june contest - GOSSIP

[You™]

It's part of the ID3 tag thingy. I added using ITunes. pretty neat though.
Ben

Yeah, that's what I do too. It's the only way to fly.

...So I'm getting close to posting my submission (have the first complete mixdown) and I realize I have broken every one of the suggestions I offered about arranging. Well off to make cover art and all that.

[AndreasE]

Where are this month´s reviews?

Here are mine:
Some tracks are good, some are very good and some are excellent.

Sorry, but I´ve no time to do reviews, but would be glad to read some.

[Sepheritoh]

plunge I get a file does not exist message when I try to download your entry.

[plunge]

I just finished my entry. Since there was some talk earlier about who had the worst cut, I decided to settle the score and go for that title this time around. If dancing amoebas don't do it for you I don't know what will.

I'll do some reviews in the next day or two.

Plunge

[Sepheritoh]

OK. Got it now

[plunge]

OK. Got it now

Thanks for the heads up.
P

[plunge]

Okay, I just scanned the entries and noticed that col.G actually mentions Will Smith, as well as the bad rap song he does for the end of his movies.

Can't wait to hear YOUR part of the credits.

Very funny.

[Col.G]

Jodie Foster and Herve Villachez together finaly!
Laughin my ass off.
plunge, you the man!

[freeztar]

It's amazing all the variety that has come out of this theme. Here's some reviews.

Markleford - Nice sounds, but that lead synth doesn't do it for me. Good use of the timpani. Horns could come in a bit earlier I think to help the song build faster, it seems to all pile up at the end. Nice ending.

Sepheritoh - That guitar works really good in there. What is that sound effect? It sounds like somebody draws a sword, swings it, and then boom?? It works good in the song though. This song tells a story, which is the sign of a job well done!

Warbug - Cool theme! You love your jungle huh?! It's well put together, but perhaps too choppy at the end. I also picked up a little distortion on my speakers. Actually now I hear that it's a synth in the bckgrnd.

Bastien - What speaker torment! It doesn't make me think sci-fi really. It's a menagerie of chaos that never goes anywhere. The end is weird too. I think this song could use some structure.

Beardedone (aka Gil) - This is definitly sci-fi. A Little chaotic at times, but I like it because there is structure and movement. It brings mental pictures, so it would make a good movie score.

Blue Days - Too repetitive, but such is the nature of this kinda music I guess. Some transitions would be nice though, even just one. Needs to be more fluid to be dancy.

Col. G - Interesting, but I think you can do better. Maybe giving the drums a little swing towards the end would help propel this thing. Some of the sound choices are questionable in my opinion.

Eric Bourne - Well done, I just couldn't get into it and I'm trying to figure out why. I guess it reminds me too much of motivational music or something, I don't know.

Hues - Well done. Nice ambience created. I would like to hear it transition more though. It sounds like it wants to explode at points, but never does.

Jax - Awesome! One of my favorites, just make sure you get it below 2 minutes so I can vote on it. This reminds me of something Stereolab might submit if they were in this contest. It could use a more conclusive ending.

Mo Verdigast - I think this could use more substance, but it has nice movement. The samples seem over-compressed.

M.F.F. - Nice ambience, but I think the scurrying noises would be more effective if it was used more sparsely. The ending could be cleaned up a bit. Good job.

Nuisances - Very interesting. Cool interplay of sounds. This is definitly sci-fi. I'm not picking up much in the bass frequencies. Some droning bass underneath all this might strengthen it. The ending fade is not too smooth.

Glooper - Nice mix. One thing I hear is a small battle going on with the left synth and the distorted rythym guitar. Some EQ'ing might separate them a bit more and add some clarity. Thank you for not compressing the hell out of this as many people seem to do.

Sason Le Klee - Awesome!! BUT, not convincing at all as a sci-fi track. It's also a bit vain, but I guess you're entitled to it .The bass line is killer, as are the drums and the arrangement as a whole.

Sleekmonth - I guess it could be sci-fi, like maybe in Tank Girl or something similar. It just reminds me too much of the eighties, and I'm desperatly trying to forget that sound. It is well done though and it has nice movement.

Wopelka - Very dreamy. It makes me think of a robot on a poppy trip more than a space cemetary. Well done, it's mixed nicely and there's good frequency distribution.

Scuzzphut - Nice job, I like the drum entry, but it sounds kinda barren out there all alone. I expected things to really kick in there, but they stalled, which was a bit of a dissappointment. This song makes me think of an alien nightclub.

Andreas E - Cool oscilations! A bit too "in your face" at times for me. I like the composition, but a melody would have REALLY strengthened this. The last part is kind of barren with just the chords. The audio space is full, just not very dynamic.

Donkey T - I almost jumped out of my chair the first time I heard this (HEAVY guits), which made me not like it at first, and then I listened to it some more and began to appreciate it. The ping pong sounds at the beginning are really cool and the song builds so nicely. The drums sound really weird on my speakers, before the heavy guitar, especially the snare. It's as if all the high frequencies were washed out of the kit, maybe that's the intent, I don't know.

dorx - Nice change in the middle. I could hear this song being tempoed up a bit. The guitar is sweet. The voice could be left out, it's not necessary and it doesn't add anything in my opinion.

Ianweb - Nice build up. I don't care for the loud noises at the end, but it does fit. I like how you preserved the dynamic range for those hits to make them powerful.

Ixox - One of my faves so far. At first I didn't think it was very sci-fi, and then I pictured something like planet of the apes and it clicked. I dig your flute and used it in my tune this month. It really works well in this peice.

liqih - Cool idea. It sounds like there is a wah on some notes, which is kinda weird considering your theme, but it works well musically. I like the composition, but would have like to hear some stereo separation and interplay.

pepelogu - Well done. I could see this being in a sci-fi movie. The strings are a tad bit intense at the end. Nice fadeout and good composition.


Ok, I have to stop now, I'll get the rest later. Peace.

[freeztar]

One correction from above:

Glooper's review is actually Patrick9, sorry.

[liqih]

liqih - Cool idea. It sounds like there is a wah on some notes, which is kinda weird considering your theme, but it works well musically. I like the composition, but would have like to hear some stereo separation and interplay.

many thanks Freeztar,

for stereo separation and interplay I'd need more free time to work on these monthly entries, <sigh>

[Beardedone]

Beardedone (aka Gil) - This is definitly sci-fi. A Little chaotic at times, but I like it because there is structure and movement. It brings mental pictures, so it would make a good movie score.

Thansk Freeztar! Much appreciated.

I'm not Gil or Gib either though but aka Gordon.

Best,
Gordon

[Sleek Month]

It just reminds me too much of the eighties, and I'm desperatly trying to forget that sound.

Bah!

Puny human!

-S.

[Patrick9]

Thanks for taking the plunge Freeztar - how were your ears after listening to that bunch? I think that I will have to set aside a time and listen systematically otherwise it seems too daunting.

No apology necessary for the brief identity crisis by the way.

Cheers, Pat

[Markleford]

Markleford - Nice sounds, but that lead synth doesn't do it for me.

Quite intentionally, unapologetically retro. Synth1, btw.

Horns could come in a bit earlier I think to help the song build faster, it seems to all pile up at the end.

I can definitely agree with that. It really did want to be drawn out longer (or happen sooner, as you suggest), and had some growing pains in that regard. I had to make some tough decisions, but maybe I didn't get them all right! I'm pleased on the whole, though: it was a satisfying learning experience.

Thanks for the ears and words,
- m