StaticNomad

Hello. Cool stuff.

Are you playing that bass guitar? Fine, strong funky playing with a very powerful tone and some higher pops.

Conga (?) percussion is good but around 1:29 I thought drums would kick into a fatter beat. Maybe it's lacking a bigger kick drum, not quite sure.

This is indeed both funky and infectious. I was disappointed with the sudden end. It should either fade out much slower or just have a proper, definitive end (so, no fade).

But, overall, it's well produced and the instruments all slot well together.

Hi. I like the extremely laid back drums that start this off. Quite jazzy and then the excellent FutureAnalysis vocal sample comes in with some gentle keys.

Drums are almost too laid back! It's the sort of drumming I could play lots of jazz and blues guitar over.

0:50 more very good vocals. This is perhaps too strange and chilled out for some people so maybe that's why you don't have many comments so far.

3:37 those deep, ethereal vocals sound amazing and there's now some d'n'b from the drums. But the drums are lacking bass. A very weak kick. So the d'n'b doesn't really make the track uptempo. It's still very chilled out.

4:49 guitar sample? Very cool, funky playing.

This is a big, widescreen mega chillout piece that really is a fusion of a lot of things. Definitely my sort of sound and feel and lots of beauty to enjoy in this one.

Well done.

Greetings, Mr Extraball.

Some classic funky Rhodes (reminds me a lot of a Fun Lovin' Criminals track. Maybe Smoke Em?) and then a solid beat that is built upon at 0:36.

Everything sitting very tightly.

1:00 those vocals are awesome. Where are they from/who are they? Probably too much reverb on them but that's your choice.

1:48 clavichord change was needed then as the previous riffs had become a little monotonous.

Lots of funk in this.

2:37 beat gets subtler(it was just starting to get a bit boring) and there's some extra percussion in bongo/djembe form as well as some very cool bass guitar pops. Love that sound when it's done right.

Then a cool, big string sound, which continues in the background as those fine vocals return on 4:12.

Shame you didn't play any of this as I'd give you much higher marks if you had.

Overall, it's a well produced, tight and neat funky, cool groover and I don't have any additional production criticisms. Well chosen and arranged loops...

Yeah, screw that namby pamby chillout shit. No one likes that. Let's get rockin'!

First 30 secs really didn't grab me though they'd be fine to set the scene in a club. Ah but then it gets much better with a solid beat and bassline.

0:46 delayed squealing synth is cool. Need some of that in my music.

1:02 VST guitar is pretty good. Slightly fake but it's still a cool sound.

1:33 arp synth enters to make things more intense and the bassline gets busier too. Only problem with this increase in intensity is that the drums stay a bit flat and don't seem to go up or more powerful with everything else. Only a small thing as they're already pumping but perhaps a little room for improvement there.

2:49 squelchy creature fill.

Nice fade in volume of drums to 3:04 then another synth screech and more drum work to make things a bit funkier again in this middle more chilled section (not namby pamby).

3:50 good short guitar break though it does contain a little audio pop sound that slightly spoils it.

And then we're back dance rocking.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black but I feel this is maybe a about a minute too long as there wasn't too much new in the last 3 mins. Yes, there was an arp synth solo but I still feel you could chop at least 30 secs and have the track punchier.

As I said in my other reply to you, I managed to recently get a track down to 5:45 and have also done a 4:00 min one this year.

Funny old things track lengths - no rules so it's only about how it feels so I'm just offering my humble opinion, as I always try to do reasonably honestly (hopefully never brutally so).

Hi again. You said in another reply that you’re a classically trained musician. And I can hear that in your playing. I always sort of assume that classically trained piano/ keyboard players play at least some jazz as part of their learning.

I’m a poor to average keyboard player (stringed instruments are my thing and what I feel most comfortable and natural playing) so definitely can’t do the keys work that you do. I program a lot of my synth stuff but couldn’t program the timing and touch and improvisational stuff that you’re doing just in this track.

I’d probably really screw up programming the last piano section that is a strange mix of melodic and atonal.

“I will let you know when I will record something on changes”

This track is pretty damn good without any changes. I guess I would have preferred it to be a bit longer and less rushed but I like longer form music in which I get to hear sections for longer. If a riff or part is good, I usually like to hear it at least a few times.

Good luck if you choose to make any changes.

Greetings. Thanks for your reviews.

This is some pretty raw acoustic sounding jazz, even though you're using some loops.

