this track is another major highlight for me in this round of competition.  It's my kind of track, for sure, and I think it's also on a major step up from a lot of what I usually hear in this competition.  (my own stuff included, honestly.)

It's like... good progressive house (not an oxymoron, I assure you) meets drum n bass.  I like how it builds a lot for the most part, though I felt it took a little too long to get to the real meat of the track.  What I LOVE is that every time you get used to the elements, the track shifts and adds another element.  It constantly moves and changes.  Trippy, for starters, and very cool.

I WISH this had been a higher quality mp3, because this track is DOPE.  Great spreads on your atmospherics, bassline comes through great, so does everything else.  I love that you made a great track without using any typical breaks.  That's a job I have yet to accomplish at the level you did with this track, and frankly I'm jealous.

I don't have much to say, criticism wise.  Not much at all.  Pretty much.. Nothing!!

The only thing keeping you from winning in my eyes is that 2 of the other competitors wrote equally good tracks that just jump out of my fucking speakers and grab my soul self.  Know that despite that, I would GLADLY mix this track in one of my sets.  (please?  can I have a 320?  *grin*)

I was going to give you a 9.9, because I'd already given out 2 10s, and I like those 2 tracks a HAIR better than this one, but then I figured that's just my taste.  If I have NOTHING to contribute criticism wise, than I can't take any points away.

Mix/Eq - 5
Arrangement - 5
Total Score - 10

You know, I never gave any tracks a 10 until this round of competition, and this round I gave out 3.  I gotta step my game up for sure, you guys are awesome.

this is the first one that excited me from the first 3 seconds.

Solid arrangement.  Good placements of samples and atmosphere, stabs, etc.

This is great stuff to come from this competition.

Those swing beat parts?  FUCK YEAH.

If you can't tell by all my line breaks.. I'm struggling to find something to complain about here.

ooohhh..  well there's something.  the pitched down amens sound very out of place.  they kinda screw up the atmosphere.  I'd try to layer those first so they sound more like they're yours.  maybe layer them with one pictched higher or something, it just doesn't sound right.

That's all I got though.  This is fucking dope.

I would have really liked to have heard a layered kick with more punch to it, just on top of what you've already got.  You're resonance is spot on, but it lacks that thump that it should.  This may just be a bitrate issue.  I wish this competition REQUIRED 320 kbps uploads, so that we all knew that what we were listening to was exactly what was written..  Anyway, that's not your fault.  I'm just high and ranting.

think about what I said regarding the amen.  Maybe a different break in the standard amens place.  if you disagree, don't worry about it, if you do fix it, do it soon, and then, get this sonofabitch mastered.  Not just the master file, but like, all the individual tracks of your mixdown, a pro job.  Scratch that.  don't even get it mastered.  Labels do that for you.  Just have the files ready, and start shopping the track to labels.  Talk to Barcode, for starters.  That may be shooting high, but if I were calling the shots I could see it.

I'm really not even worthy to review this track, cause I'm sitting here feeling like it's better than my dark stuff..  The mix sounded kinda fuzzy, but everything all came out clearly, there was no clashing, it all just fit like a glove, and it flowed perfectly.  I'm almost sure it's a bitrate issue, and if it isn't, I know any good mastering house would fix it.

I would buy this.  I would like to mix it in my sets, if you'll send me a 320k.  And if I don't sound like too much of a whore, I'd like to collaberate.  :bandwagon:

I listened to this three times before I decided the score.  The bottom line is I feel like this track doesn't sound like it was made by someone who posts tunes in forums, it sounds like pro shit.  I'm awed.

I don't need to break it down to categories, cause you just got my first fucking 10 bro.

okay.

seriously? 

You know what?  I'm not even going to waste your time with my criticisms, because you're clearly better at this than I am.  This is quite possibly the best track I've heard come from this website, ever.  Basically, look at my review for track #164, and take away all the stuff I said about his amen.  That's basically what I think of this track.  Flawless.

Honestly, I think this one sounds more polished than the one I already gave a 10.  So know that if I could have, I would have given you a 10.1

I am simply amazed that these tracks are coming out of this competition.  I'm starting to feel really bad about my own work. 

love the intro here.  sounds crisp and clear.

Not so keen on the 808-ish drum kit, but like the drum programming fine. ithe track is simple but tasteful.

