As I said before, even though I didn’t participate so I can’t really vote, it means a lot to me to share feedback on all tracks to support the initiative. With all the drama happening in the OG thread, I feel it’s even more important now lol
Tried not to spoil myself before today so I’m discovering all tracks.
DISCLAIMER: this is my personal view, and don’t want to hurt anyone, just want to share with the community, after all we’re all humans.
Msymiakos - Humanity
I have to admit this sounds exactly like what I imagine everyone would create on a Renoise forum lol, breaks and old school synths. I would just have loved to hear a bit more things referring to Humanity than the stretched vocals (like real-world elements or things) but that’s purely personal.
The track is overall very good, but might be a bit too “standard” for the contest format, but again that’s just my view there is nothing in the rules saying it should be different.
Mano.G - In a Sudden Strangeness
The piano in the intro feels very Human which is very good. For some reason it almost brings me back to Linkin Park’s work (even though I’m not an expert in their work). I love the sound design on the percs and beat in your intro. This feels continues with the synths that comes and go. To me, the humanity theme is perfectly respected, thanks to that beautiful piano, real-world sounds and choir. (+ the reverb percs at the end 
)
Only thing, to be constructive, is the mix doesn’t really sound like I would expect it. I usually don’t like saying “the mix is good/bad” since to me it’s all about choices and there isn’t usually a “correct” way to mix. For example the bassline in the intro part feels muffled, and the overall feel on the drop feels a beat weak because of drums mixing.
The baby voice at the end feels forced to me though.
Be he n - Human nature is what it is
A whole different style. Loudness war really hit you bro lol
Don’t know if that’s keeping the feel of what you usually produce or if that’s something different from your usual catalog but it feels quite original. I love the “broken sounding” sound design you have, heavily distorted, especially in the first part (before 1:20). I feel the drums are overcompressed, but again purely personal.
Less fan of the second part, feels like it misses something in term of frequencies, especially after you remove the distorted synth from the intro that was filling the space perfectly. I fill the lead that comes in around 2:20 has too much volume.
Overall track is nice, but I feel your second part (which imo should be the heavy sounding) feels weak compared to how heavy the first one is. Also, I would expect more variations (especially in the drums patterns and stuff) in such a genre, especially given th Humanity theme we had.
The Comfortably Awkward - Beneath the Noise
While your drums and the feel is nice in the beginning, I feel you could have started your track at around 0:30 (or even just after around 0:45 when drums are completely out), the current intro doesn’t bring much to the actual track feeling to me, almost feels like you just added it to make it a “DJ Tool” and ease out mixing it live lol
Hearing the second drums coming around 1:00, it feels even more out of space since the feel is completely different than the ones from intro that now feels like “was it the same song” ?
Pretty good track to me, perfectly respecting the humanity feel thanks to the distant laughter during intro. I was personnally expecting it to take off at some point (especially because of this DJ tool intro), and I find the part starting around 1:10 a bit empty, it misses something but I don’t know what exactly, but it’s very relaxing. Could be a minecraft song in a different universe where Steve have mental health issues.
My favorite part of the track is your intro though, from 0;30 to 1:10, but I feel the track doesn’t really evolve from there.
Oleg Blochim
First seconds feels refreshing compared to what I heard before, the sound design is brighter than the others lol
I love the duality between some of your synth sounds being very bright, but the overall melody still being quite depressing.
Transition at 0:28 is a bit abrupt, both parts (before and after) are good, but I miss something linking both.
The vocals are a nice touch but they feel forced in the track and weirdly mixed to me and sometimes out of the grid. I love your attention on details, don’t know if it’s on purpose but for example when the kid voice comes in, there is a kind of kid music box playing lol.
The bridge synth at 1:35 is so good!
Very nice track creatively, but feels a bit like a demo to me. There are elements that are insanely goods, and some that feels you spent only few secs on it.
rjlmrq - mb17_avicenna
To be honest, this sounds so weird to me (not in a bad way) I don’t really know what to tell about this track lol
Really sorry I’m not able to make a feedback as complete as the ones I did for the others..
