Aminet 22

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Aminet 22 / Aminet 22 (1997)(GTI - Schatztruhe)[!][Dec 1997].iso / Aminet / mods / wmr / WMR.lha / wk02.txt < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1997-10-21 | 90KB | 1,663 lines

WMR (Reviews [week #02]) __ __ __ | \ __ ______/ |_ | | | o \ | | | / o | \ |o | | \| o| |o _/ | o\ []=======| |==| \ |=| |/ | \========[] []=======| |==| \ |=| | |\ \=======[] []=======| |==| \|=| | |=\ \======[] :: | | | \ | | | / / :: :. | | | |\ \| | /| |/ / :: : | | |/\ | \ | |/ | | / : | | / \| |\ | | | | / :. | | / \ | \ | |__| | / .: :: | |/ \| \_| | |/ : :: | /\ | | __| |\ :: []=======| / \ |=| |==| | \==========[] []=======| /| \ |=| |==| | \=========[] []=======| /=| |\ |=| |==| | \========[] |o / | | \ o| |o | | |\ o\(mansooj) |_/ | o | \_| |__/ | o | \__/ |___| |___| (Originally compiled and added on November 18, 1996) (last updated 09.14.97) -----========================================----- -----================================================================----- "Epidemic" by Vegas of Carcass (17ch IT, 02:10) (ccs-epdm.zip [451K/846K]) [Dark Jungle] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 80+ 75 80 80 75 CCerberus 64+ 40 40 58 64 Mansooj 62= -- -- 55 -- Peraphon 57= -- -- -- -- Red Death 44= -- 44 66 45 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Beginning with an overall comment, the tune is too repetitive...except for the period where the thunder breaks in--that was good, because it helped prevent the building monotony to completely take over. Focusing on the sample set, there were a few that were dubious. Namely, the "stick" sample, which I didn't think fit here at all. The voice samples aren't particularly endearing, but as used here, they helped make the tune more interesting than it otherwise would have been. Additionally, they are a little hard to understand, and they don't make a whole lot of sense when taken together (although this is a song, not a work of literature). The percussion is adequate, and the bass groove isn't bad, even though it was simple and a bit too monodimensional. When all is said and done, I think this tune needs badly to be dominated by more than a cowbell, hihat and a chord. Give what I hear, I'd guess that Vegas is a fairly new tracker with a couple tunes under his belt, but he still needs some more practice. /----------------------------------------------------\ )---------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is the track I used when I was trying to figure out the problem with Balistic's Trance Atmospheric which I reviewed sometime before this one; a move which probably isn't being fair to Balistic, because -this- is a very classy, accomplished and stylish IT track. The samples are clear with good tone, and are well used when building into this very good techno-ish track that stands above most of its contemporaries due to the amount of musical nous on display. This is a composer who understands the *dynamics* of the material they are working on, building the track into a series of peaks, each one greater than the last. Excellent in all ways. Impulse Tracker used to its best by a composer who knows what's what and what's not. Highly recommended. --- References --- Trance Atmospheric by Balistic ([download]/[reviews]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Hmmm...the author of this song notes in the sample listing that this is a "dark" tune, but I didn't really get that impression. To me, it had that kinda weird, funky darkness that you might experience if you are in a club and some evil-sounding song comes on, but you're too drunk to really notice. :) Kind of an "elusive" darkness...I think the cowbell sample made it sound too happy in that respect. However, the use of panning was good, and the rhythmic structure was quite complex. I think it's unfortunate that the author didn't pay more attention to putting other, non-percussive samples into the song. I think that would have enhanced the quality a lot. As it is, the song is nearly entirely percussion-oriented. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This track seemed in desperate need of some variation. All I could hear was the percussion line, which was a bit distracting. Another distraction was the cowbell; the bell note seemed a bit too high, and it ultimately interfered with the rest of the song as a whole. I could sense the darkness in this piece, so at least it managed to convey the apparent intent of the title. In all, not too bad, but a few little things did get in the way of it being a better track. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This was a fairly interesting piece that, unfortunately, didn't do a heck of a lot with its two minutes plus. Nice use of synths to set the mood, but there were a couple of questionable points such as the drums coming in too loudly near the beginning, and an odd (and also overly loud) "crash" type sample farther in. Overall it was decent, somewhat above average due to the rather nice tone, but otherwise it didn't impress. -----================================================================----- "Merciful Lie" by Siren of KFMF (16ch S3M, 04:52) (k_mercy.zip [568K/863K]) [Light Rock/Atmospheric] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 100+ 95 90 100 90 Mansooj 91+ 88 -- 80 85 Klaus Flouride 90+ 98 93 95 100 JuiCe 82+ 70 85 -- 90 CCerberus 80+ 83 82 76 70 Shrift 70+ 65 65 65 70 Red Death 50= -- 60 50 50 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This lovely bit of module art rides a short orchestral string opening into a wonderful mix of electro-jazz-horn, sharp piano strokes and light synthwork overlayed upon a bed of ethno-rock rhythms. There are also some appropriate, although sometimes hard to understand, voice samples intermixed amidst the mellow ritual being played out. I particularly liked the somewhat haunting edge to the sax sample and the bell-like tones to the piano notes. They seemed duly correct within the context of the underlying rhythm. Very nice tonal quality overall (however I believe I did detect a bit of sourness in the opening bit...but perhaps that is the fault of the Amiga S3M replayers). I tend to dislike music with a lot of dead air between the notes, and this tune has a bit of that, but even so, the quality of its orchestration overshadows the very minor spots I might have otherwise had reservations about. This is reflected in my overall rating--and it should be noted that I am somewhat conservative about giving very high marks. Boiling it down, I'd feel safe in claiming this qualifies as yet another superb work by one of the scene's best. Cheers, Siren--keep 'em flowing. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ As always, Siren never fails to deliver top quality MODs. This is a particularly standout track, though, and deserves a little bit of extra attention and download time. Anyone interested in the MOD genre will have stumbled across Siren sooner or later. If you haven't, check out any track you can find; but definitely grab this classic as soon as you can, while keeping within the realms of sanity. Merciful Lie is a stunning track in so many ways it's difficult to know where to start. The samples are excellent: clear, bright and very tastefully used. The mix is clear and productive, enabling each instrument to stand on its own feet and the production reeks of expertise in both the compositional and technical arenas. This, me ol' beauties, is a stone cold work of art and no mistake. The track is basically a jazzy-funky-jazzy thing with some very clever vocal touches supplied by the master himself. The main refrain is carried by a beautifully realised soprano sax that would even make Kenny G puke with envy. A 100% raging goddess of a track and worth every dime you'll never pay for it. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The song is a little slow in getting to the melody--16 patterns of drum loop can get a little tedious. In pattern 29, we get to hear the voice sample(s) clearly for the first time...I thought I heard voices before, but wasn't sure since they're much too quietly played. The tune needs variation in the percussion, though the melody is pretty good and there's enough other parts to it to keep it interesting. The typical Siren sound is here (and I quite probably would have guessed him to be the composer even had I not known this to be the case beforehand), but it's not up to the level of some of his better tunes. Change up the drum loop some, ditch the voice samples, and this song gets a LOT better. As is, it's not bad, but not all that great. