Sorry for the delay! Enjoy your 7.0s and 6.5s
---ROUND 5 RESULTS---Ariich - Caravan PalaceI like the “electro”, dunno about the “swing”.I knew a bit about Caravan Palace prior to this because an ex-partner of mine really enjoyed them, though in terms of actual songs I only really remember Lone Digger, and that’s mostly just because of the music video for it. Their fusion of modern electronic beats and early-1900s swing instrumentation seemed novel, but not something that had me all that excited as I’m very indifferent towards all things “old-timey”. That’s pretty much my thoughts on these two songs. Clash has a pretty killer electronic beat; that bassline goes hard as hell and the thick kicks and snares compliment it quite well. The old-timey samples here, while I’m still pretty indifferent to them, aren’t too distracting and the more subtle ones succeed in adding a lot of texture to the production, which works well. I also really like that horn solo after the first break. It’s a short song, but it’s really fun while it’s on and it doesn’t overstay its welcome at all.
Star Scat I’m much more lukewarm on. The groove here is a bit too laid-back for me; I much prefer the energy and intensity that Clash had. The robotic scat vocals are… well, just that. I don’t get much enjoyment from them and it doesn’t help that the production usually gets stripped back a lot when they show up to give them more attention. There are some parts of the song I like though, namely the string-focused sections between the scatting and the nice classical guitar solo towards the end. All things considered though, this feels a bit like a novelty track to me and not one I have much desire to revisit. I can definitely see the appeal behind this group but I’m not sure how much I’d enjoy the rest of their stuff considering how indifferent I am about the core concept behind their sound.
Clash: 7.0
Star Scat: 6.0
The Walrus - ATTLASFeels a bit basic compared to most of the stuff you’ve sent me thus far.I’m gonna break my usual structure here and talk about the second song first. Seabreeze feels very in-line with a lot of your past submissions; it’s chill, spacey, ethereal, and a pretty good tune overall. A lot of it revolves around these bright, delayed synth melodies, and they all sound very pretty. The tempo here is a bit faster than most songs that go for this chill of a vibe, which makes it stand out a bit. My biggest compliment about this song is its flow though; the progression has numerous peaks and valleys that are incredibly subtle but keep the song interesting throughout, and introduce different periods of intensity without compromising the delicate atmosphere of the whole thing. Very nice song.
I talked about Seabreeze first because I really don’t have much to say about Ryat; it’s probably the most basic, inoffensive-but-uninteresting song you’ve sent thus far. It’s very repetitive, based around a single synth melody that isn’t engaging or enjoyable enough to warrant as much attention as it gets. I could see this working if the song had more of a ramp-up in intensity, but apart from a few quick breaks where the instrumentation briefly cuts back, it feels very static throughout. If this song were longer it’d probably bother me, but as-is it kinda just comes and goes so there’s not much I can really blast it for.
Ryat: 6.0
Seabreeze: 7.0
Puppies_On_Acid - The AlgorithmThis should be right up my alley, but I’ll have to see how well these songs hold up over repeated listens.I came across this project earlier when I was looking for more artists that fused electronic and metal elements, but I don’t remember getting much out of what I previously heard, and after listening to these two songs I’m still left a bit cold. The sound and aesthetic here is very cool and futuristic, and I’d usually be interested in electronic projects that utilize distorted guitars and are this rhythmically-complex, but unfortunately I don’t think either of those elements are done very well here. Trojans showcases my complaints much more prominently, as this song bothers me with how little structure and how few memorable sections it has. There’s very little in the way of hooks, and a lot of the more complex sections just seem disorienting and technical for the sake of it, especially towards the end. The guitar here is also very uninteresting, as it sounds like it literally only ever plays a single note. I like djent, but that’s going a bit far. The only section here I really enjoy is the brief section after the “connection established” sample, which has more of a solid beat to it and a pretty cool synth guitar riff. Apart from that it’s a very unmemorable song, and the super-abrupt ending really doesn’t do it any favors either.
The second song dials back the technicality a good amount and opts for a more straightforward beat throughout most of it, which I enjoy a lot more. It’s still a bit lacking in memorable sections and the djent-y guitar here still feels poorly-utilized, but the song’s a lot less grating to listen to. It also gets a bit better in the middle when that ominous droning guitar comes in, which then gets supported with this really hard beat that’s quite technical, but still grooves pretty well. The spooky chimes in the background here are also a really nice touch. There’s not much of a climax to the song after this point, but it does ramp down smoothly and the ending doesn’t feel too abrupt. Overall, I’m a bit disappointed in this artist, as I should really enjoy the different elements being fused here. But like some faulty code that doesn’t work properly during runtime, the execution feels a bit botched.
