danny B

First off, I like the overall style going on here. It's a somewhat unique take on an overused original. I'll focus on the major drawbacks first. The length is easily too long. There are 3 minutes of musical ideas here in a 5:30+ package. Brevity would be to this tune's advantage. There is obviously an attempt at emotional showcasing, but it is so drawn out and unfocused that it comes off as overly melodramatic. Coming to a climax earlier, and working down from there in a tighter timeframe would make this song bunches more solid. Sound quality as a whole has some nice spots but mostly falls below the bar for me. The piano is definately one of the higher quality offerings i've heard lately. After an intro insinuating a piano-centric mix of impeccable quality, the screechy-GM MIDI violin comes in. It features static velocity, and little, if any, DSP. For an instrument so far forth in the mix, this really needs more attention such as EQ and a respectable amount of reverb. Now, the whole echo/reverb percussion thing comes off as more lazy than anything here. It doesn't really introduce any kind of interesting element rhythmically or texturally[sic]. It sound like a very simple drum beat got put through an echo machine. In short, it's uninspired and bland. This isn't a terribly bad thing that would cause me to reject a mix, but in combination with the kick sample that goes BOOM BOOM BA BOOM, I have some reservations. The kick absolutely dominates the entire mix, when it should simply occupy the majority of the low end. It either needs to release sooner, in conjuction with the percussions' rhythm, or a drier kick needs to be used. As it is now, all I hear when that part comes in is RUMBLY BUMBLY DIN!!! Then, the only hope arrives - the Oboe. Upon hearing this new addition to the mix, I was hopeful. Then, my hopes were immediatly dashed - the same problems plaguing the violin now plagued the oboe. Static velocity, and a very GM quality. So really, upon trudging through 3:30 of this track, the same exact problem again rears its gruesome countenance. Not to mention that the melody sounds largely derivative and has no real life to itself. It sounds like random note selection from the key. Then, utilizing an elementary addition/subtraction scheme, the mixer brings this one to an unsatisfying end. I could go on, but the other judges have covered most of my sentiments, save the ones voting YES. NO -D

I'm not. No we aren't.

Never can get enough of those helpful, quality reviews OCR is known for, eh? -D

I was under the impression that it wasn't whether it got 6Y or 6N first, but an actual majority of all the judges. As long as this many people are voting, might as well go all the way, i say.

Regardless of how I justify my decision here, I will be accused of Mustin-hate and publicly vilified. Here i go! The beginning of the mix starts with a well-orchestrated section that shows a decent grasp of instrumentation. The sound quality isn't exactly top-tier, but overall, the intro is absolutely fine and is completely acceptable. From there, it kinda goes downhill. The drumloop comes in from out of nowhere. It is, like zyko mentioned, poorly EQ'd. There is no kind of dynamic contrast whatsoever, both between the individual drums and the drumset opposed to the mix. It's a static drumloop among much better-quality recordings. And dude, seriously....quit with the crash cymbal every 2 measures...I mean, come on. The staccato square wave synth hits like a brick wall. It permeates through the mix of mostly organic timbres, and sounds very out of place. Unfortunate, as a simple EQ fix would have blended it in much better and created a unique and enjoyable combination. The electric guitar is decently played and arranged, I just can't help but feeling that it sounds....just off, a little. It's not out of tune, necessarily, it just sounds like it was recorded with a mic 10 feet away from the amp in another room. Basically, the guitar recording makes me cringe. The saxophone solo is nicely played. It's an enjoyable distraction, and shows a grasp of sax technique. The flutter is very abrupt and awkward, however. Also, the solo seems almost like it's in the wrong song. It fits the key, obviously - but we go from a pretty straightforward, driving rocktronica tune to what is apparently instantly transmogrified into a jazzy interlude. Very awkward, in my opinion. Might be a personal call there, but there's definately a style conflict going on here. The piano solo immediatly following is much more appropriate and effective. The orchestral ending starts out fine enough, but ends with a shockingly low-quality timpani and woodwind tag. It sounds like an entire song in gigasamples followed by a Fruity Loops Timpani + woodwinds soundfont. It's a big sound quality difference. It definately leaves a bad taste in my mouth at the end of the track. The main parts of the track sound fine with regards to the strings, bass and various harmonies - from a sound quality perspective. Despite my critique of the aforementioned points, I think the sound quality is fine to pass. Definately above the bar. However, the most controversial of our guidelines is responsible for my vote here - adherence to original. Besides the solos, and to a lesser degree the orchestral parts, I hear very little expansion upon the original. It is mostly a recapitulation of the original's melodic and harmonic ideas, with minor additions and subtractions to make it seem different. The fact that a drumloop runs the length of the track doesn't help at all. This track is a perfect example of how subpar arrangement can doom a song from OCR's mainpage. Nice production (except the drums and guitar), but we need a little bit more originality to consider this anything more than a high-quality cover. NO -D

