BOOM, how's it feel to have quick rounds in a roulette again?
---ROUND 1 RESULTS---Puppies_On_Acid: Amon TobinAt first I was like : |
But then I was like : )
I really like that effect where they take the sound of a cymbal, chop off the transient, then pitch shift / pan it around to create industrial “hissing” sounds. Gotta write that one down.
This one had me a bit concerned at first. The first song here, Bridge, is incredibly jazzy, almost solely comprised of chopped up and manipulated recordings of acoustic drums and bass. It’s edited to the point where an actual band would have a very hard time reproducing it, but I’m not much of a jazz guy and I definitely prefer my electronic music to have a futuristic vibe to it, rather than making me think of the early 1900s. Thankfully, this song gets better as it goes along. The claps that come in around halfway through improve the beat a lot, and the greater prominence of spacey electronic effects in the second half is very welcome.
Four Ton Mantis is much, much better. There’s still some old-school sampled instruments here, but the atmosphere is far more industrial and futuristic, almost alien. And god damn is the percussion on this song awesome. That boomy, thick drum beat just goes hard as hell, and the way the cymbals are edited and mixed up throughout the track is executed super well. I think my only complaint here is that the first switch-up a minute in where that strange piano melody enters is a bit jarring, but when the percussion comes back in it’s much better. It was hard picking between this song and another one later on as my favorite of the round, but I ended up giving this one a slight nod because of how cool and interesting the production is. Bridge isn’t really my thing, but if this guy has more songs like this, I’m on board.
Bridge:
6.0Four Ton Mantis:
8.0 + 1 = 9.0Elite: RadioheadThis is an artist I’ve continuously failed to “get”, but at least one of my usual issues with them is less prominent on these songs.
It’s a bit funny hearing one of the biggest bands in the world not bothering to cut out that little popping sound when you loop an audio clip without adding a tiny crossfade.
I’ll just come out and say it - I don’t get Radiohead. For all the universal acclaim they get, the aesthetics they utilize, and how many of my favorite artists clearly take inspiration from them, you’d think I’d enjoy them more. I’ve certainly tried. I’ve listened to OK Computer, Kid A, In Rainbows, and part of A Moon Shaped Pool, but through all that there’s really only been a couple songs that I can say I fully enjoy, like Videotape and How To Disappear Completely. I think my struggle with them boils down to two main things. Firstly, I really don’t like Thom Yorke as a vocalist. His high-pitched, whiny delivery almost always comes across as either annoying or just plain unremarkable. He’s not too bad on these songs, but still not that enjoyable to me. Secondly, and this is what confuses me the most… they just feel so flavorless so much of the time. Lotus Flower is a good example of this. This song just feels like wallpaper to me. There’s definitely a chill vibe here, but the production is so sparse and basic that there’s nothing for me to resonate with. Not much in the way of memorable melodies or cool-sounding instruments either. Myxomatosis is better, but still not all that engaging to me. The synth bass riff is quite good, but I wish they did more with it. It never really changes throughout the song, and I’m not the biggest fan of the farty synth it’s being played on. The dissonant synths that appear after the first chorus are the strongest part of the song for me; they really enhance the atmosphere and they provide the biggest sense of rising tension, as all the other instruments are so static throughout the whole thing. Maybe I’m just not a big fan of minimalism, but both of these songs feel too sterile and underdeveloped to me, and that’s something I’ve noticed with a lot of this band’s music.
Myxomatosis:
6.0Lotus Flower:
5.5Cyril: The WeekndPretty simple production and compositions, but quite nice.
The vocals kinda remind me of Owl City. Am I going to get sent Owl City in this roulette?This is definitely some synthpop, alright. The production is nice; it definitely gives a very warm, comforting vibe on both songs. Hardest To Love has some really great synth vocals hanging around in the background and just dripping with reverb. The increase in energy from the drum beats and especially the sub bass during the choruses works really well. Blinding Lights kicks up the tempo somewhat and is more upbeat, though it’s still quite spacey and I wish it had a bit more energy behind it. This one has a much heavier 80’s vibe to it, which I could take or leave, but I do really like those quick bursts of fast, fluttery synth runs that pop up here and there, and the main synth melody is quite catchy. The vocals are okay; dreamy and smooth, but not a style I usually go for. On the whole these songs might just lean a tad too far into pop territory for my tastes, especially Hardest To Love, but they’re nice while they’re on.
Hardest To Love:
6.5Blinding Lights:
6.5Ariich - Ed HarrisonPretty close.
