The 12th Mixtape Exchange

[Deirdre]

Btw I wanna congratulate you guys, because even thoguh a few mixtapes were late, I think it is one of the first times that eeeeeevery participant sent their tapes :cheesy:

 

Yay :dance:

I hope it will be the same for the reviews and it will be the perfect mixtape exchange :cool:

_________________________________

 

Speaking of that, here is finally my review, I’m sorry it took me that long:

 

01. It’s kind of a hippie psychedelic song to me. A man is singing. It’s an interesting mix of instruments but I can’t identify all (battery, flute, guitar). The flute stands out to me (maybe because it’s unusually for me!). There is also electro sounds in it. Well a great mix of sounds :nice:

 

02. It’s an electro-lounge type of song to me. A woman, with a child-woman voice, is singing and a man joins her at some points. I’m not a huge fan of that kind of female voice. The song seems to have some bell sounds in it or is it a xylophone? The end made me think of the music of a video game :D

 

03. It’s a folkish type of song to me with battery, piano, guitar. And I think, there are some slight electro sounds in it. The guitar's sound seems coming from far away :nice: In the chorus, a harp is added to the other instruments. A man is singing, I like his voice. Great track!

 

04. It begins with a 1 minute or so instrumental intro with a mix of electro sounds (which make me think of being under water!). Then a piano comes in followed by a man singing with a high voice. He keeps singing with another mix of electro sounds and the piano. Then there is a 50 seconds or so instrumental outro which is the same as the intro. It makes me think of a Jónsi track, am I right? I would have liked it to be longer :D

 

05. A man is singing and his voice seems a bit modified or something like that. It’s kind of a folkish-ballad to me with guitar and piano. There is a sound which is like the sound of a drop of water and I can’t tell if it is from an instrument or not.

 

06. Acoustic beginning with a guitar and a woman singing. Then other instruments come in: piano and, what I think is, a banjo (maybe it’s something else) but it’s still acoustic. I like her type of voice and the music of this song. It reminded me something, maybe I have heard it before! To sum up, it’s an acoustic-folkish-a bit country song to me.

 

07. A man with a rather deep voice is singing. It’s a folk-rockish song to me… not really sure about that description but I like the song. I think the music is only build with piano and battery but I might be wrong!

 

08. Again child-woman voices (I think there are two singers, am I right?) with electric guitar. I like the music (build only with guitar and battery, well that’s what I recognized!) and the voice suits nicely with it! When the two women sing, I hear a sound which resembles a ticking clock. This track makes me think of a grown-up lullaby :D

 

09. Wow complete change of mood with techno-electro music mixed with a woman with a high voice, like an opera voice, at some moments then the voice whispers words. Is it the same woman singing? I found this track original :nice:

 

10. For me, it’s a folkish type of song with guitar and battery. At the beginning, there are some electro sounds and I think there are a bit of them all along the track. A man with a deep voice is singing, something joined by a woman.

 

11. A woman is singing. I like how this song is build with very few instruments (I recognize a battery and a guitar, maybe a piano at the end), hands clapping, voice. It’s a folkish song to me.

 

12. Another techno-electro track with a man singing with the impression he is far away. I found it less original than the other one (number 9) you put in your mixtape.

 

13. It’s a mix between electro and folk to me. A woman is singing. In the chorus, she uses a high voice. There is a sound that’s like a harp in the chorus or is it a harp but modified? And, there is also a bit of piano in this track.

 

14. The only artist I recognize, Beirut, but I don’t know the title of the track. Well, no need to describe it, I think you all know Beirut and the type of music he makes. But in this one, there some kind of electro sounds in it, more distinguishable at the end. With the over 1 minute instrumental intro (mostly accordion/xylophone/trumpet), I first think it could be Yann Tiersen!

 

Overall, I found this mixtape original, the way the songs are build with instruments (sometimes only a few of them), sounds: I am not used to listen to these types of songs. It’s a mix that brings you somewhere else :nice:

The mixtape flows well together except for the techno-electro songs but it’s a nice break. However, this mix was a bit calm for me.

My favourites are songs number 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11.

 

I like the picture used as mixtape cover (can I keep a copy of it?) and it makes me feel you’re a girl!

 

Thank you for the time you spend making this mixtape :nice:

[Deirdre]

Heh, thanks. :nice: I try to remain openminded when it comes to music. As for the review, I just tend to write what I think.