Bass gets very funky at times and plays some very cool lines.

Great ride cymbal groove at 0:12.

0:20 switch to a tight hat-based groove.

Very jazzy keyboard work to go with the bass and drums. I think you're playing a couple of different keyboard sounds.

1:08 piano stab chords I really like.

1:37 swing that ride cymbal again! Good change there though maybe that ride is just too short again.

But this is a pretty direct, short piece with lots of short sections and changes.

1:50 to the end piano (quite discordant as well as melodic) is well done. Quite a mix of melodic and atonal though, which isn't always easy to get right.

Well done and I don't really have any production criticisms.

This is fine work and I liked it within a few seconds. That wavering intro is awesome. I loved the high notes.

0:19 we get cool, tight bass and another, distorted synth enters shortly after.

Then some good crashing toms.

0:57 funky little melodic guitar is a nice surprise. Sample, I guess.

1:26 chugging synth is a little like some metal guitar riffage. This has quite the rock band feel but is all synths apart from that little guitar sample. But that guitar's not rock music so adds a cool contrast.

The structure of this is interesting as it kind of sits like ambient music but you could also dance to that bassline.

Some other strings are in there somewhere too.

You know that if I'd made it, the drums would have kicked into a fat beat and it would have gone big and rocking and so on. But not doing that is also a bit different and a perfectly good choice.

No production criticisms from me as it all sounds very professional.

Feel free to tell me a bit more about how you put this together.

Your Worrying About A Boatload Of Dickheads track idea makes sense. The main problem is that, unsurprisingly, I don’t like the sound of douchebagian yammer so wouldn’t want to have to listen to it more than once. So, it’s highly unlikely to appear in any of my tracks, which are all far out sonic escapes from everyone and everything, and certainly each and every dickhead.

They don’t deserve to appear in any of my compositions and it’s annoying every time I go out and come across such people.
“random sloshing sounds”

Yes but I can do better: use paddling sounds in place of a hat or cymbal. So, tightly sequenced watery grooves. Could sound fun. Would be weird if it was playing a reggae groove.

Water metal could also be pretty strange. Need some heavy, crashing waves for that. Of course! And maybe lightning in place of cymbals plus heavy rain. Nautical metal! There’s a genre I really must invent. Perhaps someone already has (maybe that group Ahab).

“I can't imagine not being interested in driving.”

Yes, you can. It’s not a great leap of imagination.

“There is nothing like slamming an accelerator to the floor.”

I know what you mean but some serious onstage riffage while slamming a volume pedal is similar though it doesn’t make you travel fast. Perhaps if you’re on the hoverboard (or just wire, a la Garth Brooks and others) and maybe the accelerator is connected to overdrive. So, as you slow down your movement, you lower the distortion.

“This Mean Motor Scooter is a pretty heavy title”

Damn right it is. I’ve been waiting for something to do it justice. The “wild onslaught” in the second half of my recent track Brain The Size Of A Planet very much qualifies but not really the track as a whole due to the chillout first couple of minutes. You used that phrase to describe my track The Bigger The Fatter The Better so I need to come up with something similarly badass and then This Mean Motor Scooter will be applied.

Till then, I’m keeping that title up my sleeve, so to speak.

In case I happen to come up with a series of interlocking riffs and riffs and beats that sound like a bunch of pricks chattering away, I promise to call it Douchebagian Yammer, in your honour. Actually quite a cool, weird title. Shame about the meaning...

P.S. I now have a bicycle trailer so can cycle about and pull the packed up boat behind. Can even fold up the trailer and then stick it in the boat (but not the bike).

Excellent vocal performance here.

I had not heard of the original song so went and checked it out (and I like it). I really think your vocal performance is better. Very confident and full-voiced.

Unsurprisingly, the original has much better recorded vocals. You really need to sort out your recording setup, get a better mic etc.

That way you can do justice to your fine vocals.

Hello. This sounds great right from the start eg that chord on 0:03. Great guitar sound.

0:14 nice how the drums come in. I love the kick. My big problem is that the noisy, swirling sound (brush snare swirls?) is too loud so it's taking up too much space.

0:17 keyboard notes are very pretty.

0:25 more shaker stuff that helps push the track forward.

So, lots of excellent things just in the first 30 seconds. Then there are some good chord progressions leading up to 1:11 when the beat breaks out a bit and you get strumming on that guitar.

1:37 return to the main theme but with different drums.

1:34-1:37 transition is very well done and we get to the hear the bass a bit more.

