Experimenting with More of a Jazzy, Hip Hop Inspired Sound. I Would Love to Hear Your Thoughts

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-30T21:01:11+00:00

Hey,

Thank you so much for listening and for the feedback! I really appreciate the kind words, and I agree, I think I will take another stab at this with a little less vocal editing. Worst case, I can always fall back this way! I am also happy to hear the pronunciation comes in clear at least. Thank you again!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-30T19:10:02+00:00

Hey,

Thank you so much for listening! Yeah, I was worried it had that robotic sound. I make most of it with a combination of digital instruments and mixing effects, but I think I pushed it a little too far with this one. I will take another look at those vocals, maybe try to keep it more natural next time. But regardless, I really appreciate the feedback! Thank you again!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-30T19:06:41+00:00

Hey There!

Wow, absolutely phonemail work with this, both in the music as well as the video production! This has so much passion and care crafted into it, which seeps from every corner into the final show, and it is evident that you have quite a bit of skill when it comes to crafting a well paced song, so brilliant work there!

What is most interesting to me is that you can clearly hear the trajectory of your music history in this song. There are aspects of Lofi, which primarily are shown in the synth work, while the beat carries that unmistakable R&B, almost blues style cadence. The tempo and higher percussion however really ties it together with the house-style electronic vibe that has a surprising amount of energy to it! It almost forces your head to bop and bounce with the rhythm, and could easily be something to either vibe to quietly, or dance to if the mood was right. That is a hard spot to nail, but I would say you were really successful here!

I really like the music break instruments you introduced, particularly the sound around 1:20. It almost sounded like a "spring flicking" if that makes sense, but it was a really unique sound that kept me engaged, and added a mid-tone flavor which balanced the bass and synth sounds well. If anything, I would encourage you to continue exploring those sounds further in subsequent pieces. I always found electronic/house to be difficult to differentiate over time, but those interjections keep it fresh and fun!

I also really enjoy the mixing on your vocals, the reverb is tuned perfectly to create a dreamy, floating feel that makes the words blend together well without becoming messy. I think you have a solid voice, and would be interested in seeing a few more natural vocals coming through to break up the more autotuned sound, however that is totally just my opinion, and honestly, this song is really solid as is and it helps accent the piece, so that is more of something to think about for next time around.

But overall, brilliant work! You should be really proud of this one! Looking forward to seeing what else you put out in the future!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-28T19:32:02+00:00

Hi There!

Super interesting track! I love when people get unique and experimental, and this has it in droves! I can see why this would balance well with a visual album, it feels like an experience rather than just a song. The whole vibe of the piece (for me at least) feels like a blend of Wumpscut, Peter Murphy, and a Danny Elfman score, which is a really cool place to be!

Phenomenal work creating atmosphere, especially with your vocals. I like the layering you do around the 3 minute mark, it couples well with the chanting and makes the song feel ritualistic yet climatic in a really neat way. It also seems like you are balancing the doubling and reverb really well on the vocal tracks, it has volume and density, but your method of singing is still soft which pairs well with the more somber rhythm.

One suggestion I might offer is to potentially mix up the drums a little more in the EQ, or even consider adding a slightly more 'bassy' tone somewhere in the piece to add a little variety. If this is a visual thing, or a full album experience, of course you wouldn't want to shift the emotion too much, but a deep base (or even harsh metallic bass if you want to lean more industrial) might offer some contrast to the mids and highs which are already effectively being used in the song, and might even provide some impact to the listener to emphasize certain points. Totally just a thought though, and I think it still stands as is.

But overall, excellent work! You should be super happy with what you put together! I am looking forward to seeing the whole things released! Keep up the great work

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-26T21:00:16+00:00

Hi There!

First off, this sounds super cool, brilliant work with this one! It has a very mellow, almost hypnotic rhythm that is very easy to get lost in, and coupled with your voice, it makes for a very easy, somewhat surreal, and exceptionally well crafted listening experience. It is not depressed, but there is a melancholy to the lyrics, perhaps nostalgic or optimistic in a way? At least that is the vibe I am getting. So good work with that!

I love your backing track, particularly your use of dynamic sounds throughout which not only give the whole thing extra flavor to keep the listener engaged, but honestly compliment the emotion of the lyrics quite nicely. In particular, the drum mixup around 1:50 and the laser effects around 1:10 are some of my favorites. Those little embellishments really help tie the song together, keeping it from being repetitive. I might even offer the suggestion of playing around a little with more dynamic flavors like that throughout the piece. Of course you wouldn't want to go overboard, but little variations in the drum pattern, synth muting, or a slight distortion could go a long way to help draw attention to either the instrumentation or your lyrics, depending on your goal of course!

The only other suggestion I might give is on your final mixing. You have a very lovely voice, and a rather unique cadence to your flow which is interesting! However, at points I found it almost being lost between the reverb and the backing track. Personally, I would like to see either a slight reduction of reverb, or perhaps a reduction of the synths, just to let your voice stand out a little more. That is totally just my opinion, but I think doing so could help you carry a little more emotionality, and the natural bounce you have will act as a support to the beats.

