Eino Keskitalo

The drums don't really work so well in this. The piece is very stiff rhythmically. I wish it more relaxed and varied in that respect. The lead is great, good sound and used well, and the backing sounds pretty good for the most part - the rhythmic stiffness extends there in parts, and it's a bit buried. Pretty fun ending! EDIT: It took me a while to spot that fake guitar. I think it sounds actually pretty good, mostly, it's like a thick swab of electricity. There are bits where I feel it's trying to sound like a guitar, those higher notes in the riff, and there it's pretty bad. But happily that mostly falls under my radar. --Eino

The guitar section could have used some leads, perhaps some chord changes too. It went a bit too static there. The whole piece is structured like a story, but when the action part starts you sort of have to imagine the action happening, instead of it happening in the music. Otherwise a fairly cool and good-sounding track. MW2: Mercs rocks!! --Eino

Thunder Blade was great in the arcades. Damn it was amazing. Can't remember any music, though. This piece doesn't quite gel.. I like the sounds a lot, but they seem to work against each other at some points. I like the material, it has a lot of energy. Powerful bass lines, and that first soaring melody. Great stuff! But the piece feels a bit long, there's a lot of ideas but they're not used to their full potential. I feel the notes clash a bit here and there, with bass especially in some parts, which makes the piece sound like "close.. but not quite.." I like it, but I get the feeling it could have been great. Keeping it in any case. --Eino

I enjoy the sound a lot. I do miss some more foreground action a bit. But not too badly. Very nice. Good structure and flow. --Eino

Very cool mix. Sadly underdeveloped. I guess it works if I loop this, but it would be great if it picked up and went places where it stops. I don't mind the long ending in itself, it would be a fine "intermission", but I'm just like "no, it didn't end yet!" --Eino

I thought this track was actually fairly cool. A bit more variation on the lead sound in the first part wouldn't have hurted, and some drum sounds (is that a clap..) are quite weak. The beat and bass are interesting however, there are some very nice atmospheric pads in the background, there is variation in the structure, a nice, subdued solo towards the end.. It definitely sounds as old as it is. The fadeout is more like a cop-out, and the piece feels like it was just composed from the start to finish without huge concern for the overall structure. But I enjoyed listening and will do so again! --Eino

Great going! Less than a full page of sevens to go! --Eino

Not too shabby, but not too original either. I liked the explosions, didn't stick out for me. Pretty much sounds it's age, although holds together better than many of it's contemporaries. --Eino

Ahhh, gotta love those oldschool sounds. Very pleasant, if a bit backgroundish. I'm going to keep this, I have a feeling it might grow on me more. --Eino

A very interesting and enjoyable mix. It's probably my favourite from GrayLightning. Overall mood, the percussion and the koto are hilights for me. --Eino

I was sold when the bass came in. What a sound. I also like the soft, steamy stuff in the background. Usual djp goodness. --Eino

I enjoy this one very much. Sparsity of the instrumentation is good. Sounds tired, in a good way. --Eino

Just quick comments. Good job switching the piano to the bells. The piece sounds a lot more interesting rhythmically now! Also the new melodies, and the bells in the end, good stuff! I'm happy to hear this update. --Eino

Still think it's a fine track! I don't have any more constructive critisism at this point to offer, but greggh's advice seems plausible. It sounds "complete" to me, but I'm not well versed with the dnb genre. Hope to hear a follow-up! --Eino

Excellent news! Good luck with the program. --Eino

The previews sound excellent. Considering to order some copies for gifts. If I wasn't broke, I wouldn't have to think about it. edit: Nice touch with the footsteps in snow in Prelude. --Eino

That's great news. I like this tons. --Eino

Voted! Thanks for the participants and Bundeslang, it was fun to hear and vote once again. --Eino

Interesting to hear your style evolve in a more perhaps house-y direction in this one. It works well. I wasn't bothered by the snare myself. Instead I thought that the instrument that first comes in at 0:30 was a bit loud, or perhaps just somewhat dry/exposed upfront. Minor quibble, but it stuck out. --Eino

