Chris Tabron widens a pad synth's stereo image over time, using nothing but pan automation to make a static-sounding intro evolve into the chorus.
The pad starts narrow, around 10 and 2 o'clock, then gradually spreads wider as the song builds, giving the arrangement a sense of motion without touching EQ or adding plugins.
Since this pad only appears once in the song, before any vocals enter, Tabron treats it as a chance for a bigger sound design gesture that won't compete with anything else in the mix.
The widening pan lands right as FM bells join the arrangement, reinforcing the chorus lift through width and timing rather than new sounds alone.
