Aminet 22

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Text File | 1997-10-21 | 77.6 KB | 1,385 lines

WMR (Reviews [week #23]) __ __ __ | \ __ ______/ |_ | | | o \ | | | / o | \ |o | | \| o| |o _/ | o\ []=======| |==| \ |=| |/ | \========[] []=======| |==| \ |=| | |\ \=======[] []=======| |==| \|=| | |=\ \======[] :: | | | \ | | | / / :: :. | | | |\ \| | /| |/ / :: : | | |/\ | \ | |/ | | / : | | / \| |\ | | | | / :. | | / \ | \ | |__| | / .: :: | |/ \| \_| | |/ : :: | /\ | | __| |\ :: []=======| / \ |=| |==| | \==========[] []=======| /| \ |=| |==| | \=========[] []=======| /=| |\ |=| |==| | \========[] |o / | | \ o| |o | | |\ o\(mansooj) |_/ | o | \_| |__/ | o | \__/ |___| |___| (Originally compiled and added on August 25, 1997) (last updated 09.01.97) -----========================================----- -----================================================================----- "Clandestine Affair" by Shaithis of Immortal Coil (??ch IT, 04:21) (ic-clan.zip [265K/445K]) [Rock/Pop] (Realistic hard funk) "I like this song. A lot. :) I was a bit worried after Inculta that I'd never write a better song. Not to say that Inculta is the best tune ever written...it's not even close, but I was worried I'd reached my musical limit, my capacity to learn. But, after a three week dry spell, I sat down and came up with Clandestine Affair, which I think is every bit as good of a song as Inculta. Perhaps better." [Shaithis] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Clones 81+ 90 80 70 85 MING 85= 85 88 75 70 WolfSong 84+ 84 82 85 86 Red Death 80= -- 80 75 85 Rebriffer 70- 65 75 65 85 Husanak 68+ 70 75 65 65 Fanta C 46+ 65 64 48 72 /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Clones ]========------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Whoa! This is a nice piece of music--rythhmic, a driving bass figure, nice melodies, cool solos, a nice sense of timing for changing the character of the piece and sections. This is labeled as realistic funk and funky it is, but it reminds me of a better version of earlier (circa early 90's) mods with a much better sound and a drum kit worthy of Foo Fighters. As a composition, this is one of the better ones I've reviewed so far for traditional rock harmony. The formal representation is ABCB'B''DB'''B''''EB''''' (lots of primes eh?) where A is the intro with a cool phased dual bass sound. This also intorduces the first chord progrssion, c major, e flat major, f major. B adds percussion and C adds some nice keys with organ like sounds and a melody. B' is a set up for the next section, the organ is replaced by rhythmic synth filter hits. B'' adds a combo choir/string counter melody (to the bass) and a nice synth solo comes in and out. Now, we *modulate* to the relative minor, D minor, with the progression d minor, b flat major, f minor. This provides a nice contrast in mood. B''' is the same progression of B but a 2nd above, d major, f major, g major, though the 3rd of d, f# is avoided. In addition a transposition of B's melody is used. With E, a chord progression from Kurt Cobain's book: d minor, f major, b flat major, g minor and we are back into d minor. F, a drum break, provides a bridge back to B'''' which wraps up the piece in d major, sort of--again, the 3rd is avoided. So there's plenty of harmonic and melodic development. And it all works rather well and is a funky, catchy piece using traditional rock progressions. The samples sound good and the choir/string mixture is unique. I think the drumming and drum samples are quite good and reflect the "alternative" sound. The use of effects is good with lots of portamento and such on the solos to give them a believable feel. Overall, this is a very good traditional rock piece with lots of funk in the bass. It has a mellow, cool feel as it works its way through enough change to keep you interested, but not so much as to lose you. Though no new ground is being broken here, I can recommend this as a download if this is your style. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ I found that more than anything, this piece had a lot of style. I haven't heard anyone write a song of this type in such a way. What type would that be? Well, it seems to be demo style with a little rock added in and toned down a bit. Not really "soft," but not really "hard" either. The bass track here is quite detailed and contributes a good bit to the song's feel. The melodies and leads are catchy and very nicely tracked. The drums sound like something between Nine Inch Nails and an 80's rock band and are quite dynamic and natural sounding. The highlights are well placed and fill the background out very well. Maybe you're not worried about picking the song apart though; maybe you don't care about the technical examination; maybe you just want to pop the song in and just listen to it...what then? Well, in this case, you're in luck, my friend. The song as a whole is quite enjoyable to listen to. There's a very nice groove here to get into, and while it's grooving it won't mind showing you a good selection of different moods, including a short, but intense, drum solo near the end. I can't find much to complain about here. I suppose if I wanted to be really picky, I could say that the bass line, while very cool, could've had a bit more variation thrown into it, as it does seem to do some of the same things a few more times than might be necessary. I could also complain about the short sax solo in the middle. Unless a composer can do something I don't know about, a sax solo will always get a complaint from me. Because of the way a sax sounds, it just doesn't sound good in tracked music. It's not going to happen. However, this sax solo was kept short, and the composer avoided sliding it around and sending it too far from its original sampled range, which is where most of a tracked sax' nastiness comes from. For a sax solo, it was probably the cleanest one I've heard. This song will wind up as a keeper in many people's song collections, I'm sure. And with good right, Shaithis knows what he's doing. Maybe it belongs in yours. Go try it out. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Fanta C ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ This is weird. As soon as I listened to this one, I could tell it was an Impulse Tracker module. This struck me as strange, but then I realized that it was because this track sounds exactly like some of the earlier IT modules. Oh dear. Musically, it's a bit bland and predictable. You just know what the next musical phrase will be. More work in the tune construction phase would be recommended. The best part of the track is the introduction. A heavily echoed bass guitar introduces us to the melody and, before the standard IT effects start up, it's really quite good. After that, the melody doesn't change much and the tune rambles on. There is a key change half way through, but it just doesn't work, even if it is coupled with an instrumentation change (ring modulated yuck swapped for a melodramatic sax). It looks as if I'm not happy with this one, but I can spot that the author has worked hard on some parts of this track. A good example is a guitar break at about three minutes in, which is cool. Unfortunately, it's laced with some duff notes which somewhat spoils the overall effect that a good break can bring. The author has tried hard to introduce some spice via instrument and tempo changes but "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." Coupled with the less than inspiring tune, one or two duff notes which really shouldn't happen, the fact that it just sounds "old," and finally that the standard of module composition seems to be getting higher every day, I can't recommend this one. Bottom line: I didn't take to the melody and found the composition inconsistent. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ What would we all do without Chad Gould and his Soundwave collections of samples, eh? Shaithis obviously knows where to get the good stuff and (rightly so) credits the sterling work Gould and Soundwave are doing on behalf of trackers everywhere. Okay, you may be thinking, is he chatting about the samples because he's afraid to start taking the knife to this track? When I saw the credits for Soundwave, I automatically assumed that the track should be well decent. And, unfortunately, decent is all that it is. Okay, style and your own likes and dislikes are always going to play a major part in being objective about the tracks you hear, and although I loved what Shaithis had done with these excellent samples, I ended up only liking the track. Liking a track is not the same as wrapping it up warm and promising to keep it safe forever, and on that basis, I personally would pass on this track for a long term stay in my Hard Drive Hotel. However, don't just take my word for it, I would definitely recommend that you check it out because it's got everything else going for it. Like what? A meaty slap bass announces the arrival of the track, while a high snare hammers the point home. Ah ah, I thought, here's where it gets good. But it didn't, it descended into a fairly standard MOD workout--burbling synths, synth & high voice leads, etc. You know the one, we've all made our own versions.... This is still a *good* workout mind you, with some really neat touches both in the area of coding and in the mix, which, to be honest, is faultless. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Husanak ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Well, I do believe that this one falls into the shoot 'em up genre, perhaps music for level 3 of a first person spy game. Clandestine Affair is a well laid out piece of music. There's an introduction, a breakdown, and a conclusion, with likable music in between. The tune flows nicely, and there aren't any patterns that don't follow the previous one graciously. Technically, Shaithis does a fairly nice job. The underlayment of the tune is well tracked and falls nicely into the background, just as it should. There are a couple of guitar leads, a choir, and I think something that was supposed to be a synthesized brass section. The leads are all well tracked with the exception of the synthesized brass which wasn't bad, but just wasn't the same quality as the other leads. Originality? Well, this isn't the most original piece of music. Shaithis isn't breaking new ground here. The form is similar to many other modules I've heard, most of which were in video games. While I'm on the originality thing, the samples are almost all soundwaves. They're good samples, they just aren't Shaithis'. Shaithis has written a nice little game tune, that flows well and is supported by a pretty keen guitar riff; well tracked and nicely composed. However, it's not the most original piece of music, and there were a few parts in which Shaithis seemed to settle for a simple line. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ It's a demostyle tune. But, converted to more modern circumstances where things like dynamics can be much more considered. And, it has what most oldschool mods miss--it has a bucketfull of groove. It's based upon a funky bass with funky bleeps and funky drums. Also, all melodies upon this funky weave are much funkier and less...sweet than the average demotune. The melody instruments are of a wide range from realistic saxophone and guitar, to the normal digital dreams plastic electro-guitar like sounds. There's also an uplifting choir sample that gives it more air, as well as even more groove. Really, nothing here to complain about at all. It's a great, medium hectic tune with an impressive groundwork with great, somewhat different drums and a deep, dominating, slightly distorted bass. Everything sounds crystal clear, and all notes are where they should be. A heavy panning makes the song live its own life, and the fact it uplifts the tune instead of making it confusing to the ear, is evidence enough for me that Shaithis knows how to make mods. I wish there was more to say here, but there isn't. Clandestine Affair is a tune I warmly recommend. It's funky, it's melodic, it's interesting, it's very good, and there's just about the right amount of it there. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ This song has one of the best bass lines I've ever heard; it's got good stereo effects, a good groove, and I really like the samples. Actually, this is one of the best rock-style mods I've heard; that's the category I'd put it into based on the hard bass and guitar despite the use of the voice chorus and xylophone. The effect created with a siner sample by switching the tempo, always impresses me, and there's a short passage (2 orders) where the percussion is just great. The guitar sequences sound good because a good sample was used and they were written well (which is hard to do). There's also a sax in here, but it sounds out of place. This could be because the rest of the song is hard and crisp, whereas the sax isn't nearly so. The one particular thing I don't care for is that the choir-voice part gets a bit annoying; the volume is too loud, and I'd rather hear the guitar part more anyway. :-) This song has variety, very good samples, and killer bass and guitar tracks. My only wish is that it had even more guitar. -----================================================================----- "Humanalogue" [Head Beneath Water Mix] by Chuck Biscuits of Kosmic (??ch IT, 06:50) (k_human.zip [648K/792K]) [Ambient Dub] "Back into the dub influences for ChuckB with a cute little wobbly ambient dub track. Go and listen! :)" [Maelcum] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== MING 91= 95 90 85 88 Rebriffer 85+ 85 90 75 75 Husanak 78+ 80 75 75 78 Clones 70+ 50 80 70 80 Red Death 62- 65 -- 55 70 ESP 55+ 40 70 65 75 Fanta C 52+ 70 82 50 85 /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------------========[ ESP ]========-------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ First off, cool name. Humanalogue is a smart track, with a good feeling; a mood song, slightly melancholic in its tone. It's a sparse sounding song, driven mainly by a rising and falling light orchestral string sample, the impression given being that of the sound of slow, deep, breathing. I assume this is where the "human" part of the title came from, but the "analogue" part of the title must have come from the pleasant sounding analogue sequence. This isn't a note sequence, simply a filter-swept synth sample with modulated volume, but despite its simplicity, it's highly effective in producing a laidback but memorable groove and feel. There are two very major, major faults in this track, both of which totally ruined my enjoyment of it. The first is the inclusion of a truly awful (but thankfully very short) synth solo which is so loaded down with expression that it makes me want to throw up, it shows its head near the beginning and once again right at the end. The second is the presence pseudo-random electronic warblings which rise up out of nowhere to swamp the track for a little while about 2 1/2 minutes from the beginning. I have no problem with the actual sequencing, style or quality of these sequences, but they're so terminally out of place in this track it spoils the entire thing; it seems as if they make an appearance just to fill time, but they are, both of them, about as incompatible with the underlying original theme as it's possible to be. The two utterly fail to mesh, and the result is not a pleasant sound. After being so melodramatic, I can now be reflective. :) The track, overall, is not as bad as it might seem given the previous paragraph, but at the end of the day, there's just not enough material (appropriate or otherwise) to sustain interest, so much so that halfway through, I got bored and found myself playing with the demo program on my midi keyboard beside me. Damning indeed.... /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Clones ]========------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ This piece is a cool jazz-sounding electronic space trip. It is slow moving but quite spacey, and presents some interesting sounds. For some reason, ignoring the percussion which gets almost jungle, there is a connection here with Pink Floyd's earlier work, Echoes or earlier, but post Sid Barret. There is but one foundation in this piece and that is a sliding transition the interval of a fourth. Either in the strings or the bass, this is ever present. As such, no harmonic development occurs. The basic format is of a