Crystal Winter

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Crystal Winter

Author Comments

Alex: This was originally an improvisation/composition (also known as a very unfinished collection of ideas for a composition that I winged while recording), dating back several months. I think I made it in April. My laptop that I use for all my music has had several issues recently (most of which are now fixed), so I never ended up doing anything with the piece. Thankfully, Jordi (@etherealwinds) liked it when we happened to re-listen to it, and worked some of his magic on the track! The result is what you're (presumably) listening to. Please enjoy ^____^

Jordi: After Alex's laptop had come back from repair, we listened to this together. I had first heard it back in April, but had forgotten its existence! I felt re-inspired to lay some vocals onto it and mixed it into a piano and vocal track :) hope you guys enjoy it.
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Lyrics:

Crystal snow, winter glow
Bitter winds cut through me
Ice of glass, hidden paths
Frozen life surrounds me

Areyai yaleai yareaiyo
Areyai yaleai yareaiyo

Though the snow falls, light still shines through
Reflecting the past, revealing a path
Even through this crystal winter, there is room for crimson warmth
Though these heavy snows fall on me, I will walk into the storm

Araye alaye
Yarae iya

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Jonarific

2020-07-29 19:16:07

I'm not a music master or even a major composer, but wow, this is top tier stuff. Songs like this are proof that skill/effort/talent does not always equal success and popularity. It's sad, but it doesn't make the song any less incredible. I suspect under different circumstances or with enough exposure, many people would find this track beautiful.

I think the use of syllables to convey emotion and sound are great, it adds a very... ethereal quality to the music that transcends language alone, like a unique type of choir. Truth be told, I generally dislike lyrics or vocals, but I don't mind the ones here and I suspect the "non word" singing is what did it. I would like to hear a little more of it near the end, personally.

Truly, the only complaints I can levy against the track is around 0:59 the voice is a little loud compared to the very quiet and subtle piano. I had my volume a little higher to hear the piano and was a unpleasantly surprised by the volume of the voice, even though it sounds great when I have my volume proper. The second would be the last minute or so is a little too subdued for my liking, though I suspect this is just a "me" thing and not really an objective criticism.

Great stuff.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Sorry for the delay in the response! Thank you for your extensive review :)
I suspect that the main reason for the vocals and the piano sounding ever so slightly off from each other, is that they were recorded and mixed separately. That is, I composed/improvised the piano, mixed it, and added reverb to it. Much later, Jordi decided to use that file to make this wonderful song! But we did not go back to the original project to remove that prior mixing; we just used it as it was. On the other hand, I think that the double reverb and separation between the piano and the vocals adds an ethereal feel to the song that might not be there otherwise.

Jordi's "Etherean" language is great for music, imo. I also tend to have a preference for instrumental music, so I completely get what you mean. Jordi has choses the syllables to be very phonetic to listen to, and I have to agree that they are :D

I'm glad you like this song!

Krichotomy

2019-11-11 15:52:32

It's pretty. And I enjoy singing along with it. The vocals match so well, it's hard to imagine that they came later. :)

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you! Sorry for the late response. I know, right!? Jordi did such a fantastic job :D

Phonometrologist

2019-09-09 00:09:41

I don't really see a point in "reviewing" this other than to allow you two to know how enjoyable this is for me. I don't know what Areyai yaleai yareaiyo is, but it's sung beautifully. The tone and mood in the piano and the vocal harmonies are all so perfect.
This embodies the art of subtlety and beauty in the smallest details of life that we overlook.
prayer for the wandering soul
so perfect

etherealwinds responds:

Hey Phono, thanks so much for listening and leaving your thoughts. Sometimes, I just want to express emotional feelings with my voice, but attaching words to what I want to express doesn't really do it justice - sounds and syllables do! I think the first time I started singing that way must have been in 2011 or so, and I've found myself utilising this way of expressing myself more and more often as time has gone by. I consider it to be a strand of 'Etherean' which is what I call it when I sing in my own little language, but I also created some basic grammatical rules and a vocabulary dictionary for when I do find the desire or need to actually have something translatable. <3

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you for the warm words ^ ^
I'm really glad you enjoyed it! Jordi's singing is beautiful indeed, and adds so much to the atmosphere in this piece. It's funny, because Jordi feels like I made the main part of the piece, whereas I feel like his vocals are the element that elevates it. It's such a different sound with just the piano, and personally, I definitely prefer it with Jordi's voice and his lyrics :3

TaintedLogic

2019-09-06 14:51:36

I like the light and graceful tone at the beginning and the rich atmosphere. The piece has a great emotional appeal and a nice spaciousness in the mix. The vocals are brilliant, if a little breathy for my tastes at times. The lyrics themselves are beautiful, and the rich texture really falls together by around 1:34. I really like the extended piano solo before the short, final vocal phrase. The piece has a nice and uplifting vibe overall, and the production quality is fantastic. Keep up the great work, guys! ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thanks for the review!
I am really amazed by how quickly Jordi was able to come up with and record the vocals for the track. He also added some more reverb on the piano, I think, which gave way for this amazing atmosphere. Personally, I love the breathiness, as I feel like it fits the wintery feel really well. It's interesting that you liked the piano interlude, whereas SplatterDash thought there could've been vocals there. I guess that goes to show how different taste can be, even regarding dynamics :)
It's also interesting that you find the piece mostly uplifting, and JessieYun feels some sad undertones. I really appreciate hearing everyone's thoughts; it's almost like conducting small-scale research, haha :'D
Keep up the great work, you too!

JessieYun

2019-09-03 01:33:24

Glad to be able to hear your composition again! This is wonderful piece, gives me a bit of a sad "Edelweiss" vibe into it. I don't know why, but I think it's because it's so beautiful! You guys should do more vocal collaboration like this!

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

That's an interesting comparison, but I can hear what you mean with the soft tones of Jordi's voice! I also see the similarity with the tone having a hint of sadness, despite the beauty. We're planning on collaborating a loooooot, so no worries on that front ^____^
Thank you for listening, and for leaving your thoughts!