Trojans: 5.5
ピタゴラスPYTHAGORAS: 6.5
Cyril - Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, James McAlisterI’ve been curious about this project for a while, and yeah, this will likely be one of the most interesting submissions this round.I’m a sucker for projects like The Color Spectrum, The Alchemy Index, and this where different “things” in a series (colors, elements, planets) are represented musically, especially when there are pretty substantial differences between each representation. The two songs here do sound pretty similar though, so I’m not sure how much they really commit to that concept. Regardless, the sound here is very spacey and cosmic, as one would expect. Both songs are also quite long and adventurous. Jupiter starts out with a repetitive drum groove with some really gentle, spacey vocals, and I like how this first part of the song gradually builds into a sort of mini-crescendo, which then drops into a really pretty and cinematic-sounding orchestral section. This part’s probably the highlight of the song for me. The second half has some pretty strong vocal melodies, though I’m not a huge fan of the heavy vocoder effects on the vocals here, especially when the vocals get strained during the high notes. This eventually culminates in a cool electronic breakdown and some very climactic horns, which end the song on a high note. This is a very dynamic and interesting song, and even though there were a few parts I wasn’t too keen on, they don’t hurt the piece as a whole too much.
Mars has a lot of the same strengths as Jupiter; it’s incredibly varied and there are some parts that are very enjoyable, especially when guitar is utilized. The playful guitar melody at the start is very whimsical and works well with the electronic percussion, and I also really enjoy the quiet break before the climax at the end. On the more negative side, those distorted, heavily-vocoded vocals make a return in the first half, and while the orchestral section in the middle provides an interesting and evocative interlude, it’s also a bit on the formless side and feels somewhat disconnected from the rest of the song. The climax of the song isn’t super bombastic, but it does wrap things up nicely and the vocal melodies here do sound quite grand. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as Jupiter but it’s still one of the more unique-sounding things I’ve gotten this roulette. Neither of these tracks really wowed me, but I still might check out this album based on the elements here and there that I did really enjoy.
Jupiter: 7.0
Mars: 6.5
Sacul - FloexInteresting mix of sounds. One of the songs here didn’t do much for me on the first listen but I’m enjoying the other.Precious Creature was easily the biggest grower this round, maybe even of the whole roulette. I still don’t love it, but I went from being mostly negative about it to mostly positive. I think the mix of sounds soured my initial impressions of it, because the combination of the glitchy electronic beats and the smooth, jazzy clarinet playing is quite unusual and strange. With repeated listens though, it started to make more and more sense. The main arpeggio performed by the clarinet throughout most of the song melds with the electronic instrumentation quite well, and it actually starts to sound like a synth after a while, especially when some reverb gets thrown on top of it. There’s also a lot of nice variations in the clarinet lines that didn’t immediately stick out to me. The second half of the song is where things really come together though; we get a more spacey break which builds up into the final verse super well, and the verse itself has this really cool 6-against-4 polyrhythm between the clarinets and the rest of the instruments. I also have to mention the vocals here, as the vocalist gives a great performance and the melodies fit her voice very nicely. We even get a nice, gentle saxophone solo at the end! I actually really like this song; the sound is unlike anything I’ve heard before and the execution doesn’t really have any flaws. It’s a bit outside of what I think I’d normally listen to, but I’ve certainly warmed up to it and might grow to enjoy it even more in the future.
Prelude I, on the other hand, I enjoyed pretty much immediately. The clarinets from Precious Creature have been substituted for more of an orchestral sound, which may be a bit less unique, but the resulting sound feels just as surprisingly natural. The song has a really melancholy and dreary vibe to it, but it’s quite beautiful regardless. The deep bass synths in the intro feel almost dystopian, and looking into the concept of this record that’s quite fitting; the song really does feel like leaving the city at the end of an exhausting work day as the sun sets, trying not to think about how trapped and desensitized you feel. It’s such an evocative and emotional atmosphere. A few minutes into the song we get a piano break which is just stunningly beautiful, after which the rest of the song becomes an intense and extended build-up and you all should know how much I enjoy those. It’s done really well here, and while this part might not be my favorite part of the song, that’s just a testament to how great the song is as a whole. I’m kind of loving it, actually. It’s unquestionably the best song of the round, and I really want to listen to the rest of the album it comes from. I’m enjoying this artist way more than I originally expected to, so thank you for sending them.
Precious Creature: 7.5
Prelude I: 8.5
+ 1 = 9.5Shadow Ninja 2.0 - HomestuckFirst song sounds like Undertale music, second song is… I don’t even know. I’m liking this way more than I should.I’m still not exactly sure what Homestuck is about, other than it has quite a rabid fanbase and apparently has some pretty dope music made for it. Sburban Jungle just feels like a pretty solid video game tune, with a lot of energy and a good focus on melody. The piano melodies and chord progressions are the clear star of the show here, but the looping synth line in the background and the subtle synth arpeggios are quite nice as well. There’s one moment in particular just after two minutes in with this excellent piano melody that really does it for me. If there’s one problem with the song though, it’s that the mixing is kinda shit. I don’t mind the low-fi MIDI instruments, but all of the cool synth arpeggio / solo stuff going on the background just gets completely drowned out by the piano and percussion. The song’s sparse enough that I can still mostly tell what’s going on if I really listen for it, but I wish the balance between the instruments wasn’t so lopsided. Still a cool song though; I dig it.
