ValveDriver

Chris, this works, man.
I'm on my first play as I type this, and usually, I wait for at least listen 3 or 4 before I start putting words down, but good lord, man! The tone, texture and attitude of that distorted guitar is absolutely gnarly! I love it.
Typically, I don't really care if a song has vocals or not. I generally don't pay attention to them when they're there anyhow, (just a weird quirk I've always had), but my first thought on this was "Damn, I can almost hear Layne Staley in here." Then, I thought, "ooh even better...our very own Bananalu".
As far as the track itself, top notch, my friend. The mix is crystal, the arrangement, the instrumentation, everything, man. It works.
I love the fact that with the drums and bass, its not really about pushing the song forward as much as it is about carrying weight. The drums arent just keeping time, theyre holding the groove in place. Same with the bass. That lack of complexity is exactly what gives it its gravitas.

I already mentioned the distorted guitar. Man, its just sweaty, gritty, and sexy. The clean guitars make the intent of the song quite clear and they keep everything grounded. Nothing feels busy or unnecessary.

I think, really, this track works so well because it uses weight and restraint. It moves slow and confident. The low end does all of the seducing instead of relying on flashy dynamics or excess. Theres a dark, nocturnal sensuality to it, more pressure than motion, and more implication than release. Everything feels intentional and grounded, and that heaviness gives it this intimate, slightly dangerous feel. It doesnt chase your attention at all. It just pulls you in and holds you there.
It's like being F'd up in a dirty, underground-after-midnight bar with broken neon, and concrete floors, knowing you shouldn't be there, but too wasted to care.
Beautifully done, sir! I downloaded it so it can give it a home in my "Dark And Dirty" playlist.
Take care, Chris.
Aaron.

I like this. Especially Lu's part. That man knows how to put emotion behind his voice, ya know it? I don't think I've heard the original, but this is pretty damned slick.
Keep it up!
Take care.
V.

Mark, how are ya man? I thought I smelled some more funky goodness coming from the kitchen!
Honestly, I don't really listen to a lot of funk or jazz. Not because I don't like it, but because I just never really think to. I really need to change that. I don't have a lot in my experience to compare this to, but from what little I DO know, it kind reminds of some early Herbie Hancock. Not that it needs comparison, but sometimes it's nice to know that your work holds weight.
Excellent work, my friend!
Take care.
Aaron.

Paul, I love this! Valvedriver may be a dark SOB, but the man behind the mask loves Christmas! (But that's our little secret!). I'm not religious at all, but I love the tradition, the festivities, the lights, and all the other goodies that it brings. Especially the cookies and candies kind of goodies!
Thank you for helping keep the tradition alive, brother!
Merry Christmas!

What an original, and brilliant concept for a Christmas song. The Christmas dinner! I also love the fact that this an all new original Christmas song. Not just a cover of an old, tired, overplayed one.
Excellent work!
Take care.
V.

Sounds good, brother. You definitely have a handle on mixing the sub tones. Everything is always crystal. Excellent work, man.

Alan, how's it goin' man?
This is a cool piece. It reminds me a lot of early 90s Bowie. Especially when he was working with Trent Reznor. I think the instrumentation and the arrangement was well done. As far as the "home-made mixing", There are a few things that could be adjusted.
The drums could come up. Right now, they sit just a little too low in the mix. Especially when the 5:10 section starts with that increase of intensity. They get a little lost.
Same with the vocals. They're a little low. I would even add just a touch of reverb with a short decay. Doing so would let them bleed into the music for a more blended effect. Maybe even some delay and stereo separation in a few parts for a more dramatic effect.
Honestly, I'd love to have the stems to this to do a re-mix. Not a remake, but a re-mix. If that's something you'd be interested in, let me know.
Overall though, other than a couple mixing tweaks, this is a great track. It's got a good vibe. I like it quite a bit.
Take care.
V.

