Chimpazilla

Thanks Gario for the timestamps. This version is MUCH better but I still have some concerns. I feel like there are too many vocal clips. I'm generally a big fan of vocal clips, but as in the previous decision I particularly dislike "Daruk's Protection" and the others (I don't like those in-game either). I really like the groove here quite a bit, and the mix of musical elements, but the arrangement seems quite dependent on the clips where more ear candy would be preferable. The trap hats sound pretty repetitive and loopy after awhile, perhaps some filtering or processing would make them more interesting. There are a few moments of heavy dissonance from 2:29-2:50, that's pretty distracting, not sure what's happening there. This is close for me, a few more bits of TLC will push it over the bar for me, primarily that section of dissonance. NO (resubmit)

Gaaaaario.... Chimp-a-zilla.... plz

Agreed totally with MW. Something this simple should never pump like this. Low end is boomy, highs are non-existent other than that super-loud snap, which is off-timed. Arrangement is much too conservative, sparse and repetitive. Not ready for prime time. NO

The overuse of the arp bothers me, even with all the timbre change-ups. I think it would be better off dropped out for a section or two, and then brought back with a massive amount of filtering and movement on it, but as it stands the arrangement already feels stagnant to me, it hits full speed and stays there for the most part. I don't hear any sidechaining to speak of so there's a lost element of groove for me. The instruments being very vanilla, and the beats unchanging, is enough to make me ask for another pass at this. I love the concept though, and hope to hear it again. NO (resubmit)

What a concept! And I do love that Stranger Things track (who doesn't?). I have to agree with the others though, even with the cool elements here, the track feels dealbreakingly repetitive and underdeveloped. To do this concept justice is going to require some next-level arrangement and production, tons of automation and reverb tricks and filtering and morphing soundscapes/pads. But did I say wow, what a concept. Hope to hear it again! NO (resubmit)

There is a lot of variation in what instrument is playing lead, which I think is wonderful. I have the same nitpicks as the other Js about too much reverb/release on the lead sitar, and unnatural envelopes on the strings and choir, but each of these elements plays a bit and then gets out, so it isn't bothering me that much. If this doesn't pass, and even if it does, please pay special attention to your articulations, attacks/releases, reverbs, and learn to automate CC11 well so that your strings and choirs can sound the most realistic possible. The track overall can stand to be several db louder. But this arrangement with all it's twinkly wonder is too good to pass up. YES (borderline)

I think the balance is fine, considering the entire arrangement is played with higher-register instruments, my ears aren't expecting bass. The articulations could be more natural but there's nothing here that's standing out terribly for me, nothing that puts this below the bar. (I don't anticipate any listeners saying "that vibrato tho!") The arrangement is beautifully detailed and I love the interplay between all the elements. I love it! YES

Very cool concept and sounds, I adore the vocoding. Unfortunately I'm in the NO camp here because of how static the arrangement feels, and the mixing. A few suggestions: 1. Try to make arrangement variation by actually removing elements in different sections so we aren't hearing everything in your arsenal full time. Break it down to just a couple of elements, and vary those element combinations throughout the track, save the full bang for the final chorus. 2. Make some sections a little more quiet, and possibly slower (without the pulsing bass), and with a different drum groove/fills (this in addition to the breakdown you already have). 3. Fix the mixing by letting each of those midrangey syths play wherever their fundamental is the strongest, and eq so that other elements can do the same. Take three samey things and open their eqs at the same time, and adjust until each one is clearly audible. You can also differentiate the sounds using stereo widening on some elements and narrowing on others. Looking forward to hearing this one again! NO (resubmit)

There are some really great moments in this track, such creativity, and the guitar playing is absolutely ace. The mixing needs work though. The first couple of minutes are so thin and lacking bass that it almost sounds like an extended intro. The lead guitar at 3:03 is WOW loud compared to the soundscape. The kick is so strange that it really sounds like something has gone wrong in the track, like rendering pops instead of a kick. The mix is crispy enough that I'm wondering if it is a bit overcompressed. Many parts feel cluttered and overly busy, too many elements and possibly too much saturation used on things. The arrangement goes on a little long for my taste. This one isn't quite there yet for me. NO

Gotta agree with the NOs here, this is a fantastic arrangement but the mixing is blowing it for me. The lack of low end is a BIG deal to me, the drums sound small, and the rest of what is here is much too crispy/hot/busy/competing in frequency. Needs another mixing pass. NO (resubmit please)

Great arrangement, and very interesting mixture of sounds and styles. I like the chippy sounds and sine bells mixed with the growls and also organic elements, and I like the swing breakdown section at 2:19. I see the complaints about the sidechaining. If this were my track I would probably replace the kick with something that hits a bit harder but with less of a tail, more smack and less boom. Also I would sidechain elements in varying amounts so it doesn't sound like the entire track is ducking to the kick with the same intensity. I would sidechain the bass at 2:1, 12ish db of GR with fast attack but with a much faster release than you have here (which may be due to the length of your kick tail), pads/backing about 6db GR, leads 3db etc. Regardless, I do deeply dig this track. YES

This is a great arrangement, it is quite a moody piece. The brass does sound fake and dry in the intro and also at 2:14, and the constant string swells take away from the legato feel. I think this is still in pass territory but I can see why Larry wants it polished. I'm going to pass it, but I am hoping Rebecca reads our notes and starts incorporating these crits into her submissions. YES (borderline)