Now let’s talk about Pumpkin Party In Sea Hitler’s Water Apocalypse, a completely normal song with a completely normal name. The production values seem a bit higher here for starters; no problems with the mix or anything. The main melody is catchy as hell, but what surprised me is how many subtle instrumental nuances are thrown in throughout. There’s some plucky banjo, some nice guitar in the background, what sounds like an… air raid siren at points? And I’d be remiss not to mention those excellent HOOs and HAs going on. So yeah, this is a very silly song, but in a good way. It’s ridiculous, but not corny, and it definitely sounds like a lot of care and effort was put into it. And that main melody’s going to be stuck in my head for weeks to come, for sure.
Sburban Jungle: 6.5
Pumpkin Party In Sea Hitler’s Water Apocalypse: 7.0
Elite - Boards Of CanadaThere’s some (ORANGE) nice basslines and (ORANGE) pleasant vibes (ORANGE) here.Dayvan Cowboy feels like a nice summer road trip, which is refreshing considering we’re stuck in the dead of winter right now and everything’s dark, cold, and depressing. I like the warm, hazy guitar that starts things off, and there’s lots of subtle, atmospheric layers permeating the entire song… reminds me a bit of Richard Barbieri’s keyboard work in Porcupine Tree. The sound gets a lot more layered and enveloping towards the end of the song, with louder guitars, more synth soundscapes, and some nice chopped-up live drums. It’s a very full and enveloping sound, but it remains warm and delicate. Great atmosphere all-around. The song structure’s pretty simple, but that’s totally fine here.
Aquarius is a bit stranger, but I also like it. The first thing that jumps out to me is how groovy that bassline is. I also really like the background synth / sample that sounds like a slowed-down horn melody; it’s haunting, yet still somewhat warm and comforting. If there’s one thing about the (ORANGE) song I’m not all that sold on it’s (ORANGE) the samples. They’re pretty (ORANGE) strange and somewhat (YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT) distracting. Still, the atmosphere here is unique enough and the groove is enjoyable enough that I still like the song despite the weird samples and the repetitive structure. Interesting songs for sure, and I’m sure this artist has more that I would enjoy.
Dayvan Cowboy: 7.0
Aquarius: 6.5
Romdrums - Venetian SnaresThis has some of the elements I really enjoyed about your last two submissions, though it seems a bit lacking in memorable moments.You seem to be my top supplier of IDM and breakcore this roulette, and I can’t say I’m complaining. Compared to Squarepusher and even Aphex Twin though, these songs are a lot more intense, which is mostly a good thing. Szerencsétlen certainly goes hard as hell with the breakbeats, and the tense, dramatic strings match the nervous energy of the percussion pretty well. There’s some synths that come in towards the end, but for the most part it’s just strings and percussion, which works fine enough, though I wish there were a few more elements thrown in there. The percussion gets super glitchy and stuttery as the song hits its climax, and while this does ramp up the intensity quite a lot, it does get a bit too noisy and obnoxious for me.
Koonut-Kaliffee is considerably more well-rounded in my opinion, and very much a banger. It takes a while to get going, but once that mean bassline comes in around the halfway point, it’s all quality. The vocal sample (which is apparently from Star Trek) actually works quite well and is a great match for the song’s sinister atmosphere. Like with the previous song, this gets quite intense towards the end, but a lot of that comes from the bassline and the synths this time around, as opposed to just the percussion. The slow start does hold the song back a little bit, but I still love the production and the crazy energy. Pretty cool stuff.
Szerencsétlen: 6.5
Koonut-Kaliffee: 7.0
Evermind - EnigmaHell yeah, let’s get weird with it.I’m definitely digging this a lot more than your past few submissions, which I certainly wasn’t expecting from an artist that uses beatboxing as the primary form of percussion for one of their songs. Seven Lives is a weird, weird track, but it somehow works really well. The strings are very dramatic and cool, and I can’t say I was expecting this type of vocals in a song like this. The vocalist certainly has some pipes, and he delivers his lines with a lot of personality. “Personality” is the key word here I think; between the vocals, the strings, and the beatboxing, it’s hard not to find a combination this unorthodox endearing when the end result actually sounds good.
The Alchemist dials down the quirkiness quite a bit, but it still has a very cool, unique atmosphere. I’m a sucker for synth choirs like this, not gonna lie. They sound super chilling and spooky. The beat is nice and thick, with a lot of subtle layers, and the chunky distorted guitar sample beefs it up quite a bit. The atmosphere as a whole sits on this strange line between gothic and alien, and it’s really quite captivating. These were some very cool and interesting songs, so I’m glad you haven’t thrown in the towel yet!
Seven Lives: 7.0
The Alchemist: 7.0
---STANDINGS---1: Ariich - 71.5
1: Sacul - 71.5
3: The Walrus - 70
4: Cyril - 68.5
5: Puppies_On_Acid - 68
6: Shadow Ninja 2.0 - 67.5
7: Elite - 66
7: Romdrums - 66
9: Evermind - 62.5
---ARTISTS BANNED THIS ROUND---Floex
Enigma
Hell yeah middle of the road. Time for something completely different now that I'm not gonna win this 
things that have aged poorly
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Topic: Buddyhunter1's ELECTRONIC ROULETTE (v5) - FINAL RESULTS!!! (Read 26511 times)