 

Anyway, it'll take me a while to get through their discography, but I'm willing to take the time. I'm spending some quality time with "GlaubeLiebeTod" at the moment. I heard about the new album via a different forum. I'll definitely look into it. :D

You should open a blog and share your great writing and large music taste with the world :D

 

I thought I put you some videos from each album of the band so you can have a quick overview of their work if you haven't already ;)

 

 

Name of the album listed from most old to most recent with songs I like:

- Oomph!:

- Sperm: Feiert das Kreuz

- Defekt: Ice Coffin

- Wunschkind: Wunschkind live

- Unrein: Gekreuzigt

- Plastik: Das Weisse Licht

- Ego: Supernova

- Wahrheit oder Pflicht: Brennende Liebe

- GlaubeLiebeTob: you already know this album

- Monster: Labyrinth

I don't know very well the 4 first albums but I put you the songs I know and like!

All of them are official videos except 'Ich bin du', 'Feiert das Kreuz' and 'Wunschkind'.

 

Extra: a single I like, Niemand.

 

 

 

Aww, thanks! No, I don't get paid to write (I should :dozey: ), but I do play a bit. The 6th-7th part was just talking about the musical chords I heard. "Diddy" is just another word for song, or tune.

 

haha, wow. Thanks for these! It's cool that you took the time to find these instrumentals for me. I like a lot of Depeche Mode songs, but I never took time to listen to a whole album. I think I might do that now. I also like how many of the bands on the mix were from central europe, as I know very few bands from that area.

 

You too should open a blog and share your music tastes and great writing with the world :D

Thanks for explaining the terms I didn't understand ;)

You're welcome for the 'extras' songs ;) I also listen to more DM songs than albums (I think have listen two of them entirely!)

Maybe it will bring you to discover more bands from that part of the world on your own (then don't hesitate to share :D) ;)

[an angel]

Yay :dance:

I hope it will be the same for the reviews and it will be the perfect mixtape exchange :cool:

_________________________________

 

Speaking of that, here is finally my review, I’m sorry it took me that long:

 

01. It’s kind of a hippie psychedelic song to me. A man is singing. It’s an interesting mix of instruments but I can’t identify all (battery, flute, guitar). The flute stands out to me (maybe because it’s unusually for me!). There is also electro sounds in it. Well a great mix of sounds :nice:

 

 

02. It’s an electro-lounge type of song to me. A woman, with a child-woman voice, is singing and a man joins her at some points. I’m not a huge fan of that kind of female voice. The song seems to have some bell sounds in it or is it a xylophone? The end made me think of the music of a video game :D

 

03. It’s a folkish type of song to me with battery, piano, guitar. And I think, there are some slight electro sounds in it. The guitar's sound seems coming from far away :nice: In the chorus, a harp is added to the other instruments. A man is singing, I like his voice. Great track!

 

04. It begins with a 1 minute or so instrumental intro with a mix of electro sounds (which make me think of being under water!). Then a piano comes in followed by a man singing with a high voice. He keeps singing with another mix of electro sounds and the piano. Then there is a 50 seconds or so instrumental outro which is the same as the intro. It makes me think of a Jónsi track, am I right? I would have liked it to be longer :D

 

05. A man is singing and his voice seems a bit modified or something like that. It’s kind of a folkish-ballad to me with guitar and piano. There is a sound which is like the sound of a drop of water and I can’t tell if it is from an instrument or not.

 

06. Acoustic beginning with a guitar and a woman singing. Then other instruments come in: piano and, what I think is, a banjo (maybe it’s something else) but it’s still acoustic. I like her type of voice and the music of this song. It reminded me something, maybe I have heard it before! To sum up, it’s an acoustic-folkish-a bit country song to me.

 

07. A man with a rather deep voice is singing. It’s a folk-rockish song to me… not really sure about that description but I like the song. I think the music is only build with piano and battery but I might be wrong!

 

08. Again child-woman voices (I think there are two singers, am I right?) with electric guitar. I like the music (build only with guitar and battery, well that’s what I recognized!) and the voice suits nicely with it! When the two women sing, I hear a sound which resembles a ticking clock. This track makes me think of a grown-up lullaby :D

 

09. Wow complete change of mood with techno-electro music mixed with a woman with a high voice, like an opera voice, at some moments then the voice whispers words. Is it the same woman singing? I found this track original :nice:

 

10. For me, it’s a folkish type of song with guitar and battery. At the beginning, there are some electro sounds and I think there are a bit of them all along the track. A man with a deep voice is singing, something joined by a woman.

