From TranceMyriad on 26.05.2006, 14:23:
Here are my reviews for the compo tunes, in alphabetical order. I'm sorry they're so short, but I'm really busy at the moment and don't have time to give really in-depth feedback/reviews :S
I've also given ratings out of 10:
C = Composition - melody, harmonies, whether all the elements work well together etc.
P = Production - quality of mixdown etc.
S = Structure - whether it kept me interested, too long or too short etc.
O = Overall - NOT an average, just my overall feel about the track.
12AtÜ - MaikäferAhoi
This one has a little bit of an older feel to it. The melodies didn't impress me too much (although they're not terrible). The acid-y bits in the middle are nice. The synths could've done with a bit of EQing as well. Not a bad effort overall.
C: 7, P: 6, S: 6, O: 6
Alk - Eep
A nice, short and simple tune. I think you could've developed the theme a little more - I wanted to hear more! This is a good little tune to listen to when you come home exhausted and just want to listen to somethine cheerful  . Overall, a good blend of chip and less-chip stuff.
C: 9, P: 8.5, S: 8, O: 9
Ampul - Dot2
I agree with Role, the harmonies in this need some work - good ideas though.
C: 6.5, P: 7, S: 6, O: 6.5
Dragon Unearthed - The Lightning Brought Darkness
There's some interesting ideas in this track but I don't think they're particularly well executed. I think you could've put a bit more work into giving the synths a real spooky atmosphere (some heavier delays, reverb). The piano could've done with some delay as well, imo. Synths aren't too bad, but they could do with some tweaking to make them all fit together a bit better. You could've made the transition between the heavy metal bit and the piano at the end a bit better - either more shocking, or more gradual. I don't think it works at the moment - it sounds a bit odd. Overall, not a bad effort.
C: 6.5, P: 6, S: 7, O: 6
Druttis - Wailing Times
That first synth is great - I like the idea behind it. The whole tune has a really nice "old school' demo/psycle compo feel. The distorted solo is a bit cliché, but in a good way . I think you could've done a bit of EQing on some of those synths (it's more noticeable once you bring in the solo), but it's not a major issue. Overall, has a lovely nostalgic feel to it.
C: 9, P: 7, S: 9, O: 8
Dw - e^(ipi)+1
Lovely simple melody - I like the switch between 6/8 and 3/4 time. This one also should be a longer tune with some added variation, but it's still nice as it is. The mix is a little bit muddy, but has a nice warm feel to it so you get away with it ok hehe. Also, have you actually used that number somewhere in the tune? Overall, nice simple, happy tune.
C: 9, P: 7.5, S: 8, O: 8
KarlKox - Melancholics Bells
I really like the ideas in this one - my only major problem with the track is how crowded the mix gets towards the end. I think there's a bit of distortion in there as well from interfering frequencies, so a bit of EQing is probably in order. I would've liked to have seen you develop the theme some more, but overall, a nice little track
C: 8.5, P: 8, S: 8, O: 8
Lakser_u - Revision
Starts off with some cheesy effects, with reasonable synth combo (although the pad needs some EQing, it floods the mix a little bit). I think the main melody is a bit short for the amount of time that you repeat it - it's going for pretty much the whole track and it gets a bit old and tired by the end of it. Your harmonies etc work nicely. I would've liked to have heard a bit more variation in your percussion as well, as well as a better kick. Overall, some good ideas in here, but a bit more effort needs to be put into implementing them.
C: 8, P: 6, S: 6, O: 6
MfM - Waiting For a Dream
That intro would be really nice, except that the 'tuned' percussion is a bit out of tune - at first it made me thing the piano was off, but it's actually that lower-pitched drum that comes on the third beat of the bar. I really like the structure of the tune, especially the way you introduce parts of the melody early on - it's a tried and true method but it works really nicely in this case . The only thing that lets this track down is some uneven-ness in levels, the muddiness of the mix at some points (especially when you bring in the choir vocals - maybe try cutting some of the mid frequencies a bit?). Overall, a very nice chillout-type track.
P.S. What happens if you win your own compo? 
C: 9, P: 8.5, S: 9.5, O: 9
Oursvince - Bells bells
Quite a nice little track - this one has a bit of a older-style-game-music feel to it. This one is a bit short, though. Nice work overall.
