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Everything posted by DarkSim
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As with most of Michael's more experimental tracks, this one takes some concentration to get into. I'm a big fan of interesting sound design, and that's just as well because that's about all we get here. It's all synth work, no groove or beat, and no traditional arrangement structure either. For the first 2:13 the source is entirely unrecognisable, until you get the first real run-through of the Requiem of Spirit, and suddenly the stuttered, unfinished melodies for the first 2 minutes make a bit more sense. Source usage is thin on the surface, but digging deeper, there's enough there. I suppose the question really is: is the sound design good enough to carry the piece, given the unconventional nature and nebulous source usage? I think so. That's not to say I wholly enjoyed the piece from a listener's perspective. More that I appreciated it from a producer's one, in that I was able to imagine the processes and effort that went into creating the sounds. This whole line of reasoning sounds rather academic and a little dry, suffice to say I think experimentation ought to be encouraged on OCR, and when one pulls off their intentions in such a way, without it sounding horrible, there's no reason to reject it on grounds that it may be less accessible for a casual listener. Mr Hu always makes us think, and that's got to be a good thing, right? YES
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Listened a few times through before refreshing my memory of the original. I think the reharmonisation is very clever, and much more pleasant to listen to than the original. The short duration of the piece fits with a lot of the music you find on LoFi streams - looping a couple of times before fading out for the next one - so is thematic in that sense, however there could have been more adaptation and expansion on the theme. The ending is particularly weak, fizzling out without any sort of satisfying conclusion. Despite seeming simple on first listen, I think LoFi production is actually a fine art to get something sounding cohesive and believable. You've not quite got everything in the right space with this one - the piano and beats are very forward in the mix, with some heavy reverb on the shakers putting them in the back. There's some token crackle FX in there as well, and some decent samples for emphasis. I enjoy the softness of the piano next to the grit of the snare, even if the snare is on the loud side. Considering both arrangement and production have their pros and cons, I suppose this one comes down to overall feel. Coming away from this one, I find I enjoyed the track and I think it deserves the benefit of the doubt, largely on the strength of the initial idea and presentation. YES
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*NO* 3D Pinball: Space Cadet "Into the Black Hole"
DarkSim replied to Emunator's topic in Judges Decisions
Well, I wasn't a fan of the Strauss intro - far too overt usage, but then good on you for clueing us in to the Sun of Nothing usage, because chances are low any of us are familiar enough with that song to make the connection. Imagine if someone stuck a minute's worth of Stairway to Heaven in the middle of their track... it's not gonna fly unfortunately, so thanks for pointing out the reference material, however obscure it may be. If you do revisit this one, could you do something about the oscillating panning on the strings and subsequent synth from 1:45-2:39 and then 2:58-3:34? It's so distracting having them move around like that - better to keep them in one place, or drastically reduce the amount of movement. Would love this one to get on the site in some form, but it'll need a major rework. Great track and concept, though! NO -
OCR04628 - *YES* Donkey Kong Country 2 "Truthful Symphony"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
Thanks for the reference tracks - I listened to T-Square - TRUTH, and can definitely hear the influence. So cool to hear Stickerbush done in this style, it's one of my favourite pieces of VGM, and you've done something new with it that sounds great. Couple of things could be improved with the mixing - that snare is quite aggressive, particularly noticeable in the first minute or so of the track. Once you hear it, it's kinda distracting. The bell from 0:30 is also very faint and could stand to be brought up a little. Love the introduction of the sax and lead guitar, they work wonders together. Perhaps an extra tribute to David Wise, who also plays the saxophone? Would be amazing to hear the sax played live... Nice ritardando to finish. Really enjoyed this one, thanks! YES -
OCR04657 - *YES* Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon "Photogenic Ghosts"
DarkSim replied to Emunator's topic in Judges Decisions
Initial groove could be better; the hats sound a bit stiff. Sound design is fairly basic, but it's fitting for the source material, and it allows the guitar to be more of a highlight, as it's played superbly. The time signature change is cool at 0:40, and there are plenty of new ideas throughout the arrangement to keep things fresh. The standout section is most definitely the guitar solo from about 1:52. It works really nicely with the lead synth. I enjoyed the synth solo as well, even if the transition into it was a bit clunky. Great handoff to the guitar at 3:08, then some layering with the synth for the final chorus and big finish. No major complaints with this one. It doesn't quite bring the funk as much as I'd like, but there's more than enough to enjoy here, and it's a brilliant expansion on the source. YES -