If you add vocals to this, they must be very good because this is excellent work so you don't want to spoil it with only average or OK vocals. If you don't get a vocal, please extend this for about 1 minute and give it a proper ending.

Congratulations.

Yo, Spiv.

"Honestly suspected that I chased you away or something"

No, you certainly didn't. If I haven't commented on a track of yours for a while, it's probably because I haven't liked a track of yours for a while. I generally only comment on stuff I either like or that I think has potential and for which I also feel I can help suggest improvements. So, no comments for stuff that annoys me or stuff I think is OK but not worth me spending my time analysing in detail.

We have quite different tastes though they certainly cross over at various points. You have some weirder stuff that really isn't my thing but I don't bother telling you that each time I hear one of those sorts of tracks.

The piercing notes might sound better on a good stereo setup. I don't know and was listening to this on cheap earbud headphones. But maybe it just is too piercing and the better sound quality won't remove that.

Not sure what a late night is - depends what hours you keep. But definitely after you've been up more than about 18 hours.

Hope you get some good feedback on your latest album. I have so many to release! Must get round to that.

I don't know the original.

Pauline Wright is certainly a fine singer.

0:48 bass and drums are simple but effective. Nice, gentle ride. Could maybe have done with a little more drum variation and fills but it's OK going without in a track like this.

Strings' notes are nice. Their sound is OK. A little fake but not bad.

2:24 electric guitar adds a bit of grit. Again, her vocals are pretty damn faultless. Short Ovation solo is fine though I'm not that keen on its tone. Bit too bright.

Overall, good production and playing, with the vocals the obvious star.

Word up, Spivkurl.

I can remember saying on another of your tracks (can't remember which) that some of it sounded a bit like Hot Chip's excellent Over And Over.

Well, this sounds more like it as soon as the hats enter on 0:30. It's the bassline too.

Check out their fine track again (only thing they've ever done that I like) to see what I mean:

Hot Chip - Over And Over

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mdgLn5BFRQ

1:32 lead swirling, panning synth I like (good melody and movement). Except for the sharp, piercing notes it rises to. Too harsh on my delicate little ears.

I guess this has a weird, low key sort of coolness about it. Kind of late night lazy, dancefloor chiller when you're too wasted to dance hard.

Congrats.

My first thought on seeing such a tiny little waveform is that it should be louder.

But then I got listening and it seems to be OK.

Anyway, this is gentle, lovely stuff. Those harp (?) notes move wonderfully. Slow fade in of bass and something like cello. Vocals are very good and sensual. Who's singing?

Shame you couldn't give some description of what's going on here. Did you play all this? Anything?

2 min and extra percussion works surprisingly well though doesn't make it into a banging track, even though it's pretty fast and busy. Just kind of sits on top while everything else move slowly underneath.

An unusual piece of music that impresses me.

3:10 guitar is another cool addition and it's a solo I like.

Then she returns, along with a flute to finish things off.

Oh no, but the end has been chopped off. Why is that?

Very good and distinctive work. Hope you can answer my questions as I'm interested in this track.

A rainy fade-in intro with some delicate synth sounds building up and then we have a vocal slotted into the mix. She has a soothing, kind of sexy voice.

Some bell-like sounds and then we get to a bass drum beat and some bigger choir vocals as the lead.

Pretty dreamy, far out, escapist stuff here and it all sounds pretty clean. Bass is very subte but that works fine.

2:35 it gets a bit bigger and more dramatic.

3:04 nice held, high vocal and then a return to the spoken word and the rain to finish things off.

Good work and definitely good chillout music.

This is good.

I like the melody and tone of the fake chiming guitars at the start but their timing makes them sound quite synthetic. If you could quantise them a bit to give them a looser feel, I think that might help a lot.

That lack of groove from the fake guitars continues throughout the track and they are the main backbone of the track. I still like them but know they could be better.

0:32 when the reverbed shaker comes in drives things forward nicely. It just is a good, solid groove and at my kind of tempo.

0:43 those synth aahs are cool.

1:22 little break is goodd before the flute enters, which I also like.

Ah, lots of stops in this one. It's kind of what youre doing instead of drum fills.

Overall, this has a bright, uplifting and positive fairly deep sort of sound.

I think you've left enough space for vocals. Another way of looking at it is that there could be a bit more going on musically after about 2:08 to keep things interesting (if it stays as an instrumental).

