GrayLightning

Yeah this definitely sounds like a jam session. Very cool, but not polished enough for OC for reasons mentioned above. NO

As pointed out by Vigilante, there's a lot of wonky notes. There's some nice things going on here, like the mixing and the style. But I think there's also a lot of underwhelming things going on here. Everything sounds very mechanical. I also feel the drums/percussion here is much too prominent compared to the instrumental elements (at least on headphones). For a slow chill mix, I think more subtle drums would be more appropriate. Also the ending just ends and leaves you hanging. A decent mix, but considering the problems I think this is just right under the bar. NO

Very cool. My vote stands with the previous YES.

A grand effort compared to this mixer's previous mix on the panel. More dynamic contrast would have been welcome, but as is I still found it very enjoyable. Edit: While I found the arrangement enjoyable, there are a number of issues that can be improved on as far as the orchestration and polishing goes. As stated by the mixer, this is new territory for him and it does show. Hopefully we can expect brighter things in the future from Koelsch. My vote is changed to a borderline NO.

This is very cool. I do agree that this could use more variation and development, but it doesn't necessarily hold back this well pulled off mix. However as is, I can really appreciate it. This reminds me of the music in Castlevania: Lament of Innocence. Resubmit this with proper export of the project file with encoding 128/44 (don't resample the current one and just export this 64/22 wav and convert it to the higher standard) and this gets a yes from me. NO for now, but I hope to hear more from you or a resubmission of this.

This is nice, but the single main issue here is lack of arrangement. I suggest you work more on arrangement and resubmit this. As it is, NO.

This is so unique. It's ridiculous. I love it. There's some minor clipping issues, but it's not too bad. My main problem with this mix is it never settles, it keeps moving into new section after new section. Borderline YES

Ladies and Gentlemen, the wingless.

This mix is another close one for me. If this were a year or so ago, this would have been a yes, but the trance standards have risen since then. Fun mix, but not much stands out. It's a bit too predictable and generic from instrumentation to progression. Biggest problem for this mix is it's just too repetitive. Change ups would have been a relief. Like Darkesword, I really wish there was more to this. I suggest you post this in our Work In Progress/Completed forum. Many will enjoy this. Borderline No.

I preferred Beatdrop's UN Squadron mix over this, which he's replacing with this one. Nice stuff though. So this gets a Yes.

The main problem here is this needs more arrangement. I'm torn to give this a no, because this is one of the most fun and pleasing submissions I've heard in a long time. While I can't pass this due to arrangement standards, I would like to congratulate you for this great piece. I'll be keeping this and listening to this often. Please arrange this more and resubmit. NO

The reverb is definitely too much, but reverb is a very personal choice. My view, in this case is it doesn't detract from the mix enough to slant my vote. The glassy flute lead is very piercing on the other hand. Either work with eq on that or lower it an octave. I also don't know what protricity is referring to non-harmonic chimes, the bell/metal percussion is very much chromatic. I think this piece would have been much more successful if there weren't so much high frequency instruments. I would suggest lowering the flute/glass pad and chromatic percussion an octave lower. I also would have liked more layers of instrumentation and instrumental changes. I'm quite torn on this mix, there's some problems here that other judges mentioned and on the other hand this is solid and unique that I'm going with a borderline Yes.

Both unique and too bizarre at the same time. I'm sorry I don't know where to begin on this one, so I'll just repeat Baranowsky's vote. You're very creative, now you just need to focus that into more positive channels. Keep working. NO

I agree with all the votes, to a point. Sound quality is average, if not arguably subpar, but I honestly have no problems with the mix in its entirety. For me it's technically passable, and sonically enjoyable. To borrow a wingless line, like the one-armed dood from Def Leppard, I march to the beat of my own drummer. YES

I'm not into pop, but this easily the best pop mix I've ever heard. Production values are through the roof and beyond. Cool britney spears type vocal effects. Exceptional.

Beatdrop FallThrough Sonic 2 - Mystic Cave(rn?) Zone I wanted to accomplish a number of things with this remix. First of all, I wanted it to sound massive, so I created multiple layers of drums. Secondly, I really wanted to include a bit of the sound of classic industrial music, thus the saws and drills used as instruments. And lastly, I wanted it to sound dank and gritty, thus the title: it has a sleazy sound that you might hear in a strip club, yet it also has a mechanical sound, reminescent of a mine being carved into the side of a mountain. Took some inspiration from Benny Benassi with one of the synths, too. It's a dirty bass synth with heavy reverb on it, which is masked with overcompression to give it a breathing sound. Beatdrop

This is not bad. There's several problems that put this mix below the bar of OCR. As others have said everything is too mechanical. There's very little expression. It's repetitive and every section almost sounds the same. More arrangement, expansion would help this mix quite a bit. Also more attention paid to production is needed. Piano should be a bit more present. Samples here are very average. If you can use soundfonts, try getting higher soundfonts at www.hammersound.net Fun mix. Keep working at it. NO

I agree with the majority on this one, this should be direct post. The influences of enigma and vangelis are very strong. I actually like the flute as is, I could not imagine a realistic flute in this mix. I also like what sounds like a pan flute early on. Great work in all aspects. The ending though leaves much to be desired. Deserves an easy Yes.

DJP already posted my thoughts, but I wanted to add a note of congratulations for your first solo OC mix. Good job!

Can you get any other sounds working by starting a new project from scratch? If so, have you linked the midi track in the sequencer to a soundsource (nnxt, malstrom, subtractor, etc.)? That's all I can think of with this little information to go by.

There is some original material, but I don't think it's up to our expectations. The real problem of the mix is that drum loop, the high frequency hits are a bit disturbing. Otherwise, this is decent. NO

Nigel has finally done it. This is the work I knew you could do. Very fluid medley of cave and library theme. Amazing orchestration, instrumentation and production. Usage of articulations like trills are a nice touch. Great arrangement too. Easily some of the finest orchestration we've heard submitted. Extremely impressive and authentic. YES

This is a fairly average mix. Nothing really wrong here, but nothing stands out either. I would suggest this kind of mix at least build in momentum and energy. For the genre you are going for it would have resulted in much stronger work. NO

A nice change of pace from the orchestral remixes we've seen on this theme. What I love about this is the great balance of keeping things synthesized yet sounding very chill, soft and smooth at the same time. Instrument selection is great, as is the panning and production. Good arrangement work so it gets a yes from me. YES

It was risky mixing this as everyone who mixes morrowind, decides to do this one. I think Freemind did well in adding his own spin to it and making it sound different from the other mixes. Wonderful. I love the instrumentation. Arrangement is at times conservative, but there are sprinkles of new material here and there to make it passable. Also the ending is the most arranged section. I love the shaku phrases and the uillean pipes/bagpipes. Good work. If I may make a personal note, it looks like Freemind will finally get his first mix on OC on his own and not as a collab with me. This will be a good thing as I think Freemind is one of the more underated mixers, hopefully he will get the spotlight to himself alone this time. Much better than freemind's mixes in the past and certainly deserving of a YES.