crucethus

I like 2:05 when you go Phyrgian scale mode. Then you drop some ambience on us. Very creative track and well arranged and fun to listen to.
Cru

The intro is awesome, Great use of Ambient sounds in a (A)minor key. Very compressed so it takes a little away from the dynamics. A beautiful song though. I love when the piano comes in around 1:05. This could be a nice intro into a more massive tune. Enjoyed that
Cru

Nothing wrong with samples, as long as you can bring the chops! ;-)

There is a lot to like about this mix. Have you experimented with expanding the pan a little bit and using a lighter Dynamic compression. For example when the "do you wanna dance" kicks on it's great, stereo panned and in your face. But that synth stab comes in and it's just kind of in the center and has no energy compared to that phrasing. (and that's the phrase you want to make you feel the energy of the track. Try splitting the stab and hard panning both channels. On one channel add just a small slight touch of distortion. You will be then emulating a hardware unit we used (back in the day)called an audio exciter. For some reason doing this would brighten the sound and make it more interesting. You made a very nice comment on my latest track "You always know how to maximize the minimal sound"
To create that minimal sound I use a hell of a lot of subtle harmonics and sub sounds and barely audible phrasings and percussions that just push the main theme or melody along.
I do like how you build the percussion in this one. But when you use a synth phrase try using multiple phrasing to create something bigger. Even take that synth stab and raise it a third or a fifth (chord structure) and pan it right lower in the mix and you will hear something interesting.
Anyhoo, love where you're going with this.
Cru

Loved this. Prince was a huge influence in my songwriting, as well as the whole Minneapolis scene. I can hear that influence in this work. Nice Rhodes piano. Also I like the way you incorporate the electronic with the organic. Is that your guitar playing cos it's awesome. Reminds me a bit of a more bluesy Stuart Matthewman (Cottonbelly). Great job
Cru

I was thinking. if we have the blues, but we sound like Prince, do we have the Purples?

Although I was disappointed that this was not in 3/4 time. your mixing and mastering certainly made up for that, as well as a solid groove.
Cru

Kind of reminds me of Bran Van 3000 meets the Cure, and I love both those bands, so thats' a good thing!

Very nice usage of midi. Now have you discovered Portuguese Fado yet? That's the true test.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h3w7UfDRTw
Cru

F**k Nuts!
"Mostly, I'm realizing that I don't have the budget to make things how I'd like, i.e. better drums, a tube amp and an electric guitar meant more for metal than my PRS, and paying for repairs on my main instrument, my dead bass guitar. I'm trying to move towards heavier metal-infused music and realized I'm very unpracticed. Just gotta grow some nuts and push through my self doubt."

There was a time years ago I could only afford radioshack shit equipment and a cheap tape deck my sister and I shared 30 bucks on buying. But I would never give that up because it taught me to make the best music possible with the shitiest sounds available. So I made some $ in the early millennium and bought some nice synths. well guess what!!! I got married and now have to think of more than one person. So I learned Linux, a free solution to OPS systems and loaded with free software like LMMS. I still use acid pro 4.0 for loops, Ardour for recording and audacity for mastering. Is it Pro-tools...no, Do I make it sound the best I can possibly make it sound...hell yeah! Do people like it...yeah some do..
you said it yourself. Honesty... that is all we as musicians can do with what we have. be honest and authentic. When you do that amazing things can happen.
Right now I am listening to Talk Talk. al 5 albums.
Album 1. New romantic, new wave crap with a few interesting songs.
Album, 2 ahh new wave and pop masterpiece 3 songs amazing 2 b sides well done. Album 3 , what's that you say, no more synths just organic instruments.. ahh well, well done lads you made 3 pop tunes out of piano and percussion and great vox and timeless songwriting plus...is that dissonance. cool ok whatever keep on. OK 4th album...what do you call this...atonal jazz. um what does your record company say about this..well at least there is one song we can say artistically brilliant. ahh so you have successfully sued and left your record company. so what is the 5th album about... umm gawd is that possible. atonal jazz again.. what is that.... you invented post rock.. well bah bye.
Mark Hollis had a vision, and be damned if that vision did not mean no record company and ending Talk Talk forever. But it was amazing as a ride, and pure balls. so don't lose the faith. do what you do and discover ehat you want when you can. that's my crazy advice from one Bro to Another.
Cru Cru

