npk417

A great usage of ballad lines and slower tempo. You certainly seem to have a penchant for strong fills at the end of turnarounds and at new sections on beat 1, which shows through well on this. Have you though about changing up the rhythm of the tenor lines (in the way that makes the later choruses of the flute solo so effective), to indicate a bit more tonal movement and energy growth (perhaps a bit less reverb in some higher phrases?) A thoroughly enjoyable listen -- not often to I hear ballads done with this combination of soulful simplicity and energetic give-and-take. Keep it up!

The mojo is definitely working here. You were able to capture the rustic tone and grit of the slide parts quite well, without loops stepping all over the natural sound. Combining the two is a difficult line for many to walk, and you seem to be comfortable therein. The variations on the twelve-bar lay were a welcome change-up too, since the simplicity of the recording needs development the further on you get. An admirable effort -- keep it up!

The acid approach in this is neat, with good attention to a smooth blend of tone. Be careful to avoid stagnant sections with too much repetition of synthesizer phrases, since those are obviously powerful points in the track (i.e. after "Where dreams and fantasies take on a life of their own"). You might also consider limiting the number of times you use the same speech samples, though you've obviously placed them thoughtfully to begin with. The rhythm guitar parts play a good role in building up the energy - perhaps bring those out more? All in all, you've done an admirable job putting this together. Kudos.

It's refreshing to hear this sort of space created in ambient tracks. I liked the fact that the bass line plays a part in the lower-frequency ranges of the track, rather than dominating or defining it. The fidelity is excellent as well. You might consider even bringing out the bass melodies a bit more in the mix at times - that could help guard against the sensory overload that happens at times (especially early on, as the listeners ears are still exploring what's happening and adjusting accordingly). An admirable contribution. Keep letting your ears lead you!

The "house" feel to this track sounds a lot more gentle and relaxed than one might initially expect, and I find that unique and interesting. Such vocals are not often mixed well, and you've done a fine job there. One thing I would suggest is taking care to taper down the ends of the vocal track in the mix volume, so that the end of the track's aural ambience doesn't stick out as much. However, this doesn't seem to negatively affect the quality of the track a great deal. Keep up the good work. I'd enjoy hearing the original version of this, pre-remix.

Yes, what an interesting take on the Pieczonska composition. There's a lot of unique give and take with the synth rhythms, especially on the cadence parts.

Despite your concern for getting used to doing this, I think you've got a great ear and feel for this sort of thing. The tone is very well-balanced, it develops in a subtle and gradual way, and the overall mix is well-rounded. At times your two drum loops conflict over specific rhythms, but its an excellent start. I particularly like the water samples and the piano interlude; it comes together well. You might consider lengthening the track, even. Keep up the good work.

I really like the vibe - there's definitely a lot of power in using organic sounds. There are a few places early on in which the synthesizer sounds a bit out-of-context, but it really develops well as the track progresses. This tune seems reminiscent of a soundtrack to me. Keep it up.

A nice, subtle build, gradual layering. This contributes to a nice balance between keeping the energy moving forward and the mix getting too repetitive and stagnant. I especially like the undertones of sub-divided rhythms as the song progresses. You might look toward building excitement a little bit more with your choices of loops, but that depends on what you're after. Kudos!

A nice combination of simple, thoughtful elements. I like the reverb quality in the lead guitar lines - it certainly helps open up the sound of the track and add some space. Be careful to avoid having too many different degrees of reverb (i.e. the bongos are just a little too wet in sound), since it distracts from the well-rounded, easy-going sound of the song as a whole. The maj-7th intervals contribute a lot of that good feeling too. Keep at the good work!

Carries a good development from the beginning with your scratch phrases -- a nice, gradual progression from simple to increasing complexity. The syncopation at the end is interesting as well.

An interesting combination of samples. I particularly like the rolling thunderclap as a point of resolve. The shifting pulse of rhythmic patterns, formed from the delay effects, adds to its quality as well. You might considering using this as a backing track for more melodic content.

This is an interesting combination of such rich horn-section sound and a more dirty harp/slide vibe. I can tell your interest heads both ways, make sure to listen carefully to how you blend them so they don't clash. The bright, polished horns (reminiscent of Motown to a strong degree) have a dominant place in the mix, and this makes it especially difficult for the tonal qualities of that harp to cut through. The same sort of clash occurs at times with the slide guitar part. This song looks toward an interesting marriage of those types of sounds - it's important to do it carefully. Kudos, and keep up the good work!

This is certainly a gem in your lead vocal selections - like Bryan Adams meets Billy Joel. And the tune is a great arrangement and piece of songwriting. Definitely some representative soul in this number! Keep it up! Any chance of this being available for download? I'd enjoy listening to it with my car's audio rig too.

NK