But, if you have vocals, you won't need to do anymore as the music will be quite busy enough once those vocals are in place.

Greetings again.

Piecing vowel and consonant sounds together sounds like it would take a long time. Especially if you’re then tuning those samples to make the melody. It really doesn’t sound artificial but rather like a woman actually singing so you seem to have got it right.

My only problem is with the small edits, pops or plosive sounds for which I have already given time references. I don’t know if you can go back and fix them to make them a bit smoother but I’m sure it would help just a bit, though I imagine some other listeners would not even notice those minor errors.

I had assumed the vocals were just others bought from sample packs, as with Veela’s vocals.

“the last parts are repeat but in those repeats are a lot of subtle sounds that are gradually added to build things to a climax.”

Yes, I noticed some variation from before but not a lot. I think you could maybe have the same parts but choose some different synth sounds (or just one) to make the section more interesting and new.

Good luck.

P.S. Just for fun, check out the track Down That Road by Shara Nelson from about 1993. My mum bought me the single of that when I was about 13 and it turned out to be pretty good.

...but tomorrow war is fine? Sorry, a little joke I couldn't resist.

Very first powerful, thundering note actually sounds pretty heavy and a little like metal.

Then wavering pad and time to bring in some bass 'n' beats etc. Some simple rising chords and the piano's getting busy at 0:59 on top of that skippy beat.

1:14 is gets trancier with that lead and then funkier with the bass movement. Lots of detailed work here though this isn't really my sort of genre. But people into this sort of dance music will really like it so a good few Looperman favourites coming your way soon.

2:18 with those vocals is where it gets better for me as they're fine vocals.

2:24 is there a slightly awkward edit, pop or plosive sound on the vocals? Also 2:27, 2:39.

4:45 and I really felt that you were just doing more of the same as before so nothing that new for me to comment on. But, if you're going to repeat sections, just as well that they're good sections.

Overall, this is uplifting, upbeat ambient sort of trance with some big, well balanced sounds and a touch of class coming from the vocals.

Congratulations as I can hear the detailed work you have put in here.

P.S I hope you're not confused about what to make of this review (like last time) as I've tried to be pretty clear about what I think.

Damn, I was listening to the first couple of minutes trying to work out why you thought this track was weird as I found it somewhat beautiful. Then I got my answer around 2:20.

It is weird to only think about frogs and helicopters!

So, first couple of mins have nice pads and an uplifting set of piano chords and other gushing, unfolding pad stuff.

0:30 cello stuff is very warm. My main problem there is that the drums are too dry and everything else has reverb on it so I'd give the drums some reverb. Just a light touch to send them as far out as the drums.

1:13 good dramtic transition as reverse cymbal takes us into another piano-led section.

1:45 string hold and fade is good. And then there's more movement, almost arpeggiation, on a lower string part. Drums are a bit too minimal and simple for me.

Then 2:20 weirdness and then some odd glitching and scratching. Can't say I like it too much but it's definitely weird and trippy. Bit too much of a gimmick for me.

Then we're back to the beautiful stuff, which is what I like about this track but then you go and glitch it up again. How about just making the glitching a lot subtler and less extreme?

4:05 is a good opportunity to do more with the drums but they're the same as at the start. Could really build them to make the track bigger and more powerful. Then vocal sample and scratching is pretty much the same as before.

Overall, a unique track with some bits I really like (but which can be improved) and others I didn't really like (which can also be improved).

Good work.

“And here we have it. The post from the one and only? Static Nomad.”

Yes, it’s the one and only me back again. I’m glad my review was interesting to you.

I’m not sure if I always expect “greater fill-ins and louder drums” from your tracks. Probably because I can’t remember my previous reviews of your tracks. Well, maybe one in which I suggested some drum improvements.
I do happen to like lots of drum movement and activity, as you’ve probably noticed from my own work.

One thing I do find is that once you start doing regular fills in a track (so, at the end of every bar or every other bar) you kind of have to keep it up otherwise it sounds like something is missing. However, if you have fewer fills in a track, it doesn’t sound like there’s anything missing if you continue not having many fills. I hope that makes sense.

So, if the drums don’t do fills very often, it’s perhaps more noticeable when they do. Anyway, you’ve probably already worked this sort of thing out for yourself. I just thought I’d mention it.

Aside from drum fills, I also like drum stops/dropouts of a half or quarter bar. That’s very effective and just as dramatic as a drum fill. Especially when the drums come back in even bigger.

