by

Martin Nighthawk
(Nighthawk)

This simply tracked tune shows that good music doesn't need to go overboard with tracking effects. The backing arpeggios are remeniscent of Jarre style tunes, which immediately caught my interest. Dreamy strings combined with a strong rhythm, and creative chord progressions, and key changes had me listening to this tune over and over. Already an educated guess to whom the author is has formed in my head. I found the panning to be well balanced and use of dynamic range to provide a very wide sound. Instruments were well orchestrated and nothing sounded out of place. The chord progressions show the author either to have a good knowledge of music theory, or at least a very good ear. The production behind this tune gives it an 'easy to listen to' quality. It goes to show that you don't need to have an over- powering lead throughout a song to give it direction. I only have a few minor disputes. The beginning could have had a more interesting start than just a repeat of the main backing riff used throughout the tune. The rhythm gets a bit monotonous after a while with only one distinctive break too far into the tune. Lastly one or two chords sounded a little forced as though the composer got stuck going in a direction and tried to force the tune back on track.

This was the first song out of all the songs I was judging that I said, "Now here is someone who knows what he/she is doing!!!". This song is VERY good!!! No technical problems, no clashing notes... wow... The chords sounded really good, and so did the lead. The only problem (which was NOT a big problem), was repetition. This is one of my propblems with my music too. The Drums could have been variated a little, but since the song was not that long, it didn't seem to be much of a problem. Which leads to another complaint... the song was too short. I loved it! The bass could have been at a little lower register. The bass was a bit high, almost running over with some of the other instuments. It could have made the song sound a little richer, but still... a very nice song. Good job!

A cool new-age song which really lives from it's great, always ascending chord progressions (which really made me close my eyes and virtually fly away) and carefully chosen sounds. The only two things are that there could be some more melody in some places and that the last chord change in the chorus back to the base key sounds just too un-wanted. But otherwise, it's one of my favourites this year

Very wonderful warm technopop. I enjoyed the rhythm immensely--it didn't bore me but it wasn't spastic either. The song could have benefitted from a bridge more--the bassline was is almost every pattern and parts could have put me into a hypnotic trance--something I don't want to do while judging! O.o The diminished chords you threw in didn't quite fit into the flow as much--I feel diminished chords are for special sections where you want to draw attention to the weakness and tension in a song, and don't belong in a chord progression as much as you used them. Only other complaints: Some of the samples had horrible loops, and the tracked delay / echo on some of your parts wasn't continuous from pattern to pattern--it looks like you copy/pasted without echoing the last few notes from the part, and so at the beginning of every pattern the echo starts again--which sounds icky. Take the time to put echo from the last pattern to the next--and then copy THAT section--it sounds a bit smoother (which would have added to your mood.)

Really Groovy! Very cool funky baseline to begin with and build around. Nice strings, good use of volume and key changes. The lead instrument is nice. And swooshes and crystal sounds are used to great effect. Great chords throughout. The chorus/verse (bit with the lead instrument) is great and repeated twice, just the right ammount :) Perhaps the bits with just the string progression could have had another instrument going over the top of them. The bridge type bit (pattern 4) is nice also. Nice change up at block/pattern 42. Nice ending too. Well put together piece, technically very sound, but best of all quite catchy. :)

Sounds very professional. Excellent samples and technique. Very interesting chord progressions. An island of good music in the ocean of crap as far as I've heard :). I think has a straight way to the second round and the top five. Well done!

Very funky bass and percussion. interesting key changes and progressions, well balanced and dynamic. nice and mellow, MMmmm...