synth jam against this figure with percussion which results in quite a bit of melodic material. The form of the piece is ABCDEE'C'BA' where A is the exposition of the percussion and bass figure, this goes on for some time. B adds a high-Q filter analog synth rhythmic riff and C adds a quite cool arpeggio synth figure with lots of portamento. D gets back to the basics: bass and drums. E is where the soloing starts with a lead synth-horn against the rhythm section, keyboard 'hits,' string and touches of noise. E' replaces the horn with a jazz organ tone. C' is C with an added pedal point figure. A' is, in a way, the reverse of A with a little solo synth-horn. The effects usage seems good; as an example, the portmento on the synth. The samples are quite good. Not extraordinary, but crisp, clean and nice-sounding. The composition is quite simple. That would not be a problem except the piece tends to drag from the long expositions. The solo voice work is interesting and sound 'played' not coded. That is an accomplishment! Overall, I like the sounds and ideas presented but wish they were in a more compact format. However, if you like spacey jazz with a good rhythm and electronic edge, this one is for you! /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Husanak ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Ambient type music makes me drowsy; I mean that in a good way, though. I find that well done ambient tunes calm me down to the point of hibernation, and it took me a little while to pull my head out of the clouds after this one. What Chuck Biscuits has achieved with Humanalogue is a well tracked, cleverly hypnotic ambient tune. In terms of composition, this is a well put together piece of work with transitions between different lead ideas done very well. These differing leads are drawn together by a nice synth riff and some very good percussion. Both of these elements reside under the leads and tend to allow themselves to be heard as part of the music as a whole, rather than as individual components. There are a few points in the tune about which I have few small gripes. Around 2:40, there's a small synth lead which I found a little annoying. Also around 3:30, ChuckB flips some of the panning back and forth in a way that almost hurt my ears. This effect also arises around the time one of the coolest leads of the song starts to kick in, so having to cover my ears against the wild panning was rather annoying. The only other point that kind of bugged me was the ending. The conclusion begins around 6:20 and I was kind of left feeling like the song just dropped out. The conclusion lasts for about 20 seconds and ends on a typical note--good but predictable. Despite the minor downsides, this remains one of the best ambient tunes I've heard in some time. ChuckB has a bunch of good ideas which come out in the different leads, almost all of which are above average. There is a good synth riff, and most agreeable percussion. Really, the only bones I had to pick with this tune where small and inconsequential. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Fanta C ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Described as the "head below water mix," you have to view this track with a fairly open mind. Okay, not a problem, but what did my open mind find? Well, first it noticed that it's a seven minute track, which is reasonably long--would it be able to keep me interested for that length? Funnily enough, it didn't, and by the end of those precious seven minutes, my open mind found that it's quite an average and somewhat repetitive track. As I was listening to this, I thought to myself "that Basehead has managed to get another one into the review pool, how does he do it?" Turns out it's not Basehead, just sounds a bit like one of his tracks, which is a bit strange, as Lapsus Memoriae also sounded a bit BHish. Maybe BH doesn't think this sounds like his work at all, and of course, I apologize in advance to all concerned as it may be that Chuck Biscuits has never heard of Basehead or his work (I can see this becoming a standard disclaimer in the future :-)). Anyway, Humanalogue (great title) uses what sounds like Hammond keyboards in places, along with many other filtered keyboards, strings and mucho percussion kit. Chuck Biscuits has done a first class coding job, and the samples are very fine, no clicks, distortion or other anomalies present. Musically, as noted above, it doesn't sound too original to me. I'm not sure if it's the music or the instrument mix, though it's probably a combination of both. If this track had been released in 1995, it would have been groundbreaking, but in 1997 what it offers has all been done before. Coupled with the fact that the actual music is nothing special, I wouldn't recommend it for download. --- References --- Lapsus Memoriae by Ranger Rick ([download]/[reviews]) /-----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ In the review I wrote just before this one I made an effort to tell you just how little I liked chip samples. Or rather, how much I dislike how they're often used. So, first let me explain that it is in no way incoherent of me to raise this song to the skies, just because it's mainly built on chippies. Okay, enough said about that. Let's raise to the skies. This, ladies and gentlemen, was a cozy tune. I can't really give a more accurate description of it. It has a cool, laidback, yet steady beat that I just can't resist nodding to. It has one of those smooth leads looping over and over while the background chord is changing. That's just too cool to be true, and something I'll never master. Oh well.... It just trots on, and one or two other leads take over for a while, until it's time for the chips to soothe my ears again. And deep under it all, the floor vibrates too the deep, deep bass that rolls on the whole tune through. Some oldschool demo tune kinda melody breaks in here and there too, but for once, it isn't silly, and it actually fits. Hats off to good taste and a container full of tracking skill on CB's behalf. I've known for some time now that Chuck Biscuits makes quite good tunes. But I've never really liked his work on a personal taste level. This, however, is an ice cream cone. It's sweet, it's cool, and it's perfect late on a 35 degrees (that's Celsius for you Yankees) summer evening when you can't sleep anyway. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ A long time tracker and a very well respected figure on the scene, I personally hadn't heard a lot of his stuff until I started this reviewing lark, but now I see why he is respected. A very, very slick track indeed and an absolutely standout KFMF release. It's yer typical KFMF stylee though, and therein lies the problem. There is no doubt in my mind at all that CB knows his stuff backwards as evidenced by this track, because, technically, it's a raving beauty. My particular problem is that I'm getting more than a bit used to the KFMF 'sound' and familiarity tends to dull my pleasure sites. Techno taken to the state of this track are great to listen to, but can also be empty and insubstantial viewed in another way. Humanalogue is basically saved from this fate by the sheer *flood* of mixing/tracking ideas put together by the illustrious Mr. CB. My only real quibble with the track was that an enormous bass sound sometimes stepped all over the track a bit too much, but that's a very minor quibble, and one I'll happily put up with. Suffice to say that I'm adding this to my own personal collection this very day, and I recommend you do the same right now. Still, I can't help wishing that some KFMF releases couldn't be a little more 'adventurous'.... /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Despite not being an ambient fan, I do enjoy much of Chuck Biscuits' work. With that, I had positive expectations. The beginning of the tune, which was ambient all the way, made me begin to doubt, but the song picked up about order 7 and managed to remain non-ambient enough to keep my attention. There are plenty of different parts, all of which were pretty unusual, though with the same drum track, which got a bit tiring after awhile, but the lead changes (and instrument changes) kept things tolerable. The background track