Lord of the Flies Day - New VHS song

VomitHatSteve

Hat STYLE. Not contents.
Hello, you lovely people! I've got a new mix that I'd love some feedback on.

Lord of the Flies Day - Regdar and the Fighters

So it's technically two songs,* but they're meant to flow into each other. That's the big part that I'm concerned about. Around 2:55 is when the switch happens. The second song is meant to be much heavier. To that effect, there is more distortion on some of the rhythm instruments, it's a completely different (metal rather than rock) drum kit, and the vocals are more buried and simpler.

Does it work? Do they flow while still contrasting?

Thank you!

* In case any of you were confused by me suddenly uploading a 4 minute song!
 
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Had difficulty getting to these songs, but it may be difficulties of my browser. O-o-or, maybe a deliberate procedure/process related glitch?

"The origins of the glitch aesthetic can be traced to the early 20th century, with Luigi Russolo's Futurist manifesto L'arte dei rumori (The Art of Noises) published in 1913, the basis of noise music. He constructed mechanical noise generators, which he named intonarumori, and wrote multiple compositions to be played by them; two of which were Risveglio di una cittÃ* (Awakening of a City) and Convegno di automobili e aeroplani (The Meeting of Automobiles and Airplanes). In 1914, a riot broke out at one of his performances in Milan, Italy." ["glitch," music => wikipedia]

Checked out some of your online stuff. Interesting marketing plan. I'll check back for "flies" on a different rig later.
 
Transition works fine for me Steve. The first part has a lot of contrasts within it, so the change to the second sound doesn't come completely out of the blue. More Hunger Game than Lord of the Flies.
 
Very Geddy Lee-like vocal. I think when you go up in octave (about 2:00), the vocal is a little loud, and there are a couple of places earlier where 'lord of the flies day' is just a little low in the mix. The transition is ok, but the tonal difference makes it seem like a volume mis-match, maybe just come down a bit on the guitars, specially the right side one?
One of the 'ahh-ahh' BU vocal parts is too loud (the lower note, I think, but both could be lowered a bit).
 
Lord of the Flies Day - Regdar and the Fighters
So it's technically two songs,* but they're meant to flow into each other. That's the big part that I'm concerned about. Around 2:55 is when the switch happens. The second song is meant to be much heavier. To that effect, there is more distortion on some of the rhythm instruments, it's a completely different (metal rather than rock) drum kit, and the vocals are more buried and simpler.
Does it work? Do they flow while still contrasting?

Issue was my browser, settings, etc. Anyway,

Overall, I think this works really well, including what seem like two transitions, as below. Agree there is overlap in style/interest
as you noted previously.

Early on: intro starts slow in something like half time, and combining early narrative with murmurring guitar flows well; the
guitar entry itself is a "new voice" in the mix and presages the coming change. Nice mix of back and forth between
the ping-pong tones and murmuring guitar with harmonics, adding kind of descant line (single note ?synthesizer).

Then some dynamic change in vocals to very quiet as they "drive to meet their friends."

At about the halfway point they're arriving unpacking at camp. I think the drums get more dense here, more insistent 2/4 beat
than previously, or harder sound.

Transition1: PA booms: LOTFD/chorus up an octave with sudden change in expectations and new situation.
winding down this musical section to get to the bigger stylistic musical shift. The chorus has remained mostly
low key until now. But after this, you go up an octave on teh vocals, boosting the energy. "Survive on the own
is your new theme." Drums get pretty busy. I had an impression that tempo might be off at a point or two with the
upbeat portion. This might actually be some overlap relation with another part rather than absolute drum time, though.

Sudden stop. Intro to new section is nicely done. Recalls to me System of a Down.

Transition2: SURVIVE ON YOUR OWN/Johnny and his friends, music changes abruptly. I think this works well.
There may be a "rhymic glitch," at "soon belonged to Johnny."

At the introduction of the bazooka, there are also some nicely conceived background vocals, but they obscure the narrative voice, which has become more flatly narrative to my ear, in tone as it gets personal with actual names. We should hear it all. Becuase familiar names are used--Billy, and Johnny"--there is a distinct tone, reinforced by using "piggies" several times (I like the sound effects). The manic pace and this tone, with complex narrative, make the characters and their kind of, disposal, seem a bit puppet like. I think this is intended.