This is direct post material in my opinion. A classic example how to do clean, varied electronica and incorporate more organic textures in the mix. Typical Starblast production quality. I agree about the odd EQ, but it's not as distracting as other would have you believe. Not as dense as it could be rhythmically, a little more percussion could have filled in a little space in some of the more sparse areas. GJGJGJGJ GL GG HF OMGLOLO!L!~ \/ - / | |- \ | |_ /

Alright, this one is pretty borderline for me. It's definately got a mid-90's loop-fabricated house sound to it. Authenticity is not a problem with the rhythm and piano. The sound processing fits with the style and the time period. The filter-sweep analog synths are radical. However, I must confess that the entire track, to me, can be described as one thing - "ho-hum". It's hard to explain exactly why, but i'll give it a shot. The sound quality is exactly where it needs to be for a house track. No problem there. However, most of the house I have been exposed to, even in the time frame of mid-90's does have an appreciable amount of dynamic contrast. My colleagues are correct in that this mix lacks just that. Even though that in itself doesn't immediatly disqualify it, the other issues contribute to problems that need attention before I let this one through. The arrangement itself is pretty much what would happen if you put the chord progression from the original into a "house-machine" and pressed a button. It's the original in its most simplified form, nearly straight-converted into a house format. This is not a bad thing for authenticity, but definately for enjoyability. It's commendable that the artist is attempting to be more original in his offerings, but I don't think this one really nails it. There is a lot of information in the original that is nowhere to be heard here, such as the interesting touches like key change and solo passages. The whole thing screams "homogenous". Simple house tracks are not necessarily bad, it's just not something that fits the guidelines here, I think. It's definately a good effort, but i'd need more development either in a musical sense or a timbre-centric sense to give a thumbs-up. Right now this tune is confused over whether it wants to be a melodic/harmonic electronica jam or a down n' dirty house thump-fest. NO

I'm not one to hate on overcompression, I think it's an effect that greatly augments the style of certain genres. It makes things link together in a really cool way, and when not used simply to cover up balance issues, greatly augments the clarity and punchiness of a mix. However, I think in this case, the compression is a mixed blessing. It has a very focused, clear sound. But the mix as a whole seriously lacks dynamic contrast. There could definately be a solid ABA structure to the dynamics, and that would very much aid the transitions between sections. That's my only main beef, as the rest of the mix is an excellent example of adept piano usage combined with energetic and interesting electronic elements. The percussion is pretty basic, but in this instance, less is definately more. Synths are slightly above average, but mixed very well and arranged in a way that many new electronic artists can't seem to master - in context. They fit the more organic elements of the tune like a glove, and it really makes it seem much more cohesive experience. Not much to critique, only nitpick. Great job, dudes. This is a rare one that will be playing in my car. Thanks. YES -D

Ask him - he told me to put it here.

OK, most of you know how I feel about doing this, but i'd like this posted soon (hopefully before Dec 1st to qualify for the Tallarico project). If you haven't heard, this is a collaboration effort between myself, Vigilante and Zyko. We three are absolving from the vote, obviously. Thanks. Here are the lyrics for the singing, for Dave to post, as well. Zyko will have to post his own. By the way, anyone who has ever tried knows that it's a BITCH to come up with sensical lyrics about being a sassy worm that found a super suit. I did the best I could. One more time, i find myself Up to my neck, buried in silt. Too many times, the world requests that I relieve them all from distress Doesn't anybody see, my corporeal state I've got no reason, to save anybody but me Once again. Here I am. I don't give a damn, my strength's all i am. And now that hell is at its worst I've got no choice left but leaving your dead corpse No kind of weapon, No kind of plea Not even substance abuse can bother me. Suppose that I did it, Imagine my feat. Victory reached, but still evil replete. And I would be anything but discrete - My Invertebrate retreat. And now gone and forgotten, Everything inside me pushes me to realize. I never was anything but a slave to circumstance and bad fortune, It's time to decide. Return to forbearance? A circle complete. Your invertertebrate retreat.

