Battle of the beatz 2007 - I: reviews by Contayjen

Ultrafunkiller by DJ Ruffneck: 206 - Ruffneck

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2007-04-22 13:27.

206 - Ruffneck Ultrafunkiller Remix - Damn, this is the first tune I'm reviewing and its set the standard incredibly high...Now this tune has professional and commercial vibe to it.  The mix is sweet, the arrangement works for dj mixing, the vibe is 100% dancefloor.  My only possible complaint would possibly be that its too commercial and formulaic, I can imagine it might be perceived as a bit cheesy by some, but djs will buy this tune, so what the fuck do I know? Clear winner imo


Non-Locality by ruffian: 208 - Mix sounds sharp right

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2007-04-22 13:22.

208 - Mix sounds sharp right from the start....sounds like its gonna be a hard and dark one.  The drop doesn't let it down, nice.  That distorted kick build is pretty cool.  Amazing sounds in this one, a good mix of flithy synths.  The arrangement however seems slightly random to me from the 3min or so mark, chopping and changing and using half-tempo from 4 min.  However, the mix is phat with power where its needed in the drums.  In my top two.


Cho Re-Interpretation by Decklyn: 205 - Sweet vibes and

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2007-04-22 13:26.

205 - Sweet vibes and atmospheres in this one.  The drums could do with a touch more volume or weight or layered main hits but the reece/synth action is pretty tasty.  Not exactly dancefloor material perhaps unless its the chillout room, rather too intelligent for that.  I'm impressed with the filter modulation on that main reece.  In my top three.


Future Robot Funk by Bluntman: 202 - Nice pads and smooth

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2007-04-22 13:13.

202 - Nice pads and smooth liquid vibe to this track.  The arrangment is alright but this tune is gagging for some vocals or another lead element on it.  The mix is pretty tight with good levels but there is still room for improvement on getting the most out of the individual elements.  The drum pattern gets a bit repetitve.


Nightmares by Noctuary: 207 - Nightmares - Sounds

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2007-04-22 13:17.

207 - Nightmares - Sounds pretty dark from the off.  This track has a lot of things going for it in the but it never quite lifts off like I want it to.  The drums don't quite smack it for me, even after some decent buildups.  Either more layers, better sample selection or more aggressive processing are needed.  There are some good sounds and samples chosen but they aren't too cleanly mixed, making it a bit muddy.  Good atmospheres and synths though.  Seems slightly long.


Human Race by Contact Lost: 209 - Human Race - This

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2007-04-22 13:29.

209 - Human Race - This track has a lot of promise but doesn't quite deliver just yet.  Musically its got a lot going for it, but the mix and arrangment need some work.  The drums are slightly on the light side and the synths are maybe too dominant, lovely though they are.  Its also a little on the short side, making it seem half finished.  No problem with anything in it so far but with a bit more work this could be a really great track.


Control by Harikiri: 204 - Harikari Control - The

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2007-04-22 13:24.

204 - Harikari Control - The drums in this lack weight and the sub is also very quiet.  Overall the rhythm section lacks something and the mix sounds quite 2-dimensional.  I'm not really keen on that repetitive high-end synth either.  The vibe is dark and slightly mechanical and has a grainy thinness to it.  The arrangment works but there is probably room for more variation.