This is arranged really well, and it sounds good too EQ wise.  While it's not my style, I really don't have any things to pick out here.

hmm... then it goes into the phase right around the 'top shelf homie' vocal, that higher bass note... I'm not sure it's in key.  When it's going from the long D note to the long C# note.  That C# really doesn't fit with your melody.  I'd suggest an A, but that's just me.

That's really the only stuff I've got to say about it.  It's a pretty simple track so there isn't much to think about.   (and I've already mentioned it's a good kind of simple, just to clarify.)

It also works just fine in mono, which is a major plus for you.

Mix/EQ - 4.5
Arrangement - 3.5

so right away you've got a vocal that's sure to be in my head for years.  'da da da da'..  So it's catchy immediately.

Love the tone of the reece.  Sounds perfect.  The drums through the intro are weak though, completely buried under the rest of the track.  Work on that mix.

Once it breaks out I totally identify with the track.  I play stuff like this on occasion, the whole ooh-wah ooh-wah ooh-wah bass line 2 step thing.

This track loses more than half of itself in mono.  You should think about always running at least your bass in mono, if not your bass and your drums.  If it ever gets played on the radio or pressed to record, it's gonna get pushed to mono, and this track as it is would never survive the transition.  You got a mixer where you can switch between mono and stereo as you listen to it?  Try it, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Outside of the intro and the breakdown that's like the intro, the track goes pretty well with itself..  The basslines are great, but I'd work on the balancing of the layers, volume wise.  Sub is pretty good.  Kick needs more oomph, definitely.  Snare comes through well.

I wish the rest of the track came through as clearly as the reece does.  The reece sounds PRO dude.  Is that a sample or your synth work?  I'd like to know how you made it.

Arrangement wise it's solid.  It would be easy to mix, and would definitely work on a dancefloor.  My only complaints are with your mix.

Arrangement - 4.5
Mix/Eq - 3.0
Total Score - 7.5

interesting beat work to start this track.  I like the programming.  not super crazy about the high hat samples, they dont' sit right in the mix..

so this is a pretty nice dark roller.  I like the bassline a lot, but feel like it could use some higher frequencies.  I like the drum edits throughout for the most part, but I feel like some of the hits are chopped too short.. if you're playing them through something in which this is possible, try bringing up the release, or if you're editing the chop points yourself, you may want to widen your chops and use attack or fade ins to compensate.

My only major complaint with the track is that the atmospherics are a little too much in the background, I'd love to have heard them take over a little more once or twice in the track to add overall movement.  It may be the reverb, but everything outside of the drums and bass sounds kind of buried.

Besides all that this track is pretty solid.  It's arranged wonderfully, my only real issues are with your mix and a few of the samples/chops.  Great drum edits, good bassline, bass and drums sound good together, which is the biggest key in drum n bass, obviously, so good job there.

Arrangement - 4.5
Mix/Eq - 3.0
Total Score - 7.5

see, this is an intro.  Set a stage.

guitar?  wow.  you beat me to it.  are you playing this or sampling it?

eek...

..I'm going to have a  hard time reviewing this.  It's only my taste, but I REALLY don't care for the vocal.  I can tell this person can sing, but I think the choice of key is more than questionable..

What is not only my taste, is that the high frequencies are way too loud.  I used to have this problem, but I learned after my first track submitted to this comp.  All those highs make people's ears hurt.  I don't remember who it was, somebody reviewed my track and said 'this makes my ears bleed.'  and that's what this track does to me.

Let me just clarify that I mean that sonic-wise, not taste-wise.

So...  This tune is definitely not really like anything I've heard before.  So you score major originality points I guess.

That's what makes me think I know who this is..

I really don't know what else to say.  It works perfectly in the sense that it stands in it's own place, and I'm SURE that's what you're going for, but I don't really know how to compare it to the other tracks, cause it's mixed and arranged in such a completely different way..  It's mixed more rock/pop style than electronica style..  and It's pretty clear that wasn't something you stumbled accross on purpose..

