may contest - GOSSIP

[TristezaOrange]

scuzzphut ...

... thanks for the crit - and im DEEPLY aware that beats is all there is - i wanted to do something REALLY percussive (been listening to my mickey hart and tabla beat science CDs) and then realised i didnt really have the chops or the ideas to fit anything melodic around the density of the beats ...

IDM ??? - ill take that i guess

EBM ??? - i wouldnt have said so but then what do i know ???

illbient etc ??? - REALLY dont know

im warming to the term 'indietronics' from the IDM thread myself

slainte rob

Indietronics is nice. I like that too
EDM cracks me up. "Electronic Body Music"


Thanks to Warbug and Pheeleep for the votes

Electronic Dodo Music?

[You™]

BTW, I haven't been able to find any Raymond Scott tracks with Cybotron's electro beats, Reese basses, Plastikman snare rolls, Derrick May strings or fractured chords. Where are they?

Well keep looking. Some of those sounds are there - It's not too hard to draw the line between Scott's electronic stuff like "Cindy Electronium" to Kraftwerk's "Franz Schubert" to Juan Atkins' or Ritchie Hawtin's stuff (he's English, BTW). Anyway, I wasn't trying to rag on you - Everyone knows Detroit is the birthplace of that particular form of techno. I was being obnoxious! Just remember that the characteristic sounds of techno (or nearly any innovative form of modern music) came about by artists pushing the limits of the tools they used to make music - not by imitating. In the 50s, if you wanted to create electronic music, you pretty much had to build your tools. Unfortunately Scott didn't have a canon of funk, disco or house music to draw upon so he wouldn't likely be shaking the subwoofer with a 4-on-the-floor beat. In the 80s, if you could afford a 303, an 808, a sampler and effects - and since none of those has a proper keyboard and they employ step sequencers - it's a good bet you'd be playing techno music rather than anything else. I knew a guy with a 303 who thought it was just a toy; he wanted a Jupiter 8 - which was far more expensive. I'm listening to Plastikman's Sheet One right now and I can hear something in common with the older music - especially after just listening to Kraftwerk's Radio-Activity.

[Kajiki]

Miro.Your song isn't downloading. I listened to it and really like it, but didn't download it earlier...

Thanks for the heads-up, pheeleep! I just PMd Kajiki (who is hosting for me ) and hopefully he'll fix the link soon.

Ok, I just checked the link, and it's working fine. Let me know if you still have a problem.

[SecondSkin]

Well keep looking. Some of those sounds are there

Yeah, I agree. I was surprised to hear the sounds Scott was producing in the 50's and 60's and there is probably no doubt that it influenced techno via Kraftwerk. But influence does not constitute creation, just affect. I guess I'm just touchy about techno origins since I'm from Detroit and I have a sore spot about marginalizing techno (which you certainly were not doing)....

In the 80s, if you could afford a 303, an 808, a sampler and effects - and since none of those has a proper keyboard and they employ step sequencers - it's a good bet you'd be playing techno music rather than anything else

one of my bandmates in the 80's had a 303 and an 808 and we used them as intended: to replace a drummer and a bass player when they couldn't show up! When bored, we would let the sequencers roll while we played with the knobs. It was great fun, but being indie rock snobs we didn't consider it to be real music. What's really strange is that after band practice we would head to clubs like the Shelter or City Club, where Hawtin and Derrick May (respectively) were spinning industrial and EBM. And we HATED techno! What a small mind I had...

[You™]

I know what you mean! I don't think there was anything that turned off more girls or alienated more friends 20 years ago than to admit you were not only a keyboard player, but one that actually liked the sound of synths and drum machines! Except maybe being a Reaganite... Oh who am I kidding, Reagan is regarded as a freakin' god these days - prolly because he never lied about being a 'compassionate' conservative. Being an electronic music fan was tough back then. As they say in Nashville about country music - I was electronic music before it was cool.

Cheers and good luck!

[jens]

As they say in Nashville about country music - I was electronic music before it was cool.

I always hated electronic music when it was still cool...

[You™]

I always hated electronic music when it was still cool...

Wait a second! ...it was cool?

[donkey tugger]

Oooar, top dog vote from UTM, ta m'boy, and thanks to all the other saddoes that have voted for me...

[SecondSkin]

My reviews, for what they are worth (and out of order, too since I listened to some tracks out of order)

Donkey Tugger -- Cool intro, reminds me of Air. Well produced, like the way it builds (hard to do in 2 min). It sounds like something that might grow on me, but not really your most compelling work.

Warbug -- I guess it's ok to use samples in the contest??? Love the way it takes off. Bass needs to be deeper, though I'm sure that's not what you were after. I think you managed to fit about 6 songs in this 2 minutes, and it works. Awesome.

Blitz - hnmmm, jazzy, wandering, trip. Great panning fx. Doesn't go anywhere though.

thomasc_dk -- very teutonic. Like the strings and the filtering. A good representation of the genre.

Fitch = ambient world. Good mood, very moving strings. Great sound, too. I love a simple melody that works and this does. Nothing wasted, well produced.