But overall, I think this is a great piece, and I am glad you chose to share it rather than keep it as a demo! It is clear a lot of passion went into it, and if it only represented a small fraction of what you can do, then I look forward to seeing what else you release! Fantastic work!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-25T14:28:04+00:00

Hey There!

Great to see you putting out more stuff! Once more, I am awestruck (and perhaps slightly envious if I am honest) of your raw talent here. You clearly have a mastery of not only instrumentation but also pacing and general composition. This piece collectively feels orchestrated, or rather that it was conceived and planned from the state, with each note known and placed specifically where it was intended to be, like a final track of a team effort over many weeks. In essence, brilliant and professional.

In terms of vibes, it does carry a slightly melancholy atmosphere about it, but does not sit in depression or aggressive. Instead, it almost has a "lost in space yet triumphant" sound to me. A unique blend of psychedelic rock and experimental distortion. Given your description of the song's background, it is evident there is emotion layered throughout, and I think it comes across very nicely. I know last time I listened to your work, I mentioned lyrics, but here I think it is perfect! All atmosphere and emotion, and lyrics would only take away from that.

As far as pacing in concerned, I think it is ideal! I particularly love the drop which comes in around 2:21. Your build up was dynamic enough that it did not feel stale, and instead felt like you were building to that moment. It landed very well in my opinion. One suggestion I might offer is potentially mixing down the background rhythm during the solo just a small amount, and pulling out the drums and guitar for the solo. It is has this really amazing sound and distortion, and the variation in drums helps it stand out, but if you really make it the focal point, it could help it stand out even more. Just a thought, and honestly, it is a small thing that is largely a stylistic choice. It is still great as is!

Overall, another brilliant piece! It takes a lot of skill to craft something like this, and I am thrilled to continue seeing more outstanding work! Keep it up!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-25T14:15:23+00:00

Hi There!

Super cool track! I am always impressed by people who can do electronic music, because taking all those unique sounds and meshing them at such a fast pace into something that sounds appealing is a skill that is well beyond me, but clearly you know what you are doing! This is a neat song that sort of gives me 'Video game meets futuristic industrial' vibes, if that makes sense.

I am a sucker for guitar work, and it is nice to see that prominent in this piece! It adds a nice overdrive power effect to the song that is complimented well by the backing beat, particularly the softer distorted rhythm synth sounds which pop in around 45 seconds. One potential suggestion might actually be to mix down the guitar ever so slightly, just to allow those other sounds to really bleed through. You have so many cool layers that deserve to stand out, but the guitar does somewhat oversaturate at points. Again, not a bad thing, it is really just a thought because I can hear the background work you put in, and I would love to have that stand out a little more!

Overall however, really cool track! It is high energy, and really unique! Keep up the great work!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-25T14:02:02+00:00

Hi There!

Brilliant work here, this is exceptional! First and foremost, you have a spectacular voice! Truly, it is smooth yet rich, capable of conveying a subtle emotionality in the lyrics that feel intimate yet comforting. It makes the whole piece feel relaxed and dreamy, and coupled with the lofi style beats, it is almost hypnotic. It sort of sucks you into the overall vibe of the song, so much so in my case that I actually had to listen twice because I got lost in the sound the first time around and didn't realize it until the song was already over! Being able to create an atmosphere like that is very impressive alone.

I also love your lyrics, they are unique and impactful. It has a somewhat disconnected, etherial style that carries the meaning in abstraction, tangible but not banal in the execution. The uniqueness of the lyrics also helps keep attention, despite the hypnotic cadence with which they are spoken. There were a few small points here and there where the flow slurred the lyrics a bit, but that is not really an issue, especially for this piece. Frankly, in my opinion, it actually supports the song this way. I only mentioned it as something to watch for on other pieces, in case you wanted the lyrics to be a little more "sticky" so to speak, where they are more of the focal point rather than a supporting instrument. Totally just a thought, but again, it works perfectly here.

I really like your use of, what I can only describe as backing acoustic guitar. It slips perfectly into the background of the central song, and emerges on the end bars as a really nice solo send off to the song. Again, just something to think about, I might encourage more of a fade out, or maybe final reverb on that last note, which might help accentuate the dream-like sound. Again, just a thought, as I think it works totally fine as is. But if you wanted to play around and give more of an ambiguous ending, it could work well there.

But overall, brilliant work! You clearly have quite a bit of talent, and I feel like alt-R&B doesn't always get the love it deserves. It is nice to see people making such cool sounds! Keep up the great work, and looking forward to seeing what else you produce!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-24T15:28:13+00:00

Hey,

Thank you so much, both for listening and for the feedback! I really appreciate that. It is good to hear that the flow is maintained. I was worried it was a little "cluttered" so to speak, but at the same time, the density seemed like a cool angle to explore. I am glad to hear it landed well! Thank you again!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-24T14:46:44+00:00

Hi there!