OCR04662 - *YES* Aquaria "Underwater Caves"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
Beautiful source tune, and I love how you've taken it into a more industrial, sci-fi, almost space-like direction with the big blows and synth choices. That modulated saw-like sound at 0:55 is great. Full of atmosphere. The slow-burning intro builds beautifully, and just as the pads are filling out the soundscape and we feel like the track is above to go somewhere, it all drops out and there's about 3 minutes of what I'd call "faffing about" before the track picks up again. I've a big issue with how empty the middle section sounds. It's very thin in terms of soundscape, and also there isn't much going on to hold my interest for such a long time. Those pads/strings that came in at 1:27 played what sounded like half a chord progression, then left us hanging for 3 minutes before the natural continuation of that build is allowed to return. To illustrate my point best, I've hastily cut your track up to connect the section from about 1:40 with that of 4:29 (with an improvised transition), and it sounds incredible. Have a listen: Gaspode - Underwater Caves [DarkSim Edit].mp3 I'd suggest doing something similar and cutting out a lot of unnecessary bloat from the middle of your track. 6.5 minutes is a long time to keep the listener engaged, and I don't feel there's enough in there at the moment to do so. I understand it's a tough decision to cut out hours of work, but often it's the best way to ensure that what's left is of the highest standard. NO (resubmit!) P.S. I love the heartbeat and breathing effects in the transitions. If you do end up doing something similar to my edit, make sure those are slightly different from each other (I copied an existing one). -
Hearing this for the first time, and I'm in agreement with Joe here. It's a pretty uninspired arrangement, but there are differences in the choruses, the build to the second drop is better, and production is excellent. It's loud, but everything is crystal clear. Source is all over it. It's hard not to be swayed by the greatness we've come to expect from bLiNd, but even an off-form track from Jordan is still above our standards. Like Joe said, if this was a newcomer we'd all be in awe of the skills on show. Regardless of how much better it could be from the artist, it's gotta be a pass. YES
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OCR04641 - *YES* Final Fantasy 8 "We Are the Winners"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
Ahh, I'm really glad you've given this one another pass, but unfortunately I think it's going in the wrong direction. The vocals are now really buried in the mix, and the bass and backing is overpowering them. There's also some kind of filtering on the vocals that's giving them a subtle walkie-talkie effect. I don't know if that's intentional but they're missing a lot of body, which doesn't help them be the most prominent thing in the mix (which they should be). The guitar riff in the left ear from around 0:47 is now almost completely inaudible, and although the crackle has been removed, it's still far too busy and the vocals are suffering because of it. Don't try and do too much - you could strip away one or two backing elements and it would sound a lot more focussed, and it would also help the vocals fit in better because they're not competing with as much. I still really like this, but it's not there yet. NO (resubmit) -
I wasn't expecting the chill groove after that orchestral intro, but I loved the switchup. The groove is great, gorgeous electric piano, and the echoey vocals in the intro fill out the vibe perfectly. Really, I'd have loved this kind of lo-fi groove the whole way through, but we move into hip-hop territory with some rapping. If I'm giving an honest critique, the delivery could be a bit more in the pocket. The flow is pretty good, but it's a little straight and could use some dialling in to match the groove. This is NOT an easy skill, but all the best rappers pay most attention to flow and the lyrical content comes second. I feel like this is true for most genres, but becomes particularly exposed during VGM remixes because the lyrical content is generally only relevant to those familiar with the game being remixed. This is general advice now for anyone adding vocals to a track - ensure the musical quality comes first, and lyrical content second. There are a couple of times in the first verse where you need to take a breath. After the punchlines of "cemeteries" and "Sephiroth", you're not leaving enough time for the listener to get the punchline of the set-up before barrelling into the next line. Cutting a few unnecessary syllables, and slowing down the delivery, should help with both flow and impact of the lyrics. That said, I think it's really clever how you've worked in multi-syllabic rhymes with in-game SFX (sum'n left/sudden death) in that first verse, as well as those set-up/punchline combos. YES
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OCR04635 - *YES* Turok: Dinosaur Hunter "Catacumbas Subterraneas"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