does have some interesting nuances. Overall it's a pretty good ambient tune to my ear, but still too repetitive. I definitely prefer Chuck's My Place in Space remix. There was one small flaw in the song; there seemed to be a sudden change in volume associated with the panning, but it wasn't present throughout. --- References --- My Place in Space by Chuck Biscuits ([download]) -----================================================================----- "Tide of Seasons" by Codec of Pooh (32ch XM, 03:58) (cdc_tos.zip [543K/1013K]) [Orchestral] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== MING 91= 78 00 75 97 Skullsaw 80= 85 75 80 -- WolfSong 75+ 75 77 80 79 Husanak 74+ 80 78 60 67 Araneus 65+ 70 -- 68 63 ESP 50+ 70 85 68 80 Fanta C 40+ 72 36 86 35 /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ My first thought on this piece is that it's a little too big for its britches. Its intro was writing checks its composition couldn't cash. It starts out with a deep, suspenseful drive that you might hear on the trailer of a blockbuster movie promising to blow you away. The intro seems to promise a huge, loud, crashing climax somewhere down the line, sure to give you chills...but it never happens. The song just keeps plodding forward, chord change after chord change, towards what sounds like a setup to bigger and better things, but again, it never comes. In a strange way, it started reminding me of a car that wouldn't start. After a short while, a melody begins to play over the intro and you realize it's not the intro at all--It's the song. I was a little disappointed in this aspect of the song, but for the most part, I thought it was pretty good. Okay, so maybe the whole song seems like a never ending intro, but it was a *good* intro. All the traditional sounds for a movie soundtrack seem to be used in here, from big strings to big drums, completed with a dark, menacing tone. There was even thundering, "smacking pipes" sounding drums that reminded me of the Terminator Theme (which I happen to like). And while I'm on the drums, I should mention that I thought they were done very nicely, and actually may have even been my favorite aspect of the song. The sound of them alone is powerful, and when arranged as nicely as they were in this piece, they really deliver a suspenseful sound. I was impressed. The melodies and leads seemed as though they could have benefitted from different instruments, as some of the samples were a bit flabby and weak, and often didn't seem to live up the thundering mass of music that was rolling in behind them. The notes themselves, though, made for some quite visual moments, even sometimes bearing a bit of a sad and emotional tone to them. This is a song with a good selection of both good and bad points, but I'd say the good points definitely outweigh the bad. In the end I did find myself enjoying this song and being led away into the world it describes. Thumbs up! (A little shaky...but up.) /-----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Pay attention people. Here's someone who knows how to use a tracker. If Codec one day woke up with some perfect tunes in his head, he'd make a CD and get rich. I don't think I've ever encountered such high quality sound, and such complete attention to every little detail as exists in this song. Normally, a full 32 channel XM only gets mushy and muddled, when the composer just keeps adding more and more sounds with the same quantity and volume, with everything ending up drowning itself. In Tide of Seasons, Codec skillfully plays with volumes, spans instruments over several channels to make them as dynamically correct as possible, and uses volume contrasts as a dynamic tool, instead of just blurting it all out in the same way. It is, without hesitation, one of the two or three most technically perfect modules I've ever played. So, what about the music? This is an orchestral piece, with a few synth pieces and a little bit more modern rhythms than your normal Mozart. It is all based upon one and the same looping semi-staccatto string riff silently trotting on. Everything in the song is smooth and silent, and to enjoy it fully, you really have to turn the volume up a bit. Now, let me quote myself: "If Codec one day woke up with some perfect tunes in his head..."--note the "If." This is not a perfect tune. There are just too many places where the sometimes so hypnotic melody (played by some oboe thing working shifts with a flute) makes fatal sidesteps out into non-melodic mistakes. And the theme with the same repeating strings in the background gets tiring after a short while. And it also misses...balls. It never gains any power as it is neither action packed enough to shake you around nor beautiful enough to entertain on the melody level. Still, it is good enough overall to stay in my player for quite some time. It's just not as perfect musically as it is technically. It's pretty close, but not quite there. And maybe that's just as well, because if it had, you wouldn't be reading this review--I'd still be listening to it. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-------------------------========[ ESP ]========-------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ It must be very difficult to make decent orchestral music, I think, since very, very few (the number can be counted on the fingers of half a Kit-Kat) people seem to be able to do it well. A few more than that (maybe they could be counted on the fingers of your average box of frozen-and-covered-in-crispy-golden-breadcrumbs) seem to be able to make a reasonable show of strength, and Codec is evidently one of those. Tide of Seasons is not a bad track by any means, but neither does it have much which is remarkable. It's also got 32 channels, which had my machine grinding a bit (roll on Pentium power...whoa, bringing you yesterday, tomorrow(tm)), and makes it difficult to form a valuable judgment or review. This is a dark track, reminiscent of Skaven's Second Reality track (but aren't they all?), but any kind of emotion or energy is conspicuous in its absence. The tone is quite dead, and because of this, there is a negative energy exchange between song and listener; it takes energy just to hear it. This is almost universally seen as A Bad Thing, and it is perhaps a shame, because with a little of the spark which might give a little life (whatever that may be), this could be a track worth recommending. However, as it is, it is not pleasant, nor unpleasant, nor anything, really. Musically, as opposed to emotionally, it's rather average, the chord progressions are predictable, though the whole soundscape is very well managed and controlled (32 channels cannot be that simple to master), and it never gets messy, or nasty. It doesn't sound anything like a real orchestra, and the cello stabs which form the very basis of it sound very inauthentic at times, as do a couple of weak solos which make an appearance. The samples are top flight, though, as would be expected of an orchestral track. The vast majority are clean and sharp, but it isn't inconceivable that this very nature and sound of the samples has something to do with the lifeless sound of the track overall. --- References --- Unreal ][ - The 2nd Reality by Skaven ([download]) /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Fanta C ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ "A track with some problems" would be a reasonable description of this work by Codec. It's a slow kind of lamentation for something, but, from the title, I can't work out what's being lamented; a death march could also be a reasonable description. The music itself lasts for about two minutes, which is repeated to take the track to four minutes. The composition is somewhat ambitious, but the track fails to work for the following reasons: Firstly, the volume seems to be, no, correction, it is, very low. The samples use about fifty percent of the available range which inevitably leads to background noise being evident; i.e. a poor signal to noise ratio. On a slow, quiet, track of this nature, that's not good. The author could have sampled at full gain (whilst avoiding clipping, obviously) and then used an amplitude command to reduce the perceived amplitude, thus also reducing any background noise. 