Orb EP

Just a few tracks I've thrown together from last summer, and one from a couple months ago.

any comments welcome.

unfinished, and the file was lost. hence the name "fetus".

electro space hip-hop.

inspired by the idea of opening your third eye, by chemical means.

more electro space hip-hop.

thanks :grin:

http://www.myspace.com/gelcap

Hey. Ok, had a listen to this. Basically, thought it wasn't bad at all, I like the idea's and melodies but my main thought was that the sounds used were pretty generic and this is material crying out for some individuality. "Fetus" is a case in point, you say yourself that the file was lost, I'd like to have seen where this went if it was finished. The "Ooh" voice synth especially,being that it is a major part of the track, sounded so much like a preset it took away from the track. I like the melodies in this but this could easily be manipulated to sound darker or more original.

"Ectoplasm" starts off much better, sounding a bit more finished but again, those dry, untouched synths and pretty weedy sounding percussion. It's too short with no conclusion. The title track "Orb" is the best out of these, simply because it sounds a bit more passionate, with different sounding synths and generally a bit deeper. It also sounds like you've put more effort into the percussion which varies nicely throughout. Not bad. Very short again, with probably not enough dry sounds to counter the verb sounds. I think if you made the percussion much harsher and messed with the eq more, this would start to stick it's fingers up.

The last track "Potion" was the weakest unfortunately, I was hoping it would change up dramatically but again, the same kind of thing I was mentioning before. It sounds cold, I really was left pretty unphased by this and I wish I didn't.

Just fuck it up more, more bass, more adventure, less reliance on presets. Sample anything and twist it for your own means for the synths! Did you use Reason for this? Reason is great as long as you realise a million other people use it and that you've got to work even harder on what it renders to even start to have something that sounds your own.

I think there is potential here but at the moment I just feel this material is half hearted. Listen again yourself and think, is this a finished product? Put your soul into it.

Keep at it, I think you could really go back on this and produce something damn good from what you have. : )

FETUS::

- interesting track. I'm not feeling it all that much, a bit too generic for my liking, but pretty good for a minimalish kind of sound, if that's what you are goin for.

Ectoplasm::

- i like this one a lot better so far. There isnt as much dead space and those HH's roxors! It seemed when you brought in that deeper bass, it was going to build to something but it just dies off, though i am liking this transition, i was just waiting for a punch in the face. All in all, it feels unfinished and needs more leafeating love.

Orb::

-This one is it man, at least so far. the sound is a lot more full and isnt as dominant on the low end as your previous tracks. About 1/2 way through the sounds get a bit repetitive but i like the subtle transition. I would liek the hear that many synth break from its path a bit and to here some different notes and cords. This one also feels a bit unfinished.

Potion 5::

-i didnt really start getting into this one until that transition a little after the halfway mark. everything before didnt have enough soul in it, no depth, just plastic sounding claps.

all in all they are works in progress me thinks, and after some time away from them, when you come back i'm sure you'll have an idea or two, or three, or five hundred.

Cool. Will comment on these soon.

  apy said:

wasn't bad at all, I like the idea's and melodies but my main thought was that the sounds used were pretty generic and this is material crying out for some individuality.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to listen to these tracks. Everyone has brought up good points, and I pretty much agree with what's been said.

I would like to mention that these songs are for the most part an attempt by myself to make something a bit more clean and accessible than stuff that I've done in the past. I was just trying to make something funky and danceable, but with kind of an eerie quality.

As far as this being finished...unfortunately it is. I lost the files to 1 and 2 awhile ago, but I decided to use them despite that because I like them a lot, they work for me. Orb is finished, and Potion #5 is finished even though it is short...I've made longer versions with added elements, but in the end I like this shorter version the most.

Thanks again for listening!

Oh bollocks I was just writing a review and it dissapeared.

Okay first track off the bat has devine harmonies ... definitely my bag. I like the cleaness of your beats. The synths lines appeal to me a lot. Main crit would be that its too repetaive. Also could do with another layer, some extra reverb on the choir synths and more variation through out.

Track two I wasn't 100% sure to start with. The sound for the bassline does sound a little naf but its a wicked little riff. Again some nice notes towards the end and then it ends abruptly. Overall I liked it but could do with a few more elements and perhaps some stronger synths. That said I quite like the fact that your synth sounds aren't supa rich obvious analogue business. Shame you lost the file as it was developing nicely.

Track 3 started off a bit weakly but has developed into some big sounding Detroit string business. Again a bit too repetative. Has potential. Reminds me of Kenny Larkin in a way. Overall not bad but I found this one a little dull. I felt this could have had a better development. Also production came across as a little muddy and key sounds hard to distinguish.

Track 4 I think I've heard this one before. Ah yes its that track you posted in the other thread. Yeah production is a little muddy sounding on this too. Some of the frequencies seem to be tripping over each other. Overall good harmonies but not strong as 1 & 2 imo.

Overall I'd say some good harmonies and lots of potential. My favs were Tracks 1 & 2. I think my main crit and I expect others would be that the production is quite dry so that's something to think about. Also you have a tendancy to introduce one melody line at a time. I think you'll find its better to just go straight into the whole harmony unless the melody line is strong enough on its own.

nice work man. i liked all of these.

ectoplasm was not really my style but the other three were really good.

  Promo said:

I think my main crit and I expect others would be that the production is quite dry so that's something to think about.

Thanks Promo, I'm glad you dug these. I can never get a nice clear sound using Reason, Orb is the clearest I've ever had a track sound actually. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, I dont know if its just Reason or what...

hey, what'd you use on fetus for those cheesy vocal sounds? I'd probably would have enjoyed these more if I were drunk

well get drunk and let me know.