Okay so I might have done a deep listen on this on a couple sets of headphones cuz I'm a nerd like that.

I love the song - first off, you can absolutely sing, and sing well, and perfect-pitch is not the be-all and end-all of singing (David Bowie, The National, Pink Floyd, all feature amazing vocals that are hardly pitch-perfect ... even Tears for Fears has its sour notes OMG DONT KILL ME). Your use of Melodyne is fantastic - cuz I don't really hear it, but still hear the character of your voice. I really liked your vocoder harmonies, and these sung harmonies are working great too. I think both fit the genre really well.

I just wanna hear those vocals more. Louder! More up front! They're sinking into the mix as a texture that I have to strain to hear - but I can hear enough to know they're excellent. I don't mean to be presumptive, but yeah - recording your own vocals and then mixing them is awkward. There's a temptation to push them back or over-process, in part cuz it's hard listening to yourself sing. In the words of my teacher/mentor: "you gotta own your shit", ie; you're singing - feature it and be confident. Your singing sounds great. Put it up there in the mix against everything else and let it win.

The mix otherwise sounds great - the panning/space on the drums fits that era, the synths are up front (I kinda want them a little more gritty/saturated but that's just me wanting dirty synths). Part of bringing the vocals forward might be shaping some of those mid-frequency synths around the vocals with some basic EQ (or a dynamic EQ if you've got it).

It's a great track - the 5/8 time is a brilliant decision and absolutely suits that era / your reference material, and yet this still sounds new and modern, not just pastiche, it's fantastic.

Busted lung here, partially surgically removed, which has been one of my challenges for singing lol. Chronic pain is never fun. I still have my xrays lying around too.

Okay so I might have done a deep listen on this on a couple sets of headphones cuz I'm a nerd like that. I love the song - first off, you can absolutely sing, and sing well, and perfect-pitch is not the be-all and end-all of singing (David Bowie, The National, Pink Floyd, all feature amazing vocals that are hardly pitch-perfect ... even Tears for Fears has its sour notes OMG DONT KILL ME). Your use of Melodyne is fantastic - cuz I don't really hear it, but still hear the character of your voice. I really liked your vocoder harmonies, and these sung harmonies are working great too. I think both fit the genre really well. I just wanna hear those vocals more. Louder! More up front! They're sinking into the mix as a texture that I have to strain to hear - but I can hear enough to know they're excellent. I don't mean to be presumptive, but yeah - recording your own vocals and then mixing them is awkward. There's a temptation to push them back or over-process, in part cuz it's hard listening to yourself sing. In the words of my teacher/mentor: "you gotta own your shit", ie; you're singing - feature it and be confident. Your singing sounds great. Put it up there in the mix against everything else and let it win. The mix otherwise sounds great - the panning/space on the drums fits that era, the synths are up front (I kinda want them a little more gritty/saturated but that's just me wanting dirty synths). Part of bringing the vocals forward might be shaping some of those mid-frequency synths around the vocals with some basic EQ (or a dynamic EQ if you've got it). It's a great track - the 5/8 time is a brilliant decision and absolutely suits that era / your reference material, and yet this still sounds new and modern, not just pastiche, it's fantastic. Busted lung here, partially surgically removed, which has been one of my challenges for singing lol. Chronic pain is never fun. I still have my xrays lying around too.

love everything about this, rplktr! really great headphone listen.
i also wouldn't be mad about MORE vocals, you sound really good
the 5/8 groove feels really... groovy. i was bouncing around the kitchen 

love everything about this, rplktr! really great headphone listen. i also wouldn't be mad about MORE vocals, you sound really good the 5/8 groove feels really... groovy. i was bouncing around the kitchen :D

great opening riff, drums sit in the mix really well too, love the groove the whole thing has.

dreamy vibe, nice work!

great opening riff, drums sit in the mix really well too, love the groove the whole thing has. dreamy vibe, nice work!

i reckon the vocals could be about twice as loud. really nice palette and execution as always!

i reckon the vocals could be about twice as loud. really nice palette and execution as always!