8 bits is just about the minimum required for usable music, and wasting two or three of the most significant bits does not lead to high quality reproduction. Secondly, the two lead instruments used for the main melody sound very electronic and far removed from the other instrumentation in use. This spoils any kind of atmosphere the composition was building. Again, a big problem, in my opinion. This kind of music is amongst the most difficult to "get right" because when it works it's great, and when it doesn't it sounds poor; there's no middle ground due to the very nature of the music. I respect the author for a brave attempt, but unfortunately, I can't recommend this module in its present form. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Husanak ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ I would imagine most of you have played Warcraft. So let me say that Tide of Seasons sounds a lot like something you'd hear in that game. It's a dark orchestral tune with nice rhythm and a slow menacing sound. I couldn't help but picture a horde of Orcs charging over a hilltop to slaughter helpless humans. In terms of composition, this is a very professional track. Codec has crafted a nice tune indeed, it flows and has a nice sound with very high production value. I was once told by a very good tracker that mods are 20% inspiration and 80% implementation. Codec proves that with ToS as he takes a fairly simple idea and with quality tracking has produced a very pleasant sounding module. Originality is the main drawback in this tune. It's that 20% inspiration that really holds it back. It is a very simple melody which is saved by good to great composition in terms of adding nice strings, percussion and generally nice second and third parts. The samples used by Codec are quite good, however they seem to be lacking the quality they deserve. If Codec would have used a couple higher quality lead samples, I would have been very pleased. Well, to continue the adage of the 80% implementation, Codec scores very well--around 68/80. However, in that 20% inspiration category, I found ToS somewhat lacking and would have to judge only 10/20. So, to wrap this up, this is a mediocre tune that is made quite good by Codec's expert tracking skills. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ This piece reminds of the opening to The Lion King. It has a grand, wide open savannah feeling to it with its various metallic, wood and skin percussion and its restrained orchestration. Most of the mods I've heard in this genre, orchestral, just don't work because of the limitations of the format and the limitations of the composers, but this piece works within the former and lets the latter shine. Some very nice harmonic progressions are used in Tide Of Seasons, they are neither trite nor predictable. There are a number of instances where I was expecting a chord to resolve into an obvious chord, but instead was left somewhere else. The melodies are just right in their simplicity and restraint as are the percussion parts. I think I will pass on rating the samples as I really don't think my lowly Amiga can do 32 channels justice, though I can say from what I hear they sound good and appropriate. Overall this is a nice piece of work about which I have no qualms recommending to just about anyone. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Araneus ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ An orchestral piece that could have used more instruments and harmony to enhance the orchestral feel. This XM mostly used the same orchestral sample throughout the song, and had a single synthesized instrument (not even a loud one) to carry a simple melody. The orchestra turned out to be nothing more than background harmony, although it could have been a lot more if it had more variation in the bassline and separation of the orchestra instruments. At its conclusion, I resolved that it fell short of my expectations as a good orchestral piece. -----================================================================----- "Secret Dance" by WolfSong (26ch XM, 06:30) (wolf_scd.zip [478K/1006K]) [New Age/Light Techno/Jungle] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== MING 89+ 95 85 75 90 Fanta C 89+ 95 93 96 94 Mansooj 89+ 92 -- 84 85 Rebriffer 85+ 80 80 75 80 Araneus 78+ 85 -- 75 84 Clones 76+ 85 85 50 85 Skullsaw 75- 80 70 50 80 /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Another winner from WolfSong, purveyor of that other little gem we've covered called Jaunt. This offering is in a similar vein, which, for me, is just dandy. Secret Dance is a smooth blend of new age and very light techno that comes off exceptionally well. A synth-flute/panflute plays the lead, but a lead which is not the focal point of the song. That focus is shifted onto the broad shoulders of the overall sound, driven mostly by some excellent and varied percussion, including a slightly tribal-sounding sub-percussion element with bongos and 'sticks.' Pervading the whole piece, is an array of synth-bits, some plucks, some strings, some atmosphere-inducing human synth-voices, all coming together to provide a great complement to the powerful percussion track. The piece holds a fairly steady tempo throughout, but manages to keep itself lively with lots of subtle variation. In fact, subtle is probably an inappropriate term since it isn't hard to identify a good six or seven separate, but slickly-linked, sections. At almost all times, there are plenty of instruments playing to keep the sound density satisfactory for my tastes (which is to say, fairly high). Breakdowns occur here and there followed by strong lead-ins to subsequent segments. Most notably, there is a near-complete lull with the panflute taking over just prior to the finale. And I must say that this song has perhaps one of the best climaxes I've heard in a long while, despite the fact that it's not incredibly complex. Instead, it's just plain strong and dramatic. Dense drums, and a definite feeling of heading towards that ultimate edge. For those composers that fluff off the ending thinking, "hey, it's over, what's the point?" well, the point is that it clearly draws the experience to a close. Try reading a book without the last couple of chapters, or think of one of those computer games where you bust your butt getting to a completely anti-climactic ending. Whee. You might enjoy the foregoing, but a big finale sure provides some nice icing to cap the saga. As is standard procedure, a look on the darker side is necessary to balance the scales. Well, forget it, these scales are nowhere near equilibrium. Aside from some brief trilling/clicking to the panflute during the near-quiet breakdown towards the end, there's nothing wrong here. The flow is silky, the sample set is varicolored and expertly chosen, the blending of many subtly-varied themes is done smoothly with the song never losing track of itself, and the overall effect is engaging and ultimately fulfilling. Now, with two WolfSong reviews under my belt, it's likely that for him this might be par for the course, but in wider relative terms, this is another excellent track which is absolutely worth grabbing at earliest convenience. And, if you haven't already availed yourself of his other WMR-reviewed track, Jaunt, get 'em both at the same time and enjoy a great audio double-feature. --- References --- Jaunt by WolfSong ([download]/[reviews]) /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Fanta C ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Ah, I have been looking forward to this! Ever since WolfSong released Jaunt, which received many favourable reviews, I, and I'd guess many other people, have been eagerly awaiting his next release. With Jaunt, WolfSong created a highly individual sound, which is carried through to this piece. Definition of this sound is difficult, but it includes lots of high-powered acoustic instrumentation, a somewhat American Indian style(?), along with lots of confidence in the mixing of purely electronic creations and more conventional sounds. The question I have to ask (and maybe this is a very unfair question) is "Does Secret Dance improve on Jaunt?" I wish there was an easy answer to this. If I was really, really