I'm impressed how you've managed to flesh out the source so well with a melody that, listening to the source afterwards, I could hear in my head. It feels like a very natural expansion on the theme, and works perfectly in the rock/metal style. Mixing is decent, the rhythm guitars have a nice chunky feel to them, and the shrill, distorted lead has been given some generous reverb so that it's not too grating. The drumkit lacks a little humanisation, but it's sequenced very well with lots of variety. Arrangement works well, there are sufficient breaks and energetic sections, and I like that outro a lot - an idea perhaps tacked onto the end that you came up with too late to work it in earlier. Could have made a moody breakdown section, or even an intro, but it works as an ending as well. YES -
OCR04626 - *YES* Sonic & Knuckles "Ghost Touch"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
That melody from 0:07-0:12 has an Arabian feel, a little nod to Oil Ocean I guess, from the source. It's a tidy package with very cohesive sound design which I like, even if it might sound a little dated. The SFX were unexpected, but they work for the style (putting a Boo cackle from Mario in a Sonic mix - how dare you!). Mixing feels good, although again there's a retro feel to it that comes from the synths and it lacks some of the complexity and richness of modern EDM. On the issue of repetition, I think that while the percentage may be approaching a third of the track, it doesn't feel overly repetitive, and given that it says what it needs to say and doesn't beat about the bush for too long, I'm happy. YES -
OCR04649 - *YES* Final Fantasy 9 & 5 "Freya's Curse"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
Allow me to sign off on this one - it's great! Love the sound design throughout, particularly the minute beginning at 1:54. The stuttering percussion groove sounds great in the time signature (3/4 or 6/8?), and the mix sounds full of feeling and atmosphere. After that, we get a super slow section (arguably too slow, as I thought the track had ended), before a big finale. Very little to critique here; a strong submission! Happy New Year! YES -
OCR04641 - *YES* Final Fantasy 8 "We Are the Winners"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
This is a really creative expansion on the Winner theme, using tons of the source beyond the 'fanfare' part that everyone knows. I definitely got the 'Epic Rap Battles of History' feel from it simply from the fact it's a nerdy rap. Nothing wrong with that! I enjoy Chris Turner's freestyles on YouTube, and I'm pretty sure he wrote a few of those rap battles. Perhaps what lets this one down is the fact it's trying to do too much and the mix gets very busy. Whether it's a nerdy rap or not, you want the vocalist to be clear in the mix, and this isn't the case. In addition to that, the whole thing feels like there's some odd reverb on it, lending an unnecessarily muffled quality to it. I can hear some 'lofi' style crackle in there that you could probably lose during the vocals. At 0:26 there's an instrument that sounds exactly like the main plucked one from Still D.R.E., and with the way it's played I'd bet that's your inspiration. Listening to the two tracks side by side though, you can tell the clarity difference is in stark contrast. Yes, Dre's track is professionally produced, but I don't think it's an unfair comparison when emulating the same style. Still D.R.E. is nearly 25 years old, and bedroom producers today can easily achieve a level of production quality approaching a 90s rap track. While the vocals and plucked keys might be forgiven, then you add in a string layer, marimba countermelody, and a guitar riff, which I think is one too many. I love the synth line at 0:54 (again similar to Still D.R.E.), but don't think the instrument at 0:58 that plays it again (bassoon-like synth?) is in the right frequency space. The higher line at 1:11 sounds much better. There's something in the left ear from 1:39-1:49 that I can't make out. Sounds like a synth with a lot of noise on it. Again the lofi crackle is heard in the chorus and I'm not digging its usage. Love the female vocals though! Especially the backing hits, they put me in mind of another Dre track, Fallin Up. What can I say; it's Dre Day on West Coast Classics here in Los Santos... I'm torn on this. On the one hand, it's so creative and fun, and I do love the treatment of the source, but on the other, it's too busy and needs another mixing pass to do the genre and the vocalists justice. If that means losing some of the backing components, then so be it. Even semi-parody nerd rap needs clean production. Would love to hear this one again after some cleaning up! NO (resubmit) -
OCR04525 - *YES* EarthBound "Winters Is Coming"
DarkSim replied to Emunator's topic in Judges Decisions
Digging the retro-synth style. Nice cohesive sound palette. The swing on the hi-hats is a bit disconcerting, but it didn't trouble me as much as proph. Once I figured out it was 3/4 it was more natural, but I think a lighter hat sound with some more sizzle and decay on the transient might have worked a little better, with perhaps a looser feel to it. Or play the notes in triplets and then swing it from there. Piano sounds lovely, and it fits right in with the synths. The transition to the 4/4 section at 2:16 is a bit clunky, but it's not easy to smoothly go between signatures. The ride cymbals here sound great - exactly the kind of thing I was suggesting about the hats earlier. Snazzy piano arps in the solo at 2:46 echoing the synth arp in the background. This whole section is golden. Surprised it didn't end at 4:06; we're retreading some ground from the intro, and then some synth noodling to finish. Altogether a really cool take on the Snowman theme, repackaged in a retro aesthetic. Still a couple of points to improve from both arrangement and production sides, however it's more than enough to pass the bar. YES -
