Aminet 22

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Text File | 1997-10-21 | 97KB | 1,755 lines

WMR (Reviews [week #03]) __ __ __ | \ __ ______/ |_ | | | o \ | | | / o | \ |o | | \| o| |o _/ | o\ []=======| |==| \ |=| |/ | \========[] []=======| |==| \ |=| | |\ \=======[] []=======| |==| \|=| | |=\ \======[] :: | | | \ | | | / / :: :. | | | |\ \| | /| |/ / :: : | | |/\ | \ | |/ | | / : | | / \| |\ | | | | / :. | | / \ | \ | |__| | / .: :: | |/ \| \_| | |/ : :: | /\ | | __| |\ :: []=======| / \ |=| |==| | \==========[] []=======| /| \ |=| |==| | \=========[] []=======| /=| |\ |=| |==| | \========[] |o / | | \ o| |o | | |\ o\(mansooj) |_/ | o | \_| |__/ | o | \__/ |___| |___| (Originally compiled and added on November 25, 1996) (last updated 09.21.97) -----========================================----- -----================================================================----- "Lothlorien" by FeekZoid (4ch MOD, 11:57) (Lothlorien-FZ.lha [332K/505K]) [New Age/Atmospheric] A lengthy mellow track, inspired from the Tolkien novels and Martin Galway, C64 music supremo! [FeekZoid] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Mansooj 92+ -- -- 78 85 WolfSong 73= 72 74 80 75 Red Death 71+ -- 40 60 60 Parallax 70+ 77 55 70 77 Darkel 70= -- -- -- -- Rebriffer 55- 50 60 55 60 Araneus 40+ 40 -- 60 35 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ For a MOD, this is quite a good module. As most of you know, the usual MOD file only has four channels. It's very difficult to get a smooth sounding song out of one, but this one is really pretty good. Get ready for a whopper though. We're talking over 12 minutes here! At first I thought that it was going to be too long. There was enough variation to keep the song interesting, but for 12 minutes? Almost anything could get tiring after that long, and this would have been no exception if it hadn't been that this song is really about three songs in one...almost literally. After close to half of the song is over, it fades out and a new song...different key, rhythm, style, instruments...begins. The song pulls the same trick again at about 9 minutes. The first and last segments seem ballad-like, whereas the middle segment has more of a new age feel. I personally thought that the middle segment was the better written portion of this song, though that's not to say that the other parts were no good. The middle just seemed more enjoyable to me. This song almost has too much in it to talk about. In 12 minutes (and especially in this piece) there were too many different phrases to count. Numerous instruments and solos and different highlights. I suppose the one consistent thing about the instruments and music was that it was all soft and relaxing. There was something that annoyed me though. The percussion in the first and last segments. Oh, it was perfectly in time, but it was ONLY a snare drum. A snare drum falling on the backbeat as snares normally do, as if there was a kick drum to accompany it, only there wasn't. Just a lonely snare. I always thought the downbeats were the ones that were supposed to have the emphasis. Beyond that, there is, of course, the fact that it is a four channel format. There is some note cutoff and it's not as smooth as it would be had it a few more channels. But considering it IS a MOD, it is quite good. New age and ballad lovers will appreciate this one, as well as anyone who likes to collect nicely written MOD format modules. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A 4 channel MOD that sounds bright, infectious and totally unlike the norm? Damn, don't you hate intros that grab you only to drag you into the mud of a poorly realised track? It's a great shame too, as Lothlorien had a lot going for it in those initial first few bars. A great guitar/keyboard intro, full of sparkling runs slowly degenerates into a bit of hodgepodge of musical ideas, none of which really gel together. I have to put a lot of the blame for this on the overemphasis on the riff which drones on without much change for what seems like forever. The drums (if that is an accurate description) are confined to the most distorted snare sound I have heard in many a year and, as such, does absolutely nothing for the track, except slow it even further. About a third of the way through, the track gets slightly more interesting by the addition of an organ that almost, but not quite, alleviates the deadening weight of that ever present riff. Lastly, at an amazing twelve minutes long, there are only a certain number of artists/styles that can sustain credibility and I have to say this is not one of them. Taken individually, FeekZoid has all the bits assembled correctly, but somehow misses the target, as far as I am concerned. This would have made a very decent three minute track, even with the already mentioned problems, but stretched to these dimensions, it becomes unmanageable. Less is often more, as the old saying goes. By the way, as a consolation to the composer, the flute sound was worth the effort. Very nice indeed. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I've always liked the sort of music that is full of changing melodies, and that tells a story in distinctive parts...an epic in music; Lothlorien is such a song, and it stands up proudly under that banner. Several lovely piano and synth segments, as well as flute accompaniments (panflute and otherwise, in fact--nice touch, the variety of lead instruments) keep the listener in a state of slightly melancholy bliss. And it does so through four distinct movements, each with its own style and mood, while still leaving the whole intact and fluid. I think after having been drawn into listening to this module's nearly twelve minute duration, perhaps six times in a row, there's no question that I find this piece to be extremely impressive--and in four...count 'em--four channels. I often don't care, but this would be a ripe choice for multichannel conversion, taking advantage of all the nifty tricks the modern PC trackers have to offer. Ok, the sugar and honey aside, I have one tiny little thing I can mention on the downside: between the first and second movements, the deep toned synth bridge comes in too early and tends to get discordant before the next segment actually picks it up. But this is an ant at the base of a skyscraper as far as I'm concerned. If you enjoy atmospheric New Age style music, grab this at your first convenience; I guarantee you won't be disappointed. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ At first, this sounds like a ballad-like love song, but somewhere along the way it changes completely, forming a second movement. A small problem with the first half of the tune is revealed by the snare rolls: the speed is really low, and every line is used for the melody--this sort of effect is better obtained with higher speed. Also in the first part, the harpsichord line should have been varied more, although it is still quite good. The so-called second movement comes in at about pattern 34, with a rather quiet intro part. As it ambles along, it eventually picks up speed and this part is most likely the best aspect of the tail of the module. The tune is, perhaps, in need of stronger melodies in some parts, but fortunately the amount of variety is plenty to keep one interested. In total, this is a well done piece that conveys a rather elusive mood throughout its entire length. Speaking of which--it's a little long, and there's even 7 unplayed patterns at the end. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Araneus ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This module consists of three distinct parts. One minute into the first part, and all I was doing was waiting for it to end. The monotonous tune doesn't carry a strong melody, and the non-varying background guitar chord transitions just kept on repeating and repeating and.... The second part of the song showed promise near the halfway mark: a change in drum beats that reminded me of the Rain Man theme mixed with a melody from Yanni that actually sounded bearable--a much welcomed change from the first half of the song. This part was shortlived though, as the last and final portion of the song moved back into the slow, guitar chords (slightly different from the first part, but still boring). The samples were a tad scratchy, and the guitar, drum beats, and virtually all other instruments had too little body (lack of bass?). The module does show some promise in a few areas (mainly the second part), and could probably be worked into something more listenable (maybe use an effective instrument to carry some kind of melody in the first part, or not make it as long). But overall, I'm afraid to say that this module will be going into the bit abyss. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A new age song using a guitar as its main instrument. It is extremely difficult to track this kind of song using 4 channels since the strings, which are typical of new age music, tend to eat up the tracks too much. This composer did quite a good job with the limited 4 channels, but yet you can still see that this song dates from older technology, if you know what I mean. While composing such music in 4 tracks was quite an achievement 5 years ago, it isn't necessary anymore, and songs using more tracks--even 8-10--have much more richness. The composition itself is quite good, though. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Darkel ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a mellow laid back module which qualifies squarely as mood music--the sort of thing that's great when you're in the right frame of mind, but which is otherwise just a bit too bland. It may be a tad long at nearly 12 minutes, but it makes up for it through a series of nice style changes. It'd probably be a perfect thing to listen too while stoned. -----================================================================----- "Aevea" DJ Beanz of ACiD Prod. (10ch S3M, 04:19) (bn-aevea.zip [276K414K]) [Acid/Dance] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 90+ 80 80 85 70 Skullsaw 80+ 80 70 70 80 Klaus Flouride 75- 55 -- -- -- Parallax 73= 70 70 77 77 Mansooj 71+ -- -- 40 80 Strago 70= 73 70 70 70 Red Death 70- -- 50 50 60 CCerberus 60= 48 69 42 60 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ An absolute rottweiler of a track that grabs your throat from the first note. "Pure Energy," a female voice tells us, and you don't have enough breath left to agree with her. Moody washes and some of the most pneumatic synths I have heard in a dogs age, pummel you to within an inch of your life, but, at this point, you will have stopped thinking. A relentless tour-de-acid that just doesn't let up in *any* department. It's got a different sound/idea around every corner and yet another GREAT slap bass sound. Once again, if I were judging this track on a strict tracker basis, I would have to say that it isn't great or startling, but oooohhhh the music.... See, it doesn't matter to me how smart a tracker you may be, or how many tracking tricks you have in your (trainspotting) mind. What ultimately *must* count is the music itself. Like it or not, this is one of those tracks. Download this for energy and excitement, and you will not be disappointed. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Samba, definitely a techno/acid/samba. I really like the feel of the groove here. Instead of the usual bassdrum emphasizing each beat, DJ Beanz puts the accent on one and three giving the groove a halftime feel in places. The usual acidic filtered bass and synths are presented as melodic sources and sinister synth pads provide the harmonic background. A surprising and brief funky, thumbed and slapped bass solo pops up, unusual in an acid tune. Like a good acid tune should, it builds in intensity slowly. The percussion just friggin' burns when somewhat exotic sounding surdo type drums kick in. Okay, I'm sure you can tell I like this one. I don't have much negative to say about this mod. I'm not crazy about the one key modulation that was used, it sounded a bit out of place spoiling the droning trance flavor and the "Pure Energy" sample is kind of cliched, but otherwise a wonderful piece of work. Get it for the groove baby, everybody samba! /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Aevea begins quickly with an energetic acid/techno base coupled with a somewhat dancey beat (which might displace some hips and knees if actually danced to), which is maintained throughout. Minor changes occur here and there through discordance, deep synth sweeps, and a spot of bass slaps, however, the overall focus is a battle between the usual acid bits and some rather intricate percussion. Having taken to acid/techno somewhat, I'd have to say that this is a valid entry into that genre, but it is typical in that it varies little from its beginning to its abrupt, but effective, end. As to samples, they were clear and well-applied, albeit not widely varied. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A funny techno song overall. Relevant to ACiD's dedication to everything that is underground (remember the ASCII days?). Even if some might consider it repetitive, listen to it completely before judging it since it's a long song with many different parts. The drums are really good. I really doubt anyone could dance with this song, but it is perfect to play while playing Quake or your favorite shoot-em-up game due to the tension inherent in the style. The weirdest thing about this one is a part with a funky bass which seems to come from No, Nooon's demo. In my opinion, I think this sample has been used too much already in other songs. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Seemed pretty dark as far as techno goes, which I liked. One thing that struck me is that the song seemed kind of...unfinished at times, like it was just the background for more music that was going to be put in later. I dunno, maybe that's just a techno thing. I'm not exactly the big techno man. Use of panning was good, resulting in the boosting of this song's Technical score. HAHAHAHA Did anybody read that crazy stuff in the sample listing about the Secret Service? Hehehehe. :) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ It's acid from the get-go, definitely. However, it's got more variety in it than most tunes of the genre, and that lack is my major complaint with acid-style music. It's got a fast beat and a good groove, which help. I recognize Groo's bass sample in there. Nothing technically special, but I like the use of the quieter samples in the background to provide that little bit of an extra melody. As a non-acid fan, I can't tell if this is outstanding to hardcore fans, but I like it. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------========[ Klaus Flouride ]========--------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This mod has a good beat to it, but it does get monotonous after a while. Somewhat beyond the halfway point, it becomes a bit more interesting as a new melody line is introduced, but it still remains a bit monotonous. This is the type of mod that needs visual accompaniment (i.e. should be in a demo). It would work there, but as far as listening to it like any normal piece of music...it's a good tune, but I doesn't compel me to listen to it again and again. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Strago ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Fast techno piece with a chaotic/terror/paranoia type feel. I think it's worth a listen, especially if you like that type of style. When I began listening to the tune I had a gut feeling that it would end up being very repetitive, but there turned out to be a good bit of variation throughout this module. In the middle the author even manages to throw in some funk guitar. -----================================================================----- "Jamaican Mars" by CD of KFMF (27ch IT, 06:04) (k_jmars.zip [208K/359K]) [Ambient/Trance] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== ESP 90+ 88 70 78 60 Mansooj 72= -- -- 70 -- Nova 71+ 59 54 79 65 Rebriffer 70+ 60 75 60 70 Araneus 60+ 65 -- 72 75 Red Death 35- -- -- 40 25 Parallax 30= 30 30 30 30 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ String laden intros are so passe', aren't they? Having been guilty of a few myself, I honestly can't fault CD for trying this obvious (but often necessary) device for atmosphere building. Most of us employ it to build excitement into the track but somehow, in this case, it's all a bit too laidback fer these ol' ears. Actually, what I was most reminded of was some of the music from the TV series Twin Peaks. Seeing as that has become a cult in itself, I suppose this might be a backhanded compliment to CD for having his finger/claw/sucker pad/unholy digit on the pulse of things. The most irritating thing for me was the constant repeating string theme (which wore thin very, very quickly), and a really hokie electric piano sound. The electric piano sound also repeated quite a lot through the track which didn't help its case too much. The composer obviously knows his trackers because the coding carries this otherwise slow mover a lot. I liked very much the percussive bits of the track which I found helped a lot when the other samples got on my nerves. The quality of the percussive detail almost demands a more rhythmic approach...hint..hint Nonetheless, Jamaican Mars is a decent enough stab at MOD composition, and while I don't quite hate it, I can't bring myself to give it a cuddle either. