Volume tricks
A nifty way of adding movement to any mix is to get creative with volume automation. FX sends such as reverb and delay are a great place to start. For example, when using an auxiliary send/return setup, you can place a tremolo effect before a reverb effect to give the input signal extra movement, which will in turn give the wet reverb signal more dynamics.
Another winning technique for FX sends is to ride the volume during different sections of the song, in order to emphasise key parts of the arrangement. You could, say, push your vocal reverb up in volume during a soaraway chorus, then rein it in for the following verse to increase the contrast between sections. Alternatively, try increasing the level of a parallel compression bus during a breakdown to give a thicker sound.
Volume automation can also help shape the ‘macrodynamics’ of your overall mix. When mixing dance music, automate the master volume down by 1-2dB from the breakdown until just before the drop, then push the level back up when the drop hits. This transparent boost in level will give the drop a fraction more ‘oomph’.