Battle of the beats 2006 - V: reviews by Mista Rilla

When Push Comes To Shove! (WIP) by Vex aka Rezidue: Sharp work here.  Intro is

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Submitted by Mista Rilla on Sat, 2006-09-23 00:28.

Sharp work here.  Intro is a wicked arrangement and slides nicely into the main groove, reverse beats sounding large.  I liked the little reverse edits and glitch rolls.  On the production side there's very little to fault imo.  The beats sound a little brittle I think?  Maybe a bit more layering on the snares for additional bite?  That's a minor point though and probably more to do with my current love for "bigger" beats than anything else. 
The tune pumps and is nothing but quality, I just feel like it didn't quite peak.  It's not that it gets too repititive or boring (I think you did a good job of arranging) it's just that there wasn't that extra little something that kicked it into top gear.
Otherwise, this track is surely the winner... there're tracks getting released all the time that don't stand up to this tune.  Awesome work, you should be well happy with this one  Smiling


They Prey by Ruffian: HEAVYWEIGHT!  Damn this

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Submitted by Mista Rilla on Sat, 2006-09-23 00:57.

HEAVYWEIGHT!  Damn this track stomps.  I think the drums may be mixed a bit high tho?  I was into the subtle edits and your breakdown edits were wicked but something about the drum mix seemed a bit outta whack to me.  Still, production's tight and there's plenty going on to keep the flow running.  Top work but not my fav I'm sorry Smiling


Timerun by DMJ A.K.A Jossi: Bop bop bop, ANTHEM! This

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Submitted by Mista Rilla on Wed, 2006-09-27 06:23.

Bop bop bop, ANTHEM! This one's a bit different mate  Smiling
I rate the breakdown into the halftempo. Hints at your main theme then building back into it, slick!  You've got some clever weaving going on between the basslines and melodies.  The only thing I found a bit tired was the panned left stab things (what were they?)  I think they may have been better pushed back a bit further in the mix cos they stand out HEAPS!
Tight production and a fun groove, not my thing but I can appreciate the goodness  Smiling


Dawn Shadow by Virus: Good full sound to the

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Submitted by Mista Rilla on Sat, 2006-09-23 23:52.

Good full sound to the intro, an interesting fusion of sounds.  Wasn't so much into the bassline and the kick sounds a little too "clicky," not enough meat to it imo. 
To be honest I'm not such a big fan of the industrial sounding bass stabs with the harmonic sweetness of your melody synths.  There's no doubt that the production quality is great, the tune just doesn't quite do it for me I'm afraid.
The ending seemed a little abrupt, leaving me wondering what happened.
I don't wanna rag on this tune tho cos I think it's good, just not really my thing.  Nicely done!


The Prophecy by King Louis: Not so sure about this one

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Submitted by Mista Rilla on Sat, 2006-09-23 23:52.

Not so sure about this one sorry mate.  Some good emotive samples and the tune's good but the samples are often dischordant with your tune, in places creating complete chaos (which may have been what you were going for but it didn't work out so well imo.) 
I dug your breaks, they were mint - sounding a bit murky but they fit well with the style.  Your bassline was pretty sweet too but if you take out the samples I don't know that there would've been much left to the track.  Would've liked to hear some more mid to high end elements to make the tune a bit tastier.  The bells were great but not quite enough.
I don't like to be so hard on a tune but this one didn't do it for me sorry.  Basslines and breaks bucked but the track needed more for me.


psycosis by kit: Nice atmos on the intro. 

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Submitted by Mista Rilla on Sat, 2006-09-23 23:53.

Nice atmos on the intro.  The cymbal hits sounded so crystal and crisp... which leads me to the first thing that really hit me: the beats sound really lo-fi or muffled like they're playing through a wall or something when compared to the cymbal hits.  While those beats are still phat and there're some top notch edits and filters in there the constant 8 beat pitch shifting wore me out pretty early on cos it's really the beat that's carrying this tune.  I did enjoy the vocal stabs Smiling
For me this tune was a bit of a roller, I liked it but it didn't seem to go anywhere really. 
You obviously put a lotta work into your beats and did a wicked job.  However I think that musically there could've been a bit more than the harmonic sub and atmos synth to pull it along. 


Bin Juce by Mike Native: Mike Native you're a bad

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Submitted by Mista Rilla on Sat, 2006-09-23 23:53.

Mike Native you're a bad man  Sticking out tongue
While the production is pretty sharp I wasn't feeling this one.  The overdriven bassline got tired pretty quickly and there wasn't enough variation.  It sounded like there was a whole lotta copying and pasting going on...
Also the kick sounded a little swamped and the snare started to get on my nerves a little about halfway through the tune.  I think with a simple groove like that the kick needs a bit more character than the standard click to punch through the bass.
I'd happily listen to this tune sitting in the background but prob not for more active listening.
Then again, I'm still just a little fish so you can probably take everything I've said with a big fat grain of salt  Eye-wink


by : Hehehe, first section

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Submitted by Mista Rilla on Sat, 2006-09-23 23:54.

Hehehe, first section sounds like it came straight outta an Amiga 500 ROM  Smiling
Found the wide pitched reverse vocal samples a bit much after a while.  The beats were sweet but I felt the snare could've done with a little more weight in the midrange.
The tune got too repetitive for me and I know there were variations in the beats to change it up a little but the melody (which was really only in the form of the vocal samples other than the melody bass at start and end) was getting on my nerves after a while.
With all of that said the track is certainly tidy enough and the intro and outro were fun  Smiling