The 5/8 80s vibe is so cool, not sure I've heard much combining this meter with this feel/instrumentation. That said it sounds totally natural here. There are some really tasty delays/reverbs. I don't think vocoder is cheating at all, just another tool, but I expect you have a bit more control with a multitrack approach. You make both sound great!

The 5/8 80s vibe is so cool, not sure I've heard much combining this meter with this feel/instrumentation. That said it sounds totally natural here. There are some really tasty delays/reverbs. I don't think vocoder is cheating at all, just another tool, but I expect you have a bit more control with a multitrack approach. You make both sound great!

Nice one, sounds so good, really 80's. Love how you used the "real" 80's sounds, so cool. 5/8 works so well, yeah does have that ebb and flow, swaying, it grooves. I have never really played with 5/8, need to try. Neon's comment has some great points, I like idea of grittier/saturated drums. And agree with chr15m that vocals could be louder. Vocals sound great, they really add a lot, and could be louder / up in the mix. Love the lyric "smell of regret"

Nice one, sounds so good, really 80's. Love how you used the "real" 80's sounds, so cool. 5/8 works so well, yeah does have that ebb and flow, swaying, it grooves. I have never really played with 5/8, need to try. Neon's comment has some great points, I like idea of grittier/saturated drums. And agree with chr15m that vocals could be louder. Vocals sound great, they really add a lot, and could be louder / up in the mix. Love the lyric "smell of regret"

80's perfectly captured! Cool chord progressions and vocal melodies. Vocals sound great, yeah, little louder would be cool but it isn't bad by any means. Killer job

80's perfectly captured! Cool chord progressions and vocal melodies. Vocals sound great, yeah, little louder would be cool but it isn't bad by any means. Killer job

I was instantly hooked. You nailed the mix, melody, feel, appropriate drum part, and vocals etc. Very nice 👍

I was instantly hooked. You nailed the mix, melody, feel, appropriate drum part, and vocals etc. Very nice 👍

This actually reminds me of an album by this super advanced prog metal band that went kinda synth wave, Kayo Dot. Album is plastic House On Base of Sky. They had the complex time signatures and whatnot. But it also reminds me of the classics a bit as well. Just in case you might like.

This actually reminds me of an album by this super advanced prog metal band that went kinda synth wave, Kayo Dot. Album is plastic House On Base of Sky. They had the complex time signatures and whatnot. But it also reminds me of the classics a bit as well. Just in case you might like.

How's the shoulder doing?
At first, I thought it was some distorted image of a Predator until it clicked hehe.
I love this kind of music, and I tend to listen to it regularly when I am on the road.
It's both great for zoning out and enjoying the view outside the window, and it gives me something to think about while my mind wanders and wonders.

How's the shoulder doing? At first, I thought it was some distorted image of a Predator until it clicked hehe. I love this kind of music, and I tend to listen to it regularly when I am on the road. It's both great for zoning out and enjoying the view outside the window, and it gives me something to think about while my mind wanders and wonders.

Really can hear the influence in this one. I've been working on some of this for my band lately too. I need to get build some wider stuff like this.

Really can hear the influence in this one. I've been working on some of this for my band lately too. I need to get build some wider stuff like this.

Okay first I gotta say this.... the ball in your shoulder socket looks like an alien! Seriously, I hope your shoulder feels better.  That kinda pain ain't fun. That aside, I really like this track. Something about it just feels good all over. I agree with what Neon and others have said that your vocals could be more forward. You sound really good, a very soothing, harmonious voice. I also really like the 5/8 tempo and what that does to the percussion and bass lines.  Really cool.

Okay first I gotta say this.... the ball in your shoulder socket looks like an alien! :O Seriously, I hope your shoulder feels better. That kinda pain ain't fun. That aside, I really like this track. Something about it just feels good all over. I agree with what Neon and others have said that your vocals could be more forward. You sound really good, a very soothing, harmonious voice. I also really like the 5/8 tempo and what that does to the percussion and bass lines. Really cool.

