[synth pop / demostyle] Life Inside Machine (mp3)

[Louigi Verona]

Hey guys!
A small album here, called Life Inside Machine. 8 tracks, flowing into one another.

http://soundcloud.com/louigiverona/life-inside-machine

Here's how everything called:

1. warming up
2. electron
3. two-way traffic
4. the all-different nagato
5. jungle
6. robo dance
7. ocean
8. saying goodbye

Give it a try

[mrvegas]

Very cool sounding.  I like the synths and the patterns, and it is refreshing to hear the new sounds and feel about 6 minutes in or so.

Now at the very end of the album, I am really enjoying it.  I think the opening section may have relied on the one pattern for a little too long, but overall great stuff.

[LPChip]

Typing as I'm listening. The intro is very cool, though when it advanced to more notes, it somehow loses its magic, especially when the varieties come on that melodies.

Luckily you move the song into a new direction, though this would be the kind of music with a steady 4/4 beat on the background or perhaps a slow breakbeat. I really do miss that right now. In fact, the absense causes me to kind of not like this song. I don't call it demostyle even, because demostyle usually is more aggressive.

The part at 3:41 is cool. This variety is much needed at this point, and its refreshing. Still no drums, but in this part its less of a problem, due to the many things going on. Yet again, not demostyle.

I suppose this would fit as synth pop which is a style I'm not so much into.

7:14 finally, there are drums. Yeah, this definitely is synth pop.

At 10:00 minutes, I decide to stop listening. Thus far I haven't been caught into the song, but as I don't like synthpop, thats not strange.

Overall, the melodies with echos are nice, but they're way too repetive for my taste. It just didn't grabbed me, but so far I haven't heard a single synthpop song that grabbed me, so no hard feelings there.

you might want to edit the subject though, to attract the listeners that will appreciate your song.

[Saga Musix]

Very nice arps in the first part, though that part in particular is probably a bit too long, and I think you overused that (already overused) speech synth a bit there... Still a nice track worth keeping, especially because of the following part.

[Louigi Verona]

Thx for feedback guys.

LPChip, you stopped short of getting into the three final songs, which are considered "hit songs" of the record and which sound demoscenish in the manner you explained. I guess that's what might happen.

Just to explain the idea behind the structure to everybody,  the album is called "Life Inside Machine", so we move from mechanical and simplistic to life and complexity.
I do understand that some people might get bored in the beginning and then just turn it off, which is why I am thinking of releasing three last songs separately. But the whole build up of the record, in my opinion, can reward a patient listener.

Of course, I might have not pulled it off that well, so there's that option. And just to add a bit of weirdness, several people have told me that the first track is one of their favorite tracks of the record, most people who said so are with demoscene background, though not all.

[LPChip]

It may help to know that synthpop and electro/dance is nowadays often used in demos. Its not that surprising to hear that many sceners like it. Its also the reason that whenever I make music for a demo, you'll not hear the "nowadays normal kind of demo music" in the demo.

[Louigi Verona]

Well, last two tunes sound very close to chip tunes, so this is I why I left demoscene in style description. Having said that, I do encourage you to listen to last three songs, starting at 13:30. I am sure they will be much more to your liking than the rest of the album.

[LPChip]

Sure. I'll check them out when I'm home.

[Christofori]

[Also typing as I listen -- works best for me..]

Only difference I'd add to the above comments for the intro is "Trancey" -- not everyone's a fan.  I think there's enough variation in it to keep it fresh if considered trance/synth...  (IMO with Trance it doesn't take much.. at least for most people following the genre..) 

Neat sound moves in at 3:54   I like ascending/morphing lines such as this.  And about a min. later, smoothness yet again..!

As it evolves, I can definately relate to your mental imagery as described; good, vivid scene you describe, I can picture something pretty similar I'd bet.

Did you use a vsti called 4evar in this one?  It's a little 'fuzzy' organ.. one I like.. and some familiar sounds in your track (at about 10:50 or so) really harken to that vsti in my mind..

