the saxophone feels melancholic , especially with the opera .
the ending/beginning keys add internet flavor to that mood .
overall , you do show your culture .
^-^
Author Comments
EDIT: The loop isn't entirely smooth on Newgrounds for some reason. If you want to experience the piece as an actual functioning loop, you'll have to download it and play it in a player such as Winamp, which is capable of looping audio seamlessly :)
LSD:
Well, I just took some time to finish our second collab for this NGADM. This time, the basis for the composition along with the original idea were made by SnowTeddy, whereas I added more to it until it felt complete. Maybe we'll keep alternating between who makes the first idea? That is if we make it to the next round. We shall see!
SnowTeddy:
Dear world, this is just another collab with LSD. I'm not back and don't intend to. Whether we win or lose this round, our collabs will continue. If we win then it's LSD who wins the hard work. I'm the backstage curtain puller, like always. If you enjoy our collab then great and thank to you. Have a great weekend.
LSD:
Well he may have said that, but I think we worked about even amounts on the track. And since I finished it so late, I'm afraid it's not weekend anymore! But I still hope you enjoy your days, regardless of the date. We also hope you enjoy our new little experimental collab!
The art used in the NG Audio icon:
http://choctopi.deviantart.com/art/Power-of-Nature-Mural-Fire-475006379
Alternatively, in a collection of murals by many artists:
http://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/skyrisdesign/power-of-nature-murals
Thank you for listening!
LucidShadowDreamer responds:
Thanks for listening to this one too!
It's an interesting one for sure :)
Woah - really interesting sound design on this one. The melodic content is amusing, although I think the low percussion could be a bit more distinct. The transition at 1:55 could’ve been a little smoother IMO. The piece also has a sense of continuity for quite a while without much direction until 1:55. I think it could use some more phrasing and dynamics work. The jumpy sax towards the end was a good idea, but it cut out a little suddenly at 2:52 and had a very square rhythm - it didn’t help the piece come together at the end too much. The piece also sounds a little robotic throughout - there are a lot square rhythms in the moving notes. Overall, I appreciate the experimental texture here. That was a bit of a risk that really paid off for you guys. I think my biggest concern is the lack of shape - changes in instrumentation dominate the variety the piece offers, which I find problematic. Still, it’s a cool piece. Keep up the good work!
8.5/10
LucidShadowDreamer responds:
Hi there! And thanks for the review. Once again, it's a shame that only a couple of the judges seem to have decided to review the pieces, even though I think that should be one of the main events of the competition (maybe that'll change now with fewer participants?). Thus, much appreciated!
The dynamics are generally always a problem with a good loop. Say you were to compose a looping background piece for a game; oftentimes you don't want something to stand out dynamically too much. But, I get your critique for the competition, since the piece should also work as a standalone.
I don't really hear a problem with 2:52. We weren't going for a realistic style, which is why the piano is obv quite flat and more hip hoppy (otherwise I would've played it). Same goes for the choir and sax. It's more of a blend of nu jazz, maybe some triphop elements, and a semi-cinematic style I guess. Maybe the style is what you feel is robotic, since none of the instruments are really made to sound like they're played by a human? Including the dry choir :)
We like the transition to 1:55, but it could've worked well as a breakdown, instead of bringing in the choir so quickly.
Thanks, dude!
I’m very intrigued by the vibes of the song. For most of it, the atmosphere evokes a sense of deep thought and mystery, with the saxophone adding an element of sophistication, and all of these elements combined make me visualize a somber detective story. Later on, once the choir comes in, the song begins to sound more like a battle theme for a video game, and even the saxophone’s melodic content seems to have changed to suit the different vibe. I think you guys did a fantastic job in this area.
Unfortunately, I think that despite the great atmosphere and well-established vibes, the song sounds, or rather, feels, too static. It has a constant somber atmosphere and powerful drums. Perhaps you could have provided a break from the drums when the choir entered?
This is one of my favorite collaborations from the two of you!
LucidShadowDreamer responds:
Seems like a lot of people hear a detective story in this, and that's pretty cool!
It's great that it sounds mysterious, since the composing process was too, haha. That is, we went in a totally experimental direction, even though that approach is quite risky!
I agree there could probably be some kind of break from the drums at some point. The risk in that is making the loop less smooth, if it were say a background piece to something. But for a competition it's probably best if the songs work perfectly as a standalone.
The sax is indeed a very cool touch, and I'm glad we included it ^___^
Thank you for the review!
That sax is such a weird choice for a piece like this that it works. I like the strangeness of it. 1:20 is cool, but I wish it was a bit louder in the mix. And as etherealwinds mentioned, I too thought it would accompany a game in a menu/title screen setting. It's fun listening to your collabs!
LucidShadowDreamer responds:
All credit for the idea of the sax goes to dem0, even if we created the melodies together! I was stunned when he showed me the idea, because of how surprisingly well it worked :D
We certainly went for an experimental style here. A bit of a risk, but either way we're happy we did it!
1:20, even though very active, is supposed to function like a short break from the melodies, focusing more on the rhythmic aspects of the piece. I agree it could be even louder. I'm afraid the piece is already compressed as far as we dare without damaging the sound, and is as loud as possible. So all other parts would have to be lowered in volume for that part to be enhanced. Maybe that would've been worth the trade though, since the listener can always raise the volume on their part?
It's fantastic to hear they're fun to listen to, since we always have fun working together! Thank you for the review ^____________^
The song has a great energy to it. However, it does get slightly repetitive. Still it is a great song and has a real epic saxophone. Great work.
LucidShadowDreamer responds:
Thank you for your thoughts, LastX! The saxophone VST is Sensual Sax by embertone :)
Credits & Info
- Listens
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- Votes
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- Score
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3.79 / 5.00
- Uploaded
- Jul 30, 2017
- 8:42 PM EDT
- Genre
- Experimental
- File Info
- Loop
- 7.3 MB
- 3 min 13 sec
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