Everybody has been pretty spot-on so far with the criticism. The tuning bothered me the first time I listened to this, but on this listen right now, after a very long time, I don't even notice it. Timing I have no problem with. The reverb is so big though, I don't buy the "intimate cafe setting" scenario. It sounds more like a school performance in a gym, you know. It's a downer on an otherwise fine track. But listening past that, it's very enjoyable. I really like the instrumentation and their collective sound, even while it is not super hifi. I like the double bass solo tremendously. The violincello has some lovely little supportive figures during the solo. Hmm.. is this a virtual quartet, or did you restrict yourself like that? I didn't keep this when it was posted, but now I definitely will! --Eino

For a long time, I was turned off from this song by the vocals and lyrics. Not that I don't like vocals and lyrics in ReMixes in general. Brandon's smooth pop voice here is very far from what I like. I do think he sings well and uses the tone of his voice very well. I agree with previous mentions that they're a bit undermixed for lead vocals. Lyrics aren't great, although they serve the vocal lines well. Harmony admits earlier in the thread that he didn't work on them very much. I think lyrics the major weak point of this ReMix. "Fly me away".. ulgh. Pardon my language. There is one single line that transcends the overall blandness, "take me to see my mother". That provides some specifics to the emotion of the piece, it's a vulnerability revealed. "Fly me so far" works terrificly with the melody and the way it's sung, even if it's not impressive on paper. Ok, mentioning dragons and Flammie give a specific context too, and yeah, the lyrics are tongue-in-cheek, but it comes across as a half-assed joke too much. I don't think trying to explain that via "it's about Secret of Mana!" is enough. I'm really thinking that with some work on the lyrics they could have been quite good. That's my account on the lyrics. On the other hand, reading pixietricks' review on page 10, she obviously related to the lyrics and singing powerfully. I thought that was a moving story, thanks for sharing. Vocal style and lyrics aside, I've finally managed to listen past my dislike and I'm really enjoying the track. Some tasty guitar work! The trading of lines with the piano is effective, as someone else pointed out previously in the thread. Rhythm guitar bits are worth a mention, I like the percussive effect it has. The overall flow is very good. Great use of the different time signatures. I love the chilling mood the latter half has, the processed vocal sample/thing is great, and after that part the simple guitar riff coming in and growing sounds fantastic. And then to a fine solo. The production is a bit slick for my tastes, nothing really punches through, nothing really scratches (in a good way, if you get what I mean). I'd love a rougher take on this exact material (ok, with refined lyrics), but, good as it is. --Eino

Sure it feels like I've heard drumloops like these a hundred times before, but it's the whole that counts. Plenty of space in this mix. There's really very few elements, and it works really well. The last 1:20 or so is quite, quite beautiful. --Eino

I don't get this one. Judging by the other comments, it's probably that the chosen tonality is so foreign to me. It makes it sound like random lines pasted on top of another to me. Add rigid (at least by today's standard) string/bass sequencing and I'm confused. --Eino

Not bad stuff. I think your guitar sounds are pretty good, actually. Playing, too. Two things about drums. The sound could be bigger. You have a really simple beat at some places, which, I think, would work much better if the sound was bigger. It doesn't quite carry the track as it is now. I think the snare is the biggest problem there. It goes like "tlok" while it should be a good big *KPOSSSH*, sorry for the onomatopoetics but I hope you get my idea. And that's just my opinion anyway. Another problem with the drums, and the snare again, is the long rolls. They sound really mechanical. Vary the velocity between individual hits, use different (but similar sounding) samples, do anything to liven that up. The guitars don't sound like they are exactly in tune with each other. The leads especially. It might be your guitar's intonation is off when you go up the neck. If that's the case, try tuning the guitar to be in tune around the frets you intend to play your lead before you record them. Of course you should in the long run correct the intonation, getting a pro guitar technician to fix it or something. Also, hum & other problems may well be broken mics, or wiring in your guitar, and you can and should get that fixed by a technician too. Take any of my guitar advice with a grain of salt, as I'm not terribly experienced with them, especially their inner workings. But it sounds like you're a good player who deserves instruments that are in good working condition. --Eino

A terrific, terrific track. Eerie and atmospheric piano lines and subtle strings above industrial, noisy percussion and a dirrrrrrty, murrrrrrrmuring, brrrrrrrilliant bassline. Jättebra! --Eino