 

11. A woman is singing. I like how this song is build with very few instruments (I recognize a battery and a guitar, maybe a piano at the end), hands clapping, voice. It’s a folkish song to me.

 

12. Another techno-electro track with a man singing with the impression he is far away. I found it less original than the other one (number 9) you put in your mixtape.

 

13. It’s a mix between electro and folk to me. A woman is singing. In the chorus, she uses a high voice. There is a sound that’s like a harp in the chorus or is it a harp but modified? And, there is also a bit of piano in this track.

 

14. The only artist I recognize, Beirut, but I don’t know the title of the track. Well, no need to describe it, I think you all know Beirut and the type of music he makes. But in this one, there some kind of electro sounds in it, more distinguishable at the end. With the over 1 minute instrumental intro (mostly accordion/xylophone/trumpet), I first think it could be Yann Tiersen!

 

Overall, I found this mixtape original, the way the songs are build with instruments (sometimes only a few of them), sounds: I am not used to listen to these types of songs. It’s a mix that brings you somewhere else :nice:

The mixtape flows well together except for the techno-electro songs but it’s a nice break. However, this mix was a bit calm for me.

My favourites are songs number 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11.

 

I like the picture used as mixtape cover (can I keep a copy of it?) and it makes me feel you’re a girl!

 

Thank you for the time you spend making this mixtape :nice:

 

Hi! This was my mixtape. Thanks for the review! :nice:

 

Here's the tracklisting:

1. Caribou – Sandy (Andorra)

2. Twin Sister – Daniel (In Heaven)

3. Father John Misty – Nancy From Now On (Fear Fun)

4. St. Vincent – Bicycle (Actor Out of Work) (This isn't a man actually, it's a woman!)

5. Sufjan Stevens – Futile Devices (The Age of Adz)

6. Laura Marling – Rest in the Bed (A Creature I Don’t Know)

7. Other Lives – Tamer Animals (Tamer Animals)

8. Metallic Falcons – Snakes and Tea (Desert Doughnuts)

9. Grimes – Be a Body (侘寂) (Visions)

10. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers (ii) (Two Dancers)

11. Daughter – Home (The Wild Youth EP)

12. Washed Out – Echoes (Within and Without)

13. Susanne Sundfør – White Foxes (The Silicone Veil)

14. Beirut – The Concubine (March of the Zapotec & Real People – Holland)

[Violet]

^ OOOH, that looks awesome. :wacky:

[an angel]

Here's the link if you want to listen to it :smiley:

 

 

 

To my mixtape maker: I'm sorry I haven't reviewed yours yet, I'll try to have it done by tomorrow.

[RWLover]

To my mixtape maker: I'm really really sorry, but I found out yesterday that I have a very important test coming up this Thursday, so I'm afraid I won't have my review up any time before Friday...

[Deirdre]

Hi! This was my mixtape. Thanks for the review! :nice:

 

Here's the tracklisting:

1. Caribou – Sandy (Andorra)

2. Twin Sister – Daniel (In Heaven)

3. Father John Misty – Nancy From Now On (Fear Fun)

4. St. Vincent – Bicycle (Actor Out of Work) (This isn't a man actually, it's a woman!)

5. Sufjan Stevens – Futile Devices (The Age of Adz)

6. Laura Marling – Rest in the Bed (A Creature I Don’t Know)

7. Other Lives – Tamer Animals (Tamer Animals)

8. Metallic Falcons – Snakes and Tea (Desert Doughnuts)

9. Grimes – Be a Body (侘寂) (Visions)

10. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers (ii) (Two Dancers)

11. Daughter – Home (The Wild Youth EP)

12. Washed Out – Echoes (Within and Without)

13. Susanne Sundfør – White Foxes (The Silicone Veil)

14. Beirut – The Concubine (March of the Zapotec & Real People – Holland)

 

Thanks for the tracklisting ;) I will check out the artists I prefered the songs from :D

(I was hoping to have some comments on the songs :( But, nevermind, you probably don't like to do it or didn't have time to do it ;))

[mariagborud]

I have started but I'm not done yet...sorry!

