Aminet 22

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Text File | 1997-10-21 | 108KB | 1,917 lines

WMR (Reviews [week #13]) __ __ __ | \ __ ______/ |_ | | | o \ | | | / o | \ |o | | \| o| |o _/ | o\ []=======| |==| \ |=| |/ | \========[] []=======| |==| \ |=| | |\ \=======[] []=======| |==| \|=| | |=\ \======[] :: | | | \ | | | / / :: :. | | | |\ \| | /| |/ / :: : | | |/\ | \ | |/ | | / : | | / \| |\ | | | | / :. | | / \ | \ | |__| | / .: :: | |/ \| \_| | |/ : :: | /\ | | __| |\ :: []=======| / \ |=| |==| | \==========[] []=======| /| \ |=| |==| | \=========[] []=======| /=| |\ |=| |==| | \========[] |o / | | \ o| |o | | |\ o\(mansooj) |_/ | o | \_| |__/ | o | \__/ |___| |___| (Originally compiled and added on February 4, 1997) (last updated 09.07.97) -----========================================----- -----================================================================----- "A Walk in the Sky" by Barbatruc of Authentic (xxch IT, 02:41) (brb_walk.zip [320K/484K]) [Soft Rock/Dreamy] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Peraphon 93+ -- -- -- -- Quasar 81+ 85 85 85 75 Raul 72+ 65 75 45 80 CCerberus 71+ 76 71 80 84 Zaigamor 71+ 73 78 76 75 Mansooj 70= -- -- 75 77 Rebriffer 70- 75 80 70 80 MING 47- 30 75 50 80 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A pretty nice tune if you like a silk glove approach to your soft rock. Very smooth sounding tones from the synths to the chime-waves--but not from the direction of the percussion. This seemed much too loud, and although it wasn't exactly varied (in fact, the percussion exhibits a severe lack of variety throughout), it sounded somewhat too busy for the music it was accompanying. The lead instrument is a synth-flute often heard in such music, used nicely in a sweet, uncomplicated melody. Most of the space between the flute leads is handled by a pair of synths which sound quite nice together, with backgrounds being filled in by a selection of appropriate samples including a nice, unobtrusive piano. As mentioned above, the only real audible fault I hear is the percussion. It is articulated nicely (one bit reminds me of something in Klisje Paa Klisje), but it just doesn't seem to fit. Perhaps if it were toned down a little, both in complexity and volume, it wouldn't tend to distract you from the main melody. Even with this fault, I liked this tune. It could have benefitted greatly from evan a bit of added variety, as can many songs, but the lack wasn't severe; and the overall sound was nice enough to stand on its own. A moderate thumbs up on this one, great if you like soft rock and synths. One side note for Amiga dudes: if you play this in DeliTracker using the v0.7 replayer, bear in mind that this thing will loop around forever regardless of the songend setting. I should also mention that I think this song is essentially too short and Barbatruc looks to try and hide this fact behind an infinite loop after about 2:40 or so. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Zaigamor ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Let's start with the bad points of this song. The same two chords are used throughout; basically, this is akin to saying the musical variations are limited. Additionally, the melody of the flute is a bit flat, and the cymbal ride sample doesn't "melt" very well with the other drum samples. Some points that could use a little improvement: the song has some heavy, rolling drums. Overall they are well used, but here and there they are too heavy. The volume of the piano goes up and down smoothly throughout a chord. Nothing wrong with this, but if the composer's goal was to achieve some kind of dynamic feel then he'd have done better to have made the volume changes a bit more abrupt, so as to surprise the listener. Some good points: the soundeffects (wind, twinkles) do enhance the atmosphere of the song. Technically it's good too. Not a bad track, but with a little more variation and some more length it would have been a bit better. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ What a waste of talent. I'll be the first one to admit and even praise the tracking skill behind this work. It is an altogether beautiful song with a lot of atmosphere and a nice, sad mood. However, since this is all Barbatruc can come up with in terms of musical entertainment, I can't find any reason to ever play it on my machine again. What I mean by entertainment is not that I want to have it making me laugh or headbang or something...only that it does its best to keep me at a decent attention level, so I still hear and concentrate on the song. This tune doesn't do that. It is, put simply, very, very boring. Smooth and dull, but with some actually really good drums as the only exception. Without any trace of interesting melody, it is the perfect cure for insomnia. Yet it sure sounds nice and is very well produced. It just doesn't help. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ There is only one word to fully describe this song: brilliant. From start to finish, this song is excellent. An atmospheric effect is excellently created with melodious use of quiet strings in the background, great piano, and a very haunting flute. This song does very much sound like a walk in the sky, and a wonderful and soothing walk it is. The samples used in this song are of a very high standard, and I cannot easily fault them. They are also highly appropriate to this song genre, and the way they've been used is fantastic. The percussion is fairly static, but it changes often enough to minimise the risk of boredom. I was quite happy to listen to this song over and over, because it was just that good. This song plays very well under Cubic 1.7 with the IT loader. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a pleasant song, which reminds me a little bit of Under the Sea, another module which the WMR has reviewed. This song isn't nearly as technically elaborate as that one, but it has some similar textures. There is some really interesting and cool percussive work in this song, but unfortunately, it seems to me that most of the melody is underdeveloped. It's almost as if the composer meant to go back later and put in a lead part, but just decided not to. The song isn't BAD by any stretch of the imagination...it's actually one of the better songs I've heard. It's sad that this song is as underdeveloped as it is; it could be so much more. --- References --- Under the Sea by FBY ([download]/[reviews]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Raul ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is yet another of those unoriginal tunes that seems to go nowhere, and ends up sounding more like one long introduction segment rather than an actual song. It begins in a typical manner through use of a simple piano and string, then comes the percussion, the flute and then a lead instrument. The piano and the flute seem appropriate, but simple and unspectacular. Also, the transition between the piano and the lead isn't well done. It seems as though the composer laid out both tracks and didn't really know how to combine them, ending up deciding to play the piano, stop the melody for a pattern, and then start the lead. The tune is very short, and though it loops well, you still get tired of listening after a few plays. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Quasar ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The first thing that struck me about this module is the high quality of its samples and the extremely full sound of its 16 channels. A mellow and relaxing tune with fine piano and flute composition, with a few strategically placed, excellent drum sequences, this module is a fine example of what can be done with module composition. In fact, the only thing I could possibly find wrong with this module is a slight overmodulation in the bass drum hit. If you want a slow, relaxing melody with crystal clear flutes and pianos, and deep, resounding drums, listen to this module and store it on your hard drive in a place of honor. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Nice atmospheric start. The samples are clear and well textured, with the main piano sounding particularly authentic. Great shame, then, that the music didn't do anything at all for me. It may be a matter of me not liking this style, or it may just be that the tune's a little on the boring side. (Shrugs shoulders, walks away whistling heavy metal tunes....) -----================================================================----- "Undetermined Feeling" by Ryan Cramer of Renaissance (14ch XM, 03:34) (undefeel.zip [290K/584K]) [New Age] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Peraphon 86+ -- -- -- -- CCerberus 85+ 88 92 89 97 MING 81+ 75 70 80 80 Rebriffer 80+ 85 85 80 75 WolfSong 78+ 80 73 73 70 DRift 78+ -- -- 90 -- Araneus 75+ 78 -- 70 70 Mansooj 75+ -- -- 78 90 /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ It's really nice when a composer can build a song who's pieces all seem to fit together like one intertwined structure. That's what's been done here. I suppose you could call this a new age/pop song. It's built with an array of techno and dance like synth instruments, its lead having a sitar-ish sound. The song actually does have the feel of being constructed, as the composer brings in different phrases that are then joined with the main theme, adding more to the final structure. And if this song were a building it would give a prison a run for its money. It's very solid. All the parts fit together so well, constantly adding new light to the song. I found the chords and melodies to be quite lovely. There is a constant, ultra-smooth backing of new age sounding chords that I thought was perfectly wonderful. The bass is a well planned foundation of notes and rests that give rhythm and define chords as well as add some character. This all winds up having quite the atmosphere. It's easy to get carried away with it. This song comes really close to being one of those that provokes images of picture perfect valleys and flowers in the forest...but only close. There are a few dance sounding elements that cause, well...a rather "undetermined feeling." But there is no undetermined feeling about this module. I like it plain and simple. