MASSIVE REVIEW
Atmoscape:I'm not entirely how I reviewed this last time, but this is how I hear the song now. Best aspect of the song is the atmospherics, you've developed the textural quality very well in my opinion. That kinds of follows on that I must also like the sound choices, which I do, except for the lone kick in the breakdown, which needs something around it because it sounds horribly dry on the much wetter background.
Bassline - good patterns, but not very distinct, especially in the climax, which leads to a rather weak bass section, especially considering the kick isn't the most bassy kick around. I like all the other quick arpeggio-like patterns and melodies...but there doesn't seem to be any clear memorable melody for me, and for an album starter, I really think there should be.
Weird filtering and snares at the end of second breakdown, don't really think that works very well.
Structure for me is the worst part. First half is good, but the second half seems tacked on. Just random breaks and climaxes whenever you feel like it, with no
true sense of climax from then on. Could be cut down by three minutes in my opinion, really doesn't need the second break.
Overall - good. 6.5/10
Fatal Attraction:Intro - lovely percussion there. When bassline comes in, it sounds a bit cluttered, with all the thick percussion and massive basslines. When I first heard the soft pad sound, I wasn't too sure, and I'm not sure still.
Breakdown. The odd out of scale note, which is a standard gimmick for electro which I always like. That sustained min3min3min3maj3 thing is wonderful.
Structure - much better in this song. A distinct sense of where the song is, rather than random additions. Entry into climax is great, as is entry into breakdown.
Melody - No really memorable bits for me, but nice patterns all around.
Production - Nice and bassy sounds, but as I said, cluttered for me, not fully organised in that way.
Overall - very good. 8/10
Boundless:Nice idea for an interlude type of song. I always have liked trip hop. The mix really is too treble though, the percussion the main problem I think. Needs some nice deep percs to give power where the melodies don't. The melodies are nice by the way. Tragic in a way. Cool static effects.
Overall - good. 7/10
Ashfall:The remix of one of my favourite songs from you. Incredible, incredible harmony. It gives not only a dark feel, but a real deep dark feel. Melodies are of course great as well. The breakdown is a little different to the original isn't it? Can't really remember.
Definitely better produced than the original, although still muddy, and the percussion isn't particularly strong (especially the kick).
3:23, second breakdown. Don't remember that from the original, no. Nice little addition, with the lovely harmony brought back.
Can't think of too much else to add here. The structure works very well too.
Overall - very good. 8.5/10
Lofty Hop:Much different than your usual here. Has a very world feel about it. Quite like that feel actually.
About a minute in when the strings come in...the strings are a bit high-passed for me, and block out some of the sound, making it a bit cluttered. The melody on them is really nice though. Especially the unusual notes.
Percussion - very good here, nice playing of those bongos or congas or whatever they are (I don't know my tribal drums very well).
Once again like many of your other songs, the entire mix is balanced way too much to the treble side. Needs something to balance that out.
Structure - nice. Good texutral variety here, layered well.
Overall - very good. 7.5/10.
Structure:Back to trance here. This one really reminds me of Atmoscape a lot. Same sound design almost. I like this one a bit more than Atmoscape as well.
The structure is far better. No wandering around doing nothing. Much more of a sense of climax after the breakdown. And you kept it to about five and a half. Works well. Although of course, now the structure is similiar to most other trance, but trance works well like that.
Breakdown - cool down tempo beat. Works well, although the power isn't quite there. And then the entry into the break works as well as it should in trance except...
There is once again a lack of bass in the song, which once again removes the potential for the song to sound particularly powerful. I think Dragor mentioned that in his review of this song actually. Otherwise, very nice clarity.
Melody - the main melody here is far more obvious. The pitchbending works well, although once again not executed flawlessly (a couple of times it sounds a bit of tune). This makes it better than Atmoscape again because of the sense of climax. A main melody really does give that sense.
Outro - breaks beat works well here too. Switch back to trance beat is abrupt, but apart from that, good.
Overall - very good. 8/10
VanityWas this the one that I said would sound good as a longer version, with that silly little comment? Can't remember. Could be more bass again, especially the bassline. I would call this psytrance over goa for the reason that goa tends to use a more middle eastern soundset, although there's very little difference.
Anyway, this has a very standard psy feel, doesn't depart too much from the standard template. Your little arpeggio flourishes are nice, as with the fx stutters, although once again pretty standard.
Overall - good. 6.5/10.
Upon Further AnalysisAh, a song with a good bass end! You should expect that in electro anyway. Bassline is cool, and I quite like the unusual pitch up to the maj second note. Normally a weak note, but sound really cool.
Melody - I see you use the maj/min3 switch here agin, but in a different way. And then at the end of the breakdown you use that in a lovely little chord gimmick. Really like those things.
Structure - definitely good. Nothing that makes this an epic electro piece, but I think it's good that it's quite laid back. Doesn't attempt to go to great heights, which makes this a lovely piece to just chill out to.
Overall - very good. 8.5/10.
Darkdance:Another intude type of song. There isn't much to say about this, just a cool little filler. Nothing really that great, but does have some pretty good fast paced synths.
Overall - good. 7/10.
Pure AnimaMuch, much deeper kick that your other songs. A good bass end. That's the first thing I noticed.
Harmony - breakdown. The resolution to the harmony is wonderful. And the entry into the climax, 2:45, is great. This seems like it's going to be your best trance song, I'm just looking at the slider at less than halfway and hoping it's not going to wander around like Atmoscape.
Second break. Weird harmony. Hmmm. We'll see how it turns out. It certainly has a good structure, most complex of yours yet. I'm really liking the percussion in this build up, still not certain about the harmony. It also seems a little muddy in that section.
Abrupt entry out of the break (5:09), chords suddenly change. From here on in it's very good.
So, I like ho you set the whole thing up here, the only thing I'm not entirely sure about is the alternate harmony. Maybe a bit weird in contrast to the rest of the song. Not bad or anything, but just a bit weird.
Big sustain and switch to major works well as end to album.
Overall - very good. 8.5/10.
Album overall:Overall, I'd give it a rating of good/very good, 7.5/10. Doesn't flow as an album perfectly, although quite well. Some very good songs, some a bit eh, but overall, I do like it. Favourites:
- Pure Anima
- Upon Further Analysis
- Ashfall
Least favourites:
- Vanity
- Atmoscape
Well done, and keep it going. Look forward to next release! (Probably not another album coming up next, no?)
