by

Tuomas Smite
(Smite)

Good idea for the song, I can see the mood your trying to set. But the song begins to dron about a quater way through and becomes very monotonous. The piece starts off ok, but when the listener realises this is all he/she is going to get for the whole song, then that is a let down. You needed more change ups perhaps a more prominent lead to keep the listener into the song. But you definatly have potential, so keep going. :)

I had a few problems with this tune, but overall it was rather good. The main problem I had with it was that some of the notes you used I never heard--for example, channel 1. It was obscured by the volume changes. The introduction was good and it established a very spacey, semi-lonely mood--especially with those portamentoes. The appregio was used properly. Some of the lead parts repeated too much, and you really messed with the hihat samples WAY too much and it showed, because all the modulated hissing got annoying. The rhythm was mostly good--the kick and snare should have been more synchopated, however. I don't like fadeouts on endings, because they're weak. You should have ended with finality.

Well done. The synths are very good and panned as they should be, but too quiet. The percussion is importunate, because of the lack in variation. Anyway, the song is a good composition and I think it will make it to the second round.

Superb. I loved this song. You used 16-bit samples in a chiptune, and it was -well- worth it. The rhythm is fantastic--an imaginative use of few samples. The song flows wonderfully, and posesses a real life and mellow energy to it... I would -seriously- like to remix this song (contact me)! Only a few gripes: the quick volume-switching in the far channels causes a slight clicking, which is distracting. Even though I solute you on the full use of sample mode in IT, (this could have been an XM, by the way), I think it would have gained a lot of depth if you had use instruments and NNAs. And lastly, I would have loved this song to death if it had just incorperated a second theme... Your song really goes places, and it's a wonderful work from the perspective of someone who listens to ambient music regularly (I'm addicted to Orb right now), I think this song really would have benefitted from a transformation, musically. Still, this is, by far, the most "listenable" song in the rookie division, and will likely be on my hard drive for some time to come. I guess, after all, that's what's most important, right? :) --JRice

yummmm.... very nice mellow semi-chip tune. I really like this one, nice one for those late nights when you just feel like chilling out. Good stuff.

[originality:] I like the original sound of this piece. Underneath this tune's flaws is a really cool ambient experience waiting to happen. It's like Orb, but different! :) [form:] Although I didn't find the swishy, soft randomness appealing at first, it grew on me as the tune progressed. I started to like the "watery" feel the tune seems to be conveying. The core of the song (the funky porta siner introduced in the very first order) holds it all together pretty well. [technique:] I think that the lack of definite structure in this tune hurts it in a contest where structure is required to win. The best thing about this tune is its unobtrusiveness; however, this characteristic lends the tune little weight as it progresses to the end. I suppose that the composer wasn't looking to create mood shifts; just more of a static mood. The composer does a good job of that. [sample quality:] The percussion samples could be better - I think they are bit too smoothly rubbed for this piece. Overall, however, the samples are OK.