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A nice, upbeat, new age-like piece with a touch of brisk ambient and a mild Oriental undertone. It's intro is quite unlike that foregoing overview, and is more of a drifting, spacey segment that serves as a very nice appetizer into the main song. The Oriental flavor is mostly from short bell/chime-like string strum/plucks (how's that for a skillful description of an instrument?), and some supporting synth-drops. A simple, but effective percussion tags along to help form a good, solid backbone for the synths and the few other instruments, all of which are very sharp and clean. One thing which sounds like an error, but I'm fairly certain was intentional, is a rather distracting stutter to one of the bell/string instruments mentioned above. That constitutes the only complaint on a musical level. The other complaint is that this song was too short. I hesitate to apply the words "lack of variety" because, for whatever reason, this tune just seems to whip through those 3.5 minutes before you know it. Again, it comes across as being much too short in duration rather than content. Very odd in a way, as I am normally very aware of repetition. Perhaps I'm not quite as down on that when what is being repeated is nicely composed. Either way, it's a shame this song wasn't taken down one or two side streets, as I'm sure it would have really elevated this to another level. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This song, by Ryan Cramer (Iguana of Renaissance), is a wonderfully complex and well-composed piece of music. It unintentionally seems to refer to some of the musical conventions used by Skaven on the Chaotic Mind musicdisk, but not to such an extent that it doesn't seem original. The samples are excellent here, all having been made on Ryan's KORG X3. What a shame that he asks us not to rip them. :) I will abide by his wishes, but I'm sure there are many others who will not. [RC recants this request in an info file included in the distribution archive. -Boris] My only complaint regarding this song is that it didn't seem to have really enough length and variety to "get where it wanted to go." It sounded as if it wanted to expand somehow, but just didn't have room. I dunno, give it a listen and see for yourself. It's worth a download. --- References --- Chaotic Mind MusicDisk by Skaven/Future Crew ([download]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This starts out sounding very spacey indeed, and there is a portamento used that sounds very much like a warp drive in Star Trek. Whilst this song seems to maintain the spacey feel, it also seems to be a bit atmospheric as well; I could associate this song with either flying through the clouds or going through space. Either way, it's a great sounding song. Very smooth, easy going and fairly light, and it requires basically no effort to listen to. I really liked the percussion track, it sounded great and didn't interfere with the rest of the song. The samples used are of an excellent quality which definitely adds something. I think this song is jam-packed with style and it is most definitely worth listening to. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Just for a second there, I could have sworn the intro was *exactly* the same as the Barbatruc IT, A Walk in the Sky! Didn't matter though because it soon developed into a very tasty tune, with some excellent samples and a very cool mix. I particularly liked the Chinese sounding piano, which helped to keep the tune varied enough to keep most of my attention. Nice to see other people using samples from the many excellent sample CD's on the commercial market, but I do think that people will "rip" any sample they like, regardless of the manufacturer's pleading, or the artist imploring the rest of us not to. They'll just do it for the dare now. Sorry, Ryan, but the truth's the truth. [Again, RC recants this request in an info file included in the distribution archive. -Boris] --- References --- A Walk in the Sky by Barbatruc ([download]/[reviews]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Araneus ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The style seemed to be, initially, undetermined. It started of as an ambient piece would, but as a drum beat became louder, you knew that this would be a dance piece. The first few piano notes are actually quite catchy, and as the song gains momentum, you realize that the contrast of the ambience and the song beat work well together. The chord progression isn't very unique though. The song isn't too long, and the main melody is unique enough, and it actually proves to be one worth keeping on the hard drive. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Yay! At last, someone who dares to mix ambient dance with ordinary pop. Big plus for the style. The melody is a little meek and quite hollow sounding, but at the same time airy and with some interesting percussional and melodical sample oddities. Despite the bland first impression, I've really quickly grown to like it, and it will be a worthy addition to my ever growing library. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ DRift ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This one is pretty quiet. It is very well constructed; different parts are always fading in, fading out, and overlapping unobtrusively. The melody is original, too, and I love the sample it uses--an echoing scraping sound. One thing I didn't like is how the drumbeat only lasts for a few measures before dropping out each time...but that is a small complaint. -----================================================================----- "Snowin' at Sahara" by Weed of Coral (20ch XM, 03:17) (w-snowin.zip [214K/368K]) [Pop/Soft Rock] ! Entered into the Juhla Pi multi-channel music compo (unselected) ! Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== MING 93= 95 95 85 90 Klaws 83+ 80 -- 80 75 Raul 82+ 86 65 75 82 Zaigamor 81+ 82 79 82 80 Peraphon 80= -- -- -- -- CCerberus 75+ 80 82 76 67 Mansooj 75+ -- -- 77 85 Rebriffer 70- 60 80 60 75 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A fairly distinctive island-style beat provides the skeleton for a nice, softly upbeat tune primarily composed of organs and synth-flute. The percussion seemed to be a little too dominant, though it was quite fitting to the overall sense of freshness of the song. Variety is not a strong point here, though the sound is nice enough and the duration not overly long, so it doesn't get too repetitive. Note the "too"--I really think there should have been some change of focus, if only briefly, just to liven it up a bit. The percussion (culprit again) was almost absolutely constant throughout the entire piece--that isn't usually a good sign. Structurally, this tune reminds me of Endless Heaven (another module we've reviewed), for the reasons already mentioned: it is a bit too constant throughout, but has a nice enough overall sound to retain a good score. One last thing to mention is the synth-flute lead that comes in at one point (about pattern 12)--it sounded just a little cheesy to me. I think this is more due to the sample itself than the choice of a flute as the lead instrument, or even the more specific choice of a synthetic-sounding flute. --- References --- Endless Heaven by Karsten Koch ([download]/[reviews]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Raul ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ First of all, I must say that I've found a lot of tunes whose titles have nothing to do with the music, and this is another one to add to the list. The first few patterns of this tune are very good, and they give the impression this is going to be a very good song, but the rest of the patterns are basically the same as the first ones, with little variation. The main problem I've found is that the melody in the first half is hidden by the percussion which is played too loudly...or maybe the melody is played too softly. Either way, it's a notable problem. In the second half, the flute melody (the one the sampletexts say was done in 20 minutes at the Juhla Pi party) is much better and is played at a higher, more appropriate, volume. The percussion is done well, but it's not such a good idea to use the same 6 channels with the same notes in ALL the patterns. This was Weed's entry into the Juhla Pi multichannel compo, but it didn't qualify into the final voting (I think only 16 tunes did), so if this one is this good, how were the others? Well, I've listened to the first place finisher, so I know part of the answer, and I have to say that I couldn't find much difference in quality between Weed's tune and the winner, Glass Elephant by Sivu. --- References --- Glass Elephant by Sivu ([download]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ It has been a while since I've encountered a mod that really made me feel good listening to it. Reeealy good, I mean. There have been good mods, really great ones actually, but none have left a feeling of total comfort in my mind as this one did. First of all, it's very, very well produced. All the little things in the right places, and with an easy, upbeat riff and a soaring sound. The drums are addictive and fluid; and them little extras, like the tiny water sound, are just perfect. Add to this a simple, yet effective, melody on exactly the right instruments, and you get an almost perfect tune. I just feel there could have been more done to take the composition one step further through more development of the rather plain melody. However, I really shouldn't complain--it's fantastic enough as it is. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Zaigamor ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Weed made a very catchy, upbeat, easy-going track here. The melody is cool, the upbeat drumline is groovy and the chord progression is simple, but nice. The organ melody sounds polished, but the melody of the flute that follows after the organ, sounds less smooth, probably because it is recorded in real-time. This area should be a prime point for increased attention in future tracks. I also found the "watery" sound in the choir samples to be rather odd. There's not much variation in the drums, chords and bassline throughout the song. However, it doesn't become boring, because it's so damn catchy...yes, Weed made a very catchy tune. Just download this one and enjoy it. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This song has a great feel and sound. It's a very happy sounding funky synth tune that is very catchy indeed. The song sets the happy mood from the outset, and the listener definitely gets an idea of what they are going to hear later on. The composer has made use of a very upbeat percussion line that is never boring; there are many drum fills that help to keep the interest there. The samples used are excellent, and I can't hear any major faults in any of them; they also seem to fit this song very well. I am also impressed by what the composer has done with the piano, organ and flute. This is definitely one to try. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A very full sounding MOD, which is explained by having 20+ channels doing the work. As is pointed out endlessly all over the MOD scene, no amount of tracks or tricks can prevent a duff tune poking through. The same rule must then apply to threadbare tunes too, as this MOD is a little lacking in variety. The best phrase in the track is repeated endlessly, building to a kinda "Springsteen-y" sound that, for me, was very offputting. Shame really, cos that one idea *was* pretty. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is one of those songs that makes you just kinda sit back when it's finished and say, "You know, that was a good song." This is the kind of tune one might expect to compose/listen to when one is in not just a happy mood, but when life is going well overall. Things are good...you FEEL good. I guess this is a "feel-good song." :) The percussion was pretty interesting, too. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Klaws ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Woah! A jazzy Ryan Cramer tune! :) This song is really nice; he's borrowed some of RC's pad samples for the background and made a really cool song. An organ takes the lead for a while, as does a flute, creating a nicely mellow segment. For some strange reason, I see dancing snowmen, but.... :) The ending's a bit too idiomatic, but I really do like this. -----================================================================----- "Squared Circles" by Xerxes of Night55/Jade (22ch XM, 06:27) (xr-circ.zip [197K/525K]) [Light Techno/Ambient] (Mellow Techno) Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Mansooj 81+ -- -- 75 77 Klaws 77= 80 73 75 75 Blue Rider 75= 80 60 60 90 Zaigamor 74= 75 77 70 75 Peraphon 68- -- -- -- -- MING 67= 65 70 65 75 Rebriffer 66+ 65 80 70 75 Skullsaw 50+ 50 60 50 65 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Opening with a pseudo-spacey bit of synth'n'acid, a percussion that is a mixture of dance/jungle/rave fades in and takes hold of the song along with some of the standard acid samples used in many ambient tunes. This is not, then, the relaxing sort of ambient, but rather something between that and fast ambient. The pace is fairly brisk, for the most part, and with the chosen rhythm, the composer says to us, "listen, don't pass out." With ambient, this is a dangerous thing, but I was happy to pay attention to this one all the way through. Primarily because it was subdivided into two similar, but distinct halves, with a fairly uninspired slowing of the tempo to exit one part and an increasing of the tempo to enter into the next. This slowing of the tempo method also serves as the outro. Again, uninspired, but serviceable. I have to say that I like the mixing of ambient with a good, lively rhythm percussion track. It seems to strike a well-honed balance between two different, but quite compatible musical notions. Additionally, the way things were done with this composition, the two parts seemed almost like four since the percussion track comes in and fades out in each. This is a simple, but both clever and effective way of infusing a sense of variety without there actually being much. I also noted that Xerxes didn't use the identical set of samples in both major parts, which is also a rather inexpensive way of rounding things out. All told, this was a pretty nifty piece of ambient. I'd recommend it willingly especially if you like this sort of stuff, and if you're not yet familiar with this style, I'd suggest, by way of introduction, to give this one a try. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ There's something very familiar about this mod, but I'll be damned if I can place where I've heard it before. Oh well, that's my problem. Squared Circles has a nice, mellow swinging sixteenth note groove propelling simple and light little synth riffs. Bleepy, blurpy synths drone along as deep lowend washes waft in and out. A very gradual decelarando takes the energy level way down and into a slow slinky groove with the same synth parts still in attendance. An accelerando follows reprising the beginning. I like the almost foghorn-like sample that's introduced and triggered every other downbeat. Another deceleration and it's done. There's something missing here. What that is I'm not sure. Maybe it's that there's not much as far as ideas go in this mod. Basically it's one continuous piece of riffing patterns played over and over with only tempo changes to provide variation. The best I can say about this song is that it's just okay. The samples are good though there's really nothing unusual or fresh save for the foggy sound I mentioned. I give it a hearty...eh? /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A classic techno start, with the usual bleeps and blurps is soon joined by yet more bleeping and blurping, and so far I haven't moved an inch. This is not a good sign. Could I be dead and not know it? Maybe I've been turned into a pillar of salt because I happened to look backwards at the wrong moment? Nooo, just tune tiredness is all. If I was really honest, I would say this track did very little for me. I thought the layout of the track was particularly deadening. The composer just gets you nicely into a decent enough groove, you just start to space out a bit, and...uh oh, here comes a time/feel change. Mmmmm. Confusing...and at 6+ minutes, this is not a wise plan. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Klaws ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This style seems familiar...except for the acid, from about 1 minute to 2, it sounds a bit like one of the tunes in the game Secret of Mana. Why??? The echoes might be it, but it might also be that weird...umm...well..."dwiip" sound. Nice, except for the overly loud techno bassdrum. A lead with acid samples is a fun(?) touch, bringing in a somewhat acid/trance feel. Then out at order 42 the composer slows down and gets a cool groove thing going with synth organ, while keeping the acid around for the bass and harmonics. The accelerando at 4 minutes takes too long to get back up to speed. Half a minute of very dull repetition with just one loop, is one of the only mars on an otherwise very well composed tune. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I can't really pinpoint why or how, but the title is awfully appropriate. The song is edgy and soft, with sharp turns and smooth sounds; this could be the reason. A simple, steady pattern, spiced with floaty, spacey strings and yes, cool drums. It is entertaining, though tiresome at times, and a nice idea put into reality by a composer I think can do more. Judging by the production and the overall sound picture, this hides a composer who knows how to sound good. Not too much fuzzing with effects or channels, but plain, simple and good music. Right now I dig it, but I suspect it will bore me in a matter of days. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A mellow techno acid tune...there seems to be more than enough of this genre going around. Certainly, this is one of the better examples, but I've never really been into this sort of stuff. It sounds okay at the beginning, but becomes a tad annoying after awhile. The samples used in this song are of a high quality, but there is a small amount of crackle in some of them...negligible, but still present. Overall, it's not really my style, but it's definitely not bad. /----------------------------------------------------\ )---------------------========[ Blue Rider ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ First question: why 22 tracks? Could've gotten away with maybe 12. The changing of the bpm is interesting, but overdone. Well, let me get down to it...it sounds nice, good samples (all except #26), however it sounds like Xerxes really was stretching out an okay song to make it longer, thus losing its originality. If it was 4 minutes instead of its lengthy 6:30, it could've packed more punch. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Zaigamor ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This track is well made, with an unconventional build up. It starts as a dance track, but slows down gradually in the middle part to become sort of a slow, groovy tune. After this, the song speeds up again and continues as a dance track. All in all a good tune, although it sounds a bit "empty" and static. Nevertheless, an enjoyable one. -----================================================================----- "Mellow Thang" by Zest (14ch XM, 04:23) (zmellow.zip [198K/408K]) [Light Rave/Light Techno] (Happy Hardcore) Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Red Death 85+ -- 75 80 70 Black Knight 82+ 90 85 76 83 Mansooj 71= -- -- 75 73 Skullsaw 70+ 70 70 70 80 CCerberus 70= 74 70 82 86 MING 70= 60 65 70 70 Peraphon 63- -- -- -- 68 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ So this is happy hardcore, eh? I must admit that I wasn't familiar with the style, mostly because I usually stay away from any module whose title includes the word "hardcore" (that makes me a wuss to some people, shrug) I think the thing that sets this style apart, assuming this is a fairly accurate example, from other hardcore that I'm familiar with is the addition of some attractive musical qualities. Most hardcore I've had the misfortune to experience is literally noise, and nothing but, with the strongest resemblance to musicality being found only in the percussion. I'm not quite convinced this mixture of styles would actually work all that well most of the time, but I did find it rather appealing in this case. In reality, this seems more a blending of moderate rave, acid, and electronic, rather than what I've come to consider as "standard" hardcore. The only part that really seemed to tie it in under that heading was that rave bass thingy that if I knew what it was called, I could better complain about how annoying it is in most modules, but which isn't annoying here. Perhaps that's why I actually got into this to some degree; I rather doubt true hardcore can be helped by anything. ;) I liked the arrangement of the opening, especially because it wasn't indicative of the main style. I think it's rather cool to be faked out a bit, so long as what the module turns out to be is good. I did notice some noise in those opening samples, though, which detracted some. There seems to be a decent amount of variety in this, at least within the scope of its style, and, in general, I became rather fond of this module after a few plays. For some odd reason, a female moan sample used in this, as it has been used in countless other modules, actually seemed appropriate, if a little overdone. I wish I could figure out why, because normally such gimmicks make my eyes roll back in their sockets--it'd be interesting to know the trick, even though I couldn't apply it (since I am forbidden by law to ever attempt tracked music). Nice to encounter a (sub)style new to me that is actually worthwhile; I suggest you give it a shot--you might be pleasantly surprised too. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Pleasant enough is Mellow Thang. This is an inoffensive, even unadventurous techno excursion. A prominently displayed bassdrum thumps beneath some pads, synth lines and even a bit of acid synth. The samples are clean and appropriate as is the arrangement. I must acknowledge the lack of repetitiveness, none of the usual repeating patterns over and over here, just a couple of repeats and onto a variation of some kind. This mod is a bit hard for me to judge. It's meticulously constructed with quite a bit of melodic interest which I actually don't care for in techno/trance/rave style, but which works well here. What I don't like about it is its lack of freshness and its overwhelming pleasantness. It's a bit too happy-go-lucky for my tastes. Now forget what I just said and decide for yourself. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A very nice blend of acid, heavy beats, and a synthy melody. This is an upbeat tune with very little repetition, and with a few surprises tossed in for flavor. The beginning is a little slow, but it eventually really picks itself up. Around pattern 37, in came the acid samples, and it was great! A part around patterns 18-20 has an almost "tropical" feel due to the use of a steel-drumm-ish sample; very clever. The use of the bass drum that I'd expect in a hardcore tune, along with the very synthy leads works excellently together. One small note: upon looping, MOD4WIN doesn't play the mod again (at least, with sound). This could be a bug in MOD4WIN too, though. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This tune would be the perfect starter for a party. It had me jumpin' in front of the screen like I'd gone crazy. And maybe I had, because when analysing this, it isn't really that great. It's original and amusing, but not of any extreme quality. Quite ordinary, but for some reason a very entertaining dancefloor filler. The secret is to not take it seriously. If you try to find coolness in it, you surely won't. No, you should do as I have instead, simply enjoy the nice beat and laugh at the silly little twists and turns it provides. Then it will...at that moment...be the coolest thing you've ever heard. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Although acidy type stuff doesn't really fit into my definition of what is mellow, it's not that bad. This song is very mellow for the first minute or so, then becomes acidy. I suppose this is somewhat more mellow than other songs I've come across in this genre, but I think that is about as far as the mellowness goes. The samples used are of a good quality, and seem appropriate for what the composer is trying to do, but there did seem to be some clicking. This isn't exactly one my most preferred styles, but I'd say it's decent nonetheless. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ There's nothing mellow about this song, despite the title! I guess this is some form of techno/rave or something, but even though I don't generally get into those types of music, there was something new and refreshing about this piece that I liked. At one point, near the middle of this song, the whole texture actually approaches COMPLETE INSANITY, which was QUITE enjoyable to hear. :) There's some nice composition here, keeping it from being a dull, repetitious bass thud song. /----------------------------------------------------\ )--------------------========[ Black Knight ]========---------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Not many modules can attain radio sound quality, this one did. Sounding more reminiscent of one of the techno remixes on a Friday night, this module just doesn't quit...the beat is powerful and fast. But, that's also the downside, as this module sounds like a hundred techno remixes I've already heard; but actually, despite sounding similar in style and structure, this example is quite a bit better than most in an overall sense. -----================================================================----- "Happy Daze" by Zinc (14ch S3M, 03:21) (zn-happy.zip [195K/320K]) [Progressive Jazz] This song is really lighthearted, so don't expect it to make you dance around the house, although you may find your feet to be doing a strange little tap along with the music. :) [Zinc] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 87+ 90 85 90 95 MING 85+ 80 75 99 70 Mansooj 76- -- -- 70 80 Red Death 65+ 90 70 70 65 CCerberus 56= 67 94 89 80 Peraphon 54- -- -- -- 85 Zaigamor 35+ 30 35 30 50 Raul 25= 10 40 80 20 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Another dose of discordant, progressive style jazz, this one offered mainly on the shoulders of a flute. This time, as opposed to going for the "I'm so cool I'm almost dead" angle, the tone is more of organized wandering with a vague Arabic undertone. The sort of music an older movie such as The Concrete Jungle might have made use of in showing the nightmare of heavy urbanization through the eyes of someone who's just been mugged and smacked upside the head--dazed and lost amidst the laughing of late night party-goers, the unforgiving horn-slamming of dense traffic, all under the silent screaming of gaudy, flashing neon signs. This is not quite the kind of message I like to receive in my daily dose of muzak. I've never really liked the sort of contrapuntal, progressive jazz laced heavily with discordant tones--it just isn't fun to listen to. It isn't melodic, and it doesn't have a beat you can merge with--it plays on, or creates a kind of uneasiness in your gut. I can appreciate the skills involved in dredging up such emotions, but I don't need that, and I rather doubt many module listeners looking for listening music do either. I won't put a recommendation on this one either way. I don't care for the style, but I can tell that it is well-structured, if not pleasant to hear. This is more the kind of music you select for a purpose, to create a specific mood for some nefarious reason. As such, it isn't going to be of wide appeal; more of a one-time listen, like it or hate it. Having said that, you might bear in mind that my score reflects more the fact that the song seems to achieve its goal of putting little crawly things on the back of your neck, rather than its generally appealing musical qualities. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Zaigamor ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This track by Zinc starts with some synth chords, after which a happy bassline is introduced. Then a flute enters the tune and plays a horribly discordant melody. Finally, the pianos come in and the track is hopelessly lost. I don't often say this, but this is just crap! Aside from the discordance, the flute keeps playing a melody on and on and on, the same goes for the piano. Always try to build some rests in a melody. I happen to have a guitarbook here which contains a few lines that say: "Rests are the windows of music. Let some light shine in by leaving some open spaces." It's very appropriate for this track. Another thing, Zinc included some text files with this track that showed that he made a lot of tunes, approximately 50 in one year. This list didn't even include tunes that entered so called "fast-compo's." I think that these compos are detrimental to the tracking scene. It's not about the quantity of songs you can compose, but the quality of the songs. Did you know that it took Skaven more than three months to compose his Second Reality music?? Or that Necros sometimes spends over 40 hours on just one song?? Every tracker should keep this in mind when making your next tune. --- References --- Unreal ][ - The 2nd Reality by Skaven ([download]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ As many of you probably know, I am generally a fan of intelligently-used dissonance. This song, however, is an example of the type of dissonance which just doesn't appeal to me a lot. I understand what's being done here, and I understand that this jazz-influenced style is MEANT to sound this way, but I don't generally like it. It is technically EXTREMELY complex and well-composed. The sound just isn't one that I enjoy. Unlike some notable reviewers, I am FULLY AWARE of the fact that these harmonic structures are "real chords." They are not, however, chords which fall into the common forms used in most Western music. Specifically, this song is apparently supposed to be "upbeat" and happy. However, due to the dissonance and texturing of the music, I don't get a happy impression from it. It's more downbeat to my ears. I'm sure there are many other people who would get a much brighter impression from this tune. Overall, I give this song high marks for technical proficiency, and lower marks for general appeal. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Zinc says in the sample text that the "song is really light-hearted," but it seems to me that there's quite a bit of tension instead; most likely caused (or created) by the fact that most chords don't QUITE line up right. This doesn't necessarily come off as a tracking fault; it could easily be just what Zinc was looking for. On the certainly positive side, I liked the mild use of the swing style beat, and that the song isn't repetitive at all. Zinc also made effective use of all 14 tracks to produce a full, rich sound. The song is very well composed, and through this, it's plainly obvious that Zinc is an experienced, talented tracker. Still, perhaps the song would be better if the samples were re-tuned a bit or notes chosen to eliminate some of the slight discord; I'm not sure, since as it should be obvious already, I can't quite tell if the composer intended this sound or not. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Raul ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I'd qualify this tune as strange. The worst thing about it is the bad flute melody...it's one of the worst melodies I've ever heard. The piano is just more of the same. The snare and the other percussion instruments are good for Force Ten tunes (which is where they came from), but they don't fit in with this style. Does this tune even have any style? Other problems are that the flute doesn't even seem much like a flute, and all instruments sound as though they're out of tune. The only good point I can find is that the song has some variety, but I'd prefer a good pattern repeated 20 times to 40 bad patterns arranged like this. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Funky, loud, jazzy and with some Arabic scales. Interesting and enjoyable, but quite impossible to understand. Sometimes erupting in insane scale cacophonium and just as often bursting out in strange little solos. One thing it is for sure, is innovative. I'm quite positive I have never heard the likes of it before, and I'd be surprised too, if I ran into something like it later. Download this tune, press the play button, and brace yourself for a totally insane trip into a world filled with clarinets, synths and weird, wonderful music. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I'm not exactly sure what this is, but from the first 5 seconds on it just did not appeal...at all. Some of the bits in this one made me shudder almost as much as when someone scrapes their fingernails on a blackboard. Discordance was the order of the day in many parts of this module, as instruments seemed to compete with each other. The individual samples are of a high quality, but what was done with them did not sound good to me at all. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ A very strange little ditty from Zinc. It's not sure if it's jazz or just a foray into some other unlikely area. As the composer states "don't expect it to make you dance around the house," and he is dead right. The samples are absolutely brilliant, though, clear and sharp where they need to be, and bassy, bassy, bassy where it that's needed. If you like quirky, fun MODs then this fits the bill exactly. A really good sounding track. -----================================================================----- "Groove Juice" by Kool Kat Stevens (16ch S3M, 03:00) (0-k1gju.zip [240K/376K]) [Progressive Jazz/Mellow TripHop] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Rebriffer 85+ 80 75 80 65 MING 71+ 70 40 77 68 ESP 68+ 60 60 80 65 Shrift 65+ 75 45 60 65 Zaigamor 62= 62 62 72 70 Mansooj 56- -- -- 75 77 Quasar 44- 40 50 60 70 CCerberus 43- 43 34 49 64 Raul 38+ 30 50 80 50 Red Death 25= 25 30 -- 35 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I'd have to call this drug-induced jazz, since the entire piece seems to be meandering through a haze. Unfortunately, this strange lethargic feel isn't appealing to me at all. I'm not into the acid culture that would seem to be the target of such zoning-out material (though I don't mind zoning out to certain ambient tunes), and, as such, this module merely comes off as a moody, almost nightmarish jazz piece that I could just as soon do without. Structurally, it seems quite good, as it does indeed confer a mood that it apparently intends to put forth. One can almost see the trio of hipsters, suitably goateed and masked by narrow, dark sunglasses, cigarettes hanging from the corners of their mouths, grooving away in some dim, smoky cafe-club a few steps below street-level. The samples appear crisp, however I have to say that none of my Amiga replayers were capable of handling the two 16-bit samples in this module, which is something that is, all of sudden, becoming a more common problem. My guess is that it is a "new" packing/compression/storage method, but I'm really clueless...it's something for the programmers to figure out. (Side note: ordinarily, 16-bit samples don't present a problem.) In the end, I think the "kool" in this module is more appropriately termed "drugged and lethargic." It's actually a little bit like Sarsippius' Ark by Radix, but SA was a slightly more lively example of this too-cool style. This happens to be one of those modules that gets fair marks for quality in the area of its intended style, and detracting comments from someone that doesn't often like playing in that particular sandbox. --- References --- Sarsippius' Ark by Radix ([download]/[reviews]) /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Shrift ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a fine hip-hop dance piece. It has some great ideas, and is benefitted by a fine imagination. However, this piece is technically amateurish. Of course, it is also the author's first released music. In any case, I'm keeping this piece around, and hopefully the author will continue to write (at the time of this writing, this song is over a year old already, though). The sample quality is subtly impressive, as the samples blend fairly well together, even though there is some roughness due to the simplicity of tracking. Several of the samples didn't work for me, both in the piece and in their own existence, but I give the author credit for the attempt. About the tracking: This song built up very well, and I wouldn't have noticed or cared much about the tracking, had the song developed significantly. It really doesn't. The author keeps the same rhythm going throughout, and tries weakly to rebuild the melody by incorporating lightly-experimental samples, but it is my opinion that it doesn't work very well. The basic ideas, as I have said, are quite good, but their application is faulted by the experience of the author. Regardless, if you like interesting and original hip-hop jazzy dance, check this out, and don't be fooled by the silliness of the names. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Right away I can tell that the samples don't loop cleanly, which doesn't help with first impressions, and hearing the mistuned chords (which are frighteningly common) doesn't help either. I can't really see the continuity in this song between one moment and the next, and even if this is supposed to be free-form jazz, there has to be SOME flow from segment to segment. The drums are rather boring because they're too regular. Maybe this tune is supposed to conform to different standards than what I'm used to, because the same weird, off-sounding chords are used throughout. All the same, this isn't a very good tune; the bad chords and lack of flow remind me much of my own poor tracking attempts (coming from a background of _0_ music); hopefully Kool Kat Stevens has more talent than me, and will improve in future releases. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Raul ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ It's either Kool Kat Stevens or I that's confused about what groove is, because I thought it was something different. There's a bit of Basehead influence here, but the tune is basically noise that goes nowhere...a tune without a melody. There are a lot of different instruments which seem more to fit with other styles than this one. For example, sample #4, a bright crash cymbal, seems better suited to a disco-style tune, and the horn seems more geared to an orchestral song. Overall, the tune sounds bad, as if it were played at too slow a tempo. I tried varying the tempo while playing it with Cubic Player and with just a more appropriate (faster) tempo, I think it would have worked better than it did in its released form. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------------========[ ESP ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Interesting selection of sounds here, making a track which is not disagreeable. No more than that though, this is no classic. The main lead line is an odd, sinister FM (frequency modulation, not Five Musicians) sounding theme which is surprisingly engaging, introducing a number of intelligent variations on itself into the track. Among these, however, are an ugly saxophone sample which sounds terminally out of place, and a bass-overdrive section which rather spoils the mix too much; the bass being far too loud, it overpowers and corrupts all the other elements in the track, producing a muddy and uncontrolled sound which is not pleasant (despite a fantastic keyboard stab sample). /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Zaigamor ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is a mellow, slightly jazzy song. The melody in this kind of track can always be a bit discordant, because that makes the "kool," improvisational sound, but the harmonies and melodies in this track are a bit too discordant. The sax, especially, doesn't sound good. This is because the sax-sample plays two notes after each other, i.e. G-C or C-F...where the second note is a bit softer. You have to use this sample in another way if you want to make it sound right. The samples are okay, except for one hihat sample that sounds clippy, but overall, not an outstanding song. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ It starts with doomsday deep-organs and later erupts mildly into something I can only describe as sounding like what you would expect as a theme from an ancient pharaonic porn movie. At the same time it manages to be silly, smart, and very cool. An effort worth some extra points all by itself. Technically, it's a low-mark, but decent samples cover up for that. Most of all, this is quite a well realised product of a very cool idea. Worth listening for sure, if only to satisfy your curiosity. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Some very interesting lead sounds going on in here, as well as some extremely unsettling dissonance! Yet another weird mix, but not without some appeal. In fact, I listened to it twice just because it contained some unusual passages, one of my favorite things. My final reaction was that I liked the track a lot, but I'm strange like that--I do like a bit of experimentation, even if it can sometimes sound odd to most ears. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Quasar ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This module is dull and uninteresting, and those are its plusses. Most of the bass line is poorly sampled, there is minimal effort at original variation on the basic pattern, and the module cries out for something to make it interesting. A lack of good composition, horrid sampling, and endless repetition make this module a "File: Delete" winner if ever there was one. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This song skates a thin line between being kind of catchy and totally obnoxious. It's almost hip-hop sounding at times...YECH...but then a little bit of melody crops up, even if just briefly. Overall, I can't come up with a lot to say about this song because there's just not a lot TO it. It's fairly short, very simplistic...it's very bassy. How's that? :) -----================================================================----- "Atomic Plague" by Matt Friedly of Subliminal/Lucifer Sam (18ch S3M, 03:05) (a_ap.zip [145K/212K]) [Techno] (Destructive Techno) Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Peraphon 82= -- -- -- 80 Red Death 76= -- 50 65 50 Rebriffer 75+ 80 68 73 58 CCerberus 71= 70 73 83 76 Zaigamor 60- 58 60 62 60 Skullsaw 35+ 30 50 40 60 Mansooj 35= -- -- 40 50 Raul 30= 10 35 70 25 Quasar 25+ 75 75 50 10 /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Raul ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ After listening to this tune, I tend to question the author's musical tastes. Not in the sense that they're bad, just that they're offbeat and unusual. Personally, I'm not sure I like this style or not, because I can't even figure out where to begin to place it. I didn't like the first patterns...nor the rest, for that matter, and I don't understand what the purpose of the first three patterns even was. It sounded like nothing more than random noise to me. I sometimes classify the percussion in some tunes as "classic" or "overused," but this tune's percussion is just horrible. The module uses six channels for that percussion, which could be good, but if you use two channels for each instrument, one on the left and another on the right, and play it with such a high volume that that sound gets distorted--the result is just plain bad. On the topic of using two channels for each percussion instrument: I think it would be better to use only one with mono panning. The volume problems with regard to the percussion instruments may be expanded to include the other samples as well. There should have been a wider range of volumes used, in order to get a better sound quality/balance. The way the volume is, I can't tell if the samples are good or bad because all of them seem like square waves when played. Anyway, I don't think the samples are good in general, and I think the voice samples, in particular, are hopeless. To finish off, only one word describes this tune: bad. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Three minutes of techno that went absolutely nowhere new, and didn't seem to be making any moves even to try. Hard to say the module was at fault if it wasn't even trying to impress. The deep-synth intro (after the silly "let's do it again" voice samples) and its drop into the main sequence, was an implication of good things to come, unfortunately, -that- constituted the whole of the "good things." All it led into were silly voice samples and an off-key synth lead. Speaking of the voice sample, this module suffers from what I find to be a common, basic, lazy problem with many poorly done modules: a flawed reliance on one or two short voice samples, used over and over, ad nauseum (more or less) throughout. In this case it is an old "acid" voice sample that just gets annoying as hell, despite the rather short duration of the module. The way it was used also made it sound like "antacid", which, after listening to this a few times during the writing of this review, I may need. This module boils down to a weak gimmick intro, a good, but short, synth-lead-into-breakdown part, leading into bad synths and annoying voice samples...and a ride out into a dead end. One followed by a silly "oh, I forgot about this pattern" style pseudo-ending. An eminently forgettable piece of techno. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ In the beginning, this song seems to depict the incoming of the bomb. After the bomb has fallen, the music becomes very dark and foreboding, and I think it did very well in representing the darkness of the world after a nuclear strike. The song then turns into a fast and pounding dance track that is full of energy. This dance section doesn't seem to have the same dark qualities of the introduction, but it is pretty good in its own right. The conclusion is something similar in effect to the intro, where there seems to be a battle of some sort. I think the combined effect of everything in this song is great. The samples used in this song are of a high standard, although I believe I heard some clicking in a few of them. The samples themselves, as well as the way they are used are highly appropriate, and the usage leads to good effect. I can remember dl'ing this one in mid '96 and I recall I wasn't too impressed with it then; now, after hearing it again, I think it's great. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Mmmmm, a large blank space is never a promising start. The aforementioned object makes its appearance at the end of pattern 1. So it's 1:10+ before this track really starts, but when it finally pulls itself together, it actually works well. To these ears, it had hints of sub-Zappa stuff, Irish reels, and some other influences I just couldn't pin down but knew. All in all, I found this track a rewarding listen. The vocal samples used were clear and well placed in the progression of the track. The 'jig' feel that worked its way into the song after the first few bars is joined by a very Zappa-ish sax sound that spins its leads through the track well, showing experience and judgment on the part of the composer. I must comment on the samples: some absolutely *dire* overdriven samples distort so much they're almost unlistenable. All composers have problems with samples, that's just a simple fact of MOD life. You have to deal with what you have, after all, but there really is no excuse for overdriving samples, it just kills the quality. I wouldn't say that this was the best Matt Friedly MOD, but it is definitely worth checking out if you see it anywhere on your net travels. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Atomic Plague starts off ambiguously with some disjointed sound effects and speech samples that do indeed remind me of a nuclear armageddon. This leads into a brooding, slow moving synth progression that sets up the rest of the tune. To my dismay, the rest of the tune reminds me of any of dozens of game intros. A fairly active and pronounced bass drum underpins some truly annoying lead line samples. Whiny and tinny, they really ruin any chance of this mod making it for me. We are then left with an ending that recalls the beginning. I have little good to say about this tune except for a bit of "transforming" done on the lead line, I'm a sucker for this kind of stuttering effect; and that the intro was just good enough to nudge up the sense of originality a tad. The samples, taken as a group, were decent, but individually the lead sample was horrible, and the hihat was crunchy. This along with a horrid melody line and an uninspired composition add up to a quick hard drive delete. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Zaigamor ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This acid tune by Matt starts with a very sloppy and amateurish intro. At a certain point, some samples are played at much too low a pitch resulting in a very distorted sound. Normally intros are used to captivate the listeners, to hook them, to make them want to listen to the rest of a song, but this intro makes you want to stop listening right away. I guess Matt just didn't know this rule of thumb. When the drums come in, the song gets going and the actual tune is not at all too bad. There's a nice melody, but there's a bit too much of everything. The overall lead is a bit harsh, the drums just a bit too heavy, but even with all this, it's listenable. The ending is very abrupt and again sloppy, much like the intro. Not a track that's worth the effort of downloading, unless you are a great fan of acid, maybe.... /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I like this tune; it's fast, melodic, and not too repetitive. The distorted guitars(?) beginning is kind of neat, but the samples don't loop all that cleanly, or they're not in sync with each other. Most of the rest is very good, but there's a part around pattern 7, using 3 chords, which is pretty boring; it should have been shortened. A lot of the samples seem familiar, possibly because everyone has used a resonatix synth as a lead (if not this one). The voice sample used throughout this tune doesn't add much, and I can't even understand what it's saying. Pointless. Two improvements would be to shorten/spice up the beginning (although it already does work nicely to intro the rest), and vary the drum loops a little. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Quasar ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ After a totally impressive opening, the composer foreshadows the ruin to follow with an absolutely unnecessary "do it again" vocal. What follows next is an assault of horribly ruined samples, overmodulated bass, and a track that is absolutely unlistenable. Granted, the composer intentionally distorted these samples, but I can't help but wonder "WHY?" This module has great composition and could have been outstanding, but for the intentionally poor samples. Just to be fair, I played the module in FT2, IT, and MOD4WIN. It's best in IT, but not by much. Incidentally, now taking volunteers for a remix.... /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ When this song first started up, I was afraid it was going to be another brainless barrage of bass thuds and zero musical content. I was pleasantly surprised to find that that wasn't the case at all! There was some truly creative stuff going on in this song, and some really clever orchestration to boot. One thing that really caught my attention about this song is that it is UNBELIEVABLY LOUD. If you cranked this song up on a large home stereo system, it might shatter windows. An interesting one. -----================================================================----- "In Complete Darkness" by pANiK of da Jointmen/Interactive/Elite (4ch MOD, 04:00) (pnk-icd.lzh [323K/454K]) [Jungle/Breakbeat Techno] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== JuiCe 77+ 71 90 -- 95 Rebriffer 75+ 80 70 70 70 Mansooj 70= -- -- 65 73 Red Death 65- -- 45 60 70 Zaigamor 65- 50 72 65 78 Peraphon 57- -- -- -- 65 CCerberus 53- 28 56 28 65 Black Knight 45+ 40 75 64 90 Quasar 32= 30 20 40 40 MING 15+ 10 30 50 30 /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ JuiCe ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ First of all, this here is a club song of the breakbeat/triphop variety. That means it's music to be danced to, not listened to at home lying around in your bed or sofa. With that out of the way, I hopefully won't get attacked for giving a high mark to such a "repetitive and boring song," which is what most people who don't understand club music have to say about it. Ok, as I said, this is a somewhat repetitive song, and there's no melody, but the beat grooves like mad, the sub-bass pounds, and it just makes you want to get up and dance. It's one of those songs that would send the atmosphere through the roof in a club. In the Croatian club-scene, we have a slang word for such songs, and loosely translated into English it would sound something like "elevator music," which isn't quite the meaning I'm looking for here. :) The only major gripe with this song is the abrupt and unexpected ending, which drops in waaay too soon. If the song was 5+ minutes long with a decent ending, I would undoubtedly consider it somewhere between very good and excellent, leaning towards the latter. As it stands, it has to settle for an "almost very good, but not quite" opinion. On the technical side, the samples are excellent and very clean. It is also one of the rare 4-channel modules where an attempt to create a stereo image has been successful. The vocals (which incidentally originate from a Janet Jackson album, although the author doesn't seem to realise that, gathering from the sampletexts--he sampled them from another song which samples Janet Jackson) are fattened up with a nice delay on the other stereo channel, and the beat and bass try to stay as close to the center whenever possible by using up two channels. This is really hard to do when limited to just four channels, so respect must go to the author for trying. Last, but certainly not least, a big gripe about originality. This song appears to be just a mix of sample-loops taken from three or four different songs, which are just mixed together in a nice way to make a new song. This explains why the song sounds so phat. It would certainly be much more difficult to create such a phat track by using only original samples. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Easy breakbeats dominate this techno and voice tune. There's some nice echo on those voice samples, but as mentioned in other reviews I've made, there is a basic flaw, in my opinion, of course, in lacing an -entire- song with one or two voice samples. A few times it's interesting, sometimes going a long way towards adding a certain mood to a tune, but really, it does get obnoxious after the twentieth time. The breakbeats were quite good, although I'm beginning to see a sameness in them after hearing more and more lately. I suppose that's just the nature of breakbeats. In total, I kinda liked it. It was well-designed, with all the pieces fitting properly, but there weren't a lot of parts to fit together, so I couldn't consider it a masterpiece of complexity. It amounts to a lot of medium sized cuts linked together with a little bit of 'coded' articulation to avoid the impression of a complete amateur and his CD->MOD sampling technique. Not an impressive bit of tracking, but at least it was a decent result (much more than I can say for many of this type). My thumb goes up, but there's a definite crook in that knuckle. All told it is worthwhile if you like breakbeat/jungle style music, but it loses a lot of its integrity due to the style in which it was assembled...yeah, assembled is perhaps a good term, as opposed to tracked. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ "In complete darkness we are all the same" we are repeatedly informed by the vocal sample that holds this 4 channel MOD together. Sure enough, we are all the same--until we bring our ears into play and then you get all kinds of mayhem. Bringing my own lugs to bear on this tune, I hear things that make me go 'yeah!' and things that make me go 'uh huh, so what?' The 'yeah!' comes from the infectiousness of the rhythm track that thunders this tune along (when it's allowed to, that is...). The main emphasis of the track definitely centers around the vocal sample which, although good, isn't exactly the instrument it should be. The track itself is a rave ('uh huh so what?') which fits its groove well enough, but just doesn't have much in there you can really get a hold of and shake with. Doing a dance track like this really centers around a good, lively and inventive arrangement and although pANIK has obviously piled some major chops in here, it just won't gain my long term attention. Don't be put off by this, though, because I have liked much of pANIK's previous material, I just didn't take to this one too much. A good track, but nothing special and it's a little short too. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Quasar ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The module starts off with a deep, clear vocal which sets the tone for the rest of the song, and then it launches into a very nice bass track. But the samples for the bass track are distorted and rough, detracting greatly from the bass line. The composer depends on the bass track to support the entire module; consequently, the module has no variation or distinct sequences in its basic pattern, although the composer does try to cover this up with a few embellishments and the scratch-scratch-scratch, which is too often used to try to create a dance tune. The module drones on in its seemingly unending repetition and eventually culminated in an absolutely horrid ending. The plusses of this module are a nice bass track, and clear vocal samples. Its minuses are the excessive use of that bass track and vocals, the poor quality of the bass samples, the lack of variation, and the abysmal ending. All things considered, this module earned a "File: Delete" click. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The first thing I noticed is that pANiK here seems to be more of a mixmaster than a composer; EVERY sample is a loop, a vocal, etc. I do like the samples a lot, though; the scratches are pretty cool and the drum loop isn't bad. The extreme echo on the female(?) vocal sample makes it a little hard to understand, but it's not bad. The song tends toward the monotonous, but considering it's apparently supposed to be techno/dance/house music, that's expected. The samples used are also fairly different from the standard sample set, which makes the tune more original. I'm not a fan of this style, so I don't care for the song all that much, but I suspect it's a good example of the style. One question; what's all the blank space at the end for? /----------------------------------------------------\ )--------------------========[ Black Knight ]========---------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I couldn't quite understand what style the composer was going for, as the module sounds almost like a bad Calvin Klein commercial. One thing that annoyed me was the lack of musical composition which shows in the fact that the song was practically nothing more than a single repetitive phrase. On the good side, the samples were extremely sharp, but that's not enough to counterbalance the weak composition. In the end, this one just plain isn't that good. It has problems pretty much across the board--except for the samples, as noted--and has so few good points, so few in fact, that I can't come up with any -other- than those samples. Pass. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Oh, bother. I was waiting for something like this to show up eventually. Breakbeats and goofy voices. That's all really. Some nicely-fitting scratching and some actually quite well-merged breakbeat loops are this song's only good points. That ain't much to boast about. The main problems are the voices, though. Stupid, repetitive and ill-fitting, they made me rush to the TV and tune in Beavis and Butthead for a more intelligent and cultivated conversation. Even in complete darkness, I would prefer complete silence rather than this. