Scouted ^^
Reviews for "X3LL3N - Higher (Mestrix Remix)"
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X3LL3N responds:
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Great to see you on the website! Only complaint is that its not mastered but it's still amazing, Hope you enjoy your stay!
Edit: Limiter, or gain isn't boosted. Lacking volume
X3LL3N responds:
Fun fact : It was heavily mastered x)
masterpiece, deserved to win
To X3ll3n: ( ͡O ͜ʖ ͡O)
Hello! This is a review for the NGUAC competition.
I've gone over one or two general categories of issues specific to your song, and one section of things I think also deserve complimenting. I prefer being very direct with my critique, none of it is meant to offend. Thank you for your understanding!
Constructive Criticism:
- Alrighty, if I have one major criticism about this piece, it's to do with the arrangement. Every single section of this track is really well-done. They're professionally mixed, mastered, everything harmonizes well, the sound palettes fit, etc. However, this track feels like a loose collection of ideas (three different genre drops in a row) based on the same couple of melodies and an unchanging chord progression to tie it together, with excellent transitions between them. There's nothing WRONG with this, but there are a few things that would improve it. - - Let's look at a point of comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HXCM3mmgto Camellia's idea organization is top-notch, and even combining multiple genres you can learn a lot by analyzing it. First of all, both melodies used in this track are introduced one after another in the first two minutes as it prepares for the first drop. The drop itself is used to introduce multiple types of bass design using different types of syncopation, while continuing to build energy. In the break, you're reminded of the beginning and first build as it prepares to go into the second drop. That second drop uses arpeggios that were already developed in the background, before proceeding to bring back the main melody, transitioning using some earlier syncopation. After this, it drops into a short build before bringing back the same bass design as before but in a different context, finally concluding with a background melody used much of the time, and finishing with the initial piano. - - Your track has good ideas in terms of theme and variation - but what it lacks is something to REALLY tie everything together on a deeper arrangement level. For instance, you can weave the same melodies more clearly through your earlier and later drops, and perhaps even have a final drop that combines and recontextualizes the earlier ideas. You also have a lot of space in your breakdowns and builds to bring previous ideas and instrumentation back - use the same arpeggios, use the same melodies as transposed harmonic lines in the background, even conclude in your outro with the same type of sound as your introduction. There are plenty of ideas, and hopefully this gives you some for future works.
- Just as a small second thing, let's look at some small points of critique in the sound design and mixing. Most of it is fantastic, but for example, the three kicks at 0:43 have a very nasty bit of subs and odd resonance in their initial click. In comparison to the other kick sample used in the actual drop, they sound extremely out of place. Secondly, I'd recommend being a little more careful with sidechaining during your drops. It can cause some interruptions reducing the impact and clarity of chords like the end of each hypermeasure at 1:42 and 1:54, as well as several notes in the melody embellishments during the second drop such as 2:47, 2:54, 2:59, and 3:05. After those points, it might also be a good idea to make the attack of the arpeggios a bit sharper for some extra clarity and sparkle. Last of all, reigning in the high frequencies of the delay coming in at 3:41 would be excellent since they can get a bit painfully sharp. In the end though, obviously these are basically nitpicks. The track is REALLY well-produced. You clearly know what you're doing, haha!
Compliments to the Composer:
- Okay, realisticially, it's unambiguous that this is a fantastic piece of music. Like I said, it has great sound design, mixing, handles ideas well, varies things up to stay interesting throughout all of it, and nothing feels thoughtless or just thrown in "for the sake of it". I absolutely ADORE the little glitch sounds in your first drop, little bits of 'ear candy' like that are some of my favorite sounds in music tracks. You deserve a hell of a lot more attention as a musician.
Final score: 9.7 (Congrats, you're in my top three!)
MestrixMusic responds:
Really happy you enjoyed the track! Thank you so much for this opportunity, hopefully I won't let you down :)