i'm not dead guys (Where the Oceans Meet)

Arctures · 11-09-2006, 10:32 PM

Title: Where the Oceans Meet
Length: 7:36
BPM: 138
I haven't really written anything for about nine months now (unless you count Raven's Penis), and I was afraid I just stopped caring altogether. Then I went to Lovefest in SF with filterchild and everything I loved about music just resurged in me. Enjoy yourself.

babbagamp shramp camp · 11-10-2006, 01:37 AM

Good to have you back, Galen.

As I listen:
First thing I notice is that your kickdrum is a bit too much in the background, it doesn't sound like it's got enough bass. Your rhythm could be a bit more complex, but it sounds like it fits with the rest of the track, so no complaints.
I am also digging the chords in the intro and first part of the song, and the little "plucky" guitar-type synth you've going fits well too.

And then comes the breakdown. Again, like the plucked string synth. Then after the piano kicks in, you've got me. Great melody, works beautifully with the chords. The only thing I suppose I could complain about it the lack of any sort of fancier piano melody, but what you've got works well. I also love the beat you've got lowpass'd through that bit of the breakdown.

The buildup, unfortunately, doesn't quite bring enough energy back into the track, I think. The kickdrum doesn't have enough volume to really kick the track back up, and I really think that the lack of a more complex rhythm hurts the track a bit during the climax.

After the climax, though, I love it again. Here's some fancier piano work, which I love, and I think this second buildup is better than the first. Still, the climax there doesn't have the punch it could have.

I think that if there's one thing you should concentrate, it's making your tracks "flow," in a sense. If you listen to just about any major trance release, you'll notice that the percussion rhythms (hihats, claps, etc) sort of "pull" you from one kickdrum to another, the whole track just sort of moves along on its own. A really, really good example of this is Perpetuous Dreamer - Dub.wav.
In comparison, it feels like that "pull" wasn't really evident in your track. I'd recommend really messing around with the pattern sequencer in FL, the pattern swing control can be really useful as well. And if you haven't yet, check out my trance beats tutorial, it may be slightly informative.

All in all, Arc, excellent composition but the production could use a bit of polish.
Good work, and glad to hear you had some inspiration because of Lovefest too.

Arctures · 11-10-2006, 01:03 PM

Updating as we speak. I see what you mean about the kick drum, I checked back and apparently there was no EQing '~'. It might also just be the sample, but I'll see what I can do.

**helix eternal** · 11-10-2006, 02:42 PM

I like the track quite a bit, my only problems would be the flange/phaser (whichever) that is used on the pads makes it sound a little weird, and the offbeat bass synth I'm not real fond of but that's just a personal thing I guess. It just doesn't sound 'full' enough to me, but i could just be weird =P

**DjRandom** · 11-11-2006, 04:54 AM

Wow, this is a really nice piece, the really light scratching noises used in the beginning aren't my taste. Wow the first breakdown, it really reminds me of the pictures and small videos I've seen of Ibizia sunsets, slowly watching the sun set over the water the people on the beach relaxing. The part at 3:49 seemed out of place to me where it seems to skip a bit and again at 4:03, 4:16, and 4:31 they don't really fit and seem really forced into the song. The second break down you could have faded out the bass earlier into the breakdown, really really nice piano work slightly reminds me of A *ducks*. The hat work after the second break down isn't varied enough or is just a tid bit too loud I can't tell which. Oh god the ending is really really nice perfect touch!

Arctures · 11-13-2006, 12:40 AM

I really hate to be a review whore, but I want reviews badly.