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Zaigamor ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ The samples of the voices and the breakbeats are of a high standard, but that's about it, because those are the only sounds you will hear in this track. It's really too bad that the composer didn't place some nice airy string melody over the breakbeats, I think it would have sounded perfect. The ending is very, very sloppy. I don't understand why most composers don't put some effort into the ending, because a sloppy ending can be so detrimental to the whole impression of a song. Anyway, this track didn't keep my interest for long. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Even though I am not really impressed by the song itself, the vocals give a very important message: "In complete darkness we are all the same, it is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us." The samples used are of a good quality, but most of them seem to have a bit of white noise crackle. The voice samples are very clear, but are surprisingly small, and the percussion samples are very sharp. Although this isn't my kind of music, it does give an important message and it is for this reason it scores some extra points. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ CCerberus ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ There's almost nothing to this song except percussion. Interestingly, that's where the strong point of this song really lies. A couple of drum loops are used very skillfully to create a more complex rhythmic structure than could ordinarily be achieved using standard loops. It's clever to see, but not extremely exciting to listen to. There just isn't enough body to this song to make it very appealing, but at least the percussive trickery keeps it from being lost entirely. -----================================================================----- "Superclear" by Supernao of Lemon./MONO (4ch MOD, 05:58) (m_clear.lha [184K/298K]) [Ambient] (Elektronik Speeding-Above-the-Clouds Ambience) Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Nova 86+ 80 85 90 84 Araneus 73+ 72 -- 69 76 Mansooj 71+ -- -- 55 75 Skullsaw 70+ 55 50 60 75 Rebriffer 68+ 65 60 50 40 Quasar 66= 60 60 70 70 MING 60= 56 60 75 75 Peraphon 53- -- -- -- 80 Red Death 45- -- 70 -- 75 /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Very smooth, drifting ambience which is boring as hell on the surface, but could be put to good use by someone wishing to relax, or read with a peaceful background...or die. There's little composition or melody involved; instead, there's just a set of related instruments swept in and swept out repeatedly; never getting together to form a harmony. The sound achieved despite this simplicity is rather nice and relaxing, but because of this severe minimalism, there's virtually nothing one can read about Supernao's composing skills. I happen to know he can compose quite well, having heard some of his other work, but this particular ambient piece really does come off as something a rank beginner with a decent ear for pleasant sounds, and at least 3 fingers, could probably manage. Throughout the entire piece, there's a distinct feeling of sameness, despite the fact that there's a decent variety of samples employed. They're just used in such a...moderate fashion that you hardly notice anything happening. Again, this is likely a good point for music in this vein, but it gets tedious after 4 minutes, which is how long it takes for something decidedly different to occur. What happens is the change of the rhythm tempo via a new drumloop, which I find a bit too junglish to fit with this basic style. From that point forward, nothing else of note happens...it just rides along until it loops around. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Superclear is an interesting excursion into ambient music but with a nice twist. Among the dreamy, floating synth washes are a hard bass drum that would be at home in a hardcore techno piece and an acid synth--nice juxtaposition. As the piece progresses, a groove emerges thanks to a bloopy loop, and eventually a gritty drum loop and deep bass. The synth wash continues throughout, which gets a bit tiresome, I think some evolving is needed. Eventually, the loops fade leaving nothing but the ethereal synth and deep bass, and it's all over. This piece is a nice change of pace from the stacks of funk and techno I've been subjected to. For an ambient piece it doesn't play for an interminable time, but it does get just a tad old mainly due to the synth pads that play throughout. The use of harder sounding samples is a nice contrast to the otherwise atmospheric sounds. There isn't anything really earthshattering here but it is a nice piece of work. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ Nova ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ You ever have one of those dreams where you are walking gracefully in the clouds, with mist and bright light and otherworldly sounds all around you? Well, this song is not that dream...errr...not exactly, that is. It's more like you were walking with your head in the clouds and your feet soundly planted on terra firma. The tune starts off with some very light and airy synth sounds that fade in and out of audible hearing range along with the touch of a flute that sounds like an exotic, distant bird call, and some semi-deep bassy synth. This is the head in the clouds part. Then there is a very present sub-bass sample that will jiggle your woofer right off of the desk. That is the part that keeps you firmly rooted; reminding you that, in your ethereal bliss, you are still on Earth. I like the effect that Supernao creates in the song. It's highly original and is best described as relaxing with a twist. Well done. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ I like the samples; they're unusual, especially the bass. Unfortunately, the song is way too slow and repetitive. If there was a kickin' melody on top of the bass line, this could be a really good song. As is, it's pretty boring. Some "whut-whut" samples come in during the middle and help pick up the pace a little bit but not enough. Finally, in pattern 34, I find what I'm looking for--a melody. Unfortunately, it's too late to save the song. I realize it's almost necessary to use loops in a 4-channel tune, but the same ones are used over and over--there has to be more variety. Ah, upon closer examination, I see what's been done...sample 12 is a sample of the mod itself! Very clever. This is by no means a bad song, but it definitely needs some revision. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Quasar ]========------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This module owes much to its, generally, smooth samples and nice, flowing melody. While the module doesn't vary far from its basic melody, there's a constant introduction of new accents to the basic pattern to keep the listener interested. This module presents a slow, relaxing melody with just a hint of spacey-techno to freshen things up. Its plusses are very smooth samples, an original and varying composition, and a respectable technical achievement with only four channels. Its minuses are an overmodulation of the bass track in the last two minutes which destroys previously excellent composition and makes the latter part of the song almost unbearable to listen to. /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Peraphon ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This song sounds very much like a paradox to me. The composer has somehow managed to combine a smooth ambience with something that's not so smooth or relaxing--like acidy trance. The ambient background sounds very peaceful and relaxing, but the acid in the foreground put me off very much. However, I think the composer has made a workable combination of these two very different music genres. The samples are of a very good quality, and seem to be appropriate for what the author is trying to achieve in this song. It's definitely interesting, but only in a kind of offhand way. /----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This is not really "superclear," but clear enough, I suppose. Now, it may be clear, but not fantastic in so many other ways. A crisp (too crisp?) string piece is interrupted by an ordinary attempt at rhythmic ambient, this time including some great ingredients as well as some rather dubious ones. The lame excuse for bloop-bloop drums (later replaced with a similarly dull breakbeat) is just plain annoying, but a cool flute interruptor saves the song from disaster, at least for a while. Anyway, this is a decent attempt at semi-ambient groove that didn't quite make it, due to some obvious dynamic and rhythmic mistakes. /----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Araneus ]========-----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ This one starts off with soothing synth-waves, followed by energetic thumps of bass drums and a fine mix of "weird and wonderful" instruments that typify the ambient genre of music and which kept me enjoying every second of this tune. Supernao uses a very nice rhythm and mixing of the synths and beats together, creating an enjoyable atmosphere, and one that is quite impressive for a 4-ch MOD. One complaint is that the fade-out ending isn't smooth enough: the synth in the final seconds of the song starts fading out, but the volume noticeably rises a bit before fading out, but then it comes back.... /----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \----------------------------------------------------/ Another distorted MOD. I tried it in several different ways both on a GUS and an AWE32 and the result was very similar. It really doesn't help the tune at all. This is a slow, moody MOD, full of heavy bass and flute trills which sounds like a right ol' dogs dinner but actually works quite well. A decent enough track then, just a shame about the samples.... -----================================================================----- "