This song is fucking insane. I'm loosing my words.
Huge atmosphere, which goes from something mystic and frightening to some wonderful john carpenterish moment of epicness. 1:22 is the key moment here for me and you bring it with such taste. Seriously I'm stunned by what you did. I love your use of cut off and low-fi for your drums, which contrast with your long mystic synth notes which sound a bit like human voices.
And that's a super polished song, with lots of nuances on dark /light, strong/soft, low-fi/high fi, great use on the pano but I still feel totally overwhelmed and evolving inside your world while listening to this.
Your rythmes and drums are magical. The superposition of syncops and metronomic beats and the "stressfull" successions of the same note serve your atmospheres so well...
Pheew, I cannot stop listening.
Amazing song my friend. Thanks for sharing this.
5/ fav / and my true love and respect for that
I had this synth workstation on trial http://www.robpapen.com/images/RobPapen_Vecto.png it's what i made everything apart from the kick with, very luxurious device now if only it was a bit cheaper xD
This was quite a bit of work so i'm glad you like it, as allways thank you kindly for listening.
Hey man, nice song, I think you've finally created your own style in Drum'n'bass.
Starting with the introduction which is a neat success (which could have been a bit longer in my opinion as much it's a great one, and because of the length of the song ; I'm sure you could make us wait a bit more, enough to get impatient to hear the heart of the track ;)).
I perceive a lot of similarities with Horizon, which is definitely your best song of all times in my opinion, talking about the structure of the track, drums, mood, the superimposition of a "false lead" (I create this term for you, man :D), which gets out of the traditionnal way to create catchy melodies that start from a point to reach another (to me, it's more like you design a melody that needs to be repeated just like an accompanment), and a long ethereal and ambient table. That finally leads to an impression of perfect combination and a awesome space occupation with a real density.
Your variations are well dosed, and even if I realized that that they're pretty outnumbered (at the exception of the very subtle calm at 2:42), but absolutely sufficient to keep the listener entertained till the end. It's typically the kind of song that could not end but not bore me. In a way, you use the trance-music (which I don't really like, unless it's psychedelic trance :P) codes that you adapt to your own creation. And that definitely lead to an amazing result.
What could be enhanced (in my very little humble opinion), is the snare. It's too much "in your face", but weirdly in the same time too stiffled. I think you would gain to use a little cut-off on it, and reduce its velocity, because, in this whole density and space occupation, I guess that some elements would take advantage of emerging out of the mass, but whithout assaulting the listener ;)
Finally, I really like the song, it's a very good job in my opinion, with a great ensemble coherence. You know how to be effective while promoting your own style, and it's a pleasure to hear your songs, that are always interesting to hear, and if not always gold nuggets, never disapointing.
Awesome review man, it's always fantastic to read such an extensive analysis :P
It seems I got a fair few comments on the snare, and that's unfortunate really because I really like it :/ I'm always hearing DnB or Dubstep or Drumstep and thinking to myself "man, that snare really isn't loud enough" and so I pump mine up to the max. I also have a habit of avoiding snare brightness because I don't like how it sounds sometimes.
That said, you're probably right - and my goal is to appeal to as many people as I can, so it's definitely worth changing what I do if the consensus is that it'd be a good decision
Thanks again for the awesome review, it's certainly appreciated :D
Ha ha, well done Chrono !
Nice ambient funky-jazzy loop !
The marimba in the very first measures made me laugh as it really sounds like a lift music, or a crash bandicoot level. Very nice mix of instruments you have here. I definitely love what you made with your drums, particularly with its apparition after an acceleration of the bass, which is so well done (0:12 and 1:11). And in a way only the bass itself would make this song a success. But you really bring wealth to the overall with the succession of instruments, solos, and emotions.
As I said, in my opinion, not only the construction of the bass and the drums is amazing, but their sounds suit the song to the perfection. I'm a bit less convinced by the violin that sounds sometimes very cheap, such as the trumpet despite the play with its straight mute, which is very interesting and constituting a plus. I'm also a bit frustrated by the shortness of the crash cymbal at 1:01, which would gain, to me, to be escorted with a little reverb ;)
Anyway, the composition and the structure of your track is amazing in my humble opinion, and I'm impressed at my little personal level :P
You managed to create a very homogeneous loop despite the diversity of feelings, instruments, the play on the panoramics, and the use of syncops (very nice, ha ha, I love using them myself !).
Good work my friend ! Original, interesting and made with talent !