I feel the melodies a bit forced and the mix a bit muffled, not that much human to me, feels like a randomizer playing the keys lol.
J V Sorensen - Imperfection
The guitar around 5:00 is a nice touch, but I feel the overall track would have benefited from more variations especially the drums. The bridge at 2:50 feels very long, the piano is playing alone for so long, could have been nice to have other elements playing as well.
Dominguez Audio - 1/2 Priced Ghosts
I like how you merge different elements like real world talk, raggae sounding beats and video games synths. However, I feel transitions between sections (for example at 0:55 then 1:35, or 2:25) feels like different tracks and miss a “fil rouge”. Maybe something that was done on purpose though.
When we approach the end of the track, I feel the transitions are betterly done, and I love how progressive and evolutive your track is.
Kommunal Malware - What AM I ?
Intro sounds very good, not sure it sounds really human. It’s interesting to hear different takes of different people at the “Humanity theme”. At first I was like “this is clearly not what humanity feels like to me”, but after a few seconds I think I understood and it actually matches the vibes well. Like Msymiakos’ track, this sound like what anyone would expect on a Renoise forum lol.
I love the variety and patterns of your drums, and they match the synths perfectly.
As an acid fan, you completely convinced me at 2:05 briging that TB-like line lol. What I love in your track is the amount of details added here and there. The story is perfectly executed, we keep an evolution over the whole track, while keeping it surprising!
highway rehab - stamps
This almost sounds like what Luke Viber could have done under his Plug alias (I recommend his “Drum n Bass for Papa” project btw). You’re one of the people that matches how I see the humanity theme the most.
H3ADL3SS - Remnant
Sounds a bit like some of Aphex Twin’s work (I know, he is so versatile that it’s weird to say this lol), especially the pads. The transition around 1:15 is quite nice. You managed to give a real atmosphere and feeling to your track. If I wanted to find something to say, I would maybe say it could sound repetitive at time, but I don’t know why lol.
skolskoly - all too human
After writing that much reviews, and always saying I find the transitions abrupt (I do again on yours), I might start thinking that’s actually a me-problem lol
It’s a very interesting track, and I love the atmosphere you built, it sounds both like something calming because of the chosen sounds, and has something very claustrophobic. I feel having more heavy-hitting drums (maybe it’s just mixing though) would have brought this track to another level.
Not a fan of the 1:50+ part, it feels out of place with the claustrophobic feel of the intro but that may be done on purpose. We go from a claustrophobic track to something that could go in a racing vintage video game lol too epic to me.
And for the ones not on soundcloud (hope I didn’t miss one though).
Panos Kostagiannis - Humanity
Very nicely executed track, I now understand why @TNT couldn’t stop saying you would be the winner, even though it’s a personal choice and I don’t know if you would be mine if I could vote lol
You have one of the best mixes from all the other submissions, sounds are perfectly choosen and the track feels like travelling. I love the high lead you play in different parts of the track. I’m usually not a fan of vocal tracks (it depends I have to admit) but yours bring something refreshing and important in your track.
RudeCorps - July Days
Seeing the artwork, I wasn’t expecting this at all ! You’re one of the only persons that went outside of the “electro” sounding style, and it’s also perfectly executed. That’s not a genre I’m used to so I won’t be able to give specific feedback, but I loved the track. I think I would’ve preferred it as an instrumental track though but purely personal.
I’m not sure I would be able to give a podium, but anyway I don’t need to since I’m not a voter lol
But, to me the top would be Kommunal Malware - What AM I?
And then
- Panos Kostagiannis - humanity
- highway rehab - stamps
- H3ADL3SS - Remnant
- RudeCorps - July Days
would fight for the two remaining spots. Some others could fight also, but that would be my personal choices.
By the way @slujr, I think it could be nice if you could also link the submissions from people that didn’t upload their track to soundcloud, I had to dig in the original thread to find them.
(I just realized it took me so long the write all of this).
)
I 100% agree about the mix – that’s the first thing I’ve learned from this experience: I need to do more reference comparisons for balance and clarity. Thank you!