PhonoBrainer Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 (edited) Hello travellers. Arrangement is altered, mix is retweaked, piano is rethought . . . many thanks for any comments or suggestions! Or Soundcloud: Edited April 4, 2019 by emeraldsoul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Oister Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 Hey, Tom, This is a little different from your usual stuff, but it's a really cool fusion of a couple of different genres rolled up into a pretty wild piece of music!? I really like the synth work and sounds used, the way it builds up elements from the intro was great, and when the piano melody kicks in it sounds amazing. I also like the changing guitar sounds from acoustic to power to the bouncy clean section with the synth background. The sound effects were a nifty way to really keep things interesting as the song progressed. What piano did you use on this, it sounds great? I'm on my second listen. The mix sounds crystal clear, punchy and nice and wide on my system, and pretty much right on the money for Electronic. Very interesting and cool stuff, brother, excellent work!? Have a good one! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPAK Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 Love the start, makes the listener wait in anticipation, bass line is killer .. then the piano ( which could do with a little more treble and widening IMO) . With the staccato guitar and Afro beat it's very clever way of bringing in the vocal, it's at this point it sort of looses traction for me, maybe because I don't understand what is being said and I feel the whole song was building up to this .... That said there's a lot of work here and I like it ... Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Jarvis Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 TechnoNewAgeJazz...very cool mix of styles! The piano really elevates this, I enjoy your work Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMaartian Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 Love it! Sounded even better routed through my monitors. Would love to hear the original .wav version! The vocals start out very YMO-ish! Cool! And there are a couple of other Ryuichi Sakamoto-like moments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnbee58 Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Different for you. You've switched from quiet ambient to electronic dance. The languages of the people talking/singing sound like different nationalities but I guess that's what the title means. Interesting. Good mix and feel. ?John B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhonoBrainer Posted March 20, 2019 Author Share Posted March 20, 2019 SPAK - thanks, and good call on the piano, I had another whack at it. More predelay helps it cut through a little better. John B, thanks for the listen, and yes - I don't travel much myself so I was trying to in this song. Pathetic, probably! John Maar, many thanks indeed! I will check out YMO - what is that acronym standing for these days? And yes, the .wav is hellishly better. More resolution when you crank it up . . . Cookie J - cool, glad you liked it . . . made a video for it . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Wilson Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 Tom, this is a terrific song, and it shows another side to your multi-faceted talent. I'm going to listen to this from time to time just to clear my head. Always inspirational... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garybrun Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 HI Tom. I liked it. Didnt think the snare was to loud. I agree about widening and slightly thickening the piano a little bit more. On my Focals Trios there seems a lot more space to fit it in. Like the way at 2.52+ your panning of the drum... different. ? Dont think the synth bass is taking up too much room... I would like to give it a little more oomph. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMaartian Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 22 hours ago, emeraldsoul said: ... John Maar, many thanks indeed! I will check out YMO - what is that acronym standing for these days? And yes, the .wav is hellishly better. More resolution when you crank it up . . . ... Yellow Magic Orchestra Start with their first album "Yellow Magic Orchestra". From Wikipedia: Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) are a Japanese electronic music band formed in Tokyo in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono (bass, keyboards, vocals), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums, lead vocals) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards, vocals).[2] The group is considered influential and innovative in the field of popular electronic music.[2][5] They were pioneers in their use of synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, drum machines, computers, and digital recording technology in popular music,[2][6][7] and effectively anticipated the "electropop boom" of the 1980s.[8] They are credited with playing a key role in the development of several electronic genres, including synthpop, J-pop, electro, and techno, while exploring subversive sociopolitical themes throughout their career.[9] YMO was initially conceived by Hosono as a one-off exploration of computerized exotica and parody of Western conceptions of the orient. The three members were veterans of the music industry before coming together as YMO, and were inspired by eclectic sources, including the electronic music of Isao Tomita and Kraftwerk, Japanese traditional music, arcade games, funk music, and the disco productions of Giorgio Moroder. They released the surprise global hit "Computer Game" in 1978, reaching the UK Top 20 and selling 400,000 copies in the US. For their early recordings and performances, the band was often accompanied by programmer Hideki Matsutake.[10] The group would release several albums before pausing their activity in 1984. They have briefly reunited several times in subsequent decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegaltieribrothers Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Hi Tom, Great eclectic electronic track which I enjoyed very much. Thanks for sharing. Good Job! regards paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPAK Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 (edited) On 3/20/2019 at 12:17 AM, emeraldsoul said: SPAK - thanks, and good call on the piano, I had another whack at it. More predelay helps it cut through a little better. Wow ! That's the way, love the snappy kick and the piano works soo .... well, all of it works ... it's like a different song ....gonna be one of me favs Edited March 21, 2019 by SPAK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMaartian Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 ^^^ +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amiller Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Awesome! Very creative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhonoBrainer Posted March 25, 2019 Author Share Posted March 25, 2019 amiller - many thanks for the listen! SPAK - I made even more moves on the piano, and hopefully didn't take steps backwards. Thanks again! Galiteri Paul - glad you enjoyed the listen, thanks again . . . Gary Brun - good ideas, I tried to work on it and hopefully didn't polish the turd too much! Thanks! JMaar - Thanks you so much for the education on YMO. Glad I didn't know them when I was going to college, I might never have made it through. Too much fun! I liked their disco stuff the best. Glad to know them, thanks! Lynn - we are brothers then, because this kind of groove stuff clears my head, too. The Empty-Headed Brothers - yet another awesome band name. Appreciate the listen and the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjornpdx Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Tom, I saw Dar Es Salaam in the title and thought maybe I could steal some Afro beats for my own project. ? The German conversation at the beginning reminds me of foreign airports where the locals start talking loudly as soon as the English translation begins on the PA. Anyway.. Interesting concept, changing styles as one travels to another part of the world. Really liked the background sounds going on - perfect, especially accompanying the piano which was so expressive. Kinda wish it was longer with more styles blending in as you travel onward, maybe some Italian, then Egyptian, then eastern Africa.. Great job on this. Loved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daryl1968 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 that piano is beautiful Tom - really nice. I like the Talking Heads rhythm guitar over the ethnic beat. Lots of nice changes throughout to keep the listener engaged. The 6 minutes flew past and I never got bored. I didn't realise you could rap in Swahili. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas Kirby Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 This is a cool composition - something about the piano in the mix - I'm not sure what - it just didn't sit right in the mix. I got into the groove of the song - I enjoyed the listen. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kakku Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Very good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhonoBrainer Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 (edited) Kakku - thanks much, nice to see you back on the forum! DKirby - yes, I agree about the piano, and since then I have switched out four different pianos (Yamaha, Bosendorfer, Bechstein) and finally landed on a Steinway D. Plus as many reverbs. I'm still not satisfied but it's better than it was. I think. Pianos are very particular with reverbs and not all of them play well together. Thanks for the critique, it was appreciated. Daryl! As it turns out, I am fluent in Swahili, as well as any other language made available through the Kontakt platform. Thanks for the listen! Bjorn - maybe that's an idea. A piece that is ten hours long that wanders through every country on earth. Love it. Please make the video for it! Thanks for the listen. The thing is now updated, slightly rearranged, and remixed a little. cheers, -Tom Edited April 4, 2019 by emeraldsoul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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