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------------========[ ESP ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Well produced stuff, this Jamaican Mars, and of great value. I was immediately impressed by the tremendous aura of _mood_ which the track builds with so very few tools. It's a kind of low-key liquid sequence, which burbles along, sounding like it's just slipped right out of a film soundtrack--both in tone and quality. Very cinematic indeed, or is it just because it sounds very 'real'? I'm not sure, but it certainly sounds for the life of me like the story of a stressed out heroin addict's quiet night at home in front of the whiskey bottle (is there something you're trying to tell us, CD? ;)). A velvet soundscape which so utterly embodies a feeling of depression and lack that it's scary, even down to the roller-coaster-on-dextromethorphan lead spelling out brainwaves (note: don't try it with the ModPlug player). If it sounds like I'm talking rubbish, then it's very possible that I am (complaints to the usual address), but I'm finding it difficult to describe the tone of Jamaican Mars and do it any kind of justice. Suffice to say, it is good. The only bad point I can find is the very noisy first sample, but I'm not complaining. Get it! /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a rather odd piece from a newer musician in the Kosmic stable. It begins with a moderately long spacey synth intro which is eventually joined by a mixture of acid bass, then some deep metallic tones and shaker/scratch sounds. A while later we hear the first melodic bit in the form of a synthetic pseudo-flute. Altogether this is what justifies the word "Jamaican" in the title, though it comes off more as a generic relaxed island flavor. Up until about a minute prior to the finale, things are mellow and more or less unchanging at which point the pseudo-flute kicks in again and is shortly thereafter partnered with another synth melody which thickens the soup. Together these sound fairly nice over the constant underlayment of rhythm and synth. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ 27 channels.... This is what I don't like in a song. It takes a lot of CPU with SoundBlasters and chops off the sampling rate on GUSes. I strongly believe that it is possible to make something decent using less than 18 channels. Although IT squeezes the channels automatically while playing, it is not guaranteed that future independent players will, and those 27 channels are never used simultaneously anyway. I even doubt that 20 are. This lazy way of tracking, combined with a more-than-average song, is the basis for my ratings. This song itself has no style whatsoever, the only nice thing in it is the flute which has a fresh, monotonic tone, and if this were remade with the flute as lead instrument, I'd be glad to hear it. On the other hand, the pianos in this piece are just plain horrible. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Araneus ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Another song, another picture painted. This time, we see it start off with a computer generated desert moonscape, black sky, and brown rocks. The camera pans over to the top of a small mountain, where a computer animated bug dances to and fro. This IT's beginning is a little weird...the initial lead-in doesn't seem to match the rhythms of the remainder of the song. The background chordal arrangements are repetitive and a little annoying, but the main, sombre melody, composed of what seems to be a sample you'd hear coming from a Game Boy, keeps it interesting. The samples are quite clear, and accurately reflect a mildly spooky scene. I consider this a "slow trance" song, probably--obviously, due to the presence of a slow tempo and trance-like rhythms. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Nova ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A very simple piece with a slow moving melody consisting of a very spacey synth-flute sound over the top of a swishing hihat with a slow pulsing synth that makes you feel like you're in space. (We all love the preconditioning of Sci-Fi movies don't we!?) The flute sample is well done and properly used. The pulsing synth that adds the mysterious space sounding effect is also well done. Now to be critical. The piece may be a little too simple. The hihat sample is a bit brash and the hand clap should be toned down a bit or its usage scaled back. There really isn't much to say about this piece other than in its spacey simplicity is a light and mostly enjoyable tune. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The tune is a pretty boring, ambient/trancey thing; even after the lead comes in, because it's repeated to death. The samples used for that lead (which begins after pattern 12), sound like they were sampled from a Nintendo NES. The "swish" samples are the only interesting features of the percussion track, which seems to be the focus of the song. The only other thing that stood out about the tune, and it was again related to the percussion track, was the syncopation of the bass and bass drum. -----================================================================----- "Ato" by GD (11ch S3M, 04:18) (gd-ato.zip [272K/401K]) [Light Trance/Ambient] "This is a tune I started and finished over the weekend of March 2 [1996]. It's rather simplistic, and doesn't really have a lead melody. My main focus in writing it was to build a certain atmosphere. It's a break away from songs I've done before, and I like the change." [GD] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Parallax 73- 62 77 85 70 CCerberus 70= 80 76 88 87 Strago 69= 75 72 75 70 Skullsaw 65+ 55 65 65 70 Nova 63+ 65 -- 59 60 Red Death 50- -- 70 40 60 Mansooj 47= -- -- 65 50 /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Nova ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I come away from this song feeling that I should be relaxed, but instead I wind up being confused by what the author's ultimate goal is supposed to be. Let me try and explain. The author starts by creating a "warm and cozy" atmosphere with a surging synth and soft bass samples. About a third of the way in, he then moves away from that approach by using the synth sound as a lead instrument that defines a melody. About halfway through, the author introduces a subtle voice sample and once that sample is done, slowly backs the mod down so it sounds more like the first segment. The changes between the two approaches mesh well together and do not detract from the song. And I felt the introduction of voice was mixed in well and enhanced the song rather than detracted from it. The author seems to be rolling a few styles of music, (ambient, trance, light techno) into one song. Whereas nothing really jumps out at you and goes "this mod is incredible," I found that it was solidly produced and, overall, a good listen. So, try and forget what this mod is supposed to be and just listen to what it does. When this mod is looked at as a bigger picture, it works and is a good tune. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Ato is a mid-tempo, somewhat ambient, leaning toward new age excursion. Ethnic sounding percussion samples, a big reverbed snare and a droning, gritty synth drone are among its sounds. Splatters of chord stabs and swells make appearances here and there adding some nice timbral color. The chord changes are simple and effective providing the only harmonic interest, as there are really no true melodies present. Not a whole lot happens in this tune. The sprinkling of synth noises, speech snippets and stabs are nice details, and these things, in fact, are the only elements that kept me interested. If not for the little synth doodles, washes and assorted detail sounds I would probably come close to trashing this one, but it's the little things that save it. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Another techno song, a style praised by many die-hard tracking fans. Is this one like the other ones? I can't really say because it's so weird. I don't enjoy reviewing such songs because it's hard to evaluate them due to their lack of musical content, it's rather the kind of soundtrack you could hear when walking outside either drunk or drugged. But if this was what I heard while being drunk or whatever, I would not be violent; I would be wondering what the hell's going on around here. This is not an aggressive song, it's more a trip inside the mind of the author which must be someone who likes to take his time. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A vague industrial opening with various percussive instruments conducts a slow progression towards...well...towards very little. Despite the synths, it seemed left with an overall tinny effect and did not have the richness that would have made it significantly better. Additionally, I personally did not like the mild house type synth-organ used throughout most of its length. It didn't seem to fit. Generally speaking, the song is rather dull and aimless, and the previously noted tinniness kept it from at least being relaxing. At its conclusion, you get the impression the song just fell asleep on itself. Unfortunately, a very average, do-nothing module. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This one is a little too ambient, a little too quiet; there's really nothing much going on--just chords, a little percussion and some bass once in a while. There's a sample playing for patterns on end without ever changing, going on for far too long, and bringing the track to the verge of being boring. Effects are used well, and there are some subtle little sounds hidden in the tune that help; so in the end, I find it to be...not bad. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This was an interesting song...it was weird and chaotic, and at the same time orderly and melodic. I have NO idea what style classification a module like this would fall into, but I have to admit I enjoyed it. The samples were really cool, and it impressed me that a coherent sound could be coaxed out of them. Now if only I knew what the artist was trying to SAY with this song. :) /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Strago ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A spacey sound, with very good orchestration. Starts off a bit spooky and suspensful, then melts into a more mellow smooth feeling. It then moves back twords the feeling it started off with. I kept waiting for this song to break into a faster harder pace, but it never happened, which left me somewhat disappointed. The resulting contrast could have made the song a lot more interesting. -----================================================================----- "Outer Cloudlands" by Eye-Oh (12ch XM, 04:25) (outer-cl.zip [164K/346K]) [Jungle/Light Trance] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 75+ 70 75 75 65 Skullsaw 75+ 65 60 80 75 Parallax 72+ 54 76 76 84 MING 68+ 70 50 70 60 Mansooj 55- -- -- 65 70 Raul 50= 45 45 60 65 Fanta C 46+ 78 75 72 68 Red Death 35- -- 55 40 30 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This mod has been categorized as jungle/lite trance but it has none of the elements of jungle, chopped up drum loops mainly. Come to think of it I don't really think this is trance in that it's not electronic-sound based, but rooted in acoustic/Afro percussion sounds. It does have a jungle sound as in Africa/Amazon jungle, a very organic sound. There are three basic elements to Outer Cloudlands: conga lead percussion, a deep bass bassline and a somewhat hypnotic otherworldly synth "melody." A nice touch is the longish spoken word intro with the aforementioned synth in the background. I found the mellow groove quite engaging, my body slightly bouncing with the beat. There is minimal harmonic and melodic action here, but that's okay with me as it gives an almost ritualistic/tribal flavor. Using bassline variations, instrument drops and such keeps the music from becoming too stagnant. Overall, I do like this one, though I do have one gripe. The samples aren't all that clean, the mod is very hissy, at least on my computer, but they are well suited. Musically it's an interesting piece, hard to put in a category which I think is a good thing. It's not much compositionally, it's more an exercise in arrangement and atmosphere. A haunting piece of music that is worth a listen. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Eye-Oh's second release as we are informed within the sample notes, and a neat little number at that. It starts with an excellent vocal passage (two people having the *weirdest* conversation) and some really appealing soprano choir sounds. Shame then, that once the track starts, it doesn't go anywhere interesting. The track is well mixed and kinda laidback in its own way. In fact, that's the problem. It's all a bit *too* light and airy, and although the way the sounds are mixed and presented to your ears will get you initially, it'll probably be a short relationship. Whatever aftertaste it leaves with you will disappear with the first blast of the next track you hear, which is shame because outside of the light weight, it's a haunting, eerie workout. Nevertheless, for a second track, this isn't anywhere near as bad as most, and if you see it, you may as well give it a whirl, Burl. Something as pretty as this should be able to find a home on someone's hard drive. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Sometimes I don´t understand people. Here Eye-Oh (another one of those totally out there nicks) has created quite a nice tune with a great, soft melody and impressive laidback rhythm. In an attempt to give it some kind of content, he throws in some clip out of a movie, from some hostage or kidnap scene, I think. He really shouldn´t have, it only turned a decent song into a silly one, at least from the standpoint of the intro. Anyway, overlooking that, we´ve got a pretty nice tune, skillfully conducted with percussion, light drums, a deep tom-tom bass and a great, but endlessly looping melody of some kind of angelic choir-synth-string-pad. Perhaps the technical construction doesn't exhibit any extraordinary brilliance, but it´s done well enough not to be annoying. And it´s never really boring, despite the repeating lead, since everything around it is constantly changing. Anyway, Outer Cloudlands is a nice enough tune. Not in any way ready for a Grammy, but a nice tune nonetheless. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Fanta C ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Technically there's nothing wrong with this track apart from the fact that it seemed a little quiet. Musically, it's very boring and repetitive (I always seem to use those two words together). The track consists of a simple melody being beefed up with competant backing. The tune is played out on strings, whilst the dominant instrument is an echoed "bongo" drum backed up by standard percussion and muted bass. The track gets much better towards the end as variety of instrumentation and tempo changes are employed, but again, the basic melody hasn't changed. This would be no bad thing if the melody was complex enough to sustain what is nearly a five minute track, but it simply isn't. In trying to come to an overall conclusion, I'm torn between the decent technical quality and the general weakness of the musical content. At the end of the day it's about the music and hence, I can't recommend this track. Ultimately, I found it boring. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Sampled voice conversation serves as the opening to, apparently, set the mood. Then come some stark drum and hihat percussion...a little more complexity...another drum comes in...another....some bizarre sound like a blue jay choking on a sunflower seed, followed quickly by a short patch of synth...where the heck is this going? My mind is beset by an image of the song walking down a corridor lined by numerous doors, each of which is tried and closed again. This may be an interesting image (especially if you can anthropomorphize a song ;)), but as a piece of music it's pretty good dozing material. I suppose there's atmosphere here, but I have to say it didn't make me care one way or another. On the plus side, the name seems somehow fitting. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Raul ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This one starts with some speech and then it moves to a slow part that is apparently supposed to be the introduction, but this introduction is, in fact, the whole tune. Somehow Eye-Oh managed to create a piece that never quite seems to begin, nor does it even seem to actually end. If this song had a beginning, middle and end, I missed it. It also seems devoid of any noticeable melodic content. Again, if it's there, I was unintentionally looking the other way. Perhaps there's some explanation in the speech samples, but they're not clear enough to understand; and besides, most songs throw them in gratuitously anyway, so it's unlikely they would mean much if one could actually understand them. To be fair, though, the other samples aren't bad. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ For some reason, this song seems really quiet; if it's supposed to be ethereal and light, it is, but it's also boring. There's not much to comment on other than the samples because the song doesn't really do anything worthy of mention. As for those samples, I can say I didn't care for the human voice choirs, since they didn't sound quite right at first listen. Though I did eventually get used to them, I believe there's something somewhat "off" about them that colors the rest of the listening experience. Also, the voice samples used are of dubious value since they can't be understood. