ValveDriver

Hello StratOli.
I'm very much a metal head. The heavier the better. But, I'm a sucker for some blues. I can't pass a track labeled as such. I'm glad I stopped for a listen. It sounds good, man.

Hello Anthony. I enjoyed this. The musical elements really set the tone for the content of the spoken word.
Excellent work.
Take care.
V.

Zoot, I like it. It sounds like it could be something from a Mark Lanegan project circa mid 1990s. The chorus (?) effects on the guitars, I think, are what does it. It could easily fit in a play list with Blind Melon, Screaming Trees, Soundgarden, etc.

Micky's bass is a great addition. It sounds much fuller and warmer now. Kudos to Micky.

Honestly, I don't think the 2-3 minute mark needs anything at all. I think the synths you have in there are exactly as it should be. It's such a mellow tune that anything more would be distracting, or maybe even ruin the flow.

Yeah, man. I totally dig this.

I sent you an email a few minutes ago with an idea or two. If you like them, get a hold of me.

Take care.
V.

Hello Anthony. It reminded me a little bit of The Art Of Noise. That's a compliment.
In my ears, the mixing was done well. The structure was done in a way that kept me listening, so....
Good work, man. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.

Kay, this is really good. Not only the music and vocals, but the lyrical concept. You've managed to express the feeling that perfectly fits the idea. Excellent work to the both of you.
Take care.
V.

This is good. You've done a good job on the mixing for sure. I'm just curious, do you use loops, or do you create from Default, or a little of both?
Excellent work either way. Keep it up.
Take care.
V

Hi Rita,
You say you made this as a joke, but it's done so well! Not only is it done well, but it's also catchy. I like the way you incorporated more depth in the vocal melody. It's almost bouncy. It works well!
Keep them coming, Rita!
Take care.
Aaron

You know what, man? Greatest voice or not, you're not afraid to put it out there because that's what YOU want to do. I'm sure you've noticed that there isn't a Valvedriver track on here with my voice in it. (There is one that exists, just not here.) So, there's that.
Tell ya what, though, you might do well to try Reggae. I mean, if you like Reggae, that is. Doesn't make much sense to do something you don't enjoy.
Either way, kudos to you, man. Keep it up!
Take care.
Aaron

Marco, I would have loved to hear you and Spivkurl put something together back in the day. It could have been a very interesting collaboration, to say the least.
Either way, I like this one. The swirling arps kind of grab you and don't let go until it's completely faded out.
I hope to hear more from you someday!
Take care.
V.

Hi RIta.
I like this one quite a bit. It has a very Leonard Cohen feel to it. It's what I imagine Marianne Faithful doing a cover of one of his tunes would sound like, and it sounds good. keep them coming!
Take care, Rita.
Aaron

Kay, hello.

After reading the previous comments, it seems clear that you all have a hit on your handsand with good reason.

It feels as though youve truly found your voice, both literally and figuratively. These last few tracks youve released have been a noticeable step above. Your delivery now comes across as far more relaxed and confident.

In my opinion, you and Oli share excellent chemistry. It reminds me of artists like Lords of Acid, Goldfrapp, and even Garbagewhere a powerhouse producer lays down strong, masculine foundations that are perfectly complemented by delicate yet powerful feminine vocals. Its such a compelling combination.

Excellent work, Kay. Im looking forward to hearing what you create next.

Take care,
V.

Micky, hello.

I really enjoyed this. Ill admit, I was a little hesitant to hit play when I saw the RnB tag, but knowing you consistently put out quality music, I gave it a chanceand this is no exception.

The structure is fascinating. At first, it feels like a collection of individual parts, each doing its own thing. Everything is cohesive, yet distinct. As the track progresses, the elements begin to blend more and more. By the time it reaches the 3:20 mark, the sounds merge so seamlessly that it becomes a rich, enveloping groove you cant help but get drawn intoand dont want to leave.

The overall energy is fantastic. It has this acid-jazz, funk, disco hybrid vibe that feels very Jamiroquai-esqueand that is definitely.....A good thing.

Take care,
V.

Quality, as always. To me, and I mean this as a compliment, it sounds like the soundtrack to a killer cyber-logic, fever dream type game. I could totally get lost in this while figuring out some F'd up puzzles in a cyberpunk town full of crime and chaos.
I like it, man.

Excellent work! I was pleasantly surprised at what was waiting for me when I clicked play. Based on the title, I was half expecting a version of Barber's adagio done in heavy metal form. I mean, I know that "Agnus Dei" is literally translated to "Lamb Of God", but having been a listener of heavy metal since the cold war, my mind has been conditioned find metal first, logic second. lol
Either way, your piece here is quite grand, and very well produced. I enjoyed it.
Again, excellent work.
Take care.
V

This is pretty good. It's kind of all over the place, but it works here. I think the only thing I noticed that didn't sit quite right was the section starting at 1:45. The kick and synth levels were a bit higher than the rest of the track. I think a minor adjustment there and it would be spot on.
Either way. Cool track.
Take care.
V.