Listening to the revised version. Cool intro with the filtered chips, bass and FX. Nasty subbass from 0:16 really sets the mood. Love that initial hit at 0:45, there's loads of detail and the sound design you'd expect from a complextro/chipstep/dubstep/whatever the kids call it these days style. I was a little concerned that the subbass would outstay its welcome once the groove kicked in, but thankfully at 1:19 when the main section begins, you switch it out. Great decision, and a fantastic 30 seconds. The Monkey Island theme isn't overtly used here, but it might have been nice to hint at at more strongly. I think fans of the series looking for a remix may be disappointed that we don't hear the theme at least once, however I really like your twist on the melody and how you've made it your own. From 1:49 we get a half-tempo section with tons of ear candy in the off-beats, then it slams back into the groove at 2:21, with another run-through of your new melody line. This section in particular feels overcompressed. It's a loud track, which goes with the genre, but even though the mixing sounds OK, I think you could have been a bit more restrained with the master compression here. Ending is a bit abrupt, but I don't mind it. Cheeky little string plucks reminding us of the harpsichord line from the source. YES
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I've listened to this one a good few times now, and although it does have a simplistic quality to it, I can't find anything egregious that would cause me to reject it. The bell sound in the beginning is decent quality, then just as the overtones are getting dissonant, it drops out, which was a good decision. The bass is nice and soft, and the new bell sound is sweeter, if a little loud with some of the resonant frequencies. There's a light lofi-filtering on the reverb if I'm not mistaken, and it gives it a nice little crackly texture in the background. The bass solo is alright, but the sparseness of this part is pretty weak. I'd have liked a little more sizzle in the hats for the groove here, to really sell it. It's alright, but there's definitely room for improvement there. Speaking of the hi-hats as well, I don't think I can hear an open-hat to closed-hat transition in the whole piece. You use open hat cymbal samples, but they're not linked to the closed hat so the kit doesn't sound believable as a single unit. Having the closed-hat sample silence your open-hat sample should be easy to do in your sampler, so look into that in future. It can make your grooves sound so much better as well. After the bass solo, there are some more nice-sounding bells, but is it me, or do they come in a fraction early? On repeat listens, I think it's a trick of the delay on the descending bells preceding them, but listen to the first hits at 1:18 and 1:26. I think I'm going mad... Anyway, we get some more of the bells from the intro and then another go around, before a soothing pad enters at 2:30 for a warming final chorus. Classic jingle bells in the outro fadeout. Would have been nice to hear some more fleshing out of the ideas, but the bare bones of this one are solid. YES
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I like the decision to take the source in a Christmassy direction, and it's easy to hear where the inspiration comes from. Your remix begins where the source ends, with those detuned bells, but beyond that, this downbeat remix is all its own. It's conservative in that the source is always there, but your track is constantly evolving and new ideas always being presented so it never feels repetitive. It begins with some sfx of winding up a music box, and then we get some sad-sounding bells with string backing. As the strings die down, some more detuned bells join the mix, and this part sounds superb. The bass that comes in doesn't sound quite right, but I can't quite put my finger on why. There's definitely a dodgy note or two at 0:51. I like the filtered vox 'Da da da da daa dum' before the drop, and the textures added by the percussion and bell arps create a really interesting soundscape. The new bass synth is good, but seems to be mixed a bit quiet. I'm not sure the melody on the piano is the right choice here, perhaps an extra layer with a little more sustain to carry it may have been a better option. Cool break at 1:50 keeping things fresh, and then when the bass hits back at 2:12 that's more like it. Not a fan of the slight panning on the bass, but it's subtle enough to not be too distracting. I do find myself wondering why the bass in the other sections of the track isn't up to the level that's it's mixed in this part, though. Not enough room in the soundscape? That's a mixing problem, and you shouldn't need to turn down the bass in the other sections to make other elements stand out - their frequencies shouldn't be interfering with each other anyway if your mixing is good enough. Regardless, I don't think it's enough to sink the track. The addition of guitar in the next section is another