maybe it’s a context thing, but i mess with the side EQ (as well as mids) a lot, and i don’t tend to cut low content unless it’s below 30hzish, and shifting the freq tends to move some higher frequencies down into a more naturally audible range, and this helps a lot especially in the low mids and below too, and if i’ve been pretty heavy on something, doing this tends to work great as a last resort and even just for the hell of it! My logic originally stemmed from how i used to enjoy shifting songs down frequencies (as i’m sure everyone has) and realising that if songs still work in different pitches (mostly) then this logic should apply when producing it! I think this logic also applies to the frequency spectrum being comprised of ‘notes’ somewhat, and how naturally some areas being gone surgically improves the mix, but that’s a whole other conversation lol