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This tune would make good background music for a weird movie scene where some lunatic is preparing to take down a victim. It's an endless arrangement of percussions with a bass and a choir, but that's it. There is a nice hihat arrangement, with proper panning (at last), but the song itself is completely devoid of any apparent meaning. The samples, in general, are quite nice, and the vocals are cute, though unintelligible. -----================================================================----- "Under Pressure" by Rage of Jade (16ch XM, 02:49) (undpress.zip [273K/531K]) [Techno/Acid] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== MING 95+ 98 80 90 88 Skullsaw 85+ 85 90 90 80 WolfSong 81= 78 91 86 89 Mansooj 76= -- -- 80 84 Parallax 76- 55 85 85 77 Clones 70+ 60 80 60 70 CCerberus 64= 58 52 58 40 Red Death 44= -- 71 44 66 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Electro-dripping and synths guide the listener into a sudden acid rainstorm which dominates the piece. Everything is fast and furious until it stumbles its way into some rather nice piano and spacey-acid effects. The song apparently didn't like the lull and quickly jumps out again to seize the throat of the unwary listener...for a few seconds, after which the ride comes to an end by dumping you out of the cart. For the most part, this shows some interesting usage of samples, and a pretty good selection to boot. The durations of each segment seemed too short, and the transitions verged on being flat out abrupt. With segments left long enough to make their point, and some smoothly crafted transitions, this song would have had a much higher overall sense of polish. Seeing as how this was a compo entry, one can justifiably forgive Rage for these problems, given the normally tight time constraints. However, excuses are little consolation when it comes to the decision of a downloader looking for a full-blown, carefully crafted musical experience. Even so, this should not be enough to diminish the nice sounds which are present, even if they fly by so quickly you have little chance to appreciate them before being yanked elsewhere. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Well, there's definitely nothing wrong with Rage's tracking skills. I don't often hear a composer who knows how to work the system so well. This is a very "now" sounding jungle/demo style tune that's been excellently crafted with crisp, superb sounding samples and expert use of effects, along with a surprise or two (namely a quite contemporary sounding piano solo toward the end). I was particularly impressed with the way Rage uses volumes in this piece. Very tasteful and artistic. Speedy drums and short, demo style sounds give this song a slightly futuristic feel, but is down to earth at the same time, as very mature and expressive piano solos are thrown in--almost like reading nudie magazines in Barnes & Noble--but Rage pulls it off very tastefully. This may just be my personal taste, but I thought the design of the song could have been better. It seemed to lack direction and emotion, and left nothing to speak of as far as depth or feeling goes. It was also quite short. Though, even in that light, I still consider this piece to be very nicely executed and quite impressive. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ After a dreamy intro, we are into a salad of jungle/acid. A very deep bass is present that I could only be heard by boosting the low-end on my mixer. Some tasty Chick Corea-ish synth solo licks come in and out as the slice and dice drum track scurries to and fro. Simple but effective chords play in the background as a disembodied male voice is heard now and then. A surprising little acoustic piano mini-solo comes in as the drums exit. Back to the beginning for a reprise and it's over. Short and sweet. Under Pressure is a strange mix of styles. I hear drum'n'bass, 70's fusion, acid and ambient elements all crammed into less than three minutes running time. The sample selection is varied and fairly clean, though not exceptionally so. A lot of good ideas and originality are presented here. To Rage's credit, he doesn't beat these ideas into the ground by endlessly repeating himself, instead he's come up with a short, concise and interesting piece of work. Go for it. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Rage is one of the composers I admire. He does his thing, and all of his tunes bear an obvious personal mark. People tend to like his songs, not despite their unusual, distinct character, but due to it. Under Pressure is a typical Rage song. This means a fast, hectic, but still intelligent dancebeat, coupled with some snarls and sweepy pads following cool, unorthodox paths. Unfortunately the paths taken are way too short, and often end before I have the chance to get familliar with them. The song is laid out as follows: an ambient part, some seconds of snarl'n'beat, back to the ambient, and yet again back to them beats, and so on, with a jazzy piano interlude somewhere in the middle. And when the song ends, I'm left one masterpiece richer. The only real drawback here, except the shortness of the tune, is that it is a bit sparse on the panning. I suspect it would have had an even richer sound if more work had been done there. But that´s the -only- complaint I´ve got. Get this tune. It´s a killer. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Clones ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Lovely ambient beginning! Nice samples, very realistic piano. There are some nice subtle stereo effects bouncing around, and some quite interesting drum work. This composer is obviously more into subtleties than "in your face" material. The format of the song is interesting, though it could be a drawback--it seems to be on a giant tape loop alternating smooth ambience with quiet jazz drumming and louder electronic heavy beat material. A heavy jazz influence is evident throughout and is kinda cool in this context. If you like mellow, smooth sounding material with a little kick, this composition is for you. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Bleepity bloop. I'm not quite sure WHAT to make of this one; it flies past you at the speed of light while bordering on sounding like random notes at times, maintaining JUST enough coherence to still sound like music. I thought that was pretty neat. I could easily imagine a computer producing a song like this after you fed it some basic rules about music and note relationships. Drop that puppy a rand() and you're on it. :) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Wow is this one going fast. A futuristic-techno song which even includes a new-age piano part for free. I've never been a fan of hardcore techno, but this one is far different from what I've yet heard. It's well tracked and sure is original. While I prefer music in which I can feel the author's emotion, this one deserves its honors since it's technically impressive, and you can see how far a tracker can go. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A real fast one with plenty of variety and good samples. It's perhaps too fast, really, since at some points the percussion and the harmony tend to approach gibberish. I particularly liked the piano sequence, but found the main lead instrument (sample #23), to not be prominent enough. There're also a few little bonus sounds hidden in the background which make the tune more interesting. -----================================================================----- "Stomping on Elephantus" by Mystical of Purple (16ch S3M, 02:14) (m-stomp.zip [410K/660K]) [Funk/Jazz] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Mansooj 87+ -- -- 90 95 Parallax 86+ 77 90 85 90 ESP 85+ 85 75 70 75 Red Death 80+ -- 80 70 70 Rebriffer 80+ 80 80 75 85 Peraphon 74= -- -- -- -- Skullsaw 55- 40 70 35 75 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Bring on the funk!!! And what a funk it is too. Mystical has produced a diamond in the genre with this excellently realised track--but it may not do for those of us who know not the funk. It starts, like all good funk, with a high wah-wah guitar before being joined by a terrific Hammond organ sample that is sooo clean you can see your face in it. The drums stomp along mightily (although I found the left panned snare irritating), propelling the track in all the essential funk attributes. Since I have been reviewing for WMR, I have listened to a lot of proto-funk and real-funk tracks and this is most definitely one of the best I've heard so far. The quality of the samples really does have to be heard to believed. Obviously, the composer put a lot of work and effort into the choice and placement of the samples, and on that score alone I would have awarded some pretty high marks. Buuurrrrtt, this one actually delivers on the funk just as well. If you like time warp music and want to live (or even re-live) the '70's through the funk landscape, then I highly recommend this track. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------------========[ ESP ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Anybody remember Bass-O-Matic? Well, if you liked that, you'll love this. It's got that lazy, summer sound, which just smacks of Love Catalogue. While this could be seen as a bad point, anybody who sounds like that most musical of 80's house bands needs to be given a medal and a pat on the back. The groove is wonderful even though it isn't that involving by itself, the sound of the music itself is entertainment enough. Clever little guitar riffs and stabs underline it, and there is an incredibly evocative Hammond organ (which I fully intend to nick), but the crowning glory has to be a superlative flute solo at the end, which should go on forever. Are there any bad points? Well, the solos (other than the flute solo) don't bear up to close scrutiny, they seem obviously programmed and unnatural, and the piano section in the middle of the track has definitely got something amiss, it's just too jangly and misshapen to be realistic. --- References --- Bass-o-Matic by Mystical(?) ([email me if you know where to find this!]