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------========[ Klaus Flouride ]========--------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I wonder if this musician calls himself Siren because he sings in his modules? Well, the quality of his singing won't cause me to crash any boats in rocky waters, but it's very good nonetheless. As with most modules from Kosmic, this one just sweats quality, and I had to add it to my personal mods collection. Although it's slow and has an almost porno-movie feel to it due to the thwanging bass and the slutty saxaphone playing, it *is* danceable--not normal dancing of course, but a prelude-to-sexual-intercourse-type grinding. I like this mod a lot. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Shrift ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The very brief string intro is simple and powerful, but is let down by the loosely-fitting intro to the actual music. The ambientish setup to the main sax (good sample) melody is good, but largely that melody doesn't define itself very well. The use of the other two voice samples (other than the "mercy" sample which I removed from my version) is perfect for the music, and is placed well, and not at all overused. After pattern 38 kicks in, the song really picks up, and the last minute of the song is bliss. 1 out of 3 samples I loved (there were over 30). /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Ahh, a nice song! It made me think of driving in a convertible with the top down, on a summer night...just cruising...very smooth sound, with good use of panning. Intelligent and complex percussion on this one, as well. The chord progressions were unpredictable, but always pleasant, and I think that's a rare talent. I would recommend picking this song up from the nearest archive. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ JuiCe ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Moody atmospheric pads lead into an electronic rhythm and bassline, which interplay with sax, piano, and even vocal themes. The sample quality is excellent, which, along with strategically placed orchestral backing, and skillful use of dynamics make the song sound very professional. This one is definitely worth being in anybody's mod collection. -----================================================================----- "The Masakre" by YoSFiTS of Masakre Prod. (9ch S3M, 06:04) (tmasakre.zip [582K/928K]) [Demo/Atmospheric] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Peraphon 82= -- -- -- -- Rebriffer 80+ 80 70 70 65 Mansooj 76= -- -- 60 50 WolfSong 75+ 76 70 67 78 Red Death 70= 50 60 80 65 CCerberus 52= 34 28 58 52 JuiCe 25+ 25 35 -- 40 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Ah! A demo style piece. It's not the best I've heard but it certainly has its merits, not the least of which is some good composition and nice tracking. You might be able to say that this is more of a mellow demo piece, since it doesn't seem to be as fast or have as hard an edge as most demo tunes. And actually, that lack of much of an edge seems to take something away from the song. Though it has a nice beat, it seems like it could have a bit more energy. My main complaint here is the panning. I didn't like it because it was too extreme, with most instruments being distinctly on either on one side or the other. This seems to give it a less spacious sound than the composer was probably hoping for. Also, while I liked the composition, it does seem to have a little lack of drive in the area of direction. The melodies and chords are all nice to listen to and some changes are actually quite imaginative, but when all put together, they don't seem to be delivering much of an "idea." However, this is not to say that it's a boring song. It does have its interesting moments. I enjoyed the melodies that came near the end of the song quite a bit, and I think the sounds chosen for them probably couldn't have been any better. There's also no problem with dynamics--it has enough changes to keep it from getting dull, and enough colour in the construction to make it pleasant to listen to. It might have sounded like I've given a mixed message about the tune but in short, here's the idea: it's a very nice tune to listen to, but nothing that you're going to find yourself humming in the car or repeating in your head as you're falling asleep at night. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The song opens with a rough eerie tone, followed quickly by a haughty laugh sample--immediately I was hoping this song wouldn't be laced with this second sort of thing. After a bit of synthstrings the song builds, picking up speed fairly quickly, and, as it turns out, pretty much sustains it throughout (with a few breaks here and there). Unfortunately, my initial fear resolved into reality as laugh and scream samples are heard throughout. Even considering the song's title, after the opening and the end part, they seemed gratuitous. Not to mention that these samples have been around for ages (or ones VERY similar to them); and one of the main synthstring samples is suspiciously similar to those used in at least one Purple Motion (or perhaps Necros) module--though I don't consider sample ripping a sin in itself, using it as a main line keeps the sense of originality down some. On the credit side of the ledger, the song was long enough to show off a variety of samples, and a good number of short, unique (within the context of the song) sequences. Overall the tune was pretty well done, and made for a fairly interesting ride, but I honestly believe there was a better song hidden under all this. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Wooooooaaahhh! Excuse the technical term, but this track kinda took me by surprise. It starts in one side of the speakers while a ghostly voice echo's through the other one. These are rapidly joined by strings and bass before finally resolving itself with the introduction of a very traditional burbling synth sound. One weird thing, almost everything seems to be anchored at the extremes of the mix, not much happens in the centre. It doesn't hurt the track any, in fact in many ways it helps to raise the track above the mundane. The tune also tends to get a tad repetitive in parts, but once again not to the whole tune's detriment. My overall impression was of a well fashioned track that used its tricks well and definitely left a satisfied feeling in this reviewer's aural appendages. It may not be quite your cup of hemlock, but it will amuse you in the meantime. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Very different; I don't think I've heard a tune quite like this one, with the Skavenesque leads and such a fast percussion line. This is also one of the fastest tunes I've ever heard outside the techno genre. At times it's almost TOO fast-paced and intense (read cluttered), but it's certainly kept far from boring with help from several nicely done style changes. This tune seems to fit the Halloween holiday (in the US) well, especially with the laughing in the beginning and end. Samples aren't anything special but it's an interesting combination of sounds. I'm also reminded of the trackers Purple Motion and Elwood in spots. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a most impressive module. After a dark and kinda demonic sounding intro, it had me anticipating what was in store the rest of the way. Fast-paced and oddly crafted throughout, it definitely showed itself to be something on the unusual side. Almost horror-movie theme, in some aspects, with nifty orchestral parts dotted with dark laughs, moans and groans that created a tension I found very interesting. An analogy might be a visual where, in a computer game, you're about to take on the big bad guy, and you just end up hightailing it because you know you're going to be toast. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I don't have a whole lot to say about this song other than that it was flat out WEIRD. :) It did keep me entertained, but I have a big complaint about the way the drums were handled: at one point, all of the percussion samples were being crammed into ONE CHANNEL! WHY? That makes them sound terrible! Hihats get cut off too soon, and when you're using 9 channels anyway, why try to save space? I just didn't understand that, and I thought it detracted a lot from the overall sound of the song. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ JuiCe ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This song is exactly what its title says: a massacre...on your ears. It's an attempt at the classic demo-spacey-synth style, and a very poor one, too. Messy composition, and even some false chords. Mods from 1988 with ST-01 samples sounded better than this. There are some nice scream samples in there, though. Maybe the composer sampled his neighbours who had to listen while he was making it. :) -----================================================================----- "Demo Funk" by Nova of ACiD (??ch S3M, 02:23) (nv-funk.zip [141K/220K]) [Funk] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Peraphon 81= -- -- -- -- JuiCe 76+ 82 80 -- 67 Rebriffer 75+ 75 65 70 60 Shrift 70= 67 65 65 60 CCerberus 70+ 64 52 52 40 CypherMonk 65+ 75 55 60 55 MING 55+ 60 50 60 40 Red Death 55= 50 60 80 65 Skullsaw 35= 30 60 20 50 /----------------------------------------------------\ )---------------------========[ CypherMonk ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ First off, I'm not sure if you can even classify this song as funk, but we'll put that aside for a moment. Generally, I try to focus on a module's good points before the bad--this one had several of both--and thus we'll save this issue for the down points. Now, Demo Funk has several strengths, which include a good beat, a nice bassline, and some very well organized composition. From these perspectives, this is a generally likable song. However, this module's main numero uno hang-up is that it is really lacking in the area of sound quality. From beginning to end, I felt as if I were listening to one of those boring demos one always finds on a MIDI keyboard. (You know, you push the button labeled 'demo' and you're supposed to be enthralled with a blazing technical display of that particular keyboard's capabilites. w00p!) I really have to say that this is one of what I consider to be one of the biggest no-no's about tracked music. We have long since left the age of the Commodore 64 and Amiga, and I'm really tired of hearing stuff that sounds like it was made using one. In the age of the Internet and 16-bit, CD quality samples, I don't understand why do people continue to settle for MIDI quality. Finally, as I stated in the beginning, I don't really think that this module can be seriously classified as funk. I'm not sure what style heading it'd fall under, but the only thing even remotely funky about this song is the bass. And I'm sorry, but bass alone does not mean funk. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Here's one fo' the fans o' funk! A surprisingly good attempt at the genre is a rarity, so if funk gets in your face, it'll be a lot better when it's on your hard drive instead. Maybe even be a little less messy too. I guess it's not fair, to put it into the same bunch of reviews as Caramel's Exit Hotdog Seven, because any track is likely to fare badly against it. As yer standard funk-a-thon, this track certainly does it to it. Mind you, at 2:25 it's a bit on the short side, but it's also short enough so that you just get enough of a breeze of funk that it doesn't inspire the usual disco boredom. What's here is something well up to the funk standard, with a neat, trim and tight backing propelling the track along with a certain decorum. This device, allied with the cheesiest rhythm guitar a sound engineer could torture out of an expensive studio, was what made the funk. One of the staples of this particular 70's trend was the obligatory 'slap' bass sound, and it happens to be this track's standout sample. Not only is it present, it's one of the most realistic funk basses this reviewer has heard this side of the '70's. If you like this kind of material, this one won't skulk moodily on your hard drive. All in all, then, a reasonably good effort at returning the funk, and one worthy of more than a few plays on your machine; recommended for fans and interested parties alike...it may even bring a smile to your face. --- References --- Exit Hotdog Seven by Caramel ([download]/[reviews]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Demo Funk was "demo funk": some essential parts of the demo mod style mixed up with some of the funk style. Nova has thrown into the mixer a couple of other styles too. Hitting the "on" button and waiting, unfortunately, didn't bring out the best of each of the separate styles, but instead created a pulpy mass with virtually no substance at all. All I hear is a dull string and soft, fast tempo, drums, and later, a synthy demoish melody. No energy, no guts, no sign of life anywhere. The melody fades away under a cover of too many strings, and the rhythm is, first of all, just boring, and second, too soft and weak to even be heard. Still, it has technical and musical qualities, and if Nova aims for more action and less muzak, I'll anxiously await the next release. For now, this tune's general, inescapable, muted and mushy sound quality renders it barely audible even on full volume. This problem prevents me from getting any kick out of it at all. So thanks, but no thanks. It's not my cup'o'tea, and I doubt it's many others' either. I want my funk with either a good dose of action, or some nice catches to make it unique. This one was unique, I'll admit, but the catches were nothing special. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a pretty simple, quietly played tune. It seems not only the volume is laid back (especially where the guitar is concerned, if I'm hearing things correctly), but the overall tone is as well--and it leaves the tune a wholly unexciting experience. This is unusual, and detrimental mainly because this is supposed to be a funky tune, and as with most funky tunes, there's some energy to spare--this one not only appears worn out, but it also uses way too much of a synth lead which just doesn't fit the style well. Another oddity is that, for some reason, the tune sounds like a 5 track module for most of the song...but it actually utilizes 11. Well, there's not much left to say, except that even the ending isn't very good. No doubt this module's biggest problem is that it is in desperate need of being spiced up, but otherwise, despite its numerous and rather severe faults, it somehow still manages to come off ok in a general sense. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ For a tune called "Demo Funk" this isn't all that funky. In fact the drums are positively nonfunky, though the electric bass is somewhat funky with its thumbed and plucked strings. There's some nice lead synth work with good pitch bending. Harmonically this is basically a two chord piece with a two chord chorus. Nah, this aint funk. It's lightweight, easy listening fusion. What's the deal with the ending? A bit of bass doodling and a couple of horn hits that sound as if the composer just gave up on the piece. This one isn't really worth the time. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ YET ANOTHER nice funk tune! Seems like most of the people who write funk modules tend to be good at it. Perhaps I should take up funk music? :) At any rate, I'll bet that Nova (the author) is a bass guitarist, because that was definitely the most complex part of this song. Not coincidentally, that was my favorite part! Really kickin' slapped bass funky groovin' bassline! /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ JuiCe ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A nice funky tune which would be excellent, but for the fact that the string chords are a bit too up front, and some lead sounds are a bit too synthetic. The bass sample could also use a bit more realism, and the ending is strange. Nevertheless, the composition, the melodies, and the chord progressions are very nice, and make up for the somewhat weak samples. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A very nice sounding funk tune, and one you should definitely get if funky/jazzy kind of stuff appeals to you. This one includes some pretty nice riffs, along with some quality bass-work. There's also a couple of patterns that I can easily see as going well in an episode of Seinfeld (and, in fact, the composer credits that show, though for the endpart only). /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Shrift ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A really keyboardish high-end melody-maker, with a malignant "funk" percussion. The bass-guitar, however, is both funky and fresh. Constant "tension strings" are mild and churning, but add an interesting ambient edge. The melody is fine, but sounds like funk elevator music. The bass-guitar solo is great and sets it apart, although briefly. -----================================================================----- "Acid Style" by Luca Restifo (10ch XM, 03:03) (acidstl.zip [150K/666K]) [Acid/Techno] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Skullsaw 90+ 85 80 65 90 Klaus Flouride 88+ 86 87 90 92 Mansooj 72+ -- -- 40 60 JuiCe 68+ 60 65 -- 65 Rebriffer 60+ 55 60 55 50 CCerberus 42= 40 46 16 40 MING 40+ 40 65 40 80 Red Death 35- -- 40 35 50 /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Ok, an acid snarl thing. Hence the title.... Ok, still the same acid snarl thing.... Ok, still the same acid snarl thing.... Ok, still the same acid snarl thing.... That's it. That's all. That's that. Finito. That's all there is to it. The whole tune is just one and the same acid snarl thing, after a while with a trance beat and some soft standard oscillating trance strings. But it takes almost half the tune until the strings kick in, and only then does it start getting even remotely interesting. I'll bet this is one of Mr. Restifo's first releases, when he found that he could do a decent sounding trance-riff, and thought he therefore had made a good song. That's exactly the impression I get from this. When looking at it from that angle: would I, myself, have been satisfied with this song if I were to make it today? Nope. But would I have been two years ago? Surely. Acid Style is hence quite a well made mod based on a really bad idea. Bottom line: it's damn boring, but still not straightout bad. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I really liked this one from the start with it's TB303 loop and 4 on the floor bass drum. Fitting the style of the genre, layer after layer is piled onto the foundation. Hihat on the upbeat, claps, a delicate snare low in the mix and eventually a dark, low string part. The intensity is slowly built by adding 16th hats and harmonic interest is provided by a bit more synth strings. The feel is then mutated a bit more with a stuttering organ stab. The bass and snare do an obligatory dropout and we are just chugging along in the groove. One more dropout and it's over before I'd like it to be. As you can tell I really like this one. It's not particularly original in concept, execution or sample usage but it is an excellent representation of the style. With this one, my overall impression is somewhat higher than my opinions of the individual components, but the reason for this is simple: sometimes the whole is more then the sum of the parts. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Aaaasssccciiii!! Nah, doesn't have the same ring to it as aaaaacccciiiddd!! does it? I much prefer the drum and bass offshoot, but when pressed I have to admit that I have a sneaking fascination for the acid genre. I'm definitely one of the 'music as an aural trip' students of MODern thought, and unfortunately that where this track lets the side down. It's more rave-y than acid, but let's not hold that against it eh? The lead synth burbles inoffensively leading us into the track proper where a breathy synth awaits to lead us into what sounds suspiciously like the title music of Twin Peaks. Maybe it's just the particular string sample being used, but even the chord structure mirrors the Twin Peaks original. It's obviously faster and maybe even intentional on the composers part, in which case, ces't la vie. It's an OK workout then, but could maybe have done with some more interesting progressions. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ JuiCe ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Resonant 303-like riffs open up the tune, starting out like a hard minimalistic acid track. Around the halfway point, gated string chords kick in making the second half more trancey. The acid riff lacks a bit of attitude, but it's very hard to sequence 303-style sequences because of their characteristic accents and pitch glides. The first part could use some rhythmic and/or dynamic variety, but you probably wouldn't notice the omission if you were dancing to this track at some club. It's a good, well-tracked acid trance stomper, and it would be even better if the transition to the trancey part was a bit less harsh. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This song takes WAY too long to develop; not until nearly a minute and half into it (and this for a song only three minutes long), it finally sounds like it's gotten up to speed. Neither the style, the buildup to the main part of the song, nor the instruments are very original; the samples are acid/techno mainstays. The buzzing synth sound is cool the first couple times I heard it, but it gets old quickly. It's good that the tracker made an attempt at using stereo effects, he just didn't manage to impress with it. In all, this song is just a little too boring to be taken seriously. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a comingling of acid and some light trance, which comes off fairly well, except that in an overall sense, it's been done and done.... It sports a bit of Egyptian style techno feel to it as well, which is a nice touch (although, again, not overly uncommon to music of this general style). Despite these misgivings it hooked me and had my butt bouncing in my chair...not a sight safe to witness unprepared. ;) /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------========[ Klaus Flouride ]========--------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Let's hear it for acid! This is one of those mods you use as background music while doing work. It's the sort of music that lulls you into a type of situation where after finishing up other work after an hour or so, you only then realize you've been listening to the same thing over and over and over again--but it never became grating or annoying--it was just...there. This one is very well done and I am still amazed how that the four second sliding buzzing sound that functions as a sub-melody doesn't get monotonous at all. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Hmm.... Nothing about this song really particularly impressed me. I'm not a huge fan of acid-techno anyway, and this song didn't seem to be doing anything really new. It wasn't BAD, it just didn't manage to impress. I don't know if those weird rhythmic things I was hearing were intentional or just erroneous...but they sounded like errors to me. -----================================================================----- "Improvization" by SoundGod (18ch XM, 03:57) (imprzvtn.zip [513K/1048K]) [Jazz] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 90+ 85 80 85 75 Shrift 70+ 70 70 35 65 Klaus Flouride 68+ 73 80 85 81 Red Death 60+ -- 55 60 60 JuiCe 58+ 75 55 -- 60 Mansooj 56= -- -- 50 70 Fanta C 52+ 72 82 67 52 Husanak 35+ 45 45 30 30 /----------------------------------------------------\ )---------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The great and enduring beauty of the MODULE format is its versatility. Its ability to treat each sample used as an instrument will ensure its survival as a musical medium to be reckoned with for some years to come. One of my own particular 'reasons to be cheerful' has to be the amount of musical diversity this format has spawned. These days you can hear MODs playing in most musical genres that can be thought of, and even some that it's best *not* to think of. A specially active sector of this world is the increasing amount of 'jazz' type MODs, many of which can be found on an FTP site near you. If jazz (whatever the h*** that means!) is a favored style then have I got the track for you.... Improvization is a beauty from start to finish. A slow, gorgeously arranged piano based piece that gets into this reviewer's head from the very first note. Speaking as a composer, I have to tell you that getting a *believable* jazz feel from ol' FT2 is a very, very difficult task, and not one most composers would even bother to try. Thank whatever god you believe in then that there are gifted composers such as Soundgod and Eagle Falcon (!?) around to do our dirty work for us. A very worthwhile effort and one I recommend for any listener who likes their MODs to be different. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Husanak ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I could make this an extremely short review by saying, flatly, THIS SUCKS. Well, that rather begs an explanation, doesn't it? First, let me say that if you are either, short on memory, short on patience (nothing to do with download time), or hate downloading large crappy modules, then please exit this review and read about *any* other module. I should explain the "short on patience" thing. I started listening to the tune and I thought to myself "this is a nice little intro" (despite the badly used dissonance). Well, I then waited for the tune to start, anything to make it kick a little. I realized at the end of the song that it is one long intro. The piano melody shows some signs of life, although I found it a bit over-tracked, something that reminds me of a scene in the movie Amadeus where Italians complain "too many notes." I believe this was one of the composers' first modules. I hope they don't give up because they do show some promise. Their work does show some technical merit and the composition isn't all bad. If not for bad percussion, horribly tracked guitar, badly used dissonance, samples that are unnecessarily big, and no real structure, I would have really, really, really loved this tune. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Fanta C ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Well, this is billed in the sampletext as a jazz piece. Okay, I can live with that. First off, two main instruments are used, a guitar and a piano. Neither of them are spectacular, indeed, both sound rather flat and "electronic." The percussion is also rather mediocre, hardly changing throughout the whole piece. Maybe the thinking behind this was not to detract from the lead instruments. Okay, fine; but as stated previously, the lead instruments aren't what I'd call classic examples. Melodywise, it's fine, and does fit the genre well. The instruments are played well enough, with the piano being tickled nicely, and the guitar being "slid" correctly, and not so often as to become annoying. Shame about the percussion, though. I wanted to like this one. Indeed, anything in this category is generally well received by yours truly, but not this one, unfortunately. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------========[ Klaus Flouride ]========--------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ If the drums weren't so heavy and monotonous, this would be a really good mod. The piano work with slides up and down the keyboard and such is pretty nice as it evokes images of a piano bar--it's a shame the drumwork detracts from it. Not a bad mod, but I was almost tempted to load up FT2 and see what it would sound like with the drums at about half volume or with the kicker drum removed entirely--the hihat and claps are good percussive effects...the kicker just sucks as it is too heavy. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A decent jazz piano piece with a little underlayment of synth; but also with an annoying and completely immutable hihat+acid bass (the sort of drum you hear pounding away in most hardcore tunes) rhythm line. This mixture didn't work for me, and given the Sumo weight of this module (just over 1 meg), it wasn't worth it. The song itself was adequate albeit uninspired. I also detected some piano discordance in the early part, which may have been intentional, but came off annoying instead. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ JuiCe ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Piano vs. jazz guitar jam session on top of a techno-ish 4/4 rhythm, and synth chords. An interesting concept, which unfortunately falls short in realisation. The tempo is way too slow for a 4/4 techno-ish beat. A standard jazz rhythm with acoustic drum sounds, or a double-tempo breakbeat would suit this song much better. The other major gripe is the sequencing of the piano parts. All the notes are cut very short, which doesn't sound natural at all, and disrupts the flow of the music. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Shrift ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This song fights against itself by trying to represent a style that is based largely on improvization (as the title would imply), and as such defies itself. These people clearly know what they are doing, but they aren't writing jazz. This piece sounds nice, regardless of its never-ending three chord change, and the fact that it pillages over half a dozen standard jazz progressions throughout, of which it only adds a few of its own. Technically sound and intelligent, but not very original. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a melodic piano ballad-type tune with a technoish rhythm line running through it; a mixture that's essentially ok, if a bit boring for the most part. The samples are interesting--they sound like keyboard samples instead of real instruments, which I don't consider a fault; in fact, it's rather interesting. It's a pretty good song overall, though a stronger melody, and mixing up some of the percussion would have helped a lot. It does sound a bit better on subsequent listens, for whatever that's worth. -----================================================================----- "Continuum" by W0zz (12ch XM, 05:10) (w0contin.zip [241K/298K]) [Other] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Klaus Flouride 81= 80 75 82 83 Mansooj 68= -- -- 66 30 WolfSong 66= 64 50 74 83 Rebriffer 65- 50 40 55 60 Raul 64+ 69 62 55 60 Red Death 60= 55 35 50 60 Skullsaw 10+ 10 35 10 40 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ As you may have judged from the title, this is another in the ever-growing line of 'space' MODs, and although it does have something to it, it isn't much. It's 5:12 worth of decent enough noodling, with everything on the sparse side. The composer uses very few samples, virtually *no* coding whatsoever (and this is an XM!), but still manages to come up with a recognisable piece of music. FT2 purists will probably hate this for all those reasons, but we at WMR do try to recognise the worth of the *music* as well as (sometimes) whether the composers know every nook and cranny of their tracker. So, what's happening musically here? Weeell, as I mentioned a lot of noodling. Don't scratch your head in that puzzled way.... You know what noodling is, you've heard it often enough. Ok! Ok! I'll explain! No need to get wedgies... Noodling is music that kind of nods it's way along, inoffensive little tunes that threaten no one and nobody. Kenny G is a prime example of someone who 'noodles'. 'Nuff said. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The first notable thing in this song is the obvious sample quality. I don't use interpolation when I go over these songs because I want to hear the quality, but even without it on there was hardly a blemish on the sound in this song. Perhaps this could be called a pop song. Rather ballad like flute and violin solos stand up from an ensemble of string chords and bass, backed by an 80's sounding beat with an occasional expressive slap on the snare. It was rather pleasant to listen to, but there were few changes in the basic phrasing throughout the song, and by the end I felt like I'd heard it enough. And although very clear and crisp, it sounded a bit shallow. It just didn't have a very wide sound, possibly because so few effects were utilized. Decent, though. Worth a listen at least. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Ahh, one of my preferred styles--other. Other implies experimentation, original ideas and methods. None of these attributes can be heard in Continuum. I must point out the one thing that bothered me most right now, and that is the way the lead sound, a pan flute, and the strings trade measures back and forth in every verse, very annoying. On to the actual music. Mid tempo, light instrumental with an almost medieval quality. A basic verse/chorus/verse/chorus with forgettable so-called melodies, instrumentation and bassline. That's it, nothing else to say about musical content. The sample front doesn't fare much better, they sound fine as far as sound quality but, overall, a very limp sound without any freshness. That's it, time to wipe this one from my drive. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Raul ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This one has some problems with consistency in that the beginning is rather poorly done, as is the very end (it simply cuts out abruptly), with the second half of the tune being significantly better--AND, the two best patterns of the whole module are located somewhere about the middle. Very rocky quality arrangements make for a difficult song to enjoy. The samples are note exactly a different story. I don't particularly care for the way they blend together, but it's the sort of problem you can't quite put a finger on, but you know is present. I think W0zz could have ended up with a far better tune if he had injected a bit more more variety and used a more well-selected set of samples. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This tune is vaguely reminiscent of a medieval style court song, but I can't quite place my finger on the exact factor that lends it that flavor. It does have a fairly pleasant sound, overall, but could have been expanded to add variety and a better mixture of samples. Speaking of which, although the panflute is usually a nice sound, the technique of "breaking" it (sort of a stark stacatto effect) is somewhat irritating. The synths are appropriate, but some were a bit sharp for what this song seemed to be wanting to do. I DID like it, but wished it were more polished and dynamic. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ It sounds like W0zz is a rookie tracker who's learned a little about music theory but hasn't had much chance to put it to use. The bassline is pretty simple and repeated, and the drum loop is very elementary, with only one instrument used at a time. The melody is pretty good, and I like the variety of samples used as the lead. This isn't a bad song by any means, but it's not a great one because it's just too simple. With more practice, W0zz could be putting out some real quality tunes; this one is a good start. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------========[ Klaus Flouride ]========--------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This tune is a little bit too serious for my tastes. It does have some upbeat woodwinds, but the intense emotion in the strings make this mod a little bit difficult for me to listen to. If I were depressed, all the categories would probably be a solid five points higher. It is interesting however, that the upbeat part can be reached in (Amiga's) DeliTracker by clicking on the double back arrow three times after pressing stop. I don't know if those stray patterns were intentional. -----================================================================----- "Exit Hotdog Seven" by Caramel of Fascination (4ch MOD, 02:01) (hotdog.zip [300K/449K]) [Funk] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 90+ 90 95 95 90 Fanta C 90+ 88 89 85 89 CypherMonk 75+ 75 73 75 70 Red Death 75+ -- 70 60 60 MING 65+ 60 80 75 70 Skullsaw 60= 55 50 50 70 Mansooj 45= -- -- 44 40 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Fanta C ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Yeah, okay, classic MOD time. Download this one 'cause it's great. This short MOD from Norway is coded fantastically. Hang on, gotta go get my book of superlatives.... I've had this MOD in my collection for well over a year and it's been, errm, played a few times, to say the least. It's the kind of MOD that just doesn't get boring. No matter how many times it's played, it always sounds classy. It's basically just funk: funk guitar, drums, bass, horns and a little waaahh. It's put together with all the style and panache of a master craftsman and just sounds _so_ cool. Even though it's very short, the author manages to squeeze in a fair amount of variation, ranging from wicked intro, through timing variations, crescendos and reprises, all in two minutes. Codingwise, it makes maximum use of the available options and comes out as very polished. No bugs...not simple to do...very admirable. The sound is authentic Fender through and through and given that it is a MOD, the samples are superb. Indeed, you wouldn't guess this was a MOD if pressed to specify the format. I loved it. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Why can't anyone make a downright shitty jazz-funk mod? Although this is not a particularly outstanding composition, it has technical and engineering qualities far above the average mod. While beginning with the average funky guitars and horns, the song has a lead of a light synth, and a more rockish beat than the majority of mods in this style. Unfortunately, that beat and melody does not really live up to the high ambition the composer seems to have set. A quite uninspired drumbeat thus leads us into the main theme, which is an equally uninspired melody based on a weak sample. Under this, a bass is hopping around like mad, a guitar is bloinking on like it always does in funk, and a horn section is tooting away in well timed, tasteful amounts. The bad choice of lead sound aside, the samples are all well chosen, of very high quality, and they retain a loudness and a raw feeling that appeals. There's a good deal of sound put into the four channels, and overall the song has a massive, edgy feeling; which is a good thing, since it kept me all ears whereas the melody didn't manage the same. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Oooooowwwwww, get down! Funk with a difference from this 4 track MOD dating from early 1996! I would have absolutely *loved* this track if it could have been done in *any* other format (I hear it as an IT file) but even in its present, awkward format, this is a thing of beauty. This blows seven kinds of brown material out of most multichannel tracks even in its constricted space simply because this composer knows his chops in every way. The samples are bright and clear (mostly created by the composer), the arrangement is absolutely stunning, and the overall effect is of a track that works so well you can't even see the join. Even if pure funk isn't your preferred style, you should download this track simply because it works so well, it'll even have the cat dancin'. I would have given this much higher marks if the composer could have made it a multichannel, true stereo jobbie. Still, as you can see from the ratings I give it, there isn't really a lot in it. A top notch, 100%, well, 95%, innovative MOD that deserves your attention (and your dancin' shoes...) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Begin rant: funk cannot be done on a computer. Funk must be played by humans, not quantized. Funk's "one" should not be played exactly on the beat but should lay a bit late in the groove. Listen to P-Funk, Hancock, Tower Of Power, that is not machine music. End rant. That being said, this is not a bad attempt at funk. Some tasty wah guitar, thumbed bass and understated drumming keep the groove alive while some nice lead synth does its thing complete with pitch bend and mod wheel flourishes. Some horn splats add spice. I really don't have much to say except that this is a pleasant diversion, well crafted with good samples. I must say it seems as if the composer ran out of steam (or ideas) as the tune is pretty short and ends in the middle of nowhere. /----------------------------------------------------\ )---------------------========[ CypherMonk ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This one caught me by surprise. Looking at the name, "Exit Hotdog Seven," I was totally unprepared for its stylin grooves. A solid, funky jive and sly backbeat jump out at you from the get-go, taking control of your backside like a steaming locomotive. It has one of the *best* horn samples I've ever heard, and considering that it uses only 4 channels, I was blown right out of my socks. EHS has excellent cohesion and flows seamlessly from beginning to end. It has bridges and changes in all the right places, and the only thing that could make it better (aside from making it longer), would be to have some deep, soul-cat singing momma firing out the lyrics and turning up the heat. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The author got the full use out of the four channels; the good use of effects and instrument changes show considerable tracking skill. I particularly like the organ, and the changes in lead instrument and the general sense of variety both keep the song interesting, and set it apart from the rest of the funk-jazz pack. Ultimately it impressed--a definite winner. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I normally like funk jazz, but there was something missing here. It seemed disjointed and lost in itself, and wound up not going anywhere interesting; ending somewhat abruptly. Some of the samples sounded scratchy which didn't help at all. Fortunately, there seems to be an infinite supply of funk modules out there, many of which I've found to be noticeably better than this one. -----================================================================----- "Paramagic Dancer" by ISO of Axis/MONO (4ch MOD, 03:01) (m_para.lha [315K/404K]) [Jungle] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== ChroMix 74+ 65 -- 89 89 MING 68+ 60 80 60 80 Shrift 62= 65 50 60 70 Rebriffer 60- 60 50 55 60 JRice 55+ 60 -- 50 60 Skullsaw 50= 50 75 40 80 Mansooj 44= -- -- 45 40 CCerberus 34+ 22 22 28 40 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Shrift ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Short and to the point, this jungle piece gets right into it. It used only four tracks, a reminder that the Amiga scene is still alive, and the tracks are adequately used. The song itself is very straightforward, and quite simply structured. The form of the song is also simple, as it flows between an ambience, and a swift-moving rhythm. The rhythm, and the strings creating the ambience, comprise the two main sections of this song. Each has its turn in the piece, as the two themes are alternated between. The ambience and rhythms are built upon by two women's voice vocal-samples, which embodies the only attempt at a melody (outside of the basslines which walk around the piece). Overall, this is an above average piece, which is adequately moving and structured to appeal to fans of jungle-like music. It is very minimal, though, which is something I would not much expect from a song of this type. It is also short. In any case, it does what it set out to do, and does so to an extent that allows me to accept it without overly critiquing it. In fact, there is very little to critique, as the un-risks it takes seem to pay off. The samples are interesting, because some are clips from drum-tracks, without including the whole track. These clips give the author much flexibility in assigning a nice-sounding rhythm, and are used to fine effect. Generally, the sample quality is good, and the samples are well-chosen. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ ChroMix ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Nice track! So few people have explored the possibilities that lie within creating electronica-esque mods, and I feel that Iso has done a good job of doing that. The smooth chords, piano, bass, and vocals contrasted against the slamming jungle drums sounds really cool and is a valid expression of this particular style. It's quite reminiscent of Goldie's Inner City Life. The song starts off with the chord and piano, and then adds onto this with bass and vocals, followed by the drums, which unify the song quite well. The song then follows into various drum and chord solos which are interspersed in combination with other parts. The transition between these movements are very smooth, allowing the song to remain strangely relaxing even as it is danceable. The only complaint that I have is that it becomes a bit repetitious. It's definitely a good song, and really this is the only thing that holds it back from a better presentation. It is a rather glaring point, though. Kudos to Iso for writing such a kicking track...and a MOD no less! That, in and of itself, is impressive, especially for an electronica song like this one. Good job! /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Rhythmically, this little drum'n'bass piece is probably one of the better ones I've ever come across in the mod-scene. The drums are conducted in a downright outstanding way. Otherwise, though, I can't find anything in any way fantastic about it. It's just that one thing that makes the whole song. Besides this insane "paramagic" juggling with breakbeats and drums, the song contains some boring pads, one quite ok vocal and a standard, slightly off-key jungle bass. Some chick singing Yeeeeeeeah in the beginning and end parts of the song, and some sporadic pressing on the pad keys isn't really much to boast about. The samples and techniques are both outstanding, though, but the song as a whole just doesn't have the "it" that's needed when working with only four channels. It is, in numbers of channels and sample options, a small song--and it sounds just that small. But as I said, it's well worth the effort of downloading, if only for those incredible drums. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Nice sweep and piano open up this oddly mixed little number. Obviously we're dealing with a 4 track MOD here, and it shows--the left/right separation leaves a lot to be desired. Seems to me these tracks would be a *lot* stronger done in multi-channel formats, but that's up to each composer innit? So, that's the weekly diatribe against 4 channel MODs out of the way. Now maybe we can get down to reviewing the track eh? It's a kinda trancy-ravey groove thang, with some very nice touches about it. In particular, the kick sound on the right side of the mix was a knockout sound, aiding the drum track enormously. Overall though, although I was quite pleasantly surprised by the delicacy of the tune itself, it didn't grip me enough to wrap it up in my hard drive and take it home. And I guess that's the only criteria that matters . Last gripe I had was to do with the ending, talk about abrupt!! Almost fell outta me tree. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ No doubt about it, Paramagic Dancer is jungle. All the ingredients are here: a chopped up drum loop, deep, deep bass, mellow major seventh synth pad and a female vocal sample. The bass sample is really nice, all fundamental with no harmonics. There's not much to talk about as far as the music goes. It's typical jungle where the hyped up, ultra kinetic, slice and dice drums are at the forefront, deep bass playing at half meter and jazz seventh chords repeat a simple progression. The treatment of the drum loop is worthy of a good technical score as, at least for me, jungle/drum'n'bass programming is not an easy thing. Those who are familiar with jungle will find this to be par for the course and quite average, others, I think, would be turned off by the simplicity and repetetiveness. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Hmmm...well, I didn't fall for this one. A mellow dance line perforated by a hyperactive drum and cymbal riff (which alone, I wouldn't dislike too much) comprises about 80% of this module. Not much in the way of variety here: we have a synth line almost all the way through, doing the same THING all the way through, plus that drum and cymbal doing its deal every few seconds (and a couple places it even gets the spotlight without the synth); and amidst most of it is a singing voice sample that I had to snicker at since it came pre-packaged with both a faint hihat riff (which I *think* mirrored that of the drum/cymbal riff in the actual module) and the faint sound of crowd cheers. No, it didn't fit in...rather hard up for voice samples I guess. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ JRice ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Iso has a firm grasp of rhythmic technique, and builds a cool mood primarily through an excellent (if redundant) drum track in this module. Indeed, the whole song is almost one continuous breakbeat. There's little variation in the song, however.... A nice chord progression, a little bass, and a smooth vocal sample (female, "ooo-ooo-oooh, yeah," with a nice tremor on it once or twice), but no transition, no secondary themes. Still, it's good for a listen, though it's not the type of song you'd keep on your drive for too long. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Well, I'll start off by saying something good: the subwoofer on my speaker system was loving the bass samples this song was kicking out. Unfortunately, the song didn't seem to actually have much TO it. It was mainly just bass thumps and snare tricks. Hey man, I like percussion in a song probably more than the next guy, but you probably need some notes, too, ya know...usually. Anyway, I just thought this song had about half as much to it as it should have. -----================================================================----- "Under the Sea" by FBY of SoftOne (12ch XM, 03:11) (UnderTheSea.lha [427K/819K]) [Atmospheric/Light Rock] ! Placed 1st in the Saturne '96 music compo ! Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Klaus Flouride 96+ 98 94 94 97 Rebriffer 95- 90 85 95 85 Mysterium 92+ 85 90 95 90 WolfSong 91+ 93 88 79 80 Mansooj 90+ -- -- 80 80 Red Death 75+ -- 65 50 60 Skullsaw 50- 40 90 40 85 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Oh dear! This module is just full of mistakes. The composer forgot to make a drab, repetitive song! He forgot to use nasty sounding samples that don't fit the music. He forgot to throw in choppy tracking. Why, it's as smooth as a baby's rear end. In fact, he forgot to make this song sound like a module at all! It sounds like a *recording*. This composer has no respect for true module tradition! What's the world coming to? Ahem.... Okay, enough sarcasm. This song is beautiful! When a composer writes a sensitive, emotional song it can go two ways. It can either sound like someone who's tried to write a sensitive, emotional song, or someone who's *written* a sensitive, emotional song. In this case it's obviously the latter. I've only rarely heard a module with so much feeling packed into it. Almost the instant the song begins, the listener is taken away, lead by FBY, to a relaxing place by the ocean. Do not attempt to adjust your module player. He is controlling the horizontal. He is controlling the vertical. The intro, with its strumming guitar and fluttering flute melody is merely setting you up. Then, when he's sure he's got you, FBY breaks out the percussion and weaves a weeping guitar solo that will melt the speakers. From there, the song takes the listener through light and through darkness; through ups and downs. The chord progressions go from majors to minors, reflecting the images the song provokes in different shades and moods. And all of this is done so smoothly you almost forget you're listening to a module at all. This song reminds me of some of the songs that so many magical things in my life were associated with. One of those songs that you come across after not hearing it for awhile, which causes the memories to come flooding back. The closest thing I can think of to compare it to would be Queensryche. It's the ballad on the rock album that made all of your friends at a party fall silent and listen. I don't care who you are or what style of music you like, this song will impress you in one way or another, if not completely blow you away. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Another MOD replete with it's own environment! Doncha jes' love all this 'let's be greener' stuff? This starts with a lonely flute, something that sounds like seagulls and wind blowing. So, there I was readying my foul weather gear for the deluge when the track turns a corner and actually becomes quite the loveliest piece of music I've heard in ages. It's very Pink Floyd-ish, but with something this good, I would never hold its influences against it. The lead guitar sequences, especially, were very reminiscent of the band in its prime. None of that ultimately mattered because this is such a sterling effort that you just have to keep listening. Let me be absolutely clear on one point. I have never really liked the Floyd, outside of one or two serious brainstorms, but this track could have me digging out a dusty copy of Dark Side to compare it to. Well clever...and the high marks are for scoring a piece of music that captivating to a humble tracker. Bloody Great!! This is one of those tunes that will get into your head so watch out for it! /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Mysterium ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Half expecting to hear a version of Disney's popular tune from The Little Mermaid, I found quite a pleasant surprise after I loaded this module! It begins with an ambient, new age, beachfront score and progresses into a true Tangerine Dream equal. I love Tangerine Dream, and I must admit that I believe this rivals some of their music! I found myself lost in the seemingly effortless skill of this soft creation. By the end of the song, I was wishing for more! If there are any complaints to be heard from me on this song, it's that FBY needs to create an extended version. However, the ending, where the guitar fades out, could have been constructed a little better. It seemed rushed and forced, and it should be more natural. Let the music play itself out--the premature ending beckoned like an abrupt awakening; but the content more than made up for such a small oversight. The use of effects and samples were superb! Personally, I am looking forward to FBY's next tune. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Ahhh, this is a beautiful atmospheric rock piece done up by the very talented Fabio Barzagli. The opening is a sweet mixture of flute, synths and wind coupled with the somber sounds of seagulls (abstracted) and whalesong; it then drifts into a nice guitar lead which carries throughout, fading into and out of the background. As I can't peek into the guts of the module (no XM editor on Amiga), I'm left wondering how much of the guitar lead is actually articulated, but regardless, it is very nice. The only things I could find to fault this module, and they are minor, is a trilling during the looping of one of the guitar samples (brief anyway), and perhaps an overuse of the guitar "shriek"--two or three times would have sufficed, and wouldn't have verged on becoming annoying in the way a person begins to reflexively flinch in anticipation of something. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This sounds a lot like Mike Oldfield's post Tubular Bells work, but not nearly as good, though Under The Sea is certainly well crafted in most respects. I think this is the first time I've heard acoustic guitar strumming in a mod. There is some decent Oldfield/Gilmour lead guitar work as well. Some expert coding is shown throughout, especially with the flute parts which include authentic sounding glisses and trills. Yep, this guy knows his way around a tracker. The problem is that this is just another new age light rock throwaway. Guitar heroes have been spitting this stuff out for years to provide contrast against harder edged tunes. The chord changes are incredibly dull and old. Musically, there's not much to sink one's teeth into. I would only recommend this for it's coding and tracking skills not on a musical level. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The intro is a little bit spacey through the use of an ethereal synth sample, and I think I heard seagulls in there somewhere; true or not, I was certainly reminded of water. There are excellent subtle melodies hidden quietly inside the tune. The slow piano and guitar work well together, but I am reminded of Leviathan's tunes, especially Dust to Dust (I think I even recognize one of Leviathan's guitar samples :-)). I like it. It's not repetitive, it's well-tracked, and well thought out. Having said that, it doesn't blow me away instantly as a tremendous song, as some have done, but it remains a very good tune. --- References --- Dust to Dust by Leviathan ([download]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------========[ Klaus Flouride ]========--------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I never listened to any tunes from FBY before this one. Then I checked out my Aminet CDs and was amazed to see that Fabio is one prolific musician. Actually, calling him "prolific" is an understatement. This is a really *great* mod. He definitely deserves to have his own subdirectory in the Aminet mods hierarchy. This is a must-hear module. -----================================================================----- "