great way to break up the track, and I like how it works with the backing instrumentation. Nice work from Zack there! Some cheeky jingle bells in there as well to keep that Christmas theme alive! Finally, we get another beautiful downbeat section full of texture and suspense, which may be my favourite part. Great ending too, with the vox line leading into the music-box finish. There are some minor gripes I have with this, but the package as a whole has more than enough going for it in the 5 minute running time. There are some excellent moments in here, particularly towards the end where everything is really clicking, and building to a satisfying conclusion. YES Edit 19/12 (British time): Ahh this is a shame, a revision that introduced more problems than it solved! Whereas before, the initial bass sound was mixed quietly, now it's mixed better but the sequencing is so much clearer and it's much more obvious that it sounds too dissonant with the rest of the instruments. The bell arp is also mixed way too hot, and contributes to a claustrophobic feel when it's being played - I previously commented that the piano lead from 1:01 sounded thin, but the bells are now just wiping it out. The nice, lofi vocal sample has also been buried somewhat, lessening the anticipation before the following sections, and the jingle bells and violin sample in the left ear seem too loud as well. I appreciate the efforts to clean up the mixing, however the balance is all off, and the bass notes in the first minute need revisiting. One more pass? NO
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OCR04597 - *YES* Mario Kart 64 "Troppe Houseland" *RESUB*
DarkSim replied to Emunator's topic in Judges Decisions
I didn't vote on the previous submission, so I'm going into this one with completely fresh ears. Nice tropical-style instrumentation to open, with an absolutely huge kick. Sounds like the transient is quite fat with low-frequency content after the initial hit, which gives the kick a fatiguing quality quite quickly. Fun use of the Toad vox leading into the initial drop at 1:02. Steel drum lead sounds great, and some nice auxiliary percussion in the background. Nice transition to the B section with the descending triplet steel drums. Strings in the B section at 1:33 sound very similar to the original Mariokart 64 instrumentation, and then we head into synth territory which reminds me of Ben Briggs' early stuff like Fleeting Ecstasy. The kick doesn't sound as fatiguing in the busier sections, which leaves me wondering if perhaps your compressor is working too hard in boosting the transient when there isn't as much stuff in the mix. It's a nice reprieve when the kick drops out for a bar or two at 1:50. There's a bit of winding down as the mix comes to a close, and some nice delay on the final few notes to finish. Not a ton of original writing here, but the instrumentation is a neat switch from frosty to tropical, and it's a tidy package. Kick is a bit on the heavy side, but at a short 3:08 running time, it never gets too uncomfortable. Nice job! YES -
OCR04601 - *YES* Super Smash Bros. Brawl "En Garde"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
It's always hard to take a short source tune and flesh it out without sounding repetitive. I think the 2:50 running time of this ReMix, and the break in the middle just about does enough to stop it from being too repetitive, but that said, there are some nice flourishes in amongst the melody and different instrumentation to keep it interesting. Trumpet is fantastic - I mistook it for a live performance, and it's definitely the highlight! Excellent original break section from 1:20, would have been perfect for a more elaborate trumpet solo, but alas, I'll have to make do with what's there! The initial presentation of the Spanish guitar is quite odd - something about the hard-panning on the rhythmic strumming and the way it blends with the percussion makes it sound like it's sitting in an odd sonic space. Could also be the way it's interacting with the triangle-wave bass, as it doesn't sound as strange when the chiptune elements are removed. Overall though it's a decent package. I quite like the ending with the filtered reprise of the chiptune theme as well. YES -
OCR04614 - *YES* Finding Paradise "Eternal Reverie"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
Wow, what lovely source tunes! I feel like doing a solo piano arrangement of these themes invites comparison to the Ending Theme, itself also a solo piano arrangement. It's great that you've seamlessly worked in the other sources though, as your arrangement is clearly your own. It helps that there is a common motif across all the sources, but you've done a great job of capturing the essence of them and still keeping it original. Comparing the performance to the Ending Theme, there isn't as much ebb and flow to your piece, both in terms of dynamics and tempo, however that's not to say it isn't heartfelt and sincere. The production/recording could be cleaner (again going off direct comparison), but it's more than good enough for our standards. The 'big finish' at 3:17-3:47 has weight to it, and is a decent emotional payoff for the track. Some of the high grace notes I felt were played a little too strongly, particularly towards the end at 4:09 and 4:39, and the damping at 0:47 caught me by surprise on first listen, however I'm sure it's intentional. Minor points on what is overall a delightful listen. YES -
