NGADM Round 4 Review

In Remembrance

Ideas: 4/5
You have many good ideas, but I feel you lack unity in them. Your intention is good, but I don't hear it very clearly in the music. Great harmony, though... audacious at times.

Interpretation: 4/5
Overall good execution; ESQL samples, I guess? You used them well anyway. I think these transitions (1:51 / 3:55) are rushed; you could very well use a ritenuto, and you need not to rush your cymbals; at 3:55, the strings enter slightly in advance, being intentional or not, it undermines greatly your transition.

Listening: 3/5
Again, I feel that you composed small sketches and stiched them together. But, I believe it would be great as an in between mvt for something bigger, but it currently feels like we miss a part of it - like you're saying something before and after, and yet we listeners have no clue what it could be, making it impossible to fully appreciate you piece. That, to me, is your biggest flaw.

Mixing&Technical Stuff: 4/5
This is generally well mixed, but some of your crash cymbal sounds sound kinda weak and do not seem to have the appropriate dynamic - or the sample isn't right, perhaps. Anyway, this also diminishes the effect of your transitions.

Total: 15/20 - 7.5/10

Slow rubato piece like this are tough, and I give you credit for doing it - wich is better than what I could do; but I felt unsatisfied by some structural elements.

jiimaan

NGADM Round 4 Review

Fly me to Blue

Ideas: 4/5
Very good ideas here (like many good ideas)...but you have that cool brass idea in the begining and it doesn't come back, wich is disappointing.

Interpretation: 4/5
You definitely know what you are doing, and are a great guitarist (and your bass is tasty).
Vocals sound great when you are surrounded by instruments; you have a nice jazz voice, but it sounds weak when you're exposed, so be careful with that. Also, the drummer I am thinks your drum parts are great, so kudos.

Listening: 5/5
I was entertained by this from begining to end. Never feels long or like you stretch too much.
And very good solos.

Mixing&Technical Stuff: 4/5
Hm...weird things happen to your song's space throughout your your voice moving in the pan, and such. Just watch out when you use different takes to make sure they sound like one. Even though I like them, I find your drums too prominent in the mix, I would have liked them a little more discreet. And I need to mention your nice use of effects here, really carries out that spacey mood.

Total: 17/20 - 8.5/10

Great piece overall. But I would certainly enjoy more of this excellent balafon.

jiimaan

NGADM Round 4 Review

Clutterfunk

Ideas: 3/5
I would say this feels destabilizing, but not cluttered. I think you could have done better to musicalize your idea, wich I love, of having multiple styles "cluttered" in one piece to show a cluttered mind; I think you should have sticked with it for the entire piece: create like 4-5 patterns that come and go and mix around in a cluttered way. That theme you develop at 2:46 is a really cool idea, but feels like its outside your main idea...

Interpretation: 4/5
I know next to nothing in this genre, so I can't find any major flaws in your execution, but I'm not impressed either... I would've liked more dynamics, but that's a classical guy's point of view, and may not be relevant to your style of music.

Listeneing: 3/5
The biggest problem is that your ideas are not quite well organized throughout the piece, wich makes the whole thing a little destablizing to listen to. Also, arriving at the 2:46 theme makes what you did before sound like a giant intro. In general, it made me wonder where you were going with this.

Mixing&Technical Stuff: 5/5
Again, I don't quite know what to evaluate here, but it sounded irreproachable to me.

Total: 15/20 - 7.5/10

I really loved your idea, but I felt disappointed by the

jiimaan

hey!

j'adore la mise en image de cette expression!

I like your stuff; keep posting more.

jiimaan