I, too, believe I've heard a couple of the samps a time or two; but no big deal IMO.. lots of people get their samples from the same place(s) anymore (including some of those places getting the samps from OTHER places.. lol..)  It's becomming more and more difficult to craft something unique these days, it seems.. for a lot of people.  Really though, the section(s) that use those kinds of samps are short and definately blend well.. (4evar-ish sound back near 15:00 again..!  Lovin' that setting!) .. so this ends up being a nicely crafted 'shapeshifter' of a tune.  I'd even say you managed to avoid running through any creative 'bottlenecks' as I never got the sense the momentum slowed; seemed to be building or re-arranging pretty much all the time..! (So the machine we're inside happens to be a bad-ass powerhouse that ain't got no hiccups..!)

Only ending comment I'd mention is that I rather prefer the kind that resolve or 'conclude' -- the ol' fade-out!  While I cannot say I've never done so, I can at least point out that an 'ending' in your track (when considered in light of the imagery/theme suggested by the title and inspiration..) could've implied the machine you're inside has crashed or been powered down; neither of which would bring one living inside the machine to their fuzzy-warm 'happy place' now, would it??   Fade-out is appropriately used here I believe.

Left me with an upbeat happy feeling, though I don't believe any memorable riffs hung around in my mind (there were many over a long period, would be my rationale I s'pose..).  But yep -- definately glad I took a listen!   Needed a fresh break away from my 'normal' and this fit the bill for me.

Good work

[Louigi Verona]

Thanks, christofori!

Nope, I did not use any VST for this, only wave samples and soundfonts.

I agree about the ending. I guess I just did not know how to end the last tune or maybe did not want to end it any other way. Maybe I will consider doing something else with it some time later, like write in a non-fadeout ending.

[Christofori]

I dunno.. I think in this case something more 'ultimate' (meaning: an end) might upset the mood/tone of the piece overall..  I was only saying that normally I disliked fade-outs (because they're overused when someone's just lacking creativity) -- but that I could see a reason to use one in your song's case.

I came across another 2 VSTi's that sounded similar to the '4Evar' one I'd liked; some of them are similar in structure/implementation (or features if you want..) as well, so it's likely a sample or soundfont with the same kind of (emulated/recorded) implementation I thought I heard.  But, cool -- I thought about everyone was using VST(i)'s these days..!

[LPChip]

Well, last two tunes sound very close to chip tunes, so this is I why I left demoscene in style description. Having said that, I do encourage you to listen to last three songs, starting at 13:30. I am sure they will be much more to your liking than the rest of the album.

Chiptune still is not demostyle

Anyway, I indeed do like it more, and I would call this style synth.

There is much more movement in these parts, enough to motivate me to listen more. Sure it does follow the same sort of structure (music/melodoy wise) as the previous parts but its now tolerable

I will be honest to tell you that for some reason it just doesn't grab me enough to put it on say... an mp3 player, but that can also be due to me disliking the previous 13 minutes

[Christofori]

Chiptune still is not demostyle

Anyway, I indeed do like it more, and I would call this style synth.

Indeed; trancelike/synthpop-ish.  Maybe a 'hint' of demo 'flavor' around the edges at times.. hard to say.

Lol.. sounds like we're cookin' up a choon!

[Louigi Verona]

I am not sure I agree to your definition of demostyle here. Chiptune is part of what demoscene is, so while I understand that most people associate demostyle with Elwood-kinda tunes and Purple Motion kinda tunes, I think demostyle is a much wider thing. Well... maybe I should do a demo to this music and then it'll surely become demostyle

[LPChip]

Au contraire, just because a demo is made with music doesn't clarify a songstyle as demostyle.

Demostyle is a style in which the music maker showcases his music making abilities. It often features a progressive mood with counterparts. Its goal is to make the listener experience a feeling of "wow, this is cool"