny Wadd among others. His remarkable work on tracks like “Waiting” by RandomK(e) solidified his reputation, ultimately earning him a shot at producing Queen Sea Big Shark’s hotly anticipated second album.

“Queen Sea and I had a meeting on Christmas Eve at the Modern Sky offices to discuss the album. We really hit it off,” says Martin, “We'll be going for a smorgasbord of electro and rock with big drums, surf guitar and robots.”

How exactly does he do that, I wondered—get robots to surf and dance with big drums? For him, is producing more like being a mechanic, a carpenter, or a chef?

“It's definitely more like being a chef,” says Martin, “your knives have to be sharp, the ingredients need to be fresh and of good quality. You're always on the lookout for interesting recipes and menu ideas and you get a great feeling when people enjoy your work.”

What advice might he give to aspiring producers?

“There are no studios anymore, only people. It’s all about sensitivity, camaraderie, and intimacy.”

Best uncle, chef, or gadget-nerd savant, Martin Rawlins is helping to take Beijing’s music scene higher. We’re lucky to have him.