Alright, we've got a pretty decent arrangement effort here, but other than some real simple modifications, it's not that different from the original. Add to that the fact that it's a very flat mix dynamically and there's no kind of variation throughout the piece. I'm actually pretty hip to the percussion, the little that there is, even though it's mixed way too low to be effective. The ride cymbal alone is mixed higher than the rest of the kit. Weird. There seems to be little, if any velocity changes in any of the parts, and the whole mix sounds a bit mechanical because of it. The whole drop-out-fade-in thing isn't working for me, either. If you're going to use realistic instrumentation, it's going to need realistic dynamics. There are good things about this mix, most notably the instrumentation. Nice use of backing organ and piano. I just need to hear a much more solid work in the all-around SQ department before I can pass this one. NO -D

Please keep in mind that all i'm asking for to have this thing accepted is minor tweaks to improve the sound quality. It really wouldn't be too much to ask, and I think if it is passed we should at least ask Ryan if he's willing to debug the thing before postage.

Larry pretty much hit the nail on the head there. An impressive piece of guitar work, but layed over a super-simple beat and bass. Had there actually been a cohesive arrangement to exemplify this guitar talent, we'd have a whopper on our hands. Unfortunatly, other than the guitar there isn't much to like in this mix. NO -D

First off, I'd like to commend Ryan on a very adept arrangement effort. Much better from an arrangement point of view than most submissions we get. Unfortunatly, the only criticisms I can levy are ironically the ones easiest to fix. With the blatant nature of some of the flubs, I can't in good conscience pass this when I know that a couple hours polishing this pig would produce a very impressive guitar track. That, along with the painfully ho-hum orchestral work (from a SQ standpoint) and very bland drums with awkward, static-velocity fills. The orchestral section is once again - well arranged, but it lacks any real dynamics other than BAM I'M LOUD. To make an effective bridge section, I really think some dynamic touches would give some much needed impact. The percussion is also near-inexcusably simple, with the snare being decent enough, but the every-beat-crash-cymbal thing makes my head want to explode. Once again - dynamics. The drums come in well enough, but I can't help but feel let down. Often it feels awkward during fills. I think this is - you guessed it - due to a lack of any real dynamic contrast. I think the snare is even panned pretty far left, I may be wrong, but it's really distracting. Add to that - the electric guitar section is mixed way too loud. The lead is exrutiatingly loud, and the rhthym is nearly nonexistent in the sound field. I'd like to hear some kind of processing done to the guitar tracks to make them easier to listen to and discernable. A commendable arrangement effort, but I think a solid debug session would push this one into acceptance territory. NO -D

Was this song made for DDR or a preexisting tune used within DDR?

Easily among one of the best vocal remixes on the site. Great production, decent mixing and mastering. GJGJGJ At least something nice has finally come out of Australia. -D

Firstly, what bothers me the most about this mix is that a LOT of the harmonies and melodies don't match. Mostly because a vast majority of the harmony is a droning synth. The percussion is the highlight of the mix, and that's too bad because the drums are really ho-hum at best. It's got a very "clicked-into FL in 10 minutes" feel to it. Two basic types of drumloops can't carry a song of this length. They don't even seem to make any attempt and controlling releases or dynamics. Any more reasons for rejection see above posts. NO -D

There's definately some decent arrangement here into a rock genre. There's also some great instrumentation here, the guitar part seems like it was meant for guitar. The organ has a prominent role and then backs off. Arrangement isn't problem here. What is a problem is the whole thing is of Casio Keyboard quality. The parts sometimes lack clarity between each other, most likely due to lack of EQ and DSP. This needs to be multitracked and cleaned up. Percussion needs definition - snap in the snare, thump in the kick, any kind of sizzle in the metals. It's very homogenous as of this listening. The bass lacks any real definition, and most of the other samples either lack in clarity or fidelity. The strummed guitar, while seeming to be strummed on the late side of the beat, is pretty nice though. The flute lead is painfully artificial, and not in the cool, retro electronica way. The Mario voice sample at the end does not work. At all. This mix is potentially a great arrangement. The sound quality, however, bogs this one down just below the bar. If I hear at the very least a marginal improvement in overall sound quality, then it's jiggy baby. NO -D