I just have so much I need to do with school and stuff :disappointed:

[The Final Track]

I'll write my review today or tomorrow.

[Crests]

Ha, I came here to see if people could still sign up but it looks like that opportunity passed quite a long time ago xD

[Cyan Kat]

Dear mixtape maker, I should have your review done in the next few days (sorry for the wait.)

[RWLover]

I'm so sorry, dear mixtape maker. It took me way, way too long to write this review... I'm sorry! But here it is at last:

 

1. Great opener! This is exactly the type of music I love, so I can't wait to hear who this is. I don't think the singing is very good, but it fits well within the song.

2. Another song I really really like, straight from the opening. It's like you know exactly what kind of music I like! Awesome!

3. OK song, a bit boring for me though. It's like I keep hearing the same bit over and over for 4 minutes.

4. Good song, didn't really like the singers though... But again, it's still in basically the same genre of music I listen to, so I'm really liking this mixtape so far!

5. Another great song, can't wait to find out who this is! It amazes me every time again how much great music there is that you just don't get to hear...

6. A more 'rocking' song. The singer reminds me of some Dutch singer for some reason, don't really know why... It's good!

7. Yaaay a song that I know! I love Fink, and I think Perfect Darkness is a great album... thanks for this one!

8. Another amazing song... seriously, how do you do this? I'm loving every bit of it so far!

9. Another one I know! I love David Gray, but haven't listened to too much of his stuff yet... I should!

10. I really like the opening of this, reminds me a lot of another song I can't remember the name of right now... Didn't care much for the rest though. First one that I'm not entirely liking...

11. Beautiful, beautiful song. Great way to end the mixtape. Thanks a lot, I loved it and I'm sure I'll listen to it a lot more in the upcoming weeks :)

[doritji]

Hello, I am your mysterious mixtape maker! :wink3:

 

Glad to see that you really liked it! If you need any more information about bands, songs or albums, just let me know. And we can do that part in Dutch then :D

 

I'm so sorry, dear mixtape maker. It took me way, way too long to write this review... I'm sorry! But here it is at last:

 

1. Great opener! This is exactly the type of music I love, so I can't wait to hear who this is. I don't think the singing is very good, but it fits well within the song.

Ha! I get what you're saying about the singing. It's Okkervil River. They have a lot of so-so songs. But then there are like 4 or 5 songs that are pure genious. Most of those songs you can find on an album called Black Sheep Boy ( + Appendix EP). Songs you HAVE to check out are For Real and Another Radio Song.

 

 

2. Another song I really really like, straight from the opening. It's like you know exactly what kind of music I like! Awesome!

 

SO SO SO glad you like this one. It's probably my all-time favourite song, which is odd because you can't really tell what's so special about it, right? I just love the emotion and simplicity I guess. It's a band called The Rumour Said Fire. They are a great band, but they have only released 1 album and 1 EP. The EP, The Life And Death Of A Male Body is their best work. The Balcony is another great song which I'm sure you'll love!

 

 

3. OK song, a bit boring for me though. It's like I keep hearing the same bit over and over for 4 minutes.

 

Haha, I just put this song in there because it would've been a lot of the same music. I don't like it THAT much either, but it's, like you said, an OK song. + They're Belgian so I have to show off something right ;-)

 

 

4. Good song, didn't really like the singers though... But again, it's still in basically the same genre of music I listen to, so I'm really liking this mixtape so far!

 

This is Jonas David. His album is called Keep The Times and is a lot like a light version of For Emma Forever Ago by Bon Iver. It's a great album (both are), but I didn't want to make it too obvious he sounded like Bon Iver :P Definately check him out, he could use the support. Saw him live once in front of 10 other people (weirdest concert ever)

 

 

5. Another great song, can't wait to find out who this is! It amazes me every time again how much great music there is that you just don't get to hear...

 

So, this band right here is my current addiction. Favourite band of all time for me. They are incapable of making a bad song! Glad to see you liked it. They're called The Jezabels. It's from their debut album Prisoner. BEST ALBUM OF 2012 already, I tell you! I have listened to it more than 100 times I think and I'm still not tired of it! They are playing The Netherlands soon (I'll be going, even though I saw them twice already this year). I featured them a second time on the tape, but where.... :sneaky:

 

 

6. A more 'rocking' song. The singer reminds me of some Dutch singer for some reason, don't really know why... It's good!

