Very cool tune mz!...I'd like to see the vocals a little more predominant than the guitar in the mix however this doesn't detract from the excellent timbre of your voice and the superb ethereal quality of this composition,I can't understand why anyone who is creative themselves finds this subject matter controversial,sadness and suicide are a fact of life ironically and expressing it through music is to be applauded not criticized...you have a new fan!
Man this is great!too cute!...your daughter must love this and what a blast it will be for her (and you)in the years to come,this transports me back into the days of black and white television (with Doris Day in the kitchen,lol).....and if this was played on national tv in the 60's it would have been a super hit,you could of changed history!
Hi Alex,as I'm listening to this I have the images of the small church you restored the organ in,such a beautiful setting,quite sublime....it is no wonder that some of that architectural wonder has found it's way into your music,a fantastic ambient fusion of sounds,this would have a wide spectrum of appeal from cinema to chillout and not forgetting jazz aficionados!...Ferryterry hits just the right style to lift this to the next level as well...great work! cheers Dave :)
thanks a lot Dave. Yes, my playing and music are strongly influenced by my former experiences - that's for sure! I hope I will progress with my jazz(y) keyboard playing soon. I can do that by exploring the acoustic instruments - it is just a matter of time!
Thank you again for some very kind words! It is much appreciated. Alex
Hi Pat....I know where you coming from here,do me a favour and listen to "The Faust Tapes" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrnBIMJhvnA I wouldn't normally paste a youtube video in a track review, but in this case if you listen to Faust you'll have a breakthrough moment believe me (well I did in 1973 listening to it! haha)....I really like the synthy bumblebee type groove,though I feel the overall track sounds a little dry and might be better having a good chamber reverb incorporating all the instruments by getting varying levels of returns...a lot of people might be going "wtf" (lol) however doing this sort of avant-garde music is excellent in my book,off the wall can be off the charts but never boring and always innovative...ps I was hoping to hear your cigar box guitar,next time maybe...all the best Dave
Hey friend, thank you for checking this track out! Have the faust playing in the background, thank you for the link... I do realize that it was probably groundbreaking at the time, though I don't know if I would listen to it much... heh. That synthy bumblebee groove came out of a recording of me messing with my modular... just chopped a piece out that sounded good and went with it. I see what you mean about the "dry" sound, though I was intending a feel which was on the dry side... You'd be surprised how many effects went into making the sound this way though. There is a nice non reactive reverb encompassing the whole mix, but that too was set dryer than usual for me. I guess I never thought of it as avant garde, but I understand. I gave some thought to waiting a while before releasing this track and adding some guitar work to it, but I felt that it would be far to cluttered that way, as it already took up over 40 channels. Plus I was really happy that both projects were started and finished pretty much simultaneously. I have been doing a couple recordings with the new guitar though, and will try to get something listenable out there soon. Thank you very much for your comment my friend!
Hey there my friend..Detlef this is so very cooool man!..laid back and so smooooth!..lots of very subtle nuances,the groove ebbs and flows and the drift into a very dreamy sequence is marvellous and almost unnoticeable until the green grass of Zappoland is way over your head!....super relaxing yet stimulating at the same time...exotic,sensual and Zappified to the nth degree...superb man! cheers Dave :)
Hi buddy
The next collab's probably me.
I know that my mix is not the best, but I'm working on it ... lol
In a new: maybe even before Santa comes lol
Thanks Detlef
Ok judging your mix craft here man....first impression..excellent vocal level....even better stereo imaging,plus great moving transients..cool!...You know Pat it's great to hear an accomplished musician like yourself step back and put on the production hat and even better to see the excellent results,as if there was any doubt!....I can appreciate the time and effort spent,the microtonal scrutiny involved..all hard and taxing work!..and then you start thinking is that the best mix I can do! lol...an audio engineer's job is not an easy one,but you do it like stepping off the curb!..much respect mate! cheers Dave
Hey Dave, good to hear from you! I really appreciate the support you've given here, and elsewhere over the years! I have trouble stepping off a curb sometimes, so in comparison the mixing and mastering seems easy...heh. It was so nice to work with some quality audio! I've come out of this project with a lot of new opinions about the process, and that is more than I could have hoped for. My mixing style is definitely not for everyone, but it makes me happy to know that it often appeals to people that I look up to artistically. Thanks again!