Many thanks to you, MadMath! I honestly wasn't expecting such an in-depth review and am very pleasantly surprised by it. Suffice to say, you have totally made my day.
Although I've never played any Crash Bandicoot games, I know what you mean when you say lift music. It does kind of sound like that, now that you mention it. But hey, everyone loves elevator music, right? ;) Thankfully it doesn't sound like that throughout the entire piece, though it still fits with the style in a weird way.
The bass really does carry this piece the most and everything else pretty much fell into place after it, which is a pretty rare direction for me to go. Some folks come up with bass or percussion first, then fill in the melodies. That's just not how my mind works...most of the time. ;) As for the drums, I'm quite fond of how that all turned out. All that fun syncopation really fits the overall style, I think. I'm also really glad that the trumpet works so well since it's a very interesting sample and adds a really film noir-esque touch.
I personally like this violin, and it's probably the best one I currently have, but trying to get it to sound natural is basically impossible no matter how hard I try. Then again, nothing else really seemed to fill the void quite as well, at least to my ears, and believe me--I tried quite a few different instrumental options. Ah, well. You also raise an excellent point about the crash cymbal, and I think I just may do something about that. A bit of additional reverb certainly couldn't hurt!
Thanks once again for all the great compliments and feedback. Your input is ever and always appreciated, and I look forward to repaying your kindness in the not-so-distant future. ^__^
It's been the third or fourth time I come back to this song since I noticed it, two days ago... so I guess I could at least do the effort to leave you a little review.
It'll probably be shorter than usual because I just love it... Man seriously, in my opinion, this is the best track I heard from you. Your style is really recognizable as always, with your soft instruments and your long and melancolic sentences, and this time it worked even better than usual ! Your melody rocks. Oh yeah it does, and you know that as you kept it all the song long :D (but you were right, I'm absolutely not bored).
So finally, i hear it as a kind of declination of a motif on different accompaniments, except for a little break with arpeggios where the melody seems to pass on the second plan. But it's clearly a success. Your chords add some weight to your ambiance, the drums kind of hip-hop make it darker. This way, it allows you to play on severalI registers and offer different interpretations of a same theme (that's how I felt it ; though, I absolutely don't contest the coherence of the ensemble which is absolutely perfect) also love the small interlude you create at 2:40, where the percussions are super !
Anyway, just wanted to say you that I've been touched by your nice track, which I find really beautiful. A big bravo, my friend.
If you allow me some remarks though... :P
- the reverb of the piano is, in my very personal opinion, way too pronounced !! It sounds a bit like someone that doesn't wanna remove his foot from the pedal :D
- about the high notes of the violin (0:54), I would have shortened the attack, because it tends to accentuate a lot the contretemps and sound even like a sidechain, lol.
Hmm, finally it's not such a small review, sorry :)
To sum up : amazing job here Chrono !
The song went straight to my fav. and I'll rate it 5 for the second time ;)
Thanks so much for the bodacious review, MadMath! Your patronage is always greatly appreciated. I like the fact that you keep coming back for this one; it puts a smile on my face.
It's funny that you mention how the melody exists throughout the whole song. I was wondering how well it would be received, and whether or not anyone would complain about it being too repetitive. To me, it feels complete with just those two distinct melody lines, and I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one of that opinion. I'm also very pleasantly surprised to hear you say that it's your favorite track of mine. I certainly wasn't expecting anything like that. ^_^
The foot does remain pretty much firmly on the pedal for the duration, and maybe it would have been a good idea to mix it up a little (which I generally do), I personally found the more sustained notes to be appropriate for the slightly melancholic feel. Personal taste aside, I do see what you mean about the shortened attack on the high strings. It's a pretty delicate balance, and admittedly they could have been shored up a few fractions of a second, but since they don't noticeably bleed into one another, I'm generally unconcerned. It can't hurt the music too much if you're still offering up full props, at least!
Even your short reviews turn into serious affairs, and I think that's awesome. Thanks for the kudos, the fantastic review, adding this to your favorites, and for voting 5...twice! Very cool. :D
Pheew man, nothing to throw away, as always... I've started to give an ear to your work since we both published a song for Rob Lee's Wrath of cheese, and I must confess I'm each time more impressed by the quality and the genie of your prolific compositions.
I don't even know what to start with ! Sooo, let's try with what striked me the most : the bass. I always love how you develop it, and no exception this time. You really managed to make it a full voice offering a true counter melody, or playing unison with the main theme giving it a brilliant retro-touch (in my humble opinion).