 

They're called Kashmir. They have made like 5 or 6 albums already and they're all great. A good starter is their latest called Trespassers or The Good Life (which is 13 years old, but still really really modern)

 

 

7. Yaaay a song that I know! I love Fink, and I think Perfect Darkness is a great album... thanks for this one!

 

This is really just the only song I know of him, but I had to put a slower song in the mixtape and thought this would go well with it :P

 

 

8. Another amazing song... seriously, how do you do this? I'm loving every bit of it so far!

 

Ha, I just reflected my own music taste in the mixtape so I guess we're much alike then :lol: Well this one is by a band called Cherry Ghost. I usually put another song from them on my mixtapes, but since Birdy covered it, you might think that they ripped her off. The song I'm talking about is People Help The People. But this is a genious second choise right? It's my favourite song to walk on, makes me feel invincible!

 

9. Another one I know! I love David Gray, but haven't listened to too much of his stuff yet... I should!

 

Yeah you should. No matter how awful music might become, there's always David Gray. He just makes great music and everytime a song of his passes on my mp3, I'm reminded of how good he is. White Ladder is a classic UK album, but I like Draw The Line or Life In Slow Motion better.

 

10. I really like the opening of this, reminds me a lot of another song I can't remember the name of right now... Didn't care much for the rest though. First one that I'm not entirely liking...

 

Here's the second song from The Jezabels :P It's from one of their EP's and I really wanted to show you some of their older work. Weird that you didn't like it though, I thought it was more accesable than the other song I put on there. It'll probably grow on you. But don't let this one scare you. Prisoner (the album) is much more like the first Jezabels song I put on the mixtape and I'm sure you'll thank me fro showing it to you! (oh and the song it reminded you of: I got to know this band because someone on this forum said it sounded a lot like Death and all His Friends by Coldplay, so it might be that :P )

 

 

11. Beautiful, beautiful song. Great way to end the mixtape. Thanks a lot, I loved it and I'm sure I'll listen to it a lot more in the upcoming weeks :)

 

This is such a mood song for me. Really. I can see myself sitting on the couch, sipping some wine whilst listening to this song, weeping over a lover lost. (I say this everytome, but it's true). Ray Lamontagne. First 3 albums are great, after that he got too country. But maybe you're into that :P

 

 

 

Tracklisting:

 

1. Our Life's Not A Movie Or Maybe - Okkervil River

2. Dance - The Rumour Said Fire

3. Delay - Intergalactic Lovers

4. Weak Bones - Jonas David

5. City Girl - The Jezabels

6. Pursuit Of Misery - Kashmir

7. Yesterday Was Hard On All Of Us - Fink

8. A Month Of Mornings - Cherry Ghost

9. Hospital Food - David Gray

10. Hurt Me - The Jezabels

11. Ray LaMontagne - I Still Care For You

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?7m5j11dtidacs1e

[Wyrd]

AAAAAAAAAAH :wacko:

 

I love 'Dance' from The Rumour Said Fire as well! I see you put Kashmir on the mixtape as well. My favorite album of them is Zitilites. Funny how everyone has a different CD of them as a favorite. Ooooh, Danish stuff. I am such a sucker for that :}

The rest has some unfamiliar things on it that I want to check out for sure. I will give this mixtape a listen for sure!

 

Hey, how are the people with their exams doing ..... I am curious for more tapes! :D

[doritji]

AAAAAAAAAAH :wacko:

 

I love 'Dance' from The Rumour Said Fire as well! I see you put Kashmir on the mixtape as well. My favorite album of them is Zitilites. Funny how everyone has a different CD of them as a favorite. Ooooh, Danish stuff. I am such a sucker for that :}

The rest has some unfamiliar things on it that I want to check out for sure. I will give this mixtape a listen for sure!

 

Hey, how are the people with their exams doing ..... I am curious for more tapes! :D

 

Ha! Thanks let me know what you think (you can then maybe PM me in Dutch or whatever). Since you lie The rumour Said Fire and Kashmir, you'll probably like the rest as well :D

 

Dance is, like I said, perhaps my favourite song of all time. It's so simple, yet so great and aaarrgh. I keep forgetting about it and them BAM there it is and it grabs me by the throat and I feel like crying and dancing and laughing and.. well I'm just glad I found someone who (kinda) feels the same way about it

[The Final Track]

I've written like half the review, I'll try to finish it tomorrow.