So, you're on a different curve than most of the other tracks I've reviewed here.  Where I usually judge against pro drum n bass artists/labels, I'm gonna go put this up against more electronica stuff, like prodigy/chemical bros/etc etc.  That being said,

mix/eq - 3, those highs man, those highs..
arrangement - 4, it's creative and good, but not the best I've heard.
total score - 7

okay first off, lay off the maximizer/compressor on the master channel AND the high frequencies.  Ouch.  This is another one that makes the ears bleed, frequency wise.

That being said, the arrangement here is solid.  Really nice, almost old school-ish jungly, atmospheric-ish roller business.  My only gripe on that score is that it's not exactly groundbreaking, is it?

The high hats may be too loud.  Or it's the maximizer/high frequency problem I mention above..  I'm not sure..  Breaks are good, basslines are good, and I like the atmospherics in the intro/middle, etc a lot.

Maybe too much distortion on that kick in the breakdown..  Or again the problem at the top..

While this track isn't really my style, I am familiar with tracks like it and I know what you're going for, and you've pulled it off flawlessly in terms of arrangment.  It's just a pretty bad mix, and that combined with what I think is a bitrate issue with the mp3 makes it tough to judge.  I'd love to hear it as an uncompressed file on good monitors to know for sure..

The thing is all your elements come through clearly, so I know it's mixed with itself well, but there's so much static noise and distortion on the track (I'm assuming only an issue with this mp3, not your actual track) that it's kinda difficult to listen to.

Cut to the chase,
Mix/Eq - 2.5 (based on this mp3)
Arrangement - 4.5
Total Score - 7.0

good job building tension through the intro.  I wasn't sure where it was gonna go for the first several bars.

This is more of a preference as a school of thought, but I don't think panning around your bassline is a good idea, cause you don't want only one side of your venue hearing your bass, right?  the bassline is almost gone when I listen in mono.

the tune builds beautifully.

All of your elements are coming through pretty well here, except for the kick.  There's some kind of issue there, but it's going to take some work to fix, cause a track like this won't take just any kick.   Anyway, it's a small issue.

So yeah, nice roller here.  It's arranged very well, which is a trend in this round of competition.  Mix wise there are some major phase issues with the track.  Most of them residing in the bass and drums, unless my ears are deceiving me.  I can definitely hear some sort of phase or flange on a lot of the snare hits, and I also suspect the same issue is causing the lack of the kick drum's presence.

Besides the phase (or if you prefer, 'stereo spread') issues, it's mixed well.  I can hear everything.

It's a nice uplifting tune.  I feel nice and mellow after listening to it, so I guess, thanks for that!

Arrangement - 4.0
Mix/Eq - 3.0

so I'm not the only one who tried to arrange some strings this time around!

This is pretty unique through the intro, and I like the initial bass drop.

Not so much a fan of the lead when it morphs into a piano..  It's different, but I'm just not sure that the melody works musically.  It does when it's the arpeggiated synth version, but not the piano.  Most of this files under taste though.

I love the drum edits, they're totally my style, but I would have prefferred to see you layer some more hits over them, so they're not just the classic amen sounds.  What is that through the 2nd half, the trace amen?

There's a lot of great ideas in this track, but I think it could use some more polish in the transitions, particularly the transition from the intro to the first stretch, because when the drums come in, I don't know.. they just sound a little out of place up against all the music you had up to that point.  I think it's a mix problem.

The drums could stand to be a bit more prominent in the mix, the bass overpowers them just a hair, I know it's a tough balance to reach, but you've almost got it.  In the first part with the drums, I feel like the drums need to be louder and the lead needs to be quieter..

I really enjoy the 2nd half, the part with the tramen.

To the point:  The drums need polishing/layering.   You need to layer at LEAST one more kick in there to give the kick drums more punch, and the overall breaks just need to sound cleaner.  There's also too much distortion on the main bass sound all through the 2nd half (the hard part), when I sit in perfect position, all I can hear in the center is fuzz.  there's definitely lots of noise in there.  Unless you love it the way it is, I'd reccomend rolling back some of the high frequencies on that part.  Either with a filter or an eq unit, whatever you prefer..  That way you should be able to keep the distortion but cut back on all the noise clogging up the high end.  All the synths sound pretty great, though the balance between them and the rest of the track is kinda off.

Pretty dope track, it shows you have good ideas and good skill, but ultimately I felt like it could be better.