Anthony, hello.
Growing up in the midwest USA in the 70s and 80s, a white Christmas was a guaranteed thing. Now, not so much. For the last few years it's been almost 70 degrees (F) up until about a week before. The Christmas spirit has really suffered a hit, and most of the time, it just seems lost. But this year...totally different. It actually got cold and snowed before November was over! I couldn't have been happier about that. I finally feel like it's back. I'm a winter person to the bone. They can have their summer. Give me that snow!
This track has a good vibe for the season. I think the only thing that would have made it more Christmasy would have been some sleigh bells in the mix. Sleigh bells and some big chimes. But, that's just a matter of preference, I suppose.
Either way. Good work.
take care,
V.

With the bass guitar in there, it filled in that middle ground without leaning too far into one genre or the other. In my opinion, it's a perfect glue that brings them both together into one single powerhouse. Now, instead of both sounding like they're just playing together and cooperating, it's a solid entity of it's own.
Yeah, I totally liked it. I'm looking forward to hearing what you have loaded in the chamber!

Hey man, this is really good. I love the percussion. There's plenty of it, and it fits perfectly without getting sloppy. The stereo separation on your hats, snare percs, and 808 hits are spaced out perfectly. The hats are nice and wide, the snares are sitting perfectly just outside of the 808, but inside the hats. Excellent use of space there.
I don't know if it's your mix, or my earbuds, so take it how you'd like...but the 808 sounds just a touch too loud. By like...maybe 1 or 2 db. Either way. It's still a great track, and like I said, it may just be my earbuds.

Good work, man.
Take care.
V.

Yeah, man. That bass guitar in there is exactly what you needed! So far, I think this is your best one yet. Excellent work, man.

I like this. The sequenced bassline, and tight drums remind me a little of early The Prodigy. Using them in contrast to the droning synths are a good combination. It keeps it balanced.
Good work, man. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.

I am by NO means a professional, but I've learned a few things over the last 27 years, and I don't mind passing some of that along. I sent you a message directly through Looperman, so check your emails for that.

Mark, how are ya, man?
You knocked it outta the park, mister! This is like a Groove Casserole, man. It's got everything in it, cooked to perfection, and ready to serve.
Your mix is flawless in my ears. Everything sits exactly where it needs to and there's still breathing room even though the waveform is so thick.
Your profile says you play drums and keys. Are all the rest of the instruments in this track VST, or do you have other people playing on it?
Either way, this is top tier, my friend.
Take care.
V.

It's an alright track. I don't know if I would call it a "masterpiece" though. Increased volume isn't what you needed. What you needed is a more clear mix. As it sits now, the wavetable is a brick, but it's still muddy and hard to hear anything distinctly. Everything sits on top of each other and fights for space.
Increasing the bass just caused the other frequencies to duck. Not in the clear sidechain pump sort of way, but because it's dominating and won't let anything breathe properly.
I don't know if you're using loops, or if you have control over every element to this track. (Kick, snare, synths, pads, etc.), but either way, they should all be routed to their own mixer track, EQ'd, balanced in levels. stereo separated, and compressed (the right way).
If you don't know how to do any of that, and would like some guidance, I can help, and if others know you want to learn, I'm sure they would chime in too.
Knocking tracks out in 3 hours doesn't mean you're a pro. Quality wins over quantity every time. Fortunately for you, being a member of this site could benefit you greatly, if you choose that route.
Let me know if you're interested. If you're not, that's fine too.
Take care.
V.

Where I am, at the moment, it's 20 degrees fahrenheit outside, there's snow on the ground, and it's still coming down. Aside from the cat, I'm the only one awake. The house is warm, and the coffee is hot. This is a perfect soundtrack for such a morning. Thanks for sharing, man.
Take care.
V.

The backing track reminds me a little of Nujabes. I like where you were aiming on this one. The instrumental choices were a good combination, That's where I get the Nujabes feel from it. Specifically with the flute loops, and the stumble stops.
I have a few suggestions for your mix if you want them. If so, let me know. If not, just tell me to fuck off with it.
Either way. I like what you've done here. It fits your vocal flow very well.
Take care, Paul.
Aaron.