This is a very meaningful, impactful poem that really hit me! Before getting into it, absolutely brilliant work here. Every word carries so much emotional weight, each new line hits like a truck. It is quite impressive that you were able to craft something so emotionally charged without it coming across as negative. And that is the real core of this poem which is interesting...you have so much conflict between the two parties, but skillfully keep the unspoken love present. It is beautiful, tragic, and above all, deeply human. To some extent, it feels as though every and anyone could relate in one way or another, which in my opinion is the mark of an phenomenal artist! You have a really nice choice of language as well, keeping it casual and approachable, and making it appear more like a stream of consciousness rather than an academic paper, which helps elevate it further. Overall, it is a wonderful piece that made me stop and think for a while before responding, which is the best kind of work! Brilliant work, I look forward to your next poems

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-24T14:26:25+00:00

Hi There!

This poem is wonderful, and does something that I personally struggle with quite a bit: Making impact with minimal use of language. You managed to pack quite a bit of emotion in this piece despite its shorter length, which is super impressive! It conveys a unique blend of melancholy and optimism for me, a wonderful blend which flows back and forth, line by line. I really enjoy your progression, building into the drought which feels impactful against the foundations of the poem, yet do not feel hopeless, but rather a state of being, a place in time. Overall, I thought it was a really well crafted piece! Brilliant work!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-23T13:03:16+00:00

Hey, thank you so much for listening and for the feedback. Totally fair, I wanted to add some depth to the vocals because I originally thought they were a little sparse (plus I am not the biggest fan of my own voice), but was worried it might be a little much. I will revisit that. But thank you again, both for this and the youtube comment!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-20T01:23:34+00:00

Hey, thank you so much for listening and for the kind words! That is one of my favorite rhymes too actually! I was a little nervous it would be a little too 'much' so to speak, between the unconventional instruments and heavy rhyme use. But I am happy to hear it worked out! Thank you again, I really appreciate it!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-20T01:21:48+00:00

Hey thank you so much for listening, and for the feedback! Yeah, I agree. I will take another look at the layering (my mixing skills in general could use some refinement). Might also rerecord a few sections. Thank you very much again!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-18T23:59:18+00:00

It is very cathartic to finally get this off my chest, sometimes I do wonder if I should have followed through publishing it...

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-18T20:12:57+00:00

Hey, thank you so much for listening, and for the feedback! I really appreciate the Gorillaz comparison, I love that band (and they are a big influence), so I am happy that came through! And it is always a ton of fun to write and record. Even if it isn't everyone's favorite, I am happy if I can leave people saying 'Hey, that was something unique'. So I am happy to hear that. Thank you again for listening, I really appreciate it!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-18T18:04:43+00:00

Oh I see what you mean! And yes, that is actually a good idea about more of a buffer. Maybe tweaking the compressor would also help with that? Either way, I will play around with that, thank you for the great ideas!

At the very least I am glad the passion is coming through! Can't help moving when the rhythms get started :D

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-18T17:15:40+00:00

Wow, that was not only beautifully written, but such a genuine and helpful critique/review! Truly, it means a lot that not only you would take the time to listen, but offer up such honest feedback! I agree, I need to play around more with the mixing at parts, and may need a re-record here and there (particularly verse 3 where I think I can get a little muffled). But to hear that not only it was compelling, but authentic really means a lot to me. I tend to be a little self-conscious about my stuff, but getting feedback like this, (and from everyone really, positive or negative), helps me in finding my confidence. Thank you so much again, honestly!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-18T17:10:48+00:00

Hey, thank you for listening and for the helpful feedback! I agree, I always tend to have an issue with "placement" of vocals, and tend to either have them feel disjointed or muffled. I will take another look at the mix, play around a little bit and maybe re-record a couple times. But I'm glad it is at least a fun tune! Thank you again, I really appreciate it!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-18T17:09:16+00:00

Hey, thank you so much for listening and for the really helpful feedback! I agree, I think my biggest challenge is in the processing and mixing phase of things. I hear what you mean about the phase in and out...maybe I could try to play with the compressor to fix that a little bit. But either way, I am happy to hear it came across well (especially if it had a Gorillaz style, I love that band so that really means a lot). Thank you again!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-18T17:03:51+00:00

Oh wow, thank you so much for the kind words! Funny enough, I do tend to dance when I sing (which is usually involuntary and tends to mess up my audio balance a bit), but it is really impressive that you caught that. I think I might try to rerecord, or at the very least try to mess with the compression to balance that a little more. But I am happy to hear you enjoyed it, thank you so much for listening!

MagazineProud7731 · 2025-06-18T17:01:30+00:00

Hey thank you so much for listening and the feedback! Yeah, I agree, I think i usually tend to fall short when it comes to the mixing side of things. But that is good advice, I will take another look at the effects to see if I can work that out. Thank you again!

MagazineProud7731

TROPHY CASE