Fragile Gods - "My Underground"
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6285 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
Autumnal synthpop made during the hazy days of summer:
https://soundcloud.com/fragilegods/myunderground
Fragile Gods "My Underground"
A pretty minimal setup this time: Icarus, Monark, M-Tron Pro, Audjoo Helix, Drum Loops. Using drum loops instead of a drum synth was probably the biggest change.
The lyrics are on Soundcloud. Any feedback is appreciated.
https://soundcloud.com/fragilegods/myunderground
Fragile Gods "My Underground"
A pretty minimal setup this time: Icarus, Monark, M-Tron Pro, Audjoo Helix, Drum Loops. Using drum loops instead of a drum synth was probably the biggest change.
The lyrics are on Soundcloud. Any feedback is appreciated.
- KVRian
- 1044 posts since 3 Jul, 2006
I love you instrumental bassy intros. I think I'd like to hear more instrumental solos or fills (I'm thinking of brief moments in your songs where the music is instrumental only - like 1:39 and 3:08).
Enjoying here the Depeche Mode base and majestic synths.
I think the vocal is less darker than in your other songs. I don't think that's a bad thing
Other than that, just your usual good sound quality and overall mix. Good work!
Cheers!
Enjoying here the Depeche Mode base and majestic synths.
I think the vocal is less darker than in your other songs. I don't think that's a bad thing
Other than that, just your usual good sound quality and overall mix. Good work!
Cheers!
== VDX == One Man can make a difference!
My music is on https://soundcloud.com/vdxi | Info | More Info
My music is on https://soundcloud.com/vdxi | Info | More Info
- KVRAF
- 1609 posts since 28 Oct, 2005 from Finland
Well done synthpop. Nice groove... I liked the vocals and orchestration.... good mix and sounds.
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6285 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
Thanks, glad you liked it! I used less processing on the vox this time. If it came out Bowie-ish, that's fine by me even if it wasn't the intention.Allomerus wrote:Nice track Frantz! Cool! Sounding like David Bowie to me...
Well done.
- KVRAF
- 11474 posts since 13 Mar, 2009 from UK
I'll have a few more listens to this later in the week, but I noticed something here. The use of drum samples seems to have removed a lot of the high-freq component from your sound, apart from the crash cymbal on here which still sounded quite "restrained", and maybe too far back in the mix.
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6285 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
I'm glad you noticed the bass. I was reading up on five note Latin clave rhythms and it gave me the idea for the bassline. It seems to have a nice, propulsive quality.jackoo wrote:I love you instrumental bassy intros. I think I'd like to hear more instrumental solos or fills (I'm thinking of brief moments in your songs where the music is instrumental only - like 1:39 and 3:08).
Enjoying here the Depeche Mode base and majestic synths.
I think the vocal is less darker than in your other songs. I don't think that's a bad thing
Other than that, just your usual good sound quality and overall mix. Good work!
I don't normally do pure instrumentals because I have lots of ideas for songs with lyrics. But maybe one day I'll shut up and do an instrumental.
I do seem to be operating in Depeche territory these days, more by accident than by design.
I got used to the undistorted vox in the verses and decided to leave them as is.
Thanks for the detailed, enthusiastic comments.
- KVRAF
- 7691 posts since 11 Jun, 2006
a solid, catchy track.. i didn't find the highs lacking too much as Tim noted but i did notice a somewhat "mid bassy"
bass than your usual fuller low end bass. vocals sounded great as usual and i especially liked the stereo seperation on the chorus.
good quality electronica ol boy!
bass than your usual fuller low end bass. vocals sounded great as usual and i especially liked the stereo seperation on the chorus.
good quality electronica ol boy!
HW SYNTHS [KORG T2EX - AKAI AX80 - YAMAHA SY77 - ENSONIQ VFX]
HW MODULES [OBi M1000 - ROLAND MKS-50 - ROLAND JV880 - KURZ 1000PX]
SW [CHARLATAN - OBXD - OXE - ELEKTRO - MICROTERA - M1 - SURGE - RMiV]
DAW [ENERGY XT2/1U RACK WINXP / MAUDIO 1010LT PCI]
HW MODULES [OBi M1000 - ROLAND MKS-50 - ROLAND JV880 - KURZ 1000PX]
SW [CHARLATAN - OBXD - OXE - ELEKTRO - MICROTERA - M1 - SURGE - RMiV]
DAW [ENERGY XT2/1U RACK WINXP / MAUDIO 1010LT PCI]
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6285 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
Thanks very much for the feedback.markkuja wrote:Well done synthpop. Nice groove... I liked the vocals and orchestration.... good mix and sounds.