I think the "T2" above, is what you focus on in your introduction/questions, and I would definitely leave these two together as here. It works well from a timing/dramatic sense.

Where you describe what you're doing as "glitch punk," this song seems not to be lo-fi, or have intended distortions, but, visually, eg,
YouTube as well as some music under that label seems to variably incorporate these elements. Anyway I hat fun listening to and describing as above.
 
NOTE: I did not realize that putting in the text for the URL to glitch punk would result in the video showing up there, but it does. It's kind of hard to listen to, maybe needs some kind of "trigger warning" for the distortion, kind of psychologically punishing. I guess if you followed a text link, same thing would have happened. Anyway, sorry if that leads to an unpleasant experience.
Bad 6
 
That's some great feedback! Thanks, everyone.

New mix at the same link.

Futzed with the kick and snare EQs and samples. Rebalanced some vocals and guitars. Messed with some vocal EQ to get rid of some woofiness in the second song.

Number six, to clarify. When I say "glitch punk" I mean punk done using glitchy technology and techniques. E.g. the low-pitched synthesizer is a broken children's toy run through a bunch of FX. The high-pitched synths and much of the percussion are procedurally-generated (if you compare the two mixes, you'll notice that they're playing different things).

...As I A/B the tracks, I noticed that the tone of the synths changed. Rage. I'll have to fix it tomorrow.
 
Overall volume matching is better on the vocals in song 1, song 2 overall volume is just a bit too loud compared to 1.

Is the bass in song 1 synth? Could use some definition.
 
Overall volume matching is better on the vocals in song 1, song 2 overall volume is just a bit too loud compared to 1.

Is the bass in song 1 synth? Could use some definition.

As in everything else besides the vocals is too loud on song 2? That's what I was afraid of.

There are 3 instruments playing bass in song 1. A fairly standard fretless and two shortscales with guitar string on them (playing both bass tonics and guitar power chords)
 
It's quite a cool vibe. Sounds like a summer camp I went on once. The switch works OK but I prefer the first part of the song. I like that changeup that first happens at .53. Drum groove is good. Vocals seem slightly to loud in the first part, then slightly too quiet in the 2nd part when it gets busy
 
Vox are ... and believe it when it comes from me ... a little too out front. I'd bring them back into the musical bed more.

When the change occurs, they reach a better embedded level. I'd actually do that through the first passage too. The vocal makes the first section sound almost a little too sterile -- not enough energy to either the music or the vocal to sustain the drive of the piece.

I might make the guitar tones slightly more raunchy in the first section too -- but basically I'm looking for something to drive it akin to the presentation in the second part.
 
At first (I know America first :)) my English is bad, sorry!!!:guitar:




The song should have more structure, the last part sounds a bit overhasty and that then affects the mix. Overall, a good idea. The vocals sound a bit thin. I would rethink the instrumentation, and adjust the bass and drums.
What I really like are the lyrics.
 
I went straight to mix three. Overall I thought it was pretty good.

One thing mixwise that stuck out to me was that most of the instruments were missing a lot of top end - especially the guitars. Then the lead vocal had a bunch of presence dialed. So the vocal sounded like it was in a different spot. I would back off some of the vocal presence.

The song had a bunch of great stuff going on. It was a great listen. Loved all the changes.
 
Realize you are done with it, but ...
The guitar on the right during the verses is more noise than tone (dialing back the distortion would help,. I guess). When you come in with 'Lord of the Flies day' in the higher octave the first time, the vocal is still a little loud. The transition to part 2 is more balanced now. The guitars should probably be ducked to the lead vocal, during the verses of this part as its very hard to hear what's being said.
 
I do have it ducked on the vocals, actually. (and the kick) I always try to use as light a hand as possible on that effect though. Don't want the guitars phasing all over the place.

I'll be touching up the mix a bit for the CD in July, so having this feedback is still useful. Thanks!
 
I do have it ducked on the vocals, actually. (and the kick) I always try to use as light a hand as possible on that effect though. Don't want the guitars phasing all over the place.

I'll be touching up the mix a bit for the CD in July, so having this feedback is still useful. Thanks!

I think it's a pretty good mix. I agree that the vocal is a smidgen too ho on the levelt. Super cool arrangement. Man, I don't think I could pull off a difficult arrangement like this.
Very cool VHS!
 
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