Eric Bourne -- strange that these two tracks come together (Fitch and EB) as they could be on the same album. This is a very moving track as well. Melody sounds familiar but I don't know why. Kick at end needs more ooomph. Good stuff, though.

Patrick9 -- Wow, 3 "ambient" tracks in a row. Are you guys working together? Great vocals (samples?), sorry but the melody seems too simple, too obvious, not powerful enough for the track (as it deserves). Well produced, though.

Emerald Tablet -- Lovely sounds. Not sold on the lyrics, and I need to be sold on spoken words. Great atmosphere though. I'd love to hear Sting sing it...

Earth Tones -- Sounds too much like general midi soundbank. Sounds very genuine and heartfelt, though. You sound like the singer from the Waterboys and that is quite a compliment....

Wopelka -- wonderful hats, well programmed. Good build and repitition, well used (a 2 min song that most of us listen to once should have a fair amount of repition to grab our attention)... Well done

Kajiki -- Most people go for a BIG sounding piano on a track like this, but you didn't and it works really well. It fits the mood of the track perfectly. I love music that features this kind of restraint. Extremely well done and it suits the mood very well.


Pheeleep -- Love the guitar. Good feel and well produced, definitely leaves in it's own direction. Reminds me of Eric Bournes entry as it has a similar feel.

Glooper -- great break at 26 sec, moves along nicely for a short song. Great sounding acoustic guitar. Electrics are less convincing.

Tancos -- a work this sparse needs a more convincing melody or mood. I applaud your restraint, but maybe this is too restrained. It needs one thing to grab me, because the mood is well done and deserves it.

Spheritoh -- great sounds, almost overdone (could use some of Tanco's restraint). too many melodies. what should I listen to?

Armadillo -- good groove, with good movement and sounds. Good build of tension. Doesn't take me far enough though...needs one big splash or hit for that release of tension.

liqih -- can't think of what this reminds me of, but it's a good memory. love the way the single snare drum hits ring out. a good use of 2 min.

Ixox -- good music and a nice try at English. I'd rather hear it in your native tongue, though. Your voice is fine, but the accent is sometimes distracting. This would probably be perfect in French.

Mystahr -- who needs tone. You don't and I'm not sure I do either. Sometimes mud just works.

Marc JX8P -- great intro mood. Drums sound too clean, too tight (for me, acoustic drums never sound good when the timing is tight). Doesn't quite fulfill the promise of the intro.

Beardedone -- like the disonant and fractured chords/bass rhythm. Too many note for me though a good representation of your work, I think.

Khepira -- wow, slow house music. Not quite trip-hop either. love the drums, just the right amount of dirt. excellent vibrato and tremelo where they are used. Good sounds, too.

T-willy -- already posted my thoughts on this. I think it works really well, though I know it is a departure for you. Turning a guitar based song into an effective dance number is harder than it looks and you have accomplished it admirably in a 2 minute format. Superb.

Guitar Computer -- this is a great representation of modern alternative (alternative to wot?). I alternately love it and hate. I'm going to have to come back to this one. It is well produced, though and great guitar sounds as usual.

You -- stream cutoff for some reason. I'll get back to it. Ok, this is really cool. Good vocals and drum sounds, just the right amount of effects, acoustic and electronic elements. With music like this I'm sure you'll get lucky before you die!

[SecondSkin]

Reviews, part 2:

Sason -- Sorry, don't like this much. It's trying to be too many different things. your voice is not bad at all, and is actually charming. The breakdown is pretty good, better than the rest. Don't like the synth sounds.

Mr. Tunes -- laid baaack dub, not quite Thievery Corp. Great mood, though.

Miro -- feels like a dirty city, and being from Detroit I should know. Vox sounds great and really fits the tune. Good drums and perc. Can't put a finger on why I like it, but I do. Excellent work.

Duncan Parsons -- I can't decide whether I like this or not. Actually, I do. Good panning and sound movement. A nice little journey.

Rsmus 7 -- Don't quite get it. Some good noises in there, occasionally an effective wall of sound, usually falls short though. Love the synth builds.

Vurt -- Some great sounds in there, and has an enormous feeling of space (listening on headphones). Not as heavy as some of your other stuff, but probably more listenable for most. Perfectly sparse.

Jax -- Superb opening sequence, good use of gated samples (in fact gated sounds abound, and are well done). I like this alot, has even more space than Vurt's track. Excellent tremelo strings, pulls me right in. Other strings are a little thin, but maybe rightly so as to not disturb the space.

JumpingFlash -- a woderful mood piece, what a wonderful world we have that this can be made with humble kit. Unfortunately, it grows to too many instruments at the end. Love the piano, string, and EP sounds, not sold on the muted trumpet. Don't like the ending at all.

Wilkoryte -- hmmmm, French AC/DC. Not working for me mate, but then I don't usually like rock anyway. Geeetars are well played, though.

Pao -- truly strange. Is it carnival music gone bad? I like the gone bad part, interesting use of detuned organs and the pizz strings are nice. Otherwise, just plain weird.