I also love how you fully use all the space and play on nuances and density all along this short song. Your (kind of cliche :P) explosions on strong tenses work pretty well and contribute to the energy of the track and accentuate these different impressions produced on the listener that keep him entertained and curious. Great work on the ordering of the different voices backed up by a super solid mastering (which i'm absolutely uncapable of :D).
Excellent job on the drums also. They sound perfect and I love the breaks you propose by (that's brilliant, man) either muting them, making them ternary, or accelerating them.
Perfect choice of instrument overall, these littles bells give indeed this childish and frosty feel that you wanted to create (cause I don't really think the melody itself is particularly representative of an ice scene... but I wouldn't know how to create one myself !) and I'm sure you're friend will be fully convinced and happy with this track ! All those small ornementations such as the descents, white noise are also made with a great taste and insert themselves perfectly in this "landscape" you wanna create.
I guess I've said what I had in mind ! Sorry if the review seems a bit scolar, trying to analyse every instrument, that was not the aim. I'm just impressed by every aspect I could have notice with my little ears :)
Anyway, I've been listening to the song all the time I've been writing my review (that means quite a lot of time as I have to find my words in english, and that's not always easy) and I'm still not bored ;)
Great great job man. I know it's not your kind of music, but it's close to mine and I'd really love to hear something else in this vein from you.
Wow, man. This review truly made my day; I can't thank you enough for leaving such supportive yet analytical feedback!
"I've started to give an ear to your work since we both published a song for Rob Lee's Wrath of cheese"
So that's why your username/profile pic looked familiar at first glance haha.
I can't say the same about you since I haven't heard any of your music... or at least I hadn't. I have now; damn you have catchy stuff haha.
"the bass. I always love how you develop it, and no exception this time. You really managed to make it a full voice offering a true counter melody, or playing unison with the main theme giving it a brilliant retro-touch (in my humble opinion)."
I love how you noticed that; that is precisely how I like my basslines to be. A mix of both unison and different harmonies.
"Your (kind of cliche :P) explosions on strong tenses work pretty well and contribute to the energy of the track"
Oh god yes the explosions, haha. I do agree they add a lot of energy to the track, but they are pretty generic. I can't do without them though :P. Even in my orchestral tracks I always add those massive cymbal rolls and orchestral hits and whatnot. Sometimes I think I overstate stuff too much in my music; I wish I could nail that "simple but effective" feeling that is present in so many well-composed tracks out there.
"Great work on the ordering of the different voices backed up by a super solid mastering (which i'm absolutely uncapable of :D)."
You know I actually don't have much of an idea of what I'm doing in terms of mastering and mixing. Reason being, in orchestral you really don't need much mastering and the only mixing choices I need to do usually are volume tweaking, EQing and reverb. In electronic music so much more stuff is thrown into the equation and frankly I just try and go with whatever sounds decent lol.
"Excellent job on the drums also. They sound perfect and I love the breaks you propose by (that's brilliant, man) either muting them, making them ternary, or accelerating them."
Awesome, thank you!
"Perfect choice of instrument overall, these littles bells give indeed this childish and frosty feel that you wanted to create (cause I don't really think the melody itself is particularly representative of an ice scene... but I wouldn't know how to create one myself !)"
You're incredibly perceptive, man. This is probably the third or fourth time in one review that you notice this kind of stuff haha.
I totally agree that the melody isn't all that icy, and I did indeed use the bells to cover up that fact and to make it a bit more themed towards children.
"I'm sure you're friend will be fully convinced and happy with this track !"
This is indeed the case, thankfully! The whole team are very happy with the track, which is a great relief!
"I guess I've said what I had in mind ! Sorry if the review seems a bit scolar, trying to analyse every instrument, that was not the aim. I'm just impressed by every aspect I could have notice with my little ears :)"
You have nothing to be sorry for, this review was great! I really owe you one.
"Anyway, I've been listening to the song all the time I've been writing my review (that means quite a lot of time as I have to find my words in english, and that's not always easy) and I'm still not bored ;)"
You have almost flawless English. Great to hear it didn't bore you yet because frankly I've been working on it so much that I'm practically sick of it! :P
"Great great job man. I know it's not your kind of music, but it's close to mine and I'd really love to hear something else in this vein from you."
You know, as much as this isn't my kind of music, I very much enjoyed making it. This is something I'd definitely want to try again in the future.
Anyway, I've got to say thanks again for taking your time to write such an insightful review. Like I said, it totally made my day!