Ok You... Tough love time.
First. You are a freaking talented bassist and songwriter .
second. the fact that people like Static and myself pay attention to your work is because it's good, it's Damn fucking good.
DO NOT LET a detailed critique of your work bring you down or make you feel like this is all for nought. When people who are similar in their artistic endeavors get together and feel comfortable with each other and let their guard down to showcase their vulnerabilities this will inevitably happen. When someone offers a detailed critique on this level , it's because it's already really good, but... hey this will make it over the top....
So get off your sorry-wagon (i'm not sure what that is truly) and realize there is an incredible group of artists here that listen and enjoy your work, and an even fewer subset that offers advice to enhance what you do. (take it or not) It is a really special thing. Do something different should be a challenge to the nail scratching, bitingly sarcastic (which is a sign of intelligence) middle american I have come to know and love over these few years and say... "DON't TREAD ON ME....to the British scum who keep stealing our tea and making us pay high prices for cable and making us watch downton abbey.. for shame those scoundrels are worse than the terrorists.
are you laughing yet..good. Every creative piece of work we make is not the serious end all be all but something of value that we cherish. When we share that value it becomes vulnerable. When it's vulnerable take it with a grain of salt. cos if you believe in it. Well.. then that's another story and another world that you can find others who believe in your vision.
Crucrest out!!

Sounds like a great starting off point!
I could see you developing this into an intense song as you build on it.
Cru

Hey John 5 Hand Cock. (I read the previous reviews)

I love the change at 1:35. everything before that sounds like many of your earlier works. but from a musical point of view I love that direction you took post 1:35. Mahloo makes some great points on the percussion. Change that in the mix and everything else becomes golden because the bass is special and the guitars are very engaged.
So now I must ask, what are you harvesting from backstabbers. literal Knives? Insults? More Kardashians? just a curio I guess.
What else...... if Static is going to jail for double posts, then I might be in the cell next to him.
" Plugged ears from a head cold,"

Nothing better than a small glass.. some ice, a slice of lemon, and a pony shot of nyquil that will cure that.
anyhoo carry on Evita with your bass like songs they amuse me.....would be something an asshole would say. so I will just say hey man...nice shot.
Crutalk

These old Bose 2.5's from 1985 are sparkling tonight listening to this tune. Good luck with the contest. I want to hear vocals on this one as it would be amazing. I dub your genre of music New Americana. Sort of Country, sort of rock, but it expresses the American songbook of the youth as it applies to NOW.

Love how it builds in intensity, love the dynamics and mixing. This is a nice piece of music jamid. The percussion is great especially with the stereo reverb slap backs. gives you a sense of urban space.
Cru

So I like the minimal drone dance track underneath you bringing in the in your face techno sounds. This is a Berliner Techno tune and not a house tune. Think Tresor 1998 like Cosmic Baby. I love at 3:05 you bring in some drums and a jazz flair and then take it away from us like a giant tease. It's unique for how you presented this to us. You obviously like the fact I bring elements in and out in my songs but you have done it in a way that is different and creative. I get it and love it. The chopping of Joe's vox is also brilliant. fav'd Alex.
pure mad genius material.
Steve

Loved this. My only(very Minor) complaint as it might be just a eeny tiny bit overcompressed, but the bass is phenomenal as well as the atmosphere of this one. Percussion is awesome. This belongs on a dance floor somewhere. And that sax is sublime. Love the breakdown dj ending. Great job. Fav'd
Cru

A Brilliant exploration of D&B . I love the pads( and there sharp cutoff) at the end. nice mix, nice job.BTW welcome back.
Cru

I must say I am not a fan of midi instruments for there fake quality, but as a composition you did great, totally captured the jazz age. Now if you can get some more realistic instruments you will have a winner.
Cru

I like this, do you mind if I add something to it?
Cru

Completely agree with. DJSLTUK on this one. It's not disco is almost a Hard house electro hybrid. And it has some cool elements to it. It needs some variation and I think in the percussion is where I would play around with this one a bit. Do that and you may have an anthem for the dance floor.
Cru

Hah, That song was from the Canadian band LEN, circa 1999. You chopped it well as I could barely hear it in there as it's sickly sweet sticky buns melody made it the summer number one in both the US and Canada.
Instead you chooped it into a raw sinister industrial sound which I liked as well.
good on you.
Cru

I listened and immediately threw down my cheaters. This one's got the goods! You didn't send us on a trip for biscuits. A copacetic song I could get zozzled too. Hep hep hurrah!

20's Cru

There is a very retro-futuristic sound you convey here. I get Depeche Mode in the Verse. But your voice is distinct gruff and very good for this song. This is just good pop. great job.
congrats on your work.
cru

I just listened to TOAX the original and a few more trax, and they remind me of a teutonic DEVO.
Nice discovery

The "A" game has been brought to the table. Beautiful Minimalism with hints of atonality and dissonance. Spooky vocals. Pure genius. A koto as well. 4:56 has a nice percussion and jazz sensibility. Then some nice clavs. And a cool movable bass and then the vocal ghosts. And a minimal arpeggiated ending.
congrats you nailed this one Alex.
Fav'd and downloaded (thanks)

Steve