I still think your track is good and there’s no reason for you not to be proud of and declare it the best thing you’ve done.

See you in my next review...

Yo. More classic house from you.

There's a bit of unnecessary noise on that intro bass.

1:03 drum fill then really catches my attention, as does the lead that follows right after.

Acapellas are good, as you'd expect from ones you've bought.

1:36 funky lead sits nicely.

Then you go for a breakdown and a minute's build. Pretty smooth! I rarely do big, lengthy builds but then I don't really makes dance music. Certainly not club music. I know those builds work really well on a dancefloor. Gives people a chance to have a break and then get excited again and guess when it's all going to drop.

This type of deep house I do quite like though loads of the cheesy stuff turns me off (what a surprise).

Second half's review coming another day.

You'll get a lot of love for this one and probably a good few collaborations. That's because it's really good and your voice sounds the best I've heard it sound.

Simple, effective guitar chords and the vocal sentiment is good.

My crazy idea won't happen but it's what I'd try to do if I were going to download and work on it.

So, it would be extremely obvious to just add some rock drums, strings, bass etc and you'd have a commercial sort of potentially hit pop song. But it would sound like a whole load of others.

So, as you're just singing over the same loop, I'd make the different verses different genres. So, the obvious pop/rock drums, then drum 'n' bass, then dub/reggae and so on.

That would really be interesting and set it apart from various other songs I've heard that sound similar. So, you and the guitar stay the same but everything/nearly everything else changes every minute or so.

I shouldn't think anyone will actually do it but I can hear in my head how it would work.

-

Beardyman treat. This one's 20 minutes of excellent, unplanned fun:

Comedy Lounge - Beardyman on BBC Radio 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUKJA4UAruw

So, the additional detail I promised, even though you didn't reply to my previous comment.

Swelling strings intro works well and then we're into a 4-part mix of bass, drums, strings and something like harp that sounds great.

Good snare sound and reverb on drums. I can't tell if it's a bass guitar. I'm thinking probably synth. Bass is nice and sparse at certain points, leaving space for other elements eg drum reverb to ring out

Then her fine, soaring vocals which are so classy there's probably not much else I need to say about them.

1:30 good reverse cymbal (something I often can't stand).

Drum removal breakdown a good choice at 1:42 and then you reverse back to the main harp theme.

Synth chiming solo after that at 2:26 that goes on longer than I expected though that's not a complaint.

Then return to Veela for a while and bring it all to a close with no new surprises.

Very consistent group of instruments and sounds you have here and I cannot criticise the mix (and I always try) as everything has its natural-sounding place.

Fine work to be proud of.

Word up, gbaby.

I dislike probably about 95% of the trap I've heard (which has mostly been on this site) but I think his is pretty damn good. It's got some real depth and melody to it.

The bass is quite alluring and not too heavy and doesn't interfere with all your melodies.

Your tinkly bell sounds have a really good stereo spectrum
and I can't really fault the production in this as everything has its place.

0:38 slightly Asian lead is probably my favourite element.

I checked your profile and you say you have no VSTs What did you use to make this? Just synths in Ableton?

You know there are loads of freeware VSTs you can get?

I hope you get some other VSTs or whatever as you deserve as you've got some goo ability and feel for music making, just judging by this track.

Good length track as well and doesn't really need any vocals.

Excellent work!

Greetings. Another review for you because you gave a good reply to my last review.

Piano intro is decent and there's another melody layered in there that works well.

0:31 main theme is a simple, uplifting few chords. And you're building up to letting those drums drop ie 1:16 as the kick enters.

I find the synth sound of the main theme a bit too bright and fizz. So, try using filters (eg cutoff and resonance) to tone that down a bit. Or EQ might also work.

Also, that main sound sits there just the same the whole track so you could definitely give it more variety and have more fun with it if you automate some filters or EQ or delay or reverb. Or maybe all of them.

1:30 another woodblock sort of synth instrument with another melody.

2:15 we abruptly lose the drums in an effective way so you can break it down and then bring it all back in again.

This is fairly uplifting stuff you can dance to.

You can improve it by getting so better definition on your drums and sculpting the sounds a lot more. You can do it by hand using MID controllers or you can just do what I do - draw it all as automation (with the mouse) that controls all of your different parameters in Logic (not that I use that software).

So, you have different 'lanes' for everything you want to control. Please ask if you're not sure what I mean and I'll answer.

Anyway, good work. Very good for a second track!