I have been playing this game quite a bit so I wanted to hear this. The BotW Temple of Time is such a sparse melody I figured it would be very hard to interpret, and I am struggling to hear it here. I really like this arrangement and the vibe, but it is very hard to hear the source. Waaaaaay too many vocal clips, mostly dry, and the soundscape is much too busy when they are playing. "Revali's Gale," "Daruk's Protection," "Urbosa's Fury" and "Mipha's Grace" I actually really dislike those sound bites even in the game. The kick drum you have here is quite distorted, I am guessing this is a stylistic choice but I find it too distorted and it sounds overcompressed to me. The drum groove overall is repetitive. I think vocal clips are fine if used sparsely and smartly. You could take 75% of them out and make the rest count, and mix them well into the track so they aren't a focal point. When you resubmit though, we will need to do a significant source check to make sure there is enough in the track for our standards. NO

The humanization is not very good, and I have to agree the sounds are below the bar, sorry to say. The levels feel off to me, most noticeable when the first drop at 1:01 is so much more quiet than the buildup. Drops should always be louder than any buildup that precedes it. The DnB drums are so quiet as to be apologetic, and there is no kick sound to speak of, and no sidechaining to make the drums melt into the arrangement, and so this leaves me feeling like the drums don't fit the arrangement at all. I adore this arrangement, it's clever as can be, part writing is tight. The ideas are dynamite and I'm sure people will enjoy it tons. I just can't in good conscience approve a track that relies this heavily on orchestral samples with these sounds and humanization. It just sounds like a mockup or advanced wip with these sounds. NO

Well I like this! It's crazy, but crazy good. I love the how the vocal clips are used. I agree with Gario: I'm finding the production fine, if quirky, and I happen to like the heavy kick. Works for me. YES

Wow I'm right on the borderline here. This is very creative, I love the lyrics and the vocals are well done. The beats are repetitive and not processed in a very interesting way. Hats are pretty loud and mechanical when they play. I'm fine with the simple synths, even the delay on the square is fine. My main issue here is the vocal processing, I hear NONE until 3:53 when I hear "NOOOOO" screamed with some reverb. The entire track's vocals are bone dry and centered, wow what a lost opportunity here. The vocal is the lead and the centerpiece here, and nothing is done to them whatsoever. If this were my track, I'd use Nectar 2 Production Suite to add some compression, de-essing, stereo widening, some subtle reverb, etc. and I'd probably take some portions and double them with delay for emphasis (as in the final syllable of a line, with epic ping pong delay on just that syllable). So much fun could be added to these vocals with some processing. I see also that the track is very highly compressed and hitting -5.9db RMS which is WHOA loud. I wouldn't be upset if this posted as-is because it is so cool and creative, but I'm going to suggest adding a bit more source as per Larry's suggestion, and give the vocals just a bit of processing since they are the highlight. ("shot him in the DICK!" hahahaha) NO (borderline, resubmit please)

I love the huge beefy kick, and the perfect 80s synths. The intro almost does a "Stranger Things" thing and I love it. The arrangement does feel repetitive, but so does the source. The drum groove seems fitting to me, repetitive as it is it works in this context. Production is very good. I don't even mind the ending, with the restart and the fadeout, this just adds to the cheese factor. This one is working for me overall, just as it is. YES

Wow I really like this source, and I love the remix approach. I hear the criticisms about the mix being awash with reverb and release tails, but it doesn't bother me too much until 1:25. That wonky lead note at 1:25 does bother me, and the backing harmonies from 1:25 to 1:52 sound dissonant and harmonically muddy, possibly due to the long release tails but also possibly due to some wrong chord note choices throughout that section. The volume jump at 2:00 is startling and causes me to have to lower the volume. Wow I'm really on the fence here because this is so good, and I could flip to YES if that is the consensus but I'd prefer to see some issues addressed first. NO (borderline, resubmit please)

Guitar performances are really great. The flute is noticeably fake but it has a minor role. The drums sound fine. The string pad is not the loveliest pad sound I ever heard, but I don't have the feeling that it means to be real strings, and it gets the job done just fine. Nice arrangement. YES

I have a special love for this source. I agree the overall volume is low, it could be brought up with some proper mastering which would really make this pop. I adore all the wonderfully dissonant harmonies you added to this source, you gave it extra creepiness while keeping it completely recognizable. I love it! YES

Emery shared this with me a couple of weeks ago and I was amazed by how smartly it was put together and how ten minutes went by without a moment of lost interest. Production is as clean as it gets. Lots of love went into this track and it shows. Easiest yes ever. YES

Track is conservative and often sparse. I love those beat variations so much, unexpected ear candy. I think a lot more could have been done with this track melodically, and that ending is way too abrupt. I'm not sure sandwiching the mix in between dry vocal clips is the best choice. Still, I love the ideas here, very groovy. YES (borderline)

This is one of the best Zelda sources of all time, but a tricky one to remix. I like the bassline added. Without the sampled rattly bit, I think it would be too liberal and also too sparse. My big question is, are we allowing this much sampling straight from the source material?

Not much to add to what the other two Js have said. The flute sounds nice, but that entire section has no real leadwork. The drum groove is probably the biggest issue I find holding this track back, it never changes. The kick sound doesn't seem to fit with the instrumentation either, it seems to be more of a hard rock kick and a soft kick would work better, and since the sound doesn't fit right and sticks out of the soundscape, the noticeably repetitive pattern of the kick is emphasized. Ok so I did have more to add. Fix the drum groove and this should work better. NO

Idunno guys, I like it. Sure the backing is repetitive, but it is holding the soundscape together nicely. Perhaps a few gated noise sweeps or something else, something sparkly here or there could liven it up a bit more, but ultimately I'm ok with this and the changes in lead/focus instrumentation keeps it fresh for me. I don't like the fadeout but that's a personal opinion, and perhaps it works here in context. The first note seems a bit sudden and chopped off, like the render missed part of the first note. Otherwise, after four listens I am finding this quite enjoyable. If this doesn't pass, definitely make some changes to the repetitive aspects of the track and throw in some more ear candy, but for now I'm a YES