KVR Audio

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:29 pm

Well,

I rarely post songs around here so as I was preparing a demo for my soon to be released plugin I thought I might as well post the song here. I mean it turned out rather good so that's why.

The goal was to make this as much live and unedited performance as possible so there you have it. Of course it's still produced to hell, but then, that's my style.

I've been attempting to create a kind of retro-futuristic soul sound for a very long time and this is as far as I have gotten:

http://www.michaelkingston.fi/retroband ... l-Food.mp3

The search is still on, no doubt, but I'm liking what I'm hearing. (hey would be quite irresponsible to make music I didn't like!)

VladimirDimitrievich · Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:49 pm

I make music I don't like.

...

listening now

topaz · Post by **topaz** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:50 pm

nice production, i can see what you are getting out with the modern retro sound, reminds me a lot of paul weller.

I would personally like to hear more soulfull melodys rather than the strong blues ones.

VladimirDimitrievich · Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:53 pm

WOW!

ok, completely NOT what I expected. And In a good way.

wow.

...

very nice!

Ok firstly, you have a great sounding voice. And secondly, you really know how to use it well.

To be honest, I can't think of ANYTHING negative about this. Wow. There was once or twice where I heard a popping "p" but it was really minor so

Definetely a keeper. WOW!

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:02 pm

thanks both of you!

not what you expected? well what did you expect then?

Rune L-H · Post by **Rune L-H** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:24 pm

Very nice Mike

It seems to my ears that you have worked up quite a recognizable Kingston sound to your tracks... in the good sense

There's a nice signature big crunchy sound to especially your drums and bass. At least from the few tracks I've heard from you.

I think you have a great vocal. Personaly I would perhaps have cruched or dirty'ed it up a bit more to fit the rest of the feel.

And nice little slap bass thingies here and there.

Not really my genre, but it's a keeper

Cheers,
Rune

VladimirDimitrievich · Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:29 pm

some odd electronica

Lee702 · Post by **Lee702** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:34 pm

Great song thanks for sharing this......... ohh yeah

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:46 pm

Rune L-H wrote:It seems to my ears that you have worked up quite a recognizable Kingston sound to your tracks... in the good sense There's a nice signature big crunchy sound to especially your drums and bass. At least from the few tracks I've heard from you.

Thanks. Yeah it indeed has been my goal to design a sound of my own. It's still a long road to perfection but I think I have a pretty clear "arc" in mind of what my first full album will sound like and represent.

The vocal sound is one of the ongoing processes. I'm aiming for more intimate and less fatiquing sound, so I will have to figure out how to do away with a lot of the audible ambiences and reverbs, and indeed crunch up things further in the blues direction. I have a few tricks in mind but they'll have to wait until the next vocal session.

VladimirDimitrievich wrote:some odd electronica

*looks around*

Yeah, I think I know why.

Watto · Post by **Watto** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:33 pm

Nice one, Kingston! 'Twas a fun listen!

About the only thing which bothered me was the piano, for two reasons:

* I thought it was way too bright - needs to be really mellow and old school to fit with the track, IMO

* The playing was too, er, clean and nice - the rest of the track is dirty, and the piano was too straight for my liking

Anyway, I'm sure that either (a) you're happy with the piano, or (b) you don't care enough about a demo anyway, so I'll finish by saying I enjoyed it - cheers!

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:39 pm

Watto wrote:Anyway, I'm sure that either (a) you're happy with the piano, or (b) you don't care enough about a demo anyway, so I'll finish by saying I enjoyed it - cheers!

Well actually, I do care!

I will redo the piano at some point when I finish my rather large giga sampled piano project. I have just about the perfect instrument for this task, indeed a mellow and a livelier one. This was the plan all along, but timing and studio booking didn't work in my favour.

(the booking thing is a long and annoying story of clashing time tables and broken equipment and I shant bore you with it)

The brightness of the master is explained by the fact I wanted some of the effects of my plugin more audible, explained in more detail at the forthcoming website. The song is a product demo after all. I just didn't want to advertise it here.

tuz · Post by **tuz** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:05 am

wow!!!

you're almost as good at vocals as i am.

great tune man.

Watto · Post by **Watto** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:14 am

Kingston wrote:I will redo the piano at some point when I finish my rather large giga sampled piano project. I have just about the perfect instrument for this task, indeed a mellow and a livelier one. This was the plan all along, but timing and studio booking didn't work in my favour.

Cool! Well, MY suggestion would be to play the piano part on the actual piano while you're in the studio...

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:25 am

Yep, that's the plan - for quite the number of my songs in fact. The giga sample project is just something I will do since I have the chance to capture a great upright piano.

diverdee · Post by **diverdee** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 2:28 am

Outstanding.
Agree that the piano could do with being 'grungier', but you are obviously aware of that already.
Also agree that you've a damn fine singing voice which would benefit from a bit more dirt in the production.
Nice guitar licks.
When it first 'kciks' in it immediately grabbed me.
Listening for the third time now & i've cranked it on the headphones (03:40 a.m. here) - sweet as.
Drums & bass - awesome.

Kingston plays & sings retro-futuristic soul. It's live!