Welcome back, Paul. I hope everything is looking up for you, brother. Good to hear you're still at it.
Take care, bud.
Aaron.

Well man, I've been listening to industrial since the early days of Wax Trax, and I gotta say, you did a fine job with this one. The high-gain guitar work definitely has that KMFDM ring to it, and yeah...there's a lot of synth work in here. Good job on that. Did you create all the patches yourself, or are you using presets/loops?
Excellent work, man. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.

Paul, how are ya now?
Considering you just picked up a DAW in January, I'd say you're doing alright. There are definitely some improvements that could be made, but you're off to a good start.
One thing I suggest is that when you decide which key you're going to work in, figure out which notes/chords correlate with that key. Then when you're composing, you can make sure that everything sits in the right place. I bring this up because there are parts where your instruments don't quite sit comfortably together, creating a dissonance that leaves it sounding "off". Because it is. That doesn't only apply to your synths, bass, and other instruments, but, your kick drum as well. Any time you have a drum with any sort of a decay or sustain, like most electronic drums do, you'll want to make sure they're tuned to the key as well.
But, I have to say, for a beginner, job well done. You'll learn as you go. I've been doing it for almost 20 years and I'm still learning new things all the time. As long as you enjoy it, you'll keep improving.
Keep it up.
Take care.
V.

I must be showing my age, dude. You said "old school vibe" meaning Dre, Cube, Easy E, or Tupac. I read "old school vibe" and I was thinking some DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, or Grandmaster Flash type shit.
Either way, it sounds good. A nice return. I think the intro is fine. I'm going to mention this, but take it with a grain, because it may just be my earbuds, but it sounds like the vocals could come up just a C hair in the mix.
Other than that, damn near perfection.
Good work.
Take care.
V.

Well that was unexpected. I love the New Orleans jazz cabaret sound here. Honestly, I think this is your best by way of vocals. They fit right in the mix, and they sound good. If you were to do more of this, I would not complain, one bit.
As far as Mercury being in retrograde, I think that's every day in my camp!
Take care.
V.

Bullitt, how are you?
I listened to this, and as I did, it reminded me a lot of the mid/late 90s and early 00s industrial bands. Assemblage 23 to be specific. Maybe some Wupscut if it had more distortion. But that's not important. We're here to celebrate your track. Not theirs.
I, for the most part, agree with Manuela on her assessment. As it stands, it's a great track. You've mixed it well, and it has plenty panning and spacial dynamics that give it movement. It does have enough change ups that, overall, it's not a monotonous track at all.
I think, personally, I would have added a few impacts and dowlifters for that extra little touch that would make this song soar above and beyond. Especially at the 2:10 mark like Manuela had mentioned. A good impact right there would kick that section off with great power. But, you know, that's just, like, my opinion, man. Take it for what it's worth. As I said, this is great the way it is. Even if you change nothing.
Take care.
V.

Hey Bullit. I'm really liking this. That bass line is fantastic. Such a good groove. Your mix is done very well, and you have a lot of movement. Which, to me, is important in minimalist tracks.
I agree with Danke, it could almost be trip-hop, or even chill-out. But, as he also said, genres really don't matter. It's just a good track, and that's what matters.
Excellent work.
Take care.
V.

Zoot said that you should use your voice more. I agree. It's like Dave Gahan had a kid with SImon Le Bon, and then sent it to grow up with Richard Patrick.

I had completely forgotten about Talk Talk. I was never that deep into them, but I never complained when they would come on. However, Rio is a great album! You were right to use them for influence. This track has a great mix of the 80s/early 90s sound. Listening again, I'm willing to guess there's some influence from Uncle Al J. via the Twitch era, too.
I like this, man. I'd love to hear more from you like it.
Definitely going into the fav's for sure.
Take care, mister.
Aaron.

I have YET to be let down*. I kind of missed a very important word there. Meaning, I like everything you've done.
Again, take care.

Ya know, everyone is always saying, "this needs vocals", or "this would be great with someone singing". I say, Nah, man. Sometimes that just gets in the way. Sometimes, it's good to just sit and chill to the music, ya know what I mean?
Honestly, dude, I think you could have easily filed this one under chillout, or even ambient as well as hip hop.
I dig it, man. Of the tracks of yours that I've listened to, I have to be let down. Good work.
Take care.
V.