How the hell does the soundtrack to a Counter-Strike mod end up being two and a half hours long?As you said in your submission message, these songs attempt to balance being both energetic and atmospheric, two qualities I really look for in this kind of music. While they’re not the strongest in either department, these songs do strike a good middle ground and they have lots of elements I really enjoy. Tachi is definitely the weaker of the two; while there’s a good dynamic contrast here between the more low-key sections and the bombastic loud parts, it’s still a bit too repetitive for my liking, as the melodies pretty much remain the same throughout the entire song. The vocal samples contribute towards the atmosphere quite well here, but I just wish they were used in a more interesting melody.
Neotokyo Labs, on the other hand, is easily one of the best songs of the round. It keeps the dynamic contrast of Tachi, but the atmosphere here persists through both the calm and loud sections, created through some really great piano and synth work. I like the higher tempo and the use of breakbeats here; energy-wise this song is still a bit chill for my standards, but that’s not really a problem for what the song’s going for. I love how this song builds, continuously adding new layers and increasing in intensity while still alternating between louder and quieter sections. And man, that melody that comes in around the four minute mark is just heavenly. You’re certainly on the right track here, so I’m interested to hear what you have for me in later rounds!
Tachi:
6.5Neotokyo Labs:
8.0
Evermind - PortisheadOne of these songs resonated with me more upon revisiting it here, though I’m still not sure if this artist is really my thing.
Why the hell was I hearing “this road” instead of “this wrong” this entire time? “How can it feel this road” doesn’t even make any sense.I was already somewhat familiar with this group, as I got Glory Box in a previous roulette and Roads was covered by Ihsahn on his most recent EP. My first impression still holds true here; I think this is done quite well for what it is, but it’s not really what I’m looking for. Out of all the submissions this round, this is definitely cutting it the closest to not being electronic enough. I gave it a pass because it’s trip-hop and I’m sure there’s a lot of sampling and looping going on, but if you had an actual band with the necessary instruments performing these songs, I don’t think there’s much they wouldn’t be able to reproduce perfectly, which should be a big red flag for this roulette. And to reiterate what I said in the Amon Tobin write-up, I like my electronic music to sound futuristic, not retro. In other words, I want cyberpunk, not steampunk!
As for the songs themselves however, they’re pretty good. Sour Times has some very memorable vocal melodies and the swanky guitars play off of them quite well. The outro is also kinda cool, though I may have just been happy to finally hear something that sounds like an actual electronic effect! This version of Roads is definitely better than the Ihsahn cover I think, largely due to the vocalist being a much better fit here. Her performance is delicate, evocative, and very emotional. The entire song has a very strong, melancholic mood to it, but the incredible strings during the bridge just elevate that vibe to a whole other level. I might give this full album a listen at some point, as I know it’s considered a classic and I definitely got some enjoyment out of these songs, but for this roulette I’d highly recommend fast-forwarding the aesthetics by a century or two. That’s not to say you can’t submit trip-hop; Massive Attack’s Mezzanine is very futuristic-sounding to me, so if you’ve got more stuff like that, feel free to send it my way!
Sour Times:
6.5Roads:
7.0Sacul - Depeche ModeThe difference in production style between these two songs is pretty substantial, though they still sound like they’re from the same artist. I’m enjoying the second one more.
Wow, Pure Reason Revolution just completely stole one of the synth melodies here and put it in their song Over The Top. It’s literally the exact same thing!I said to myself somewhat-recently that I should look into this group, so this is timely! Given how much I enjoy Ulver’s The Assasination Of Julius Caesar and some of Gorillaz’s recent new wave-inspired output, I feel like I’m overdue checking out some actual classic new wave / synthpop groups, and Depeche Mode is definitely one of the biggest ones from what I can tell. My final thoughts on these two songs are a bit different than what my first impressions would suggest. While I do enjoy the fuller, less raw production style on Precious, World In My Eyes is a bit better from a songwriting perspective and I’ve come to really enjoy the production on it too. It does sound a bit sparse and raw, but the space between the instruments does create a really cool, dark atmosphere, and there’s a really good attention to detail here. There’s lots of nice background elements and good uses of effects like reversing. This song’s also funky as hell; I enjoy the bass groove, the percussion pops real nice, and those little blippy synth notes are the cherry on top. Fantastic vocal melodies, too. The fade-out at the end kinda sucks but apart from that I don’t have any real issues here.
While the melodies and grooves on Precious aren’t quite as good, this is still an enjoyable song. The production here is a bit thicker and more enveloping, which I enjoy. There’s a particularly awesome bit after the second chorus with a synth solo and what sounds like a really dirty, processed electric guitar. It’s a very cathartic moment and I really enjoy more abrasive textures in electronic music when they’re utilized well. I’ll probably check these guys out more in the future!
