very shubh saran-esque
Reviews for "timeslip"
uh, wow. this is pretty incredible. The composition itself is stellar, the sounds are very fitting. It almost feels like staring up at the stars at night(or the beginning to some indie movie) and I cannot get enough of this. I am humbled to be your opponent this year and can only imagine what you're bringing to the table. please tell me what inspired you to write this(and maybe the changes, because they're pretty sweet :3)
acmeDyne responds:
Thanks! There was no specific inspiration for this one. I was fooling around on the guitar and it just sorta came out (two days before the deadline, lol).
I'm very impressed by your music and I won't be surprised if I'm knocked out in the first round again (really struggling with my entry). I can't wait to be done and have the time to listen all the submissions. See ya on the battlefield!
I loved your usage of saxophone in this piece, something I hear rarely in NG contests. This gave me a overwhelming relaxed and chill attitude, and I can see myself listening to this while sitting in the den. Don't fret too much about the drums cause they sort of have a "in the background feeling" to them. Like the night is winding down in a jazz / blues club, and you're one of only 2 or 3 patrons left, and the band is playing it's last song before the places closes up for the night.
acmeDyne responds:
Thank you for the good review!
Ok, how can I possibly contribute in a review, immediately following 4 NGADM judges' expert reviews?
I think this is an extremely tasteful and mellow song, very relaxing to listen to. Every time I play this song I find that listening to it once is simply not enough. This both speaks to how good this is, and that I think it has room to be extended.
I don't know if this would add to or reduce your grief of not advancing past round 1 despite such stellar work -- I listened to all 32 submissions and downloaded only 3 of them, this being one. So in some random guy's noob opinion, you've medaled!
I'll check out your other stuff when I have time. Keep up the good work!
It's good to hear something with character, charm and a good dose of real instruments. The electric guitar part is played pretty well, with a unique and actually quite fantastic chord progression that I'm sure brings forth different associations for different people - I, for whatever reason, kinda started thinking about a forest with the second chord. I also love the thing you do rhythmically with the fingerpicking in the intro - I don't know the musical term but it's similar to what Philips Glass does in the opening of (and throughout) Glassworks.
The saxophone is a nice addition that sounds just a bit awkward when it is introduced - it's a bit too dry and present in the mix after the chorus-infused guitar intro, and the melody it plays is very bluesy compared to what came before. After a while (when the chorus begins to be more specific), I can gradually get used to the new, jazzier style the song has adopted, and at that point the instrument sound perfectly sensible together. The playing of it great and brilliantly jazzy, and follows the chords nicely. It makes for a nice and cozy atmosphere from 1:10 that I would really love being expanded upon in a longer and more conventionally structured song. The drums aren't too great - very dry and very obviously programmed or quantized and without much variation in the samples. I do like the laidback beat and the subtle use of brushed snare though.
I'm gonna have to cut the review of this song a bit short since there really isn't that much in it - it ends soon after it begins and doesn't explore that many ideas. The ones it does explore are of course great.
8 points for sounds and instrumentation.
8 points for composition and melody/harmony.
9 points for theme/originality/other things that might impress.
Overall impression: 8.5
acmeDyne responds:
Thank you for taking the time to review and judge the submissions.
Once I finish a couple other tunes I think I'll redo the drums and try mixing the whole thing better. Thanks for your comments-- it's good to get thoughtful feedback from people with experience and good ears.