EQ/Mix - 3.0
Arrangement - 4.0
Total Score - 7.0

so the first thing I have to say is that in today's world of Drum N Bass you just can't get away with 16-32 bars of nothing but a single break..  So the intro definitely needs work.  Way too much reverb on the drums as well.

that sounds like a bad start, but once this kicks in with the melodies, and the bassline, and the other breaks, it's a pretty cool tune..  Awesome parts anyway, but you could stand to somehow make a smoother transition between the reecey part and the guitar-ish part..  It kinda sounds like mixing 2 records together in that way.  So it's kinda cool at the same time as not working.  So yeah, obviously I'm torn on that.

I love the arrangement for the most part, besides what I've already said, but the mix and eq need a lot of work.  The parts sound decent individually, except that as before mentioned, most of them are completely saturated in reverb.  The problem is they don't feel natural when they go back and forth, it sounds kinda cookie cutter-ish.  Before you let that offend you, know that I feel like I suffer from the same problem in my own tracks.

The sub bass and the main drums go really well together, kudos for that.  I would really reccomend some filter or high pass/low pass eq work, particularly on the reece.  If you do a downward filter sweep towards the more melodic section, it'll blend better. It's about continuity I guess.  Though this as per usual kinda goes under the opinion file, so take it with a grain of salt.

I listened to this twice, and this is what I'll sum up with:

Great parts, skipping the drum intro..  I really love it from where it breaks out and on, except for the akward transitions.  GREAT work mixing the sub/drums.  Lay off the reverb.

Eq/Mix - 3.5
Arrangement - 3.0
Total Score - 6.5

first things first.  this track needs an intro.

Once it opens up, I can totally see what you're going for, and your ideas were solid.  Some of it got lost in the execution.

For starters there's hardly ANY sub.  Not in your kick, and BARELY in your bass.  I had to put my foot on my subwoofer to feel if it was doing anything.. your bassline is almost entirely coming through my 2 other speakers, as is the rest of the track.

This needs serious eq work and some clever mixing/layering, I.E, bussing your drums out to another channel with reverb or compression or something, running your bassline through 2 bussed channels, one for highs/mid highs one for mid lows/lows, etc etc..

It's a good bassline, and would definitely rock a dance floor.  I just really feel like the track was rushed and needs some more work before it's really finished.  I would strongly reccomend A/B-ing this track with a similar track by a bigger artist, say maybe gridlock or dillinja or somebody, and that will help you figure out a better format for what the track is trying to be.  It should also help you EQ wise.

I know this all sounds bad, but i do LIKE the track, so understand I'm just trying to be constructive and help you as best as I can.  If you can really really nail this tune, it would get played by all kinds of people, it's very accessable, in the DnB sense of the word.

I don't know what else to say, so I'll just get to the score:

Mix/Eq - 3
Arrangement - 3
Total Score - 6

haha, somebody call John B!!   (I mean that as a complement, just so you know.)

There's mix issues off the bat.  The drums are too far back, the low mids are too loud.

Arrangement wise, I keep waiting for it to break out, because chord progression wise, you're building a lot of tension.  It just kinda stays in one sort of state of energy however, which is frustrating for me.  I guess that's more my taste than a critique though.

It's a pretty simple track.  I would work more on the mix of your different elements.  I can hear everything, but the drums DEFINITELY need to be louder, or at least the kick and the snare do.  I would love to hear more variations in the drum programming as well.

The track kind of lacks atmosphere.  I know it's more of an electro synth kind of piece, but you can have atmosphere without a bunch of floaty pads..  The leads either need to be proccessed more, or maybe you just need the perfect reverb or something, but the whole track sounds kind of flat and lifeless, MIX wise, not arrangement wise.

Arrangement wise it's pretty good, but maybe runs a little long for what it is.  I would have liked more variations in the synth programming (or drums) or an entirely new chord progression somewhere in the track, just to make it more interesting to sit through.

Sounds solid in mono, bonus there.

I can hear everything, but there are only these few elements, so that doesn't help you much.  I really think the low mids need to come down, and the drums need to come up, like I said.  Sounds like you were really into the synths when you did your mixdown, or you didn't do a mix down at all, you just arranged it and exported it..  I'm not sure which.

Anyway, here's the bottom line:

Mix/EQ - 3.0
Arrangement - 3.0
Total Score - 6