Aaron, how's it goin, man?
This is not a critique in any way. It sounds good just the way it is, but I'm wondering, have you ever considered dropping a Korn-like bass guitar in these hybrids? In my opinion, it would be the superglue that holds the metal to the trap. I think it would take it from "Shit yes!" to "FUCK YEAH!" Know what I mean?
Anyhow. Just a thought. Take it or leave it. Either way, it's a great piece. I like where you've gone with your initial idea, man.
Take care.
Aaron.

You've come a long way with your voice, Kay. You seem much more relaxed and comfortable with it now. What you've been putting out over the last few months has been top tier. Between you and Oli, you've come to create some exceptional productions. Good work. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.

Once you mentioned the Minecraft influence, I could totally hear it. Before that, it sounded to me like it could be in a film noir type of game. Definitely a detective game vibe. It sounds like the room you walk into after you've been wandering halls in otherwise silence, and then once you enter, the music starts playing letting you know you made it to where you need to be to start a new quest, or puzzle, or whatever. Good job, man. I like it.
Take care.
V.

Welcome to Looperman, man. Nothing like coming out swingin'! (Pun intended). And you did just that. This is some high quality work here. I look forward to hearing what you have in the wings.
Take care.
V.

Alright, man. So far, this one is my favorite of yours. Such a crystal clear mix. With the amount of reverb and delays in this, it's incredibly clean. I have to ask, what did you use for distortion on these synths?

I can only imagine what your FL Playlist looks like. I'm guessing it's Automation overload! But the arrangement is nice and tight, plenty of change ups and transitions, but not so much that it looses it's theme.
Excellent work, Dan. I look forward to hearing more like this one!
Take care.
V.

Dan, thank you for giving such a detailed response. I always enjoy knowing someones creative process. It really helps me enjoy the end product even more. Considering I build all of my tracks from absolutely nothing, (no presets, no pre-made loops) I know how labor intensive it can be, so I definitely have a deeper understanding and respect for the work you do. Not that I didn't respect it before, you're very good at what you do.
Funny how you can put 50 hours into a product that ends up only being 3 minutes and some change. But while you're in that 50 hours of work, it doesn't feel like it's that long. Or even like it's work.
Thanks again for a great response. My hat's off to you!
Take care.
V.

I like the fusion here. It doesn't make an unintentional mockery of either genre, but blends them well. Your choices with the guitars don't suggest that you're trying to be metal. The riffs you created aren't the traditional "metal" riffs. While they do have their own melodic element, you use them more as another form of percussion. The tight chugs are far more rhythmic than melodic, and it works well.
If you don't mind me making a suggestion, in the section starting at 4:20, it could use some background pads, and maybe a lead at a higher octave. Whether it's guitar, or synth doesn't matter. With this being so percussion heavy, there are a lot of choppy elements, (that's not a bad thing), But with it being such a long song, it could potentially cause ear fatigue in lesser mortals. (HA!) A nice smooth ribbon of a melodic lead would give the listener something to slide on for a minute. A breather, if you will.
Anyhow, that's just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth. It's still a great track as it is, man. Keep em comin'.
Take care.
Aaron

Hey Dan,
This is really cool. Im curious though, if the Godfather person handled all the melodies (including those in the drop), and the vocals are by a female artist, which parts were yours? Did you focus on the arrangement, percussion, or maybe the mix? Im genuinely interested in understanding your creative process, because whatever your approach is, its clearly working, and you consistently put out quality sounding work.

As for the track itself, it's no exception, it sounds great. The mix is clean, everything feels well-balanced and dynamic. The whole thing moves with that energy and motion that good dubstep should have. The vocalist, whoever she is, fits the vibe perfectly.

Nice work.
Take care,
V.