[mariagborud]

i hate myself and you're allowed to do so to..... i'll get i done soon.... maybe tomorrow!!!!!

[Alien Radio]

Today is my last exam, so expect my review tomorrow :)

[Cyan Kat]

i am terrible mixtape maker i keep procrastinating

:disappointed:

some point this weekend hopefully ...

[The Final Track]

So I finally finished my review! Sorry for the wait, I don't really have any excuses. I loved the tape, it's very nicely put together and I enjoyed all of it. I hope my review makes up for the delay :) (any typos or errors are accredited to microsoft word).

 

Track 1: Starts out with an organ playing an arpeggiated chord moving down for every time repeated. The arpeggio is kept when the chord progression starts, which I really like, and is accompanied by another synth. The guitar and vocals are drenched in effects, with the guitar only giving little flicks during the verses and the vocals placed a further into the mix than normal. The singer has great voice, deep and brooding at times. (“Strange times are coming”). Absolutely fantastic bass work, reminds me of Martyn Casey (The Triffids, Nick Cave). I wouldn’t be surprised if this is from the 80’s and from Australia or New Zealand. Great song, one of my favorites on the mix.

 

Track 2: Begins with a digital synth-bass arpeggio riff and builds up gradually with percussion a deeper bass, more synths and an electric guitar. The vocals come in halfway through the song, and the dynamics step down a bit. This reminds me of Holy Fuck to some extent. Towards the end of the track the guitar comes crashing down and in the end pulls everything down with it.

 

Track 3: First there’s an extract from a film, with someone speaking German. I can’t really make out what they’re saying. Then there’s a piano, strings and a guitar which unexpectedly go straight into a dubstep groove with casio keyboards and bass-synths. It’s an interesting listen, picking apart all the sounds, especially the synths, but not really my thing. Cool guitar riffs.

 

Track 4: A slower number, with strings, keys and a choir backing up a soft man’s voice (“I’m a high school lover”…”You’re my playground love”), which makes me think Beck. After the first and second verses there’re sax solos. The song doesn’t really have a chorus, but it works just fine without it. Great tune. One of my favorites.

 

Track 5: The intro sounded a bit like Arcade Fire’s “Ready to Start”. It’s the same basic setup, synths backing a driving bass, and a traditional rock line up. There’s also something about the arrangement after the chorus that’s sort of epic (the actual meaning of the word) in the same way, say, No Cars Go is. I feel like I should know the voice, maybe because he sounds like Ezra Koenig on a few places. The song’s chorus is kind of feel-good (“He was just an old friend”). Cool outro.

 

Track 6: Folky acoustic strumming backed by eerie electronic sounds, creating a larger soundscape, to great effect. The result is a heavier feeling/mood. The singer is a male, and has a voice not too unlike Jim James, though perhaps a little deeper. After the chorus, where a slow drum beat and a bass start, the drums kick in and the pace quickens. The song has great dynamics and a large soundscape, and like the percussion work. Another favorite.

 

Track 7: An electronic beat and some keys build up to a motif where the song steps down dynamically and a lone violin plays a beautiful motif, sounding very much like folk music (I want to say Norwegian but I’m not sure). The beat picks up again with a sharp guitar and a xylophone. It starts building dynamically again, and the motif is added to the soundscape. It climaxes when the full instrumentation returns. Very powerful.

 

Track 8: This is a bit similar to track 3, with casios keyboards and a deep grinding bass synth. The rhythm is very off beat, and there are occasional falsetto harmonies in between the stanzas, which are timed with the casio. Another synth, arpeggiating and prominent in the mix, is added for the second verse. Then there’s a robot voice and almost everything else cuts, before the song returns to its original off beat rhythm. What the synth does towards the end is pretty cool.

 

Track 9: The intro consists of muffled instruments and voices (I think I hear a pan-flute). Then an up tempo electronic drumbeat kicks in. This is a little calmer then track 8, and focuses more on the soundscape (the sounds in the intro and a couple of synths). I like that you placed them after one another. The wavy synth in the second part of the song is neat, and it fades with what sounds like waves washing up on the beach. Is this Holy Fuck?