Everything is made with such a good taste... Waow ! Your instruments all sound more than real and the selection you made is surprisingly homogeneous though it could have been foolhardy : switching from harpsichord to accordion, everything rythmed on atmospheric percussions and accompanied by creepy child voices. Even when the chant is a bit out of tune (no offense :P, actually I'm sure you made it on purpose), it contributes to the overall atmosphere.
I'm also very impressed by your composition. It's perfectly written, both vertically and horizontally and I really appreciated to be transported on the continuity (actually a waltz is nice for that ;) ), I mean, not feeling a hammer hit on the face every three times is very enjoyable. Everything was super smooth and articulated with delicacy, which allows you those great modulations and these long sentences.
My musical theory course is far away from me now and I hope I didn't say some bullshit :D (particularly in english). Anyway, I just wanted to congrat you for what is, in my opinion, an awesome job.
Respect !
I can't help you with Knife Party or any good musician's density and heaviness as I've got the same problem as you. :)
I guess everything's in the mixing-mastering, messing around with pano and frequencies. I, personnally tend to add more and more instruments in the same time, but I told you I'm not a reference or an example to follow ;) (actually, it sometimes gets even incomprehensible).
Anyway I pretty like your song. Very nice variety in the wobbles, and the combination with the 16bit-ish instru was audacious and pretty well made. Though i find the overall to be a little too static out of the drops. Maybe a lack of melodic lines with this gameboy sound : you used it more as a percussion than as an instrument whereas it has a great melodic potential. Just my opinion.
The heaviness of Knife Party is not here, but it was still enjoyable to hear, and your sharp and drums mixed to your wobbles contribute to fill the gap ;) Don't worry, I'm sure you'll soon be great in space occupation !
Cool atmosphere ! Very nice smooth melody which sounds attenuated contrary to the usual agressivity of 8-bit square and pulse leads. That makes a quiet and peaceful track, which would suit perfectly a game moment as you described. Cool and simple beat that doesn't need to evolve, just as you made it.
What striked me in your work, is the melodic shape of your main instruments. The sonorities evoke a baroque piece of work to me. It's so flagrant that I sometimes got the feeling to hear an oboe instead of your 8bit lead :) But as it's really talkative to me in this way, I'm a bit disturbed by some frictions I'm hearing along the track. Another thing which could be better in my opinion is the bass. The track is really well cut out because there are very distincted musical sentences in the lead. But the bass doesn't follow (still in my opinion) and is a bit uncertain, and doesn't have clear end points.
I pretty like the song, particularly the original mix between 8bit and classical music vibe. Though I guess you could make some minor changes to make both aspects coinciding even better !
Good job man !
Ha ha ha. I appreciate the joke man. Pretty well done, and rather funny !
Your melody suits perfectly your description, and the gap between music and vocals make it even more absurd ! Good work on effects in the end !
Not bad ! You've made a good choice in your instruments (except the kick which sounds absolutely horrible to my ear, but I guess that's just a matter of taste), which contributes to create a nice ambient, between adventure, fear, caution and epicness. That's perfect for a videogame.
Your main theme gives me an impression of deja-vu but is indeed quite effective.
The only problem is that it remains the only main theme all the song long, with no interruption ! It's clear that you try to bring some variation by switching your theme from one voice to another and by changing the rythms, but in my opinion it's not enough. You need to give up this theme for a while (even a short while :P) if you want the listener to have pleasure to find it again !
Another issue (still in my opinion), is that we don't distinguish well your instruments, and the whole thing gives an impression of a big amalgam of sounds which can hardly be understood well, and which kind of breaks your melodic lines. Maybe some spatialisation could help you to deal with that !
A last thing I noticed is that there are some frictions during your sharp piano melody.
Finally, I rather liked your track, which was pretty captivating, and homogeneous, creating a very nice atmosphere. It was short enough not to get bored. Though, I recommand you not to keep to much the same main theme and to offer some breaks sometimes, and to work a bit on mixing-mastering. :)
This is probably the most helpful review I've had yet o.o. I appreciate your opinion, highly.
I do agree, when I made this it was just mostly me fiddling with effects and messing with a beat that I enjoyed. It doesn't have any particular sound or melody that gives it that 'umph' lol.
Activate All Sleepers 
StarDrive 
City of Secrets 
-Tides Of Love- 
Polargeist 
Jambon Froid Jeté Sous La Pluie 
ORG- Imprisonment 
The Desert Hero 