C: 8, P: 8, S: 7.5, O: 7
Oursvince - Forest
This would be much nicer on real instruments, I agree with Rolemusic, there are a few unwanted elements in there. As it stands though, the instruments sound a bit dodgy. You could've done more with the ideas, too, I think - at the moment it's a short little ditty that barely even gets going before it stops hehe.
C: 7, P: 6, S: 7, O: 6
Oursvince - Metaloid
Normally, I don't approve of loops (especially percussion) unless you chop them up and do something interesting with them, and this time is no exception. Also, were you aware that your guitar loop doesn't match up properly and you have a gap there? Leaving the loops aside, the synths you've put over the top of those guitars are a) really loud and b) don't particularly fit the guitar (although they're not terrible or anything!). I would really suggest you think about EQing them, for a start. Overall, the ideas behind the track are quite good, but it's too much of the same for too long.
C: 7, P: 6, S: 6, O: 6.5
Outsider - Fer
Quite a nice little track - but I wanted to hear more! I think you could've done plenty more with it
C: 9, P: 8, S: 8, O: 7
Polite Company - To the Moon Alice
Well, as an odd assortment of blips and clicks, it's not bad. Mightn't be too bad as some kind of background music for something, maybe. Certainly has a bit of an ethereal quality to it.
C: 6.5, P: 8, S: 8, O: 7
Rhino - Combination
I really like the nice mellow intro on this one. The synths in this are quite nice, although I think perhaps a little more melodic variation would've been good (either maybe adding an extra melody or two on top, or just going to a 'verse' section for a bit before returning to the main). I can't say I like the scratching, it goes on for too long imo. I reckon you should just use for the short bit where you've got it by itself, and then take it out again. Overall, a nice chillout/sit-back-and-listen track.
C: 8, P: 8.5, S: 8, O: 8
Rolemusic - Sonaita
As usual, a well produced track from rolemusic . I'm not sure the vocals go so well with guitar, although that's not a major issue. I really like the wah-wah synth. The chip-type synth fit quite right (I suspect it's a matter of some EQing and reverb). Otherwise, there's not much to criticise with this one.
C: 9, P: 9, S: 8, O: 9
Sampler - Under Pressure
Well track starts off making me think you're starting some kind of slower hardstyle or gabba track, but it comes into its own later. I swear a few of those bass notes are out of tune, so that's something to fix. I felt there could've been a better buildup to the nice pizzicatto chords that come in at about 3:05. Overall, there's a lot of really nice ideas in this track, but the production isn't your best, so do some more work on it and finish it properly!
C: 9, P: 7.5, S: 8, O: 8
Scuba - Rotate Anti-Clockwise
Ideas are nice, but the synths aren't that great imo, especially the plucked ones - they let the track down a bit. Melodies are nice enough.
C: 8, P: 6, S: 7.5, O: 7
Sergos - Down
Well, this track starts off a bit of an uninspiring intro, but once you bring in that delayed bell synth, it begins to take off nicely, with some nice little acid-y stabs in there. I think you could've easily worked the ideas a bit more and added in some nice epic-type percussion at the end and maybe another synth (maybe even a guitar solo). I would recommend using a slightly different bass synth - it's a bit too plain imo and detracts from the track a little bit. Overall, a nice little tune.
C: 8, P: 6.5, S: 7, O: 7.5
Spaceturner - Swimming as a Mermaid
The main that that annoys me about this track is continual repetition of that main melody, with very little break, except where you pause and filter it in again. The woosh effect is not bad, although it is a little cheesy . Can't say I'm too impressed with the melody in this track as well, although it would work better if you didn't have it run the whole time and added more variation to the track. Also, I would suggest looking for some better drum samples. Overall, not a bad effort, but plenty of work is still needed to make this a really good track.
C: 5, P: 5, S: 5, O: 5
Voskomo - Snowy Days
I really like that lead synth - this tune is certainly a nice advertisement for your own plugin (Blitz) hehe. There's something not quite right about that piano-ish synth right at the end, but other than that, very nice work
C: 9, P: 8.5, S: 9, O: 8.5
Voskomo and Alk - Psytreisende
I love that intro! Has an awesome feel to it that makes me think "80s!", although I don't really have a right to say that since I haven't heard THAT much 80s music . Again, I love the blend of chiptune stuff with not-so-chiptune stuff. Nice clear mix, too . Overall, another feel-good chiptune blend.
C: 8, P: 9, S: 8, O: 8
Overall, the quality of the compo tunes is definitely improving each time
Good work, everyone!
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