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Right off the bat, the thing that caught my ear in this mod was the Hammond organ--very groovy, baby. Alas, I was soon let down by some dinky, thin pianoish sample--yuck. But wait! In comes a cool cat jammin' on his flute--coolsville, daddy-o. Funky wah guitar grooves along all the while. There were some things that stuck out in a bad way. Some inauthentic sounding trills on the organ, the on-every-beat cowbell and a lack of bottom in the mix. But, the biggest thing that I don't like in this tune is my usual gripe....ready? Unoriginal. Please, just let this genre die already. Well, that's just my not so humble opinion. Personally, I don't care if I never hear another "funky jazz" piece again. That said, I'm sure there are some who would really enjoy this one. The solos are very good considering the medium and the groove is smooth enough, so be my guest and take a listen. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ We have some funk with a jazzy/bluesy edge here, done *very* smartly. Mystical generally has a knack for taking otherwise tried and true styles and infusing them with new vigor. This is no exception as far as I'm able to discern. There is a very tasty sample set used here which is definitely unusual for funk style songs (perhaps others into making funk should take note--vary your samples--funk doesn't have to conform!). Sharp and intricate percussion work, lovely piano/organ harmony, a wonderful flute piece. Seamless fitting of all elements. (Beware of a strange anomoly following the tune's end: it appears to jump some 17 patterns or so into a "lost" bit of the song, which leaves a note hanging after it loops to beginning. This may or may not be isolated to some Amiga replayers.) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Here's the usual funky-Amiga-Euro-style music which seems to be a typical staple these days. Even if I say "typical," this one does not feature the usual funky bass, but rather a totally mastered rock organ, a really nicely played flute, a brief electronic piano part and drums which were obviously not ripped from a techno song. Every pattern is different, showing that its composer did not run out of ideas. Too bad this is one of those little shorties. :-) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The funk style isn't original, but some of the samples I've never heard used this way, and the flute part is pretty cool. There are a lot of sounds jumping around in this tune, but they don't interfere with each other at all, and the groove and percussion have enough variation to keep the song from getting boring. I definitely like this song. For some reason M4W lists it as a 45-pattern tune even though it only plays the first 27. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ SoE is a nice, not overly repetitive, funky tune capable of livening up your day. Its use of instruments not normally found in funk tune, alone makes it much better in my estimation. All those samples sounded very good, which, of course, is a definite plus. In particular, there was some nice arpeggio on the organ really got my attention. An odd title, and one I'm curious about with regard to its relationship to this song. -----================================================================----- "Phobic" by Future Assassin (15ch S3M, 04:28) (fa-phob.zip [252K/407K]) [Rock/New Age] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Mansooj 90+ -- -- 88 85 Clones 80+ 90 80 80 80 Skullsaw 80- 80 70 80 80 Parallax 79+ 85 77 77 77 Rebriffer 75+ 65 75 65 60 Red Death 75= -- 60 65 40 WolfSong 72+ 79 75 79 52 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Interesting. I'd file this under heavy electro-ballad. Phobic uses some excellent electronic synth samples that would be at home in a techno tune but here, the composer applies them to a big-bottomed ballad. A deeply pitch dropped synth sample plays a major role throughout. This sample, which most would probably knock off points for because of use outside its "proper" range, provides an abstract punch rhythmically and harmonically. The strange sidebands caused by aliasing adds a nice timbral effect. The composition itself is very good and inventive. From a somewhat sinister opening, the piece goes into a slow sixteenth note groove with the aforementioned sample and heavy drums the standouts. A pseudo-classical interlude provides a nice surprise before returning to the basic progression. Soon, the piece gets way harder with the addition of double bassdrums and an intense ascending chord progression that cycles around and around while a slow fade takes out the music. I have nothing bad to say about Phobic. From the samples to the composition, this is an all around very good piece of work. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Oh dear. Another "sensitive," piano song with a f.... WHOA! Hang on a second here! If you're not careful you'll be fooled just like I was and get smacked right over the head with some heavy rock guitar! Quite an intense tune showing a lot of diversity and style. It *is* a sensitive, piano song, but not at all typical. Driving the piano is a distinctively heavy metal foundation. At times the piano breaks for an electric guitar solo and a bridge or two, showing off some classical progressions. However (and you knew this was coming).... First on my list is the samples themselves. Though they were nicely chosen, the quality on some of them suffers. Second, it is very hard to get rock guitars to sound right in a sampled format, as it's almost inescapable that they'll *sound* sped up or slowed down, which is what has happened here, and it takes away from a "natural" sound, making it harder to get into. This is a good song, though. A lot of hard work has gone into it and it's worth listening to for the solos and chord progressions alone. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Very nice, moody piano and synth opening which takes the listener into a sudden dramatic expansion of sound. The piano core remains amidst this, though it picks up some of the intensity. I very much like this style trick. If you're like me and attempt to envison the music as something solid, you might imagine yourself flying headlong through a vast tube with walls formed from sheets of rippling sound. At about pattern 30 you pick up speed as the tempo of the percussion increases, kicking things up to a new level (there's a bit of classical styling hidden in here...nice touch). You course towards the final point of light at the end, and are seen from behind bursting through that bright horizon into space...and as the song fades you also fade into the infinite void. So, do you now understand my psychosis? ;) Music without the ability to evoke an image from me is doomed to low scores. Future Assassin dragged my ass around and spit me out...and dammit, I don't get enough abuse! /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ An interesting techno-ish track that is driven by a really unique bass and/or guitar sound, a kind of whoomph that has to be felt to be heard. The beginning doesn't give any of this away, though, starting with a couple of high pianos tinkling merrily. Then, wham, you are nailed to your seat and the track finally takes off. This is probably an exceptional track on first listening, and an even worthy track after many plays, but I personally started to find it a little wearing. It's essentially a worthy track, although there are several hundred out there just like it. It may share my hard drive for a while, I suspect it won't be checking in full time. So I would suggest you check out another FA track, but you might as well check this one out while you're there, if guitar driven MODs are your thing. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Clones ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ It's hard to remain unbiased since there are so many elements here I really like! The samples are very good, great piano, a most interesting rhythm guitar sound, good drumming and a most convincing semi-slide guitar solo a la Pink Floyd. The music is very dramatic with quite a heavy beat in the style of some Led Zeppelin of days gone by. What I find most strange is an almost Baroque turn to the song that leads into a tremendous climax. This is a unique twist that deserves kudos! Also, lacking in much music today, is the concept of *melodic* development which this piece certain has, and which I enjoyed. One of the best modules I have heard, and one I can highly recommend to anyone that likes dramatic space/art rock fare. