bop

Solaraloe, Bullet Train
1]Technicality 2]Production 3]Composition 4]Emotion 5]BonusPoints
9,7,8,9,9

I liked this song but I want to get right into what I think is the most noticeable issue and it's going to be mix nitpicks. That drum kit (or just the kick and snare drums) could have been side chained a little more forwards, the synths fought for dominance. Drums drive all EDM genres, harder styles in particular benefit from putting the kick & snare forwards. Everything is still very powerful but that lends itself more to the fact that the drum samples are good, not that they are mixed perfectly. Given how the drum kit was mixed it sounds like certain tones are missing from the snare, mid to highs. While the mids and bass tones are important, those high textures can really give a snare drum character. I always loved how much creative texture artists like Koan Sound puts into snares.

Those 32nd note hi-hat rhythms are a little distracting, less is more. 32nd/64th notes can make great risers, especially snares drums when you use the element sparingly. You can pitch bend 32nd note drums, play with the volume automations and make entire drum rolls out of one snare sample. I'm sure you've come across the term "riser" in production? Risers are just elements that raise the action of the song to meet the energy of a drop. Usually, they're synthesizers or samples but a 32nd note snare roll starting pitched low then high via automations is an EDM staple which crescendos the action splendidly.

Compared to everyone else in the bracket, I think this was the shortest track I had to judge this time around. Short is never a bad thing, sometimes you can say everything you need to say in a minute long track but I think it's only fair I subtract a point given there were others that put an equal amount of work into 8 minute tracks. Three minutes is my bare minimum for these kinds of contests, normally I don't take points off for it but losers bracket was a shark tank this time around. I felt there were other artists that did exceptionally well this round so I might be coming down a little harder on you but know that it comes from a place of passion and respect. This song was a great hustle Solar, the energy was top notch and fun!

I'm going to pick on you for that initial square lead motif, it sounded incredibly old school. There was some really cool synth modulation along the way but the motif chords were just a wee bit corny. I suppose EDM lends itself to be pretty corny sometimes, I'M LOOKING AT YOU EXCISION. HE THINKS HE'S SO COOL BECAUSE EVERY DUBSTEP SONG HE'S EVER WRITTEN STARTS OUT WITH SOME MOODY MONOLOUGE ABOUT SOCIETY COMING TO AN END OR ALIENS INVADING FROM OUTER SPACE. PFFFF, LAME. I don't have any advice on how to avoid making something that others might find corny, it's part of our trade. To some people, EDM in it's entirety is fake music played by computers. There is no such thing as making everyone happy. You do what makes YOU happy because the rest of the track had some really special high energy synth work, absolutely stunning. I really love those rhythmic synth leads.

You know what, those introductory motif synths I found corny might have sounded better if they weren't fighting with that huge dubstep drum kit for attention which leads into my next critique...

You could have displayed some more diversity from your drum samples. A smaller drum kit or softer intro drum samples could have benefit those particular synths a little bit. I like to split my drums into layers. With three bass drum and three snare drum samples to build the main kit I can often fake a smaller kit for things like introductions and break downs using only one or two kick/snare samples. I'm not sure if you're layering your drum samples or if you're just using good samples but with three snare drums layered and mixed for the chorus, the weaker snare samples can contribute to other sections of the track. I'm sorry if I'm not saying it in a way that makes sense but many EDM producers over-look drum sample diversity. Switching up the kit as the song continues is a great way to transition energy from one section to another. Changing up the drums adds a very organic element missing from many genres. Even live drummers can diversify their sounds by playing on the rims, side-sticking, or changing cymbals to create new dynamics on the fly!

Sorry for handing you a massive critique but it's only meant to motivate you a little bit more! I grew up on Newgrounds listening to tracks just like this. When I called that square lead "oldschool" the statement comes from a nostalgic place. Though I've never used Fruity Loops, I know staple FL patches when I hear them. Many pros in the scene right now started with these kinds of tracks. Pros like Space Laces, Emperor, Fox Stevenson, and Solider Boy all went through Newgrounds at one point or another. You could be the next big thing Solaraloe.

I hope this review helps and comes across alright. Have a good day Solar and cheers!

Fantastic job on the sound design on this, 1:00 had me banging my head, absolutely loved it.

The track lacks a bit of the high EQ, to me, it would've benefited a lot from having a raise on the highs as it sounds a bit muffled to my ears.

Compositionally I think this is excellent, you kept your motifs very clear but repeated the main one a tad too much it started to lose meaning by the end, the structure could be modified a bit to make the track more cohesive, the transitions in which the track completely stops to continue with a different section could have been executed a little bit better, as it loses a bit of cohesion.

I wish you would have expanded a bit more, as it feels like parts were repeated a bit too much, that was the main problem that I had with the track, that it felt as if it wasn't developed enough like your description said, if you had a bit more time I'm sure this would've ended up being a lot more than what it is and if you do decide to finish it I'd be sure to give it a listen.

Mixing wise I had no other problem than the EQ.

Composition 8/10
Mix & Master 8.5/10
Structure 7/10
Production/Sound Design/Attention to detail 9/10
Storytelling/Feeling/Vibe 8.5/10

TOTAL 82/100