While using Epic as an augmentation on the Arkanoid original is an awesome idea, and this song really does rock, I can't pass it. He could use the beeps from pong in a remix of epic, and I still wouldn't pass it. The original happens to have a syncopated, heavy(ish) bassline, and it's a stretch to think that the "theme" of arkanoid is actually being weaved into the track. The vocals are extremely well done, as is the entirety of the mix. It pains me to reject this tune, but OCR is simply not the place for this. Sorry dude. More in-depth reasoning above. NO -D PS - I don't however, believe this to be an obvious NO OVERRIDE. This definately needed discussion.

This track has a lot going for it. Pretty effective use of percussion throughout, and the pads are straight radical. The bass is pretty good too, although a bit of an envelope on a filter or volume might have made it less static and "buzzy". What this sounds like is an intro for a more upbeat, melodic tune. I realize that down-low is the attempt here, but it tends to reiterate itself rather liberally, and that gets me tuning out about halfway through. More variety needed. Sometimes synth use is a bit hodge-podge, the delayed synth at 2:33 doesn't seem to mesh with the rest of the atmosphere as well as it could. I'm having a little trouble recognizing the source tune here. I'm trying not be hippocritical, as my own Chicago remix is pretty damned interpretive. I've got no problem with highly creative work, but I really am having a lot of trouble recognizing any Perfect Dark tunage in here other than a modified version of the Chicago arpeggio. Let's hear more definition between sections, some more dynamic contrast and maybe a bit more direct musical expression. Almost there. NO -D

There isn't much to say. Ari always makes great things with less than great samples. The processing, arrangement and overall energy of the track is absolutely great. It has a lo-fi quality, while retaining a very authentic electronic vibe. It's a little more sparse than previous offerings, but still absolutely acceptable. The ending is fine by me, it's a rad little b section that gets things moving to the conclusion. Overall, very solid work. YES -D

I'm still not very happy about the arrangement's proximity to the original style-wise, but the brass IS much better. I guess that puts it just over the bar. YES -D

Yes. NO OVERRIDE -D

Man. MAN. I was so ready to put the smack down and YES this remix. I was. But damn. That tempo change right past the 2 minute mark, followed by a very lax ending killed it. Utilize the other judges' critique, fix that ending, and you're game. There is a LOT here to like. I really do enjoy this, and the first two minutes are rad. A very good example of how to do a good, enjoyable dance remix. Gah...... Please do something with the ending and give it back to us. Maybe even if you just have a big crash at 2:12 and let it fade out before slowly bringing back the mix - that would be fine. And even if you just add another few iterations of the main melody with some modifications to lengthen it a bit - you're totally game. I rarely ever say this, but - PLEASE RESUBMIT. NO(please resubmit i really want this in etc etc etc etc) -D P.S. Please resubmit

I'll delude myself and assume that by "nice piano arrangement" from SotN, you're referring to the Dracula's Castle theme in my "Belmont Lounge". Delusion. Anyways, No issues with the guitar playing here. However, nearly everything else raises issues with me. The John Cage-esque intro with the radios is a nice touch, but it sets the stage for a gimmicky mix. Beyond the crazy noises and ambience, there isn't much substance here. The entire mix is flat and overcompressed. The whole track has some mastering issues I would consider major. It also suffers from several instrumentation problems. Drums - The kick has no meat. The snare sounds like it's from an old Protricity mix . The cymbal work is haphazard and messy. Synths - The synth work often reaches piercing frequencies and overall feels like an obligatory inclusion to make the mix seem electronic. Most of the synthetic textures simply come off as confusing rather than innovative. Guitar - Like I said, no major qualms here, but the recording quality isn't very good. It may be intentional to achieve a lo-fi effect, but it comes off as sloppy. Excellent lead playing, though. Overall, I'm not feeling the whole distorted-for-the-sake-of-distortion thing. The mix definately has its own sound, and there's no lack of originality here. However, the haphazard percussion, downright ineffective use of gimmicky samples, sloppy production and confusing synthwork doesn't make me happy. NO -D