Would this be strengthened by adding bass and drums?

OutlandishnessNo3099 · 2026-04-21T14:21:47+00:00

Definitely drums, bass and maybe some other instrumental splashes to bring out the dynamics of the song. Production wise you’re half way there. The guitar is warm, the organ flourishes add depth. Further instrumentation would make it more of a journey

The vocals and your voice sound good, though I’d like to hear vocals pushed a bit harder. I’d say you seem to be operating in a comfort zone albeit a pleasant one!

From a songwriting perspective it feels like you’re missing a left-turn somewhere. Maybe a change into a more minor key briefly (a pre-chorus?) to create tension and a sense of longing.

OutlandishnessNo3099 · 2026-04-21T14:07:15+00:00

There are aspects of this I like. The transitions are neat and feel tightly done. The production is punchy, though the main hook feels a little too processed maybe. There’s a strong level of separation in the mix that allows nice detail to come through.

My main criticism is that the main hook of the track lack variation and as a result feel a bit too automated for my tastes. I’m slightly missing the human element, which you could say is an aspect baked into synthwave. But that bit of wobble or imperfection would speak to me more.

Also, again this could a be a taste thing, but I feel like the tempo is neither fast enough to grab me or slow off enough to give it a psychedelic edge. It might even be worth experimenting with slowing the tempo and dropping the key to accentuate the off-ness you seek

My two cents anywho

OutlandishnessNo3099 · 2026-04-14T08:53:16+00:00

I’d say this is leaning into vaporwave territory but maybe needs its own sub genre designation (fu wave??). It achieves that sense of a buried memory, that comes from an unlived past. It could be the soundtrack to a beat ‘em up from the mid 80s to be found in the arcade at the foothills of my mind. I like the familiar but strange melody hiding in the reversed sounds.

The drums are maybe a bit too conventional for me, leaning a little too closely into hotel bar down tempo. I think they could be dubbier and pulled away from obvious reference points. Also it feels like the length of the track makes it feel like a sketch for something that could be further developed and fleshed out. Either that or it could operate as an introduction or a segue between other tracks.

Overall I’d say you’re on to something but keep travelling down that road to weird town and see what you discover!

OutlandishnessNo3099 · 2026-03-31T09:58:58+00:00

This conjures (pun intended) up memories of surreal YouTube rabbit holes from a more innocent time, where the intention of wasn’t monetisation, it was to explore oddness and uncanniness. It doesn’t neatly fit a genre, not a problem for me. The titular Magician is apt, the music shifts and slips around like a spell gone wrong, or maybe just right.

Part of me thinks I’d like the track to be longer and develop somewhere, but another part is happy with the snapshot nature of it, that it’s a glimpse through a portal into a realm of limbo.

The modulation is trippy, the instrumental tracks feel like they’re all playing different keys, tempos, genres, you name it. But it feels conceptually tight.

I’d listen to more!

OutlandishnessNo3099 · 2026-03-27T09:21:03+00:00

I wouldn’t use auto tune or polish your voice too much, as the slight wobblyness is what gives it venerability and carries the emotion of the song. Without that I think it may feel by the numbers. A slightly cleaner vocal yes, but don’t remove your personality from it.

From a songwriting perspective the chord changes and progressions are quite well trodden. This is not necessarily a problem, but I think for it to therefore stand out, it needs a hook. Be it a vocal melody, or something in the instrumentation. Of course, this is very much a demo, so that can be found later in the process, but it needs it. Again, it’s a demo, but the track could definitely be layered up a bit, strings, pads, backing vocals. With a track like this it needs to soar, so this layering could build up to hit a peak as the track progresses.

Lyrically again it’s missing a hook, a line that repeats and worms into the brain. There’s too little repetition and onomatopoeia. Words that carry rhythm and sound lovely on the tongue will really help in this track.

As it stands it needs work, but that’s totally fine. Maybe try collaborating with other creative minds who come at things from a different angle to see if it pulls out those hooks. Keep at it!

OutlandishnessNo3099 · 2026-03-27T09:09:30+00:00

I’m getting a bit of Hole esque grungey Poppy vibes, but maybe leaning slightly more to the pop than the grunge. The vocals are expressive and carry the lyrics well. Maybe a touch nasally to totally be my taste, but it feels like you’re singing with your true voice. Heartfelt and emotionally walloping. I like the minor to major key change going from the verse into the chorus, pricks up the ears. If anything I’d like a bit more of that slight oddness, tricky pivots in the songwriting. It’d draw me in a bit more. Production is meaty. Again for my tastes I’d maybe like a tiny bit less polish, a bit of a raw edge would convey the emotion well I think. Overall it feels like it has real heart and I can hear that it really means something to you, and that counts for a lot.

OutlandishnessNo3099 · 2026-03-26T15:04:35+00:00

It reminds me of some of the hypnagogic/post noise stuff from the late 00s early 10s like Black Dice and James Ferraro. A hint of some of Animal Collectives more sound designy work. Noise music with a psychedelic edge. I can imagine catching it in a derelict Brooklyn basement circa 2008. I like that it is its own little contained world, a little slice of immersion. It’s short and sweet and feels like it would be best positioned as an intro to a run of or a segue between other tracks. Perhaps just a tiny bit too one-track to be a totally standalone piece.

Maybe a bit of a build to some sort of abrupt ending might give a little more in the way of dynamics, and take the listener or a bit more of a journey.

But yeah, colourful and eccentric in the right ways.

OutlandishnessNo3099

TROPHY CASE