pushed, say with a gun to my head, then I'd say "yes, it is better, overall, than Jaunt." If I were not so pushed, then I'd say "It's difficult to decide" because Jaunt is a bloody great track, even if it was marked down, by me anyway, because of the poor ending (what ending? It just stopped. :-)). I could agonize for a long time over this, but it wouldn't tell you what I think of Secret Dance, so here goes... Secret Dance is a somewhat unusual track. The main style seems to be American Indian, although it does appear as if the author is developing a style all unto himself, which is a good thing. We're presented with many "woody" instruments such as xylophone, mixed with synths and some very creative purely electronic sounds. I love the sound. The melody is easily memorable and of a quality that would suggest the composer spent time working on the musical content. The melody, however, is not "great," in my opinion, but the style is. Technically, this track is superb. In no way could you guess this was a MOD if you taped it and played it to a mate--they'd say it'd come off an album, and what was it, and where could they buy it. The composition is top notch--check out the placement of tambourine and the modified/filtered white or pink noise. In conclusion, this is a high quality track, with excellent sound. I do hope WolfSong goes on to further develop his very individual style. Coupled with a cracker of a melody, it'd be a world beater. I look forward to his next release with anticipation. This one goes in my daily play list. Bottom line: Download. --- References --- Jaunt by WolfSong ([download]/[reviews]) /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Clones ]========------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Yes, the secret dance. This module puts you into the Amazonian forest by its bouncing beat and consistant pan flute and synth pan flute sounds. But then it brings you back to your computer with its electronic overtones. It's a nice uplifting work, almost symphonic in the way it creates aural space. Its form is three parts divided into smaller fragments by variation: ABB'BCC'DBB''. A is an interesting intro with a male voice that sounds really good and helps create the jungle feel. B introduces a different tack with electronic overtones and a heavier beat. B' is development of this with a synth version of the pan flute. In C the mood darkens a bit with a brooding string chord progression. Until now we have been in C minor in a blues fashion, with the tonic well established, with the strings in full force F becomes the focal point, and though there is not a real modulation of key, it sounds as if there is because the minor scale is far more prominent in this passage. C' is melodic development over this foundation. D brings us back to C minor as a bridge to B and then B'' which is a climax using ever increasing percussion. Overall, the composition is well rounded, has melodic sound color and the rare harmonic development. The samples are crisp and sound very good, but the palette of sounds are not unusual and somewhat off the shelf material to my ears, excepting the male voice. In the technical arena there is heavy usage of effects to good purpose. The portamento is effective in the lead voices and the use of volume to create tension is well done. In fact, this module is on the way to being "perfect" in any compositional or technical sense. On the other hand, it does not break new ground but instead stays within the bounds of those before it. This is somewhat surprising considering the skill demonstrated in every other facet of the composition. To summarize, this is a very pleasent tune that accomplishes its goal in bringing you into the forest. The composer demonstrates skill in manipulating all the musical elements and pulls them together in a precise and logical fashion. While I might be looking for something different, that is not true of every listener. If you like new age-ish/electronic-sounding material this one might be for you! /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Skullsaw ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Secret Dance opens with yet another sample that should be banned from all further use, the dreaded takahashi. If I never heard this sample ever again it would be too soon. Now on to the rest. This is a well crafted and detailed mod. It has an expansive and grand sound that evokes the African savannah and nature's grandeur. I can't believe I wrote those words. Anyway, big beefy drums, breathy flutes, gurgling synths and strings abound, all sounding clear and clean. This is not a make-a-pattern-and-run-in-into-the-ground affair. It is a fully orchestrated, arranged and composed piece of music that shows a lot of skill on the composer's part. Everything is meticulously tracked and composed. The melodies and harmonic progressions are thoughtful and on target. The percussion parts are expertly executed, I especially like the use of big African drums that bring the piece to its climax. Now comes the hard part. Everything I said seems to indicate that this is a masterpiece, but, my faithful reader, I actually don't like this piece very much. I am a fan of just about every genre from hardcore and punk to country/western and fusion. One style I despise despite all efforts on my part is opera. But, just because I hate opera doesn't mean I can't appreciate the skills and expertise involved in creating it. The same holds here, I really don't care for whatever Secret Dance is but I can hear that it is indeed a well done piece of music. It doesn't have a lot going for it as far as being original, it sounds like music for a wildlife documentary. Also, it may be a bit too perfect, a little cold. I do strongly recommend this mod because I think other's would really enjoy it even if I do not. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ As the composer says in the sampletexts, I imagine a bunch of forest animals (from moose to mice), standing on their hind legs, and dancing to the tune coming out of my speakers. I think I'm gonna have nightmares. Imagine two foxes in a tango, and this song feels kinda funny. Nonetheless, WolfSong is a quality act, and Secret Dance is a quality product. A groovy, cozy fantasy rhythm sets the standard, and a just as cozy fantasy/demostyle/classical/andalittleofeach theme follows. Smart little texture loops are everywhere, blending with jungle flutes, classical strings and acid snarls. The tracking job is excellent too, and the combination of sequence drum samples and single drums are among the best I've witnessed. High quality samples, although a little bit too artificial (e.g. the lead flute would have gained a lot on sounding more true to life), are chosen with care and knowledge. As with effects and mixing, all done with the skill of a real top composer. It builds very nicely, and contains all the things that an epic, descriptive musical piece like this should have. Both ambience and action, both noise and harmony. And a good, mystifying mood. So without further hesitation, I command you to download. If anything is worth it, this is. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ A big ol' track this, a grand total of 34 instruments. It started with the age old Peter Gabriel flute sound we all know and love (NOT!) and I found myself shrivelling at the thought of yet another seen-it, done-it track, but I was instead very pleasantly surprised. Once you get past the beginning, the track opens up nicely with some excellent mixing from Mr. Wolfie sir, who obviously knows his left pan from his right. He's also pretty well versed in the intricacies of FT's code fx (there's loads of sample offsets and portamento ups/downs to gawk at) so there's the reason this track sounds so bright and clear. The samples used also help on that score although there are no sample credits, so gawd knows where he purloined them. The track itself is a funky li'l number viably shaking its stuff with the best of them. I have to admit that WolfSong is a composer after my own heart because of the amount of attention he has lavished on the percussion/rhythm track. A very decent MOD which, very occasionally, strays into blandness, but not enough to detract from a very enjoyable and lively track. I'll be keeping this one. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Araneus ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ A little bit of a demo feel to this one, but using lots of real-sounding instruments (various drums and woodwind) with a South American theme to create an authentic kind of feel to the song. Perfectly complex, as if a modern band were playing, with a full range of tones (bass, treble, and in-between). Some obviously synthesized sounds add a modern touch to the tune. Don't have many comments about this one--only that the melody (synthetic woodwind instrument) isn't very strong (both volumewise, and in terms of "catchiness"). -----================================================================----- "The Blue Valley" by Karsten Koch (16ch S3M, 12:00) (blue_val.zip [310K/566K]) [New Age/Orchestral/Fantasy] Samples -----------------. Originality -------------. | Technical ---------. | | Composition -----. | | | Overall -. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ==================== Fanta C 99+100 100 97 100 Mansooj 95+ 90 -- 90 87 WolfSong 91+ 96 84 90 85 MING 88+ 90 95 75 90 Rebriffer 80+ 85 75 75 75 Araneus 77+ 75 -- 70 76 Red Death 60+ 70 -- 55 60 /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Mansooj ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ As the sampletexts will note, this is an epic of a song. Built in seven parts, each worthy of being self-defined due to their individual characters. In an overall sense, this would be something of a synth-new age track a la Jarre. This alone sets me on a positive path since Jarre is a long-time favorite, and Karsten is a master at music in a similar vein. I feel his original music is on a par with Jarre's in terms of composition, and for me, there is little higher praise, so don't go thinking KK's music is just a series of weak reprises of Jarre's work. Think of them, instead, as complements (or even compliments) of one artist to another. The storyline here is portrayed very well. You can easily sit back, eyes closed, and imagine a traveller on a quest, experiencing the vicissitudes of any long journey, but ultimately succeeding. Naturally, this kind of structure can draw the listener right into the proceedings. Good, involvement is part of the experience--who wants to be on the outside looking in? For the most part, this is synth-driven. Nearly every part makes heavy use of a variety of synth sounds, again, a la Jarre. Throughout the seven parts, the music invokes emotions and images that compare quite well to the individual segment titles (probably the best representation being that of the last piece called New Hope). Despite the song's rather heavyweight running time of twelve minutes, it's a little tricky to examine it segment by segment because each doesn't quite stand on its own since all are so closely tied together to weave the story. However, as an entire piece, this is great. It has lots of variety (something which I have to admit about some other KK tracks, is lacking, though they're still somehow excellent anyway)--drama, suspense, triumph.... It sports clean samples, and although the vast majority are either percussion or synth-based, there's still enough texture with all the mood changes to keep what might otherwise be a down point from being worthy of concern. It also, of course, provides a nice flow from a beginning, through various middles, to a certain closure at the end. When you're done listening, you know you've experienced something, you're not left hanging. Really, just go get it and have a listen. What might be an initial concern for the investment of a whopping twelve minutes will fade into nothingness against the experience held within the hundred patterns which build this jewel. This is not like your average trance module, dragging on and on with little notable variation for fifteen or twenty minutes. There's meat in this one. Get that knife and fork and have a seat. You're in for a big, satsifying meal--complete with a delicious dessert. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )------------------------========[ MING ]========-------------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Karsten Koch has always made very nice sounding modules; no real debate there. They're always very well engineered and superbly mixed. Beautiful patterns and well balanced harmony have been his trademark in the scene for as long as I have heard his tunes. But, until now, I haven't found one single piece that really stood out, that I could point at and say "Now, that was an interesting song." Because that's how I see this composer. Mr. Koch makes totally wonderful, very beautiful, but uninteresting tunes. Until now. With The Blue Valley he both combines his skill in tracking and his musical know-how with a healthy dose of inspiration. What we've got here is six or seven or so semi-classical/new-age/ambient/trance/more new-age/and-little-bits-and-pieces-of-almost-every-other-style parts of a tune, all melted and mixed together so smoothly he didn't really have to chop them up in the sampletexts and say "0:00-1:25, part1, 1:25-2:30, part2..." like he does. But, okay, it is 12 minutes long, so I guess some people need guidance to sit tight the whole time. Anyway, cool, orchestral rhythmwork starts it off, combined with new ageish synthpatterns and some techno bleeping. This smoothly glides over into a more normal ambient mood, and over into the next theme and next theme, always leaving some traces of the theme before in the new mix. You get the point. You have no real structure in songbuilding to lean on, so if you're a traditionalist (verse, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus) you might get a little confused. And finally, abruptly, it ends, where it could just as well have continued it's eternal morphing for ages. Interesting melodies, nice, unique themes, a perfect tracking job and a lot of musical knowledge shines through. What more can you ask for? Actually, there is one thing: action. Blood, cannons, guts, chainsaws, guns and explosions. He accomplished this in his Jarre:CHRONOLOGIE IV cover, but unfortunately, he can't seem to work up any real power in songs of his own. The Blue Valley is still beautiful and interesting, but only if you're in a laidback mood. And I'm not. So for me, it's only very, very good. Not excellent. --- References --- Jarre:CHRONOLOGIE IV by Karsten Koch ([download]) /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Red Death ]========----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ From the way the song starts out, and the 12:00 running time, it's obvious that this will be a sort of "soundtrack" sort of song. The intro section is a nice synth and chord arrangement, while the overall tone is pretty serious. The mood could hardly be considered light even though some of the sounds may themselves be delicate (no thrashing guitars or booming drums). The second part adds a bass loop sample that really could have been better chosen. Part three has a bit of a technoish feel, but has an increasingly-complex melody building. It's pretty obvious that the author took some steps to keep from repeating melodies (etc.) to death, which always endears a tune to my heart. Section four, entitled "Attack," has some dissonant chords like you'd expect, but perhaps making the song faster would have been a better choice. In the sixth part, the song develops fully with a multi-instrument melody; it would have been nice had the whole tune been like this. The final section, "New Hope," takes a decidedly demoish turn of style which, after a minute-plus of really slow synth chords, really brightens up the tune. The transitions between sections, each of which were pretty different, were very smooth. The percussion wasn't really emphasized, and in the bass lines was the unifying factor between many of the parts. The song was best in its first, sixth, and seventh parts; the fourth and fifth were sort of boring, even though the entire song has a fairly quick pace. I like the melody in most of the song, though it could use some more accompaniment in a lot of places. I don't particularily care for the fourth and fifth sections, and the minute between the end of section 6 