World In My Eyes:
7.5Precious:
7.0The Walrus - CHVRCHES
There’s a good foundation here, but something’s missing. These might grow on me but my first listen was a bit disappointing.
One of the vocal melodies here reminds me of that “we found love in a hopeless place” song that I kept hearing like five years ago. I don’t know who that song is even by but I hope nobody sends them.Like with The Weeknd, this is more poppy than what I’d usually listen to, but these songs resonate with me a little bit more for a few reasons. Both songs here have a really bright, vibrant, and summer-y atmosphere that gives me a good feeling inside. I also like the vocalist more here; she definitely has some standout moments here and there, especially during the chorus for Leave A Trace. Clearest Blue starts with a good buildup that takes up the whole first half of the song. I love that three-note descending melody that keeps looping and gradually building in intensity. Unfortunately, the drop here is kinda disappointing. The second half of the song feels pretty understated, sparse, and very repetitive. Good build, but poor payoff in my opinion. Leave A Trace is better in pretty much every department. It’s more structurally satisfying and those choruses are really catchy and powerful. I also really like that processed vocal sample that keeps popping up in the background. This definitely wasn’t my favorite submission of the round and my first impressions were a bit subpar, but in the end I think I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would.
Clearest Blue:
6.5Leave A Trace:
7.5Romdrums - BurialSome solid vibes, but I’d suggest sending stuff a bit more dynamic than this.
I was surprised to see that the song that sounds at least a decade older than the other one was actually released afterwards.I don’t have all that much to say about these. I think my first impression pretty much sums it up: I really wish these were more dynamic. Street Halo in particular just feels like background music to me. It’s very repetitive, and despite being the longest song this round, there’s very, very little going on. I think the only moment in it that stands out to me is the melancholy keyboard melody that appears at the very end. This could maybe work for me if the atmosphere was really captivating, but even that feels very understated and muted. Raver is a bit better, but still not something I find that engaging. The atmosphere’s a bit stronger here, and it’s not as long, so that’s nice. The delay that’s on that marimba/xylophone-like instrument in the right channel is a bit much though. I’d recommend pivoting to something more song-oriented and dynamic for future rounds.
Street Halo:
5.0Raver:
6.0Shadow Ninja 2.0 - The BrowningThis is pretty cheesy even for this style’s standards.
Between the terrible band name and both Attila and Emmure showing up in the “Fans Also Like” section, there’s some serious cursed energy going on here.I think I’m just going to talk about the two songs separately here because my feelings on them are very different. The first song, Pure Evil, is kind of a mess. What we’ve got here are some electronic synths that sound like they were ripped straight out of the Crypt Of The Necrodancer soundtrack, mixed with some pretty meat-and-potatoes metalcore guitars and harsh vocals. The vocals are my biggest complaint here; dear lord are they cheesy as hell within the context of this instrumentation. The metal instrumentation is also really basic and it doesn’t feel like there was much effort taken trying to blend it with the synths elegantly. Celldweller is a pretty obvious comparison here, but that artist does a much better job at heavily manipulating the guitars and drums to give them a synthetic quality and choosing tones that more seamlessly integrate them with all the electronic production. There’s a few glitchy edits on the guitars and vocals here, but the metal and electronic elements still mix like oil and water to me. There’s a few moments here and there that I somewhat enjoy, and the song is certainly memorable, but as a whole I really don’t think it’s very good.
Skybreaker isn’t perfect either, but by comparison it might as well be. The merging of the synths and metal elements feels far less awkward here, likely helped by the fact that the metal elements have been toned way back. There’s still some distorted guitars and thunderous drums, but they’re mostly just there to make the loud parts of the song sound as massive as possible, and they definitely succeed in that department. The quieter verses also make these loud sections hit even harder. The melodies are also much better here; they’re pretty simple, but they’re catchy and utilized well enough. The vocals still have some issues though; they’re barely audible in the verses, and I really wish they actually recorded a separate take for the final chorus that’s in a different key, rather than pitch-shifting the vocals up with an incredibly obvious chipmunk effect. I still enjoy this song though, and if I heard it by itself without Pure Evil I’d probably be in more of a rush to explore this artist further.
Pure Evil:
5.5Skybreaker:
7.5---STANDINGS---1: Puppies_On_Acid - 15
2: Ariich - 14.5
2: Sacul - 14.5
4: The Walrus - 14
5: Evermind - 13.5
6: Cyril - 13
6: Shadow Ninja 2.0 - 13
8: Elite - 11.5
9: Romdrums - 11
---ARTISTS BANNED THIS ROUND---Amon Tobin
Ed Harrison
Depeche Mode
Send for Round 2! Hopefully you have a better idea of what to send now, or you're able to land another hit!