See here's the difference,there's instrumentals and then there's the human element,you just don't see instrumentals in the top 40 (100 or 1000 for that matter)..it's quite understandable,you can't really bridge the gap between everyday contemplative acceptance and total immersion rapture without vocals..unless your Beethoven that is! lol..A superb effort Richie and Farisha!..Now this is how you use autotune to it's full potential,just enough for architectural harmonic support without transforming into the pop Frankenstein we so often hear and this propped up by that excellent acoustic (sans piezo transducer) solo..man,you could walk across the tundra,mile after mile (apologies to Frank Zappa) before you found a better tone to compliment Farisha's voice,it's absolutely perfect!...one of the best arrangements and balanced tracks I've ever heard,a real testament to independent music artists everywhere.The end game of the corporate monopolies has arrived with this track,methinks it's time to employ your own marketing machine and go totally commercial,you can do your own thing later while sipping tall cool ones poolside in Ibiza!...awesome work Dave
I have to agree with your view on the autotune. I think it works well on the track and doesn't detract from Farisha's performance at all (or the timbre of her voice for that matter). I just feel privileged to have an acapella of this quality to work with and hope I have done it some justice.
It took me several attempts over a three day period to find something I could live with on the solo. My acoustic sounded too bright, a synth part just didn't sound right and a jazzy electric patch with the Godin was awful. I switched to the piezos and used a patch from Logic and finally something to work with. I am not unhappy with the way it turned out.
I am simply knocked out with your comments on the production and arrangement. Thank you.
Hey Alex...love the space in this piece,it definitely shows your broad perceptive vision and tonal grasp,not to mention your keyboard skills...love it!...I will be going through your tracks diligently very shortly,and I know it's going to be a wonderful experience...ok,with reference to your review of my track,at the moment I am putting a new body on a custom fretless bass that I made,which will make it a totally acoustic toned instrument,no magnetic pickups,just a piezo saddle,I hope we can then collaborate on some music together as I know we have a few things in common...again this is a superb composition!.....a splendid collaborative effort with Ferryterry!...cheers Dave :)
thanks a lot Dave! I really appreciate that.
would be great to make some music with you. I will spend some moments tomorrow thinking of what I can share with you and eventually let you know about the ideas if only anything will appear of course.
thanks again for your nice comments.
Greetings, Alex
Hey Jennifer...Cool tune and a funky little piece you've got going here..the vocals are great,a lot of people spend literally ages processing,agonizing and endlessly manipulating vocal tracks to get them right,I can tell you didn't have to do this because they sounded great to start with! (that is you singing right)....the backing groove could do with some side excursions of melody here and there maybe,though the vocals carry everything along quite nicely as it is...sounds cool and way fresh to me. cheers Dave/Planetjazzbass
Hey Detlef...great to hear you back on the instruments mate!!!..an introspective piece full of light,like the sun coming out from behind a cloud..I love listening to you play guitar,there are so many influences there,but they cannot hide the fully formed multi instrumental beast that is MrBongartz...fantastic composition,very wistful but full of new beginnings,the vocals were a nice touch as well....so glad you are back brother!.. cheers Dave :)
Twanna...this is such a great,great track!....Wow,where to begin.....I think you've crossed the bridge of your own conceptual determination,the feelings that created this piece have given rise to a creation of pure light in it's most literal sense,if anything can penetrate darkness it is light,not many people can focus their attention and create a construct that not only helps themselves but others as well...just amazing work,I know your a spiritual person with strong faith,this song is tapping into a universal language that everyone can understand,absolutely incredible performance on all levels!.....it's also great to hear Allen playing,he's so hand and glove with your style I can hardly believe it,perfect!...I'm going to listen to this a bit more in my car and do another review!!........brilliant! Dave
Thank you so much, my friend for your beautiful sentiments. It is truly a blessing to be able to express my inter-most emotions through music. I use the creation of music for my release in lieu of anything synthetic. My spirituality is very precious to me and gets me through my times of testing. I am so glad that aspect comes across in what the lord and I co-create.
I am looking forward to your re-review of the track.
God bless and have a wonderful weekend!