and the meat of section 7 isn't very interesting at all. Unfortunately, the very good last section ends with a simple fade-out, which also isn't very satisfying. This was a decent tune that probably had more potential. It's probably longer than it needs to be, especially considering some of the parts are tedious. A better example of a "narrative" type of song would be Mosaic Soul by LakEEE. Also, I prefer The Hidden Empire and Endless Heaven by KK, to this particular example. --- References --- The Hidden Empire by Karsten Koch ([download]) Endless Heaven by Karsten Koch ([download]/[reviews]) Mosaic Soul by LakEEE ([email me if you have a link for this!]) /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ WolfSong ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Some people might be apt to call what this module contains a song; I call it a *score*! This is more like a twelve minute, theatrical presentation without the visual aspect (that part's up to you). There's even a program of the different sections in the song message! Needless to say, this song doesn't in any way get boring. It's telling a story in seven parts and each part is different, though not so different that the song has to stop and start over each time. The pieces are blended together perfectly, like in a movie soundtrack. In fact, if I hadn't read the program in the song message, I would think this piece would go perfectly in the dramatic or suspenseful climax of a film, or even better in a short visual presentation, such as a computer animated sequence. It was delightful to sit and read the subtitle of what was coming next and then be greeting with a piece of music that perfectly described what the listing said. The composer here was doubtlessly thinking in terms of images. I can think of nothing wrong with this song. Nothing at all. There are one or two things I think might have been added that could have improved it, but as it is, there are no errors in tracking, no disruptions in the flow of the music, no problems with the mixing or sample selection or quality, and definitely nothing wrong with the song as a whole. I found it to be very exciting and entertaining. As a matter of fact, not only was there nothing wrong with it, the composer has displayed some very developed talent. Obviously the actual composition is exceptional, but a good composition can turn out to be weak if it isn't backed with good, smooth sound quality and proficient tracking. Nothing to worry about here. From the sound of it, Mr. Koch has spent his fair share of time in front of a tracker. And even more refreshing to experience, is that he blends the effects he uses very calmly into the music, making it sound more realistic and not just a pointless effects show. My only question is this...why haven't I heard of this guy before?! I'm going to look for more of his stuff. In the mean time, truly I sayeth to you this day, check this tune out! /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Fanta C ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ Hoo hoo, a 12 minuter from Karsten isn't to be taken lightly. This is a long track split into several sections (rather blatantly!) by the author, whom I (and many other people) regard as a bit of a "master" when it comes to tracking. Seriously, this guy is right at the top of the league and wouldn't look out of place in the company of FBY, Basehead, Elwood, etcetera. I do strongly suspect Karsten fancies himself as a bit of a Jean-Michel Jarre "fan" and emulator. This is not to say his work isn't original, a lot of it is, but he's also a dab hand at "covers." For some more of his work check out Endless Heaven which has been reviewed on the WMR, or Jarre:CHRONOLOGIE P4 (yeah, a JMJ cover, but would score a straight 100 from a technical point of view by yours truly). This guy turns out quality with ease. Anyway, onto this track. Well, for starters it has one of _the_ most "catchy" endings (lamentably, too short) you'll find anywhere in the world. Seriously, one listen and you'll be whistling it all week. The rest of the track is a journey through increasingly complex composition. The range and quality of the samples is outstanding; the technical side of it perfect. This stuff is done so well that whilst listening to the track you wouldn't even notice it unless you were actively looking for _any_ technical flaws or mistakes. I spot none, which is amazing for a track of this length. Musically, all I can say is that it simply "is." It seems to be a case of being composed and then tracked, as opposed to just playing with the software to see what one can come up with. The range of tempo, the ambience, the amplitude variations, the choice of instruments, those bells...ah, this reviewing job is easy when faced with this kind of material. The more I listen, the more I like it. There's just so much there. It's a long track you'll need to play a few times to get a grip on. It'll be worth your while to download and worth the effort at playing it through the highest quality kit you can get your hands on. Conclusion: outstanding. --- References --- Endless Heaven by Karsten Koch ([download]/[reviews]) Jarre:CHRONOLOGIE IV by Karsten Koch ([download]) /-----------------------------------------------------\ )----------------------========[ Rebriffer ]========----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ A huge project from Karsten Koch, a tracker whom I have come across several times before and liked. Although this track is small (566k, uncompressed) its scope certainly isn't. It's 12 minutes or so in length which, in turn, is divided into seven sections, complete with sample notes detailing the length of each section (other trackers please note this little nicety!). Obviously, Karsten sees each section as a slightly different piece so I will review it accordingly: The introduction builds nicely with some good, well mixed drum and synth work and although I find myself waiting around just a little too long for the track to really start, the musical scenery was pleasant enough on the ol' ear 'oles. The Wise Men introduces itself nicely, seguing painlessly from the intro, as indeed does the next section, A Long Way. The track didn't actually have me sitting up, however, until the Attack/No Way Out sections which feature a great string driven melody line which certainly should have been introduced a touch earlier, but there ya go! There's a nice bit of percussion work around 7:30 that I guess must signal the beginning of the Return section which wandered around a little too long for my liking before getting to the real meat and 2 veg of the matter. Building string arpeggios cast a new light on the track at this point and, once again, I found myself wondering why KK hadn't introduced this motif a little sooner. The last section (New Hope) introduced itself with judicious little tinkles and quickly became a sub-Erasure tune which, although pleasant, didn't present the ending I was expecting. Still, it was quite a wander through a varied and ever-changing musical landscape, and more power to KK for taking the time and effort to string a piece like this together. Not exactly my cuppa brown stuff but I will certainly be listening to it for a while before I discover all its nooks and crannies. /-----------------------------------------------------\ )-----------------------========[ Araneus ]========-----------------------( \-----------------------------------------------------/ As this song began, I expected a great epic. True enough, the song was 12 minutes long and in 7 parts. The intro is amazing, with energetic power to dazzle the listener, drawing him or her into the rest of the song. However, the various other parts of the song are a little repetitive and boring (these parts usually introduce a new part of the song but they take so long to do it!), falling short of my expectations. I enjoyed the latter half much more, where a soft bell plays a distinctive background ditty, and the orchestral flavour of the song becomes more prominent (plenty of coverage on all levels of sounds). This is one of those songs that cried potential, but at its conclusion didn't really prove itself worthy. -----================================================================----- "