Fragile Gods - "The Words I Never Said"
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6326 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
Dark sentiments in a synthpop package. Aika Zabala's harmonies lift the gloom.
https://youtu.be/OVpH3WVztg0
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2v6OonwVyhEoWD4GIQ7wKh
Instruments used: Hive, Repro5, Monark, Rayblaster, BFD3
Any feedback is appreciated. The lyrics are on Soundcloud. Thanks for listening.
Edits
Nov 22 - Video added.
https://youtu.be/OVpH3WVztg0
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2v6OonwVyhEoWD4GIQ7wKh
Instruments used: Hive, Repro5, Monark, Rayblaster, BFD3
Any feedback is appreciated. The lyrics are on Soundcloud. Thanks for listening.
Edits
Nov 22 - Video added.
Last edited by Frantz on Sun Dec 13, 2020 11:30 pm, edited 5 times in total.
- KVRAF
- 12370 posts since 7 May, 2006 from Southern California
Great lyrics! Relatable. Super wide sound stage! I've been making my mixes more and more claustrophobic lately, but I always appreciate a nice spacious mix.
Great work as always. Thanks for sharing!
Great work as always. Thanks for sharing!
- KVRAF
- 3565 posts since 12 Jan, 2019
Your voice and singing are so cool (backup vocal is great, too). When you put delay on the end of a lead vocal line--I liked it. I wondered at one point what it would sound like if you worked in more reverb on the lead vocal here and there, but that's my amateur self just wondering. I dig it.
Doing nothing is only fun when you have something you are supposed to do.
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- KVRist
- 138 posts since 13 Jun, 2015
Very nice. I feel the main voice is out from the music, it needs integration. Effects.
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ChameleonMusic ChameleonMusic https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=430348
- KVRAF
- 1611 posts since 23 Nov, 2018 from Birmingham, UK
Dark sentiments indeed! The lyrics worked well with the music for me.
There are no rules for what works in terms of mixing in vocals, just guidelines... and, even now after doing this shebang for over 30 years, it always amazes me how some things work with one song and just suck in another.
Lead vocal performance - works really well on this one, particularly liked the timing of it all and its flow.
Song structure is strong... rises and falls between verse and chorus appropriately with a great contrasting section.
My only issue was with the instrumental backing track - great choice of sounds and generally well mixed, but possibly just a little bit flat dynamically? It's certainly got an excellent stereo presence, but maybe is a little lacking in variety from front to back of the mix? (No biggy here as it didn't detract from the listen)
I agree that male vocal is pushed quite far forward in front of the mix, but I seriously think that it works there...wasn't sure on the first listen, but on the second I became more positive.I feel the main voice is out from the music, it needs integration.
There are no rules for what works in terms of mixing in vocals, just guidelines... and, even now after doing this shebang for over 30 years, it always amazes me how some things work with one song and just suck in another.
Lead vocal performance - works really well on this one, particularly liked the timing of it all and its flow.
Song structure is strong... rises and falls between verse and chorus appropriately with a great contrasting section.
My only issue was with the instrumental backing track - great choice of sounds and generally well mixed, but possibly just a little bit flat dynamically? It's certainly got an excellent stereo presence, but maybe is a little lacking in variety from front to back of the mix? (No biggy here as it didn't detract from the listen)
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.
https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/
https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/
- KVRAF
- 7691 posts since 11 Jun, 2006
quailty work as usual Frantz ol chap. catchy and solid mix and production, imho.
i love the phrase "words i never said, echo in my head" .... if you
never said them how can they be echoing? lol. brilliant!
i love the phrase "words i never said, echo in my head" .... if you
never said them how can they be echoing? lol. brilliant!
HW SYNTHS [KORG T2EX - AKAI AX80 - YAMAHA SY77 - ENSONIQ VFX]
HW MODULES [OBi M1000 - ROLAND MKS-50 - ROLAND JV880 - KURZ 1000PX]
SW [CHARLATAN - OBXD - OXE - ELEKTRO - MICROTERA - M1 - SURGE - RMiV]
DAW [ENERGY XT2/1U RACK WINXP / MAUDIO 1010LT PCI]
HW MODULES [OBi M1000 - ROLAND MKS-50 - ROLAND JV880 - KURZ 1000PX]
SW [CHARLATAN - OBXD - OXE - ELEKTRO - MICROTERA - M1 - SURGE - RMiV]
DAW [ENERGY XT2/1U RACK WINXP / MAUDIO 1010LT PCI]
- Banned
- 849 posts since 3 Jul, 2017
You managed to catch this typical 80s UK sound (like Psychedelic Furs eg.) esp. regarding the vocals. Dark indeed, some sentiment leftover from Pop music eruptions from the last century. Good work - always wondering about the junction of accoustic drums and synth arpeggios, which marks a unique style maybe.
- KVRAF
- 1994 posts since 19 Aug, 2008
Very good! Mix was excellent. Vocal melody was very interesting.
1:54 very nice refrain.
Is this a more acoustic drumkit than you normally use?
Ending was good too.
1:54 very nice refrain.
Is this a more acoustic drumkit than you normally use?
Ending was good too.
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6326 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
Glad you enjoyed it and liked the lyrics.
Aika sang many harmonies on this so I spread her vox across the sound stage. I don't recall doing anything out of the ordinary with the synths in the mix other than keeping things sparse so there is plenty of room for individual sounds to breathe.
Thanks for your comments.
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6326 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
I might go back and add a little reverb on the lead vocals. They are fairly upfront and dry. Thanks for listening and providing helpful feedback.Dirtgrain wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 12:38 am Your voice and singing are so cool (backup vocal is great, too). When you put delay on the end of a lead vocal line--I liked it. I wondered at one point what it would sound like if you worked in more reverb on the lead vocal here and there, but that's my amateur self just wondering. I dig it.
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6326 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
Thanks for your comments. I may slightly tweak the reverb level on the male vocals this weekend.Unreflected wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 2:19 am Very nice. I feel the main voice is out from the music, it needs integration. Effects.
- KVRAF
- 5488 posts since 15 Dec, 2011 from Bucharest, Romania
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6326 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
Last edited by Frantz on Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Paladin on a Horse Paladin on a Horse https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=478325
- Banned
- 83 posts since 7 Nov, 2020
retro 80s pop - very catchy.
Just an old bloke who likes listening to a wide range of music. I also fart quite a lot!
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- KVRist
- 388 posts since 20 Mar, 2019
Quality production for sure. Do you release any of these tracks on any labels or... Do you do all the sound design? What is your studio like? The track reminds me of a mix of Duran Duran, Bengals, David Bowie, and a James Bond movie.