Pretty cool track man,however I find it strange that you go out of your way in your bio after saying your African that your flows are totally American influenced..it would sound so much better and interesting if you used your own African influences instead,while this is a good track it sounds so much like all the other old school hip hop that's dished up on a regular basis,just about every producer out there wants to sound different and be apart from the pack,I'll bet you could do that just like stepping off the curb and blow people's minds if your own culture shone through and not this rehashed murika style....just my two cents
cheers Dave
Yeah, I feel you on this. But you know, where I come from, there's no hiphop legacy. I grew up listening to hiphop from US, so yeah my style is influenced a lot by US cuz I didn't have a local rapper as an example to looks up too. I don't know how to rap as an African. My strength is in story telling and lyrics, unfurtinately African hiphop artists mostly do dance hall music which I can't really associate with. I reckon what you say tho, originality is what people look for when they wanna become famous. Me I just do what I like doing. And this track is a product of what I was feeling at the time I wrote it. You'll be surprised by my next track I guess. Thanks for your input. I was actually expecting this question, you can see how much I was prepared to answer it. Cheers dave. ;)
Hey Richie..pristine production values on this song make it a pleasure to listen to,I can't imagine how you could improve on that vocal performance,superb!...I'm struggling to remember the original version by Judy Tzuke (which I'll be looking up shortly)but I have a strong feeling I'm going to prefer this version though!....I think a lot of people will listen to this track and be blown away by the professional continuity it displays,the dream of many home grown producers is to create material to this standard,not only are you setting a bench mark here your proving in the most literal way how the home based recording artist can crack that holy grail"studio" sound.Cool with a capital C,radio ready if I've ever heard it...encore and some serious applause mate!
Cheers Dave
Thank you so much for your comments. It really is so rewarding to hear your view of the production and I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Pauline. She is a gem!
I guess I have never lost the feeling that when in a little studio I'm like a kid in a sweetshop! In the early days of recording to tape, high noise floor, restricted signal to noise ration and cheap and noisy foot pedals for effects it was always a challenge trying to produce something you could hear above the tape hiss!! (you will remember those days I'm sure). The technology is so much better now but the challenge is still to produce the best you possibly can from the resources you have. If I am somewhere near "studio" sound I am really very pleased indeed.
Hey Pat..interesting tune mate,especially the vocals,I put you on a par with David Byrne of Talking Heads (dead serious about this,it's not so much the accent it's your timbre and excellent continuity)...(hope we can get together for a collab some time mate)..the beat isn't exactly my cup of tea but it's definitely going to click with the electro set....subconsciously "borrowing"elements isn't stealing mate..it's paying respect....excellent work! cheers Dave
Hello my friend! I am so happy to receive a comment like this from you! To be compared to David Byrne is a big compliment, there are very few bands besides Talking Heads that have been constant fixtures in my life. There's been a lot of days and nights that were spent listening to their records, and I don't hear them nearly enough lately. I'm especially fond of "77", "More Songs About Buildings and Food", "Fear Of Music", and "Remain In Light". To say I have excellent continuity is really kind! These vocals were recorded probably 6 months ago or so, and though I think I've gotten better since, and could probably do them better now, I still appreciate the emotion and spontaniety of the recording. The half time parts of the beat aren't my cup of tea any more either, but it's a good snapshot of where I was at the time. Switched this to "industrial" since that's where I placed it on soundcloud, and in response to the comment right after yours. I agree with you that it's no big deal to subconsciously borrow from respected artists, I just am suspicious of Skinny Puppy's ability to get in my head. There's this song, and then two others which I gave titles that were basically identical to two songs on the same SP album. Just weird. I would be honored to collab with you sometime soon! Could definitely hear some awesome bass riffs that would inspire greatly! Thank you so much for listening and commenting!
Hey George..shit you've gone commercial man (big pause) well done! lol I've always liked your stuff and ability,it's not on my particular side of the musical street but I know a quality mix when I hear it...I do hope you can find a suitable female vocalist,hell there's got to be heaps out there literally waiting to jump on the right band wagon,it really is the difference between a hit and a miss if you can place that elusive 'voice'on the right focused track it seems,plus House music is a perennial constant these days..all the breast mate! cheers Dave
Ha! I haven't gone commercial yet.. but looks like I'm creeping closer n closer :p
I always appreciate your comments, especially seeing as I know it's not really your thing. I would have thought that it would be easy to find a singer, but the one's that have been approached so far and showed interest - well.. it's pretty obvious that nothing's worked out yet lol.
Hey Richie....Whoa man,Chill Out is so appropriate,this just nails the mood from note one!I love this version,it's beautifully suspended with acres of poise and space just dripping with fluid cool...superb vocals from Pauline Wright,she has her presence dial turned way up and the richness of her voice hits the sweet spot about mid pitch,the more I listen to it the more I'm digging it (second time is even better,awesome!)....fantastic mix worthy of a separate critique,it just steps off the curb and floats out of my monitors,brilliant....usually I would rave on about guitar solos and how impressive they are (the good one's that is! lol)however this one deserves a special mention,not so much as to what's going on as to what it achieves within the arrangement,the timing is so good it releases the static electrical buildup of the sexy vocals and lets the song literally bloom....excellent work mate,everytime I listen to one of your tracks I smile.
