*NO* Dragon Force 'Astea's Blessing'

[Palpable]

Hi attached is a remix I produced using the score from the track "Astea's Voice" from the SEGA Saturn game Dragon Force. The track was produced to sound like a UK Hardcore anthem combined with the beauty and mystique of a classic RPG track.

Remixer name: Tonberry_Hunter

OCR user id: tonberry_hunter

Real name: Robert Dunn

Website: tonberryhunter.com

Sega Sautrn

Dragon Force

"Astea's Voice"

- Rob

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Astea's Voice

[OceansAndrew]

Production sounded pretty solid, though there was a little bit of over compression in some of the more intense sections. Generally the arrangement is overly repetitive, however, probably because of the inherent style. There's a whole lot of untz with offbeat synths, and oftentimes it takes the forefront over the more interesting pads and melodic elements. During the breakdown, it's easier to hear the source, but the main melody doesn't appear until 1/3 through the track.

Things do get more interesting later on, but really, the weakest parts of the song are the straight kick with offbeats, and they are used way too much, especially in the beginning. It tends to sound like just filler to pad out the track length, and though that may not be the intention, it is the result.

There are definitely some cool arrangement aspects to this track, especially in the middle, but the intro runs way long, and doesn't feature dominant source at all. Production in the mid lows is also a bit crowded, and could use a little bit of EQ work. Just tiny slices, really. This definitely shows some promise, but has a ways to go.

no, please resubmit

[Palpable]

Though I wasn't feeling the intro that much, I really liked the soundscape once the pads entered. From there, the strings and piano really made this took off. The take on the source is pretty orthodox trance/dance arrangement, but the execution is well-done, and there are a few inspired detours.

Here's the negatives. The level of repetition wears by the end - the intro and outro are especially numbing. They could be shorter, or in lieu of that, I'd like more detail there, filtering, something. The piano lead is very even, which happens in this type of electronic arrangement, but some rhythm and volume changes would add some dynamics. Lastly, I would tone down the synth playing offbeats.

In my book, this is very close to a pass. With some strategic changes, nothing too drastic, this would get my YES.

NO (resubmit)

[DragonAvenger]

Not much new I can add to the votes. When things get going, you have a pretty good mix going on. I'm especially enjoying the breakdown sections that offer the most variety in interpretation and melody. However, there are some elements (which aren't too difficult to fix!) that right now are holding this back from passing. The most noticeable is the untz offbeat, which is overtaking the mix at times. Balance that out a little more with the rest of the track and I bet this will immediately sound a lot better. The next aspect Vinnie is absolutely right about; the intro and outtro. They really need to be a little shorter or less repetitive.

A couple thing I noticed, though a bit nitpicky, is the very opening which transitions to the synth fading in. I felt that was awkward, as the two don't overlap in any way, which leads to the "chimes":space:fade-in. I'd experiment with the timing on that to get a smoother lead-in. Secondly, the panning on the piano at 1:58 is a bit strange. Having every other note switch back in forth doesn't feel natural (in that you wouldn't have two people on opposite sides of the room trading off).

Get this polished out, and I'll look forward to hearing it again. NO (resubmit)