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ As I started listening, I was led to expect another piano ballad--until an electric guitar/bass part broke in. This part is interesting, but the low bass samples used there aren't very good. (There's also a harpsichord used somewhere in here that doesn't sound quite right.) Phobic goes through several stages, building towards a well done crescendo, and along the way features a strong, enjoyable electric guitar melody, and a well done percussion track, which around pattern 31 reminds a little bit of Metallica. The most appealing aspects of this module are the good melody and the interesting bass arrangement, but also the fact that it's not all the same throughout--lots of variety to enjoy. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Here's another who uses his tracker to make a very nice, "sad" new age song. While it starts with a shy tone, wait for the tune to kick in and you'll be greeted with a grave guitar. While a few of the samples could have been picked a little more meticulously, you'll like the distortion guitar and the percussions for sure, they're well used. The composition itself is excellent, and does well to promote a kind of melancholy mood that might be missed if the song isn't closely heard. This is what I call using music to express rather than to impress. -----================================================================----- "Tribute (DMF Remix)" by Dreamfish (4ch MOD, 07:02) (m_rem1b.lha [209K/314K]) [Acid/House] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 90+ 85 90 85 80 Ka'PQat 85= 85 75 65 50 Mansooj 72= -- -- 55 40 Parallax 50= 40 47 40 55 Skullsaw 45+ 40 50 30 50 MING 40= 35 70 40 80 Red Death 35- -- 40 35 35 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Ka'PQat ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a remix of an original I have not heard, so I will base my comments solely upon what I hear in it. It has a mostly rather minimalist and somewhat ambient/atmospheric approach. It begins with a simple thud-bass-drum with a warm 1-note bass synth on the offbeats. A repeating laugh, synchronizing with the beats beginning on every 4th offbeat, fades in gradually. Normally, something like this would sound menacing, but the laugh has a blustering, genuinely tickled tone to it that made me smile. Then a punchy beat with a metallic ring comes in with a nifty little intro. Warm, full modulated/flanged synth-string chords sustain and change, beginning to lend the mood of standing alone in a large landscape of bare, grass-covered foothills in fall on an overcast but bright, windy but warm day. The 1-note pulsing bass changes to match each chord, but once in the cycle it drops toward the end of a chord to a note that gives the expectation of resolving to a major chord, with a feeling of beginning to be enfolded in a warm embrace. But instead, it returns to the original minor chord and the pensive mood remains. Softly whirring/thrumming throaty synth samples in a repeating fast riff on the offbeat add an aboriginal digeridoo-like touch. This section ends with an intimate echoing whisper reassuring that "it's in my brain-my brain...." Stripped of the strings and then of the percussion, the whirring synths then sound more of a softly mechanical rhythm, suggesting the figurative gears turning in one's head. The soft thudding decisively returns, adding on every other beat a sound of a type I often hear and like, like a taut wire-fence strand being struck in the wind with an instantly-twirled smacking sound. This interacts nicely with the returning strings to enhance the strong-steady-wind mood. This rhythm then becomes a more regular dance beat when joined by soft cymbals and snares. A piano-string sample then plays an aimless solo which I would just as soon entirely see ditched. It is a sample I recognize from another old mod which did a better job of covering up its low quality. Its sound is, at times, interrupted/muffled with intermittent volume decreases which *almost* make it sound as if the sound is being blown toward one from a distance by the wind. That would have really enhanced this piece if the sample had been better and the tune it was playing had not been so dull. Fortunately, the solo is relatively short, and the metallic beat sample from the beginning returns, this time arranged in a more loose-jointed, varied rhythm that encourages the body to move. The "my brain" sample plays one more time, then it once again collapses to just bass and thud, with the smacking-wire percussion sound nicely highlighted before it disappears and the song cycles to the beginning. It is so easy on the ears that I had listened to it halfway through again before I even realized it had recycled. The samples in this 4-channel mod were basically all pretty low quality, but this was actually cleverly exploited to produce that windy, ethereal feel- ing. I don't generally go for this exact style, but this one had a subtly unique, vaguely emotionally persuasive style that tugged at my heartstrings. As I mentioned, I did not like the piano solo, and the almost-resolving bit I mentioned at the beginning could have been timed a little more smoothly. Other than that, it was a very pleasant listen and, in places, made the hairs on my neck stand up. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Basically, this is a rather simple yet effective piece. I suppose I'd term it acid/trance/house if I were to put a style to it. Generally speaking, most of the song is carried on a fairly fast tempo rhythm beat comprised of acid samples of one sort or another, and an underlayment of synths. Although I claim this to be a rather simple piece, that is not to say that it's in any way boring. I found the structure to be the simple part, but there is a surprising amount of variety here, which might be missed unless you pay attention and listen to it a few times (there are no discernible peaks and valleys, but rather a more smooth feel for the duration). Somewhat incongruous is the placement of house style percussion and raw acid sounds atop warm synthstrings, but I have to say it came off pretty well. Perhaps this is something that is common in this musical genre, that I'm unfamiliar with, but regardless, it has shown its appeal to one of the uninitiated. I have but one gripe, and that, as is often the case for me, is the presence of a rather sloppy synth loop which is used fairly heavily during one passage. As a side note, I had rated this module a fair bit lower than it shows now, after a single listening. After leaving this to play in the background while going on to other things, I found that after several hours of hearing, but not actually listening, to it, it had grown on me. That in itself was worth a bonus since the usual result is just the opposite. Thinking on it, since it is clear this is not an in-your-face type of music, I assume this was the successful intent. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Either Mod4Win does strange things to this 4 channel MOD or the reverse. No matter, my advice is to play this on anything but M4W. It sounds splendid on Oliver Lapcique's MODPlayer plugin (but there again, most everything does) and it sounds pretty damn hot in Impulse Tracker, so what is the problem with M4W? Dunno Guv'nr but shirley o shirley the M4W people could find a way to settle this irritating little niggle? See! And you thought I would just go into my usual diatribe about the limitations of 4 channel MODs eh? Just goes to show that you can't trust anything these days. As it 'appens, this is a very decent 4 channel MOD indeed. Okay, so it's a little weird panningwise, but put that predjudice to one side and you'll discover a little gem of track. Electronica par pretty damn fine.... An insistent pulse of bass leads into the track in such a way that you automatically think "oh, here we go again...heard it a thousand times," then some maniac starts guffawing into you earlobe and you know you've entered the Weird Zone.... Suddenly the drums crash into crisp, clear and very 'live' action and before you know it, the foot's tapping, the head's nodding and you start to smile. This is a very well put together track which, once again, shows how handy some composers are at the 4 channel format. So long as composers as clever and creative as Dreamfish (and FoxII too) are around, the 4 channel format can come to no harm. Eminently downloadable. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Geez, this is annoying. For the better part of three minutes there is a static, uninteresting bass part that plays on the upbeat while the drums just plow along. A typical techno chord progression comes in with associated sequenced twiddles. Soon we enter Georgio Moroder territory with a basic pounding bass drum, simple progressions and synths. Yawn. Then comes the drum break that segues into another section, sort of, as we are right back where we started with a monotonous and relentless bass and drum track. In the words of Monty Python: Stop this record! Take it off! On and on and on. I haven't much to say about the sample set, like the music itself it's clean but run-of-the-mill. As you may be able to tell, I REALLY like this...not. Way too repetitive, limited by an average sample set and generally, just plain boring. Leave this one alone unless you like repetition in its extreme. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Hmm. A tune beginning with 30 seconds of nothing but dunk-buzz-dunk-buzz does not make a good first impression on me. Then it slowly works itself up to a decent techno/trance drumbeat--but nothing happens. And nothing happens. And nothing happens. And finally something happens, when some acid sounds and plink themes start rolling in, but by then I've already fallen asleep. That´s how it goes on, for seven long minutes, while slowly changing into new, and after a while, almost interesting themes. It´s all in all a weak song, packed bluntly into a mod format, and devoid of anything that could have been called good timing. Sorry, I just can´t stand a tune that doesn´t even try to attract attention in any way. Either it´s an insult to the listener, or just a bad attempt to be different from the lot. Either way, it didn´t do the song any good. Technically it´s well done and the samples are very good indeed, but it doesn't help when the music made with them is downright dull. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Parallax ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ As soon as I heard it for the first time, I thought "This one seems too much like what Robert Miles did for me this spring." That's right, since there's his typical bass and bass-drum yo-yo like he used in Children. The song takes a totally different approach a few patterns later to become some kind of techno song using the repetitive percussion sample. The author makes use of his 4 tracks to make echos on the other panning position, which is interesting, but it's still your typical MOD file, nothing more. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ First problem shows up right from the beginning--it needs to NOT start out the same for 4+ patterns. From this inauspicious beginning, the song continues in a very boring manner until pattern 19, where the percussion is finally modified in order for a flute sample to take center stage. The song changes shape several times, but the problem is that when it does change, the same pattern is reused 3 or 4 times before the next change. To compound the problem of this repetition, the main bass sample is quite bad. It boils down to your typical 4-channel, mediocre techno/dance fare. -----================================================================----- "Travelling" by DD of Aurora/Gemini (20ch XM, 04:42) (dd-trvlg.zip [279K/579K]) [New Age/Light Rock] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Mansooj 82+ -- -- 85 88 WolfSong 77+ 74 82 79 80 Araneus 77+ 74 -- 82 87 Red Death 65+ -- 65 50 45 Shih Tzu 54+ 39 86 57 89 MING 50= 30 100 60 95 Skullsaw 40- 35 75 50 70 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Shih Tzu ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I must say that this is very well tracked. The piece feels very rich, the panning is well handled, and technically, there is very little wrong with it. The percussion is very competent; I love the drum roll about 20 seconds in. I wouldn't change a thing about the samples. The melodies are portamentoed perfectly. There are only a few technical quibbles I have with this piece: occasionally when the lead instrument is holding a note at the end of a phrase, it suddenly vibratos drastically as well as pans all over the place, the effect being that it sounds like the musician belched unexpectedly. Also, while most reverse cymbals are expertly handled, a few reach their climax too soon before the cymbal on the downbeat. My main problem with this piece is its repetitive nature. The background never changes; it's always the bass, and the drums, and the chords in the background, with the same instrument dishing out the nice melodies and the horns providing counterpoint. The melodies themselves are well composed, but they repeat too often. The stretches without melodies grow tiring. The piece could really use quite a lot more variety. Yet, as I write this, I notice that it makes decent background music, something good to listen to while you're thinking about something else and not concentrating on the music. As a piece of music to be analyzed, this falls short. When used as Muzak, however, the tracking carries the piece, and it becomes pleasant to listen to. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This song had a very warm sound. It's a pop/rock style piece with an emotional chord progression, horns that sound quite real, soulful synth solos and a fretless bass that just oozes from the speakers. This composer really knows how to use effects to build a smooth, natural sound. It doesn't take much to see that he's been at this for awhile. The instrument selection was very good and there were no MHz spared on the quality. Now, not that I'm complaining but...well, okay I'm complaining. But believe me I had to really reach for the complaints this time. The percussion could have had a little more attention paid to it; there's nothing *wrong* with it, but it does just seem to sit in the background. It could have had a bit more bite put to it, and it would have helped to have had the drums brought up a bit, and the solos down just a little. Even so, it also seems like the final mix was just this side of great. Other than these minor things the song has really nothing to complain about. It's a very nice piece of work. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a perfectly tracked jazz/demo/pop tune with some exotic background noise and impressive bass and drumwork, topped with horn themes and oldschool demo-tooting. Sounds good? It´s not. Hmm. What to say? I feel compelled to consider this song an average piece of work, but not due to it being of overall low quality--the situation is quite the opposite really. It screams of musical knowledge and technical skill, both in tracking and sample creation, but it also screams a lack of talent. The tune, albeit perfectly conducted and fabricated, has a theme that works better as a sleeping pill than anything else. I hope, and believe, that this is only a temporary failure on DD's part, because if it isn´t, and if this is the most interesting tune he can produce, a great deal of skill has been given to someone who apparently can´t figure out what to do with it. Gotta download some more of his stuff, just to find out.... /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Some soft, relaxing sounds open the tune, along with a few "natural" effects. The song has an overall mellow and relaxing tone even though its tempo is not necessarily slow. Somewhat reminds me of a toned down Tom Jones style piece. There's actually quite a lot going on in this song, but nothing seems well-defined, making it all sort of blend together. I have a feeling this would have been better off if designed to be more of a background piece, because the way it is it comes across a little too hard to be relaxing and a little too soft to pay full attention to. All this aside, I think it's quite a nice tune with a bit of an identity crisis. DD obviously has talent, and I look forward to sampling some of his other work. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Dammit, I really liked this one a lot for the first 45 seconds or so. It starts out with birds providing atmosphere, sparse and delicate drums and ambient flavored synths. Then it was all ruined when the music turned into a contemporary light instrumental. There's a horn section, deep bass and string pads. The music seems to exist solely to support a lead synth solo. This prolonged solo is coded very well with plenty of bends and such, but the problem is there's too much soloing. Sorry, but Travelling really gets on my nerves. It's nothing but a solo and chord changes a la lite jazz. Except for the intro, there's nothing of interest here. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a pretty good song (best when the main melody is present), with a bit of a Future Crew influence in the lead. In fact, I believe some of the samples were ripped...er...borrowed from them. The chords, bass and percussion lean to the ambient side, and the well done leads keep the song from becoming rather repetitious as with the usual true ambient tunes. This mixture yields a song with a nice, easy going feel to it. There's some nice horn-work in here too, but it's too bad that the horn samples themselves were of only moderate quality. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Araneus ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Think of yourself in an outdoor auditorium, and in front of you on stage is a modern jazz band, playing a lively tune to the outdoor sounds of wind, waves and frogs croaking (that's what it sounds like). An impressive arrangement of trumpets, percussion, and synths do give a realistic flavour of jazz that probably would fall under the genre of contemporary adult. If you're into this type of music, you'll probably be able to imagine two trumpet players waving their brass around as they play the music that they seem to love. -----================================================================----- "