Dave
It's great to hear from you and thanks for stopping by and reviewing this track. I am always knocked out by comments that refer in detail to specific elements of a production and your perceptions of what I try to achieve with my work are always on the money. Yes I really wanted it to be "empty" in places and believe "less is more" can work very well. Pauline is becoming very comfortable in the studio (can you believe she never did any recording until recently?) and her talents are beginning to shine through very strongly. She is an absolute delight to work with. Thanks for the comments on the solo too. It was a challenge trying to play something that lifted the track without overpowering it. So pleased it sounds good on your system too.
Hey Nick...pretty amazing sound you've got here man,huge actually...when I listen to a genre that I'm not a dilettante in it doesn't phase me one iota,music is music after all and all the rules of arrangement,mix and production values apply..I do like the immediate plunge into the main groove and then the backing off and temporal stage it gives the whole piece solid dynamics and lets it breathe....I'd really like to see how you'd go in a flower arrangement contest,and I don't say this lightly,it's a real art and takes a focused perspective to get right...I'm pretty sure you'd be good at it (unfortunately it does come with a certain effeminate stigma if your male...not that I'd know! lol)....cool stuff mate Dave
Unfortunately you'd never see me in a flower arranging contest as i prefer cross stitch and basket weaving.
Thanks for checking the track out as i know it's not really your thing.
I haven't written anything as good as this for ages so i bought a bunch of synths hoping to add some new dimensions to my sounds. Trouble is i don't know what i'm doing with any of them yet so it aint happening at the moment.
Cheers again for dropping by Dave. Always good to hear from you.
FR
Hey Esti....a different style for you and a very cool tune indeed!..all the elements are sitting beautifully in the mix especially the vocals,up front where they should be but not too distanced from the music....Pop songs in my opinion are some of the hardest things to get right (not that I have any experience in producing them!lol)and maintain a balance between their genre brief of 'popular' and lyrical 'song'..this one scores big points in all departments and even more for being a successful collaboration...look out hit parade! cheers Dave
Hello stranger, thank you so much for the review, very pleased you enjoyed the track mate, means a lot, was a fun collab that's for sure, especially as the 2 guys are very talented in their own right, whom I look up too as artist here, and very good friends...Peace n Respect too you Dave...Hope all is good with you on your side of our great country...Mosaic...
Great sound man!..rockin the house on a professional level!I like the stereo split with the choruses,the vocals are way smooth right down to the last syllable,there's those that try and those that do and you two do!...awesome!
cheers Dave
Great vocals mate!..I'm digging the lyrics big time,I hate comparisons but your about six times better than John Mayall ever sounded!...I've got (now this isn't a criticism)a slight issue with the drum tempo while it does work I feel it's a little fast paced and creates some phasing with the singing..mind you some people go to extreme lengths to create this very nuance! lol...or maybe I've been straight for too damn long..haha cheers Dave
Haha thanx Dave appreciate that. I can see what you mean now about the beat, I didn't go to great lengths, just stuck it in a pot and hoped for the best. I'll rain that back a bit in the next mix. Cheers mate.
Hey funky human....great keys mate,a superb journey through Zappo space on your musical starship,very cool lead guitar,you could easily concentrate on that instrument alone and be Detlef the guitarist..but why would you as you are a multi instrumentalist supremo! .......Superb,tres vunderbar! (lol) cheers Dave :)
hI david
Excuse me, but I was long gone here at LM ...
I 'm in too deep in my thoughts , and captivated by new inspirations .
It begins a new chapter in music for me ... . , .
Thanks for the Refiew Detlef
Hey mate...all those old bitches are probably my ex girlfriends who immigrated to Germany to get away from me!lol..apart from your great arrangement and superb playing you must have spent a lot of time just on the drum track alone...reminds a little of Iron Butterfly in parts for some reason..I wonder if Grace Slick was a bitch? lol...cheers my friend,my turn for a new track next...take care! Dave :)
Interesting interpretation man,I'm familiar with the original and it makes me like your version all the more!....you've got that 80's Thomas Dolbyish electro vibe happening big time,I dig the vocal effect.....covers in my opinion are all the better when the musician transforms the piece into a whole new experience like you've done here..cool!
cheers Dave
Hey friend, haven't seen you around lately! I'm honoured to get your review! It's good to hear from someone who is familiar with the original. Thanks so much for the positive comment!
on Always Fine by mzzfedora
on A Song For Evelyn by nepaul
on All our fears ft PJB FutureAnalysis Ferryterry by promenade2239
Thank you again for some very kind words! It is much appreciated. Alex
on Claws In Me by Spivkurl
on Whiskey Place by zappo
The next collab's probably me.