Thanks a lot for spending the time with my work. It's very encouraging but I'm especially grateful for the critical feedback. And sorry to hear about your lung, I can relate to the pain even though I'm holding on to hope that I'll recover.

I'm quite shy about my singing. There's nowhere for me to practice, my pitch is off (thanks, Melodyne), and my closest family is really not into my singing voice timbre. So I really appreciate the kind words here.

Thanks for the listen!

It's a common request this time around, thanks for feedback!

Yeah, it's harder to write phrases for it so it's not that popular, but I was interested in the challenge. Happy to hear it works!

Feedback well received! Thanks for taking the time to listen and write back, Miles.

Thank you so much, and I hear your feedback about vocal levels!

The opener from that album has the distinct '80s feel I was after, and it's also interesting in terms of time signatures, etc. A wonderful recommendation, thank you!

Yeah, not good, but I'm not giving up.

Do share!

Thanks for listening and for your feedback. It's really encouraging!

[quote=neon liminal]Okay so I might have done a deep listen on this on a couple sets of headphones cuz I'm a nerd like that. (...) I just wanna hear those vocals more. Louder! (...) It's a great track - the 5/8 time is a brilliant decision and absolutely suits that era (...) Busted lung here, partially surgically removed [/quote] Thanks a lot for spending the time with my work. It's very encouraging but I'm especially grateful for the critical feedback. And sorry to hear about your lung, I can relate to the pain even though I'm holding on to hope that I'll recover. [quote=jwh]i also wouldn't be mad about MORE vocals, you sound really good[/quote] I'm quite shy about my singing. There's nowhere for me to practice, my pitch is off (thanks, Melodyne), and my closest family is really not into my singing voice timbre. So I really appreciate the kind words here. [quote=Nullsleep]dreamy vibe, nice work![/quote] Thanks for the listen! [quote=chr15m]i reckon the vocals could be about twice as loud.[/quote] It's a common request this time around, thanks for feedback! [quote=Cursory]The 5/8 80s vibe is so cool, not sure I've heard much combining this meter with this feel/instrumentation.[/quote] Yeah, it's harder to write phrases for it so it's not that popular, but I was interested in the challenge. Happy to hear it works! [quote=miraclemiles]Neon's comment has some great points, I like idea of grittier/saturated drums. And agree with chr15m that vocals could be louder. Vocals sound great, they really add a lot, and could be louder / up in the mix. Love the lyric "smell of regret"[/quote] Feedback well received! Thanks for taking the time to listen and write back, Miles. [quote=SQF]Vocals sound great, yeah, little louder would be cool but it isn't bad by any means. Killer job[/quote] Thank you so much, and I hear your feedback about vocal levels! [quote=george bowles]This actually reminds me of an album by this super advanced prog metal band that went kinda synth wave, Kayo Dot.[/quote] The opener from that album has the distinct '80s feel I was after, and it's also interesting in terms of time signatures, etc. A wonderful recommendation, thank you! [quote=As_Yoesual]How's the shoulder doing?[/quote] Yeah, not good, but I'm not giving up. [quote=ENC_]I've been working on some of this for my band lately too.[/quote] Do share! [quote=Bunjigram]I agree with what Neon and others have said that your vocals could be more forward. You sound really good, a very soothing, harmonious voice. I also really like the 5/8 tempo and what that does to the percussion and bass lines. Really cool. [/quote] Thanks for listening and for your feedback. It's really encouraging!

I haven't heard you put out a bad track yet, and this one might be one of my favorites. I think the vocals fit amazingly well with the instrumental part. I feel like it has a Tiamat meets Éric Serra vibe, which is something I didn't even know I needed in my life (but absolutely do).

I haven't heard you put out a bad track yet, and this one might be one of my favorites. I think the vocals fit amazingly well with the instrumental part. I feel like it has a Tiamat meets Éric Serra vibe, which is something I didn't even know I needed in my life (but absolutely do).