OCR04624 - *YES* Chrono Trigger "Find the Frozen Flame"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
Initial thoughts when listening were: "This is epic, but I can't hear half of the detail in the orchestral elements. Why is it there if I can't hear it?" Came here to put that into a more eloquent way, and find that MW has already done it. I thought that all the rock parts sounded perfect (bass was just right on my headphones), but I'm 100% in agreement with MW that this needs another pass on the mixing. If something is barely audible, is it even necessary? The intro gets buried in mud, The flute at 1:37 sounds almost unintentional given how low it is in the mix, and a little distracting. Similarly at 2:52 the strings are seemingly trying to continue the guitar solo that went before them, but they're so low in the mix I'm straining to hear. Is that the right instrument for that part? Don't get me wrong, this is a fantastic track, but the mix is far too busy for too much of the track for me to pass it as-is. It may just be a case of being ruthless and cutting out parts that are unnecessary, but I would love to hear this with a cleaner mix so that all the detail that is in there can be fully appreciated. NO (resubmit) -
OCR04581 - *YES* Lotus 3 "Twin Millennium (Nitrous Mix)"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
Great use of SFX in the intro, warping into the synth pad. Good use of engine revs as a riser at 0:35 as well, although it's a little loud in the mix. The use of distortion on the lead synth at 0:33 and 1:11 fits with the growling sounds of an engine as well, leaning into the car theme. Real punchy kick in this one, although it does drop out for a beat or two, and has some fills, so it's not on autopilot, and the rest of the percussion isn't too overcomplicated for such a high BPM track. Nice switchup at 1:54 with the hats on the off-beat. Some lovely synth interplay in the chorus around 1:23 - definitely my favourite section there. The SFX make a return at the end, and it's a small thing, but I think it would have made a better ending if there was some sort of doppler-shift applied to the final effect, as if the car is zooming towards us and then passes us, zooming off into the distance. As it is, the sound rises and rises, then stops, feeling somewhat unresolved. This one packs a huge punch, and drags a great source tune kicking and screaming to the finish line. YES -
*NO* Castlevania "The Dungeons of Castle Dracula"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
It's a haunting, atmospheric piece up until 1:54, which is where it becomes too noticeably repetitive. There are variations throughout the piece, but the established sound doesn't evolve enough, the texture doesn't change enough, and the dynamics of the piece don't move enough for it to warrant such a long running time. If you want to make a brooding theme like this, it has to expand more on the ideas established in the beginning, otherwise the listener will lose interest. It's a shame you won't be returning to this one, but something to bear in mind for the future. NO -
OCR04521 - *YES* Final Fantasy 8 "For a Few Draws More" *PROJECT*
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
To get from the source to Ennio Morricone is quite a leap of the imagination, I'll give you that! I was lucky enough to see his work performed by an orchestra in London last year, and it was fantastic. Great to see you've enlisted the help of a small orchestra yourself to do this vision justice! Love the opening with the whistling, and mouth-twanger. Interesting to hear a recorder in there as well - even with some snazzy tongue modulation there at 1:06. I like that in moderation, but it does feel overused and unnatural around the 1:50 mark. Cool instrumentation throughout, courtesy of all the supporting cast, and the arrangement - as well as being a creative genre switch - works well. The source definitely lends itself to the genre, now I'm hearing it. The mix feels a little light in the low-mids, particularly for the triumphant sections towards the end (3:27 for example could use some deeper string layering). Nitpicks aside though, it's an excellent debut! Nice one, Flake! YES -
*NO* Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) & Knight 'n' Grail "Ninjan graali"
DarkSim replied to Liontamer's topic in Judges Decisions
Tons of interesting textures and patterns in this one. I really like the industrial percussion, with the reverb on it, giving it a spacious and metallic feel. The changing time signatures make it hard to pin down the track, and as such the melody/arpeggio is used as more of an anchor. Given how busy the upper-mids are in the later sections of the track though, I think the mixing does this a disservice. Around 1:35 is where things start to get hard on the ears, with that string pad, and all the resonance on the melodic synths. Things become altogether too cluttered, and it's difficult to get a sense of direction. I think the arrangement could be improved, however the main issue is that of imbalance and lack of focus. The first minute or so is very engaging and intricate - I'd like the arrangement to progress at this level of textural depth, without losing itself in the process. Toning down some of the resonance may help, or dropping a synth down an octave in the busier parts. There's a great track in there, but this one needs another pass to highlight the details. NO (resubmit)