I know that my mix is not the best, but I'm working on it ... lol
In a new: maybe even before Santa comes lol
Thanks Detlef
on ShortBusMusic Proximal Vicinity Ft Mark Ratcliffe by Spivkurl
on Stay featuring Farisha Haque by RichieWinn
Great to hear from you. Hope all is well.
I have to agree with your view on the autotune. I think it works well on the track and doesn't detract from Farisha's performance at all (or the timbre of her voice for that matter). I just feel privileged to have an acapella of this quality to work with and hope I have done it some justice.
It took me several attempts over a three day period to find something I could live with on the solo. My acoustic sounded too bright, a synth part just didn't sound right and a jazzy electric patch with the Godin was awful. I switched to the piezos and used a patch from Logic and finally something to work with. I am not unhappy with the way it turned out.
I am simply knocked out with your comments on the production and arrangement. Thank you.
Richie
on fusion1 ft ferryterry by promenade2239
would be great to make some music with you. I will spend some moments tomorrow thinking of what I can share with you and eventually let you know about the ideas if only anything will appear of course.
thanks again for your nice comments.
Greetings, Alex
on Voodoo that you Do by JenniferCollins
on Tomy Black by zappo
on House Full Of Lonely by Twanna1
I am looking forward to your re-review of the track.
God bless and have a wonderful weekend!
Twanna
on Black And Ugly by ThaTruth1
cheers Dave
on FOOLING WITH MADNESS - Bilbozo by Bilbozo
on Stay with me till dawn featuring Pauline Wright by RichieWinn
Cheers Dave
Thank you so much for your comments. It really is so rewarding to hear your view of the production and I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Pauline. She is a gem!
I guess I have never lost the feeling that when in a little studio I'm like a kid in a sweetshop! In the early days of recording to tape, high noise floor, restricted signal to noise ration and cheap and noisy foot pedals for effects it was always a challenge trying to produce something you could hear above the tape hiss!! (you will remember those days I'm sure). The technology is so much better now but the challenge is still to produce the best you possibly can from the resources you have. If I am somewhere near "studio" sound I am really very pleased indeed.
Thanks again and best regards.
Richie
on Technical Time Ft FarM by Spivkurl
on GnT - Colab With BigRedButton by WongKiShoo
Ha! I haven't gone commercial yet.. but looks like I'm creeping closer n closer :p
I always appreciate your comments, especially seeing as I know it's not really your thing. I would have thought that it would be easy to find a singer, but the one's that have been approached so far and showed interest - well.. it's pretty obvious that nothing's worked out yet lol.
Thanks again for your support mate :)
WKS
on Give me the night featuring Pauline Wright by RichieWinn
Dave
It's great to hear from you and thanks for stopping by and reviewing this track. I am always knocked out by comments that refer in detail to specific elements of a production and your perceptions of what I try to achieve with my work are always on the money. Yes I really wanted it to be "empty" in places and believe "less is more" can work very well. Pauline is becoming very comfortable in the studio (can you believe she never did any recording until recently?) and her talents are beginning to shine through very strongly. She is an absolute delight to work with. Thanks for the comments on the solo too. It was a challenge trying to play something that lifted the track without overpowering it. So pleased it sounds good on your system too.
Thanks again and best regards
Richie
on Nowhere Near by FreeRadical
Thanks for checking the track out as i know it's not really your thing.
I haven't written anything as good as this for ages so i bought a bunch of synths hoping to add some new dimensions to my sounds. Trouble is i don't know what i'm doing with any of them yet so it aint happening at the moment.
Cheers again for dropping by Dave. Always good to hear from you.
FR
on What I Was Missing-Colab-Shortbusmusic-Spivkurl by Mosaic
Hello stranger, thank you so much for the review, very pleased you enjoyed the track mate, means a lot, was a fun collab that's for sure, especially as the 2 guys are very talented in their own right, whom I look up too as artist here, and very good friends...Peace n Respect too you Dave...Hope all is good with you on your side of our great country...Mosaic...
on Venomous II ft Nepaul - Halfknot by nepaul
cheers Dave
on Say What You Will About Me by Darkreine
K;)
on Karambolage by zappo
Excuse me, but I was long gone here at LM ...
I 'm in too deep in my thoughts , and captivated by new inspirations .
It begins a new chapter in music for me ... . , .
Thanks for the Refiew Detlef
on OLD BITCHES by zappo
no questions ... lol
Thank you for your cooperation.
Detlef
on OLD BITCHES by zappo
without your talent, it would have been not so good.
Thank you my friend
zappo
on REM I Dont Sleep I Dream Spivkurl Cover by Spivkurl
cheers Dave