- KVRAF
- 6113 posts since 7 Jan, 2005 from Corporate States of America
While the Depeche Mode feel is noticed by me, I don't think of it without someone else first mentioning it (this happens a lot). This time what came to mind on my own was Frank Tovey/Fad Gadget. It's not really a strong resemblance but it's what I thought of
I find your stuff interesting because it has such a clear and sparse sound and a character that really stands out as YOURS, but also feels very familiar at the same time. It's like I'm listening to something from the early 80s synth pop trailblazers, but not. This is a good thing IMO, because it's original work, with your own stamp of uniqueness, but also comfortable on first listen (not needing to get used to a strange new thing). I would think this would make you marketable somewhere
I think I preferred your vocals more this time than usual (your style is just slightly outside my personal listening repertoire(?), since I prefer melodically strong singing over more spoken styles). I liked the way you varied the vocal processing in this track and I liked that it was less heavily treated than usual.
I find your stuff interesting because it has such a clear and sparse sound and a character that really stands out as YOURS, but also feels very familiar at the same time. It's like I'm listening to something from the early 80s synth pop trailblazers, but not. This is a good thing IMO, because it's original work, with your own stamp of uniqueness, but also comfortable on first listen (not needing to get used to a strange new thing). I would think this would make you marketable somewhere
I think I preferred your vocals more this time than usual (your style is just slightly outside my personal listening repertoire(?), since I prefer melodically strong singing over more spoken styles). I liked the way you varied the vocal processing in this track and I liked that it was less heavily treated than usual.
- dysamoria.com
my music @ SoundCloud
my music @ SoundCloud
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- KVRist
- 75 posts since 2 Jan, 2010
This track is very well done - it gives a good feeling. I hear Kraftwerk in here ( Autobahn and even Robots )
and a nice catchy refrain. The bass as a fundament is good as always.
Congrats and cheers.
and a nice catchy refrain. The bass as a fundament is good as always.
Congrats and cheers.
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 6285 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
I used fully mixed drum loops that are available with StudioOne. Presumably they were professionally mixed but, you are right, there is not a lot of high frequency content here. I suppose I could EQ the drums but I don't mind how they sound. I will pay more attention to the high frequencies in my next song. Thanks for pointing this out.seismic1 wrote:I'll have a few more listens to this later in the week, but I noticed something here. The use of drum samples seems to have removed a lot of the high-freq component from your sound, apart from the crash cymbal on here which still sounded quite "restrained", and maybe too far back in the mix.
- KVRAF
- 6113 posts since 7 Jan, 2005 from Corporate States of America
i didn't feel anything was lacking there, personally, with regard to the drums and frequencies.
- dysamoria.com
my music @ SoundCloud
my music @ SoundCloud
- KVRAF
- 11474 posts since 13 Mar, 2009 from UK
Time flies, as we've noted before. I meant to comment on this one last weekend, but work and some outdoor electrical maintenance have conspired against me.
The point about the lack of HF in the drums/percs stood out during my first listen. Maybe that's because I listen to your stuff quite frequently, or maybe because I "mastered" Vanishing Point 3 years ago. Call it a sonic footprint or some such mullarkey.
I find myself in agreement with other posters here in finding the vocals on this one to be your most polished yet, both in terms of performance and production. Believe it or not, I was thinking of the title track from Jethro Tull's Aqualung whilst listening to this. Ian Anderson used to "process" his vox back in the early '70s, and I can hear parallels on here.
I wonder if layzer's "mid bassy" observation is due to the snare which is quite powerful/prominent and may be hiding some other sounds. I haven't stuck a meter on it, but it might be related.
Great job with the synths as usual, and the song itself was well arranged with another good set of lyrics.
Good work
The point about the lack of HF in the drums/percs stood out during my first listen. Maybe that's because I listen to your stuff quite frequently, or maybe because I "mastered" Vanishing Point 3 years ago. Call it a sonic footprint or some such mullarkey.
I find myself in agreement with other posters here in finding the vocals on this one to be your most polished yet, both in terms of performance and production. Believe it or not, I was thinking of the title track from Jethro Tull's Aqualung whilst listening to this. Ian Anderson used to "process" his vox back in the early '70s, and I can hear parallels on here.
I wonder if layzer's "mid bassy" observation is due to the snare which is quite powerful/prominent and may be hiding some other sounds. I haven't stuck a meter on it, but it might be related.
Great job with the synths as usual, and the song itself was well arranged with another good set of lyrics.
Good work
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- KVRian
- 645 posts since 4 Nov, 2013 from Vancouver, Canada
Enjoyable track. I definitely caught some of the feel of Bowie and some Depeche Mode vibes in there. Like others, I do note the somewhat restrained high end on the drums, but I also think that it works really well for this track. Great work overall!