SOUND ON SOUND

[Dave B]

No. 10 Dave B.

Sorry - not me. In fact, I didn't submit an entry this time for a number of interesting reasons - not least as we had a good crop of entries that were all thoroughly excellent.

[blinddrew]

we had a good crop of entries that were all thoroughly excellent.

Just listening through now and can confirm!

[Rich Hanson]

I do find it a little sad, though, that the ones at the start of the playlist get twice as many listens as the ones at the end. Go through them all guys, they're pretty diverse so if you don't like the first one, you might like the next and so on and so forth.

[al_diablo]

I skimmed all of them yesterday and listening properly today on monitors - starting with the later songs to try and even out some of the play count disparity!

[Folderol]

I've listened through three times now, and (as previously) I do go right through from start to finish, just stopping occasionally for coffee breaks, bum scratching etc.

[ManFromGlass]

The man has his priorities straight!

[Aled Hughes]

Just finished listening. I've added my previous notes to this post as well. Really enjoyed listening to these!

1. Great intro to kick things off! Great energy, and I love when the snare comes in. Can easily imagine some vocals on this.

2. Absolutely love this! Brings to mind Air, Royskopp, Plaid and the Stone Roses. I demand an album this instant!

3. This goes to unexpected places! Fascinating sounds, very vivid. Filmic, dreamy and Vangelian.

4. So accomplished and complete. Sound to me as if it was made to picture. Widescreen, beautiful and jarring enough to maintain interest and paint a picture. Wonderful!

5. Agree will BillB, very Moogy. Love the little random elements. I like where it takes me.

6. Just gorgeous! Whatever synth this is, I want one!

7. This reminds me of a game I used to have on the Amiga. Nice build up. Like it!

8. Great organ-like sounds. Would like to hear some vocals on it.

9. Very clever. Love the bass at 0:55 as well as a million other little gems floating around. Wonderful.

10. Mad. And why not! Great tension towards the end too.

11. Excellent, full marks!

12. Lovely feel. I can imagine this sounding huge and spacey, but it also works nicely as it - there's something close and claustrophobic about, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

13. Love the wah! Good to hear some vocals. Very band-like groove with lots of nice things whirling around behind the vocal.

14. One of the highlights for me. Every new sound introduced is perfect!

15. I like the synth parts very much, and the musicality of it, but the drums let this one down a bit for me. I'd have preferred to hear more elctronic drums rather than something so close to an acoustic kit. Still great despite that, and a nice journey,

16. This sounds so good. I really like like the lead sound, and the whole thing just fits together so nicely. Excellent. Really like the long fade out too... though is it just me or does the bass note seem very sharp coming out of the fade?! I didn't notice it to be an issue earlier on, but it seems closer to an F# than an F. Or is it intentional and just too clever for me?!


Fabulous, well done everyone.

[blinddrew]

I'm on my second full work through and I have to keep pinching myself to say that these were generated on ONE MACHINE!
Really stunning work by everyone. It's amazing how the standard goes up when I'm not involved!

I must confess a particular fondness for Bing's Bong.

Also, I think Cinco is Folderol.

[Eddy Deegan]

I have to keep pinching myself to say that these were generated on ONE MACHINE!

Wait, what? We were only supposed to use one synth? That sounds a bit challenging!

[Folderol]

I have to keep pinching myself to say that these were generated on ONE MACHINE!

Wait, what? We were only supposed to use one synth? That sounds a bit challenging!

Just be thankful you don't have to build the synth first

Hmmmmmm

[Eddy Deegan]

Is it time for list of names? I've labelled my notes with those I'm comfortable with but I'm still a little short!

[IAA]

Wow, they are so good!!!
Here are some wild guesses on composers/players

Everest/mr Tickle! - Eddy
For the love of it - the Elf
Woodwalk - Rich H
Infamous last words - folderol
The lighthouse -Martin

...that will be my coat, just there.......

As for what they were that’s for listen through number 3

[Martin Walker]

Wow - there really is some great stuff in this list! There's no way I'll guess the synths, but here are a few thoughts as I listened.

1. Ain't Fooling No - One: Classic 80's synth sounds! (Visage-inspired perhaps?)

2. Bing's Bong: What a wonderful groove! Hooked me straight away but gave me no clues to the identity of the synth or the composer.

3. Cinco: All sweetness and light, almost fairground-like, so might be Folderol in happy mode.

4. Everest: Superb orchestral arrangement, so I guess The Elf.

5. Ffenestrol: Trancy, slow grower but sucks you in, lovely work with delays and percussion, suspect this is a modular. Ben Asaro?

6. For the Love of it: Initially Vangelis-inspired (but with restraint), plus classical expertise, and linking between very disparate sections is smooth as silk. Eddy Deegan?

7. Infamous Last Words: Fascinatingly different! I never quite knew what was going to happen next in the mix. Bravo!

8. The Lighthouse: Hardware sequencer-driven? Good riff, which suggests Rich Hanson, although the organ sounds confused me. When the piano came in I thought of Folderol, but the distorted electronic drums at the end suggested hardware, so less likely.

9. Misty Mountain Pass: Haunting! Once again sound/riff development suggests modular and real-time knob-twiddling to me. Enjoyed it a lot.

10. Mr Tickle Takes a Bath: Now this screams Eddy Deegan to my ears, or could it be The Elf? 1:10 overloaded humour? Love it! I'm going with Eddy Deegan.

11. Nimrod - Tomita Style: Beautifully crafted, with loving attention to orchestral/electronic detail. A true labour of love. It has to be The Elf again.

12. Nova 5: Warm and inviting analogue sounds, used with subtlety and finesse.

13. Papa was a Rolling Stone: Riff-tastic, and locks into a beautiful groove. Love the restrained string lines. Shouldn't really comment on the vocals as they aren't synth-generated, but they are just so good. Is this really all performed using a single synth? Must be a ROMpler/Kontakt then.

14. Resonating Over Time: Ooh, this one is difficult. Fascinating sound design and movement. Some classic chord changes, and lovely frilly piano work suggests a pianist at work.

15. Star Cruiser: Very interesting chord changes and light, airy sounds. Is this Folderol on the Yoshimi Pi perhaps?

16. Woodwalk: Interesting mix of sounds, including some gorgeous clinking percussion. Wonderful change half-way through. Some of the synth phrasing/note bends made me wonder if this is a guitarist playing the keys. Rich Hanson perhaps?

I bet I got them all wrong, but am genuinely fascinated to have the synths identified


Martin

[Rich Hanson]

I like it when people guess mine correctly, but perversely I like it even more when they get it wrong

One person so far has got it right and more have got it wrong. But I'm not saying!

And the only guess I can make is to agree with those who reckon Cinco is Will's - very much in his style to my ears.

[Logarhythm]

I like it even more when they get it wrong

Ha, I had exactly the same thought, Rich.
But in my case I then also felt a pang of guilt for the talented individuals who've been falsely accused of being responsible for my musical crimes

Just starting through my third listen. Still don't really have a clue who did/used what, beyond a vague feeling that Cinco has a Folderol-esque vibe about it.