Windchillfactor -- Cool bongos, especially the fast rolls. Alot going on here, which I guess is the idea...you are trying to make a somewhat cacophonous atmosphere and it is a somewhat successful one. with that in mind, I'd like the vox to be darker and more haunting...

Garret -- this put a smile on my face, in a nostalgic sense. This has that 80's sound that hasn't really reemerged yet, with everyone covering synthpop hits. What are your influences -- could be Pixies, Violent Femmes, Prefab Sprout...cool

7zark7 -- Like this alot. It takes off and runs with little or no pretention at all. Love the bass and subbass, the HAL samples are not the obvious ones that everyone uses (except for the "sorry, Dave" bit)...good work

Scuzzphut -- Wow, those guitar's sound awesome, especially the Taylor. This builds perfectly, with little or no extraneous bits (it certainly doesn't need any, esp vox). The piano at the end is a bit odd as I didn't notice it in the mix before the end. I think someone else said it reminds them of Cocteau Twins, and while I would agree, I think it accomplishes that sound without immitating or trying. Love it.

Markleford -- again, another track that just runs away without pretention. Not my style, but well done for what it is (the soundtrack to a wicked robbery/chase scene???).

Visa Tipani -- another spacey ambient track, with alot of percussive elements. Not sold on the new age lead lines, just a pet peeve of mine (I wouldn't like them done by anyone). Good build, to just a few too many sounds, which was probably your intent anyway.

Codacoda -- Wow, great sample mangling. Sets a mood, then develops it to a conclusion, one of the few tracks to accomolish that in the 2 min limit. The scratches are perfect. Cool breakdown to the tremelo guitar (which is slightly overmixed).

Bernadine -- Acoustic guitar sounds perfect, as does the banjo. I can almost smell the campfire burning. End is very well done...not something you hear in an acoustic track.

Jens -- Vocals are very good, not quite great. Love the rhythm guitar sound, not the lead. Song itself doesn't move me, until the end, which I found to be much better than the preceding. I think it needed more change in dynamics, the quiet parts weren't quiet enough to differentiate the moods.

Col G -- This is oddly entertaining. Weird, strange and funny. Probably exactly what you were trying to do, and that says alot.

Phz -- I think you have accomplished your goal. You have commendably stopped short of that fine line where glitch becomes unbearable (at least to most ears). I find it to be effective and compelling. Nice work. Good do with even a bit more distortion, I think.

Bonteburg -- How very 70's. Love the sound of the guitar, and the drums too. This is lost in that space before prog rock went all self-indulgent. Very fun, but again one of those tracks that needs a break in that small 2 min space so that it feels more complete. Still, a very worthy effort.

Spaceman -- you have done a very nice job of fitting so many rhythms into a small space, as it does stop short of being a cacophony. The guitars are very nice, and the intro and end are superb. Doesn't do enough in the middle, and that is probably due to the 2 min limit. This track needs a few more minutes to really flesh out.

Mo-Verdigast -- This is truly gorgeous, surreal work, but I think you should have used the full 2 minutes as right now it simply sounds like one simple (but beautiful) idea. Again, this is another track that has just the right amount of elements. If you had added a melody line to this, it would have killed it for me.

Emil-A-man -- Wow, this track really works, and that is coming from someone who really rarely likes rock music. I don't think I would call it metal, per se, but it sounds very genuine and heartfelt, which is sometimes hard to do with a wall of sound. Very effective and well done.

[scuzzphut]

Scuzzphut -- Wow, those guitar's sound awesome, especially the Taylor. This builds perfectly, with little or no extraneous bits (it certainly doesn't need any, esp vox). The piano at the end is a bit odd as I didn't notice it in the mix before the end. I think someone else said it reminds them of Cocteau Twins, and while I would agree, I think it accomplishes that sound without immitating or trying. Love it.

Thanks a bunch, secondskin The piano is only introduced in the last 4 bars. You don't really notice it (because of everything else that's going on) until it's left bare at the end, as you said. Need to have a think about that.


Thanks for the #1 Vote


Thanks also to Sason and UTM for the votes.

I really appreciate it

[duncanparsons]

Duncan Parsons -- I can't decide whether I like this or not. Actually, I do. Good panning and sound movement. A nice little journey.

thank you!
DSP

[mystahr]

Thanks Secondskin; who needs tones

Also thanks to warbug for putting me so high there

[spaceman]

Spaceman -- you have done a very nice job of fitting so many rhythms into a small space, as it does stop short of being a cacophony. The guitars are very nice, and the intro and end are superb. Doesn't do enough in the middle, and that is probably due to the 2 min limit. This track needs a few more minutes to really flesh out.

Cheers mate, I think you're absolutely right

This was just a bit of fun I had some evening (slightly 'bong' induced ) and it's not what I usually write at all (although I'm really into any kind of guitar work). It could definitely do with some more minutes and I might do so if I find time away from my main project.

thanks for the nice words

[Patrick9]

Great vocals (samples?),

Cheers SecondSkin - Yeah, I sampled myself singing, put it into Sonar and used that.

Seriously though, thanks for taking the time and trouble to review the songs - the feedback is the most important bit.