 

Track 10: A harp (?) and soft piano play broken chords and the piano a motif before just playing chords in the right hand. The singer has a high register and good range (“Leave a light on in the wild”). A bass and guitar join in and also play broken chords. Then strings and wind instruments create a variation and the motif is repeated. Then there’s a crescendo and the song goes the full Morricone with trumpets, epic percussion and strings. I liked it, but it’s nothing I’d envision myself delving into.

 

Track 11: Starts out with a strumming guitar (12 string maybe), bass and vocals. Drums join in in the chorus, and a xylophone in the second verse. The lyrics seem to paint World War II Paris, though that may very well be wrong. It’s a nice, short song that’s just less than two minutes. Sounds like it could be from the 70’s, just after the British invasion? Anyway, it has beautiful tune.

 

Track 12: This reminds me a little of Bright Eyes, though maybe a little more on the Americana side. It’s a bit laid back and played at a ¾ tempo. The lead guitar is an acoustic, and there’s a pedal steel, which I love :awesome: It’s got a little Eels in it as well, not least in the voice of the singer. The chorus is sung in harmonies, and is followed by an acoustic guitar solo first, and then a harmonica solo. The song concludes with a final chorus and a flick of pedal steel.

 

Track 13: Kicks off with a chiming guitar motif backed by a layer of strings, and is followed by a slightly offbeat drumbeat and a bass doubling it. Most of the song follows this pattern, with the dynamics varying slightly. The harmonies used remind me of The Beach Boys, and the song has a somewhat summery feeling to it. I like this.

 

Track 14: Flows well with the previous track. A funky bass and beat are accompanied by a back lying synth riff. The singer’s voice sustained in some places and more harmonies are used. This also has that optimistic, summery ring to it. The track is driven mainly by a prominent rhythm section and its vocals. There’s quite a bit going on here, though.

 

Track 15: This one I know. I actually put it on my own mixtape, also as the penultimate track. It’s a hauntingly beautiful song, and so very simple. This is one of my favorite songs.

 

Track 16: The song starts out with a lone acoustic guitar repeating a line. After one bar it’s accompanied by percussion and after two bars a second acoustic and a bass. The singer has a high register and hoarse voice. It’s a very pleasant song to listen to, pretty easy going, slightly repetitive and with nice harmonies. Half way through an entire choir joins in and I can hear an accordion and a violin. The mixtape comes to an end with everyone singing, and then fades out.

 

So thanks again! My favorite tracks were 1, 4, 6, 7, 11 and 15 :) Looking forward to seeing the tracklisting.

[the_gloaming09]

I'm glad you enjoyed the tape! I was your mixtape maker! :)

So I finally finished my review! Sorry for the wait, I don't really have any excuses. I loved the tape, it's very nicely put together and I enjoyed all of it. I hope my review makes up for the delay :) (any typos or errors are accredited to microsoft word).

 

Track 1: Starts out with an organ playing an arpeggiated chord moving down for every time repeated. The arpeggio is kept when the chord progression starts, which I really like, and is accompanied by another synth. The guitar and vocals are drenched in effects, with the guitar only giving little flicks during the verses and the vocals placed a further into the mix than normal. The singer has great voice, deep and brooding at times. (“Strange times are coming”). Absolutely fantastic bass work, reminds me of Martyn Casey (The Triffids, Nick Cave). I wouldn’t be surprised if this is from the 80’s and from Australia or New Zealand. Great song, one of my favorites on the mix.

 

This was a track called "Strange Days" by the Doors. I wasn't sure what kind of music you listened to and figured this would be a good way to start off the mixtape. It's from like 1970, but great track!

 

Track 2: Begins with a digital synth-bass arpeggio riff and builds up gradually with percussion a deeper bass, more synths and an electric guitar. The vocals come in halfway through the song, and the dynamics step down a bit. This reminds me of Holy Fuck to some extent. Towards the end of the track the guitar comes crashing down and in the end pulls everything down with it.

 

I've always found this song really catchy with the synths! This one is Arena by Suuns

 

Track 3: First there’s an extract from a film, with someone speaking German. I can’t really make out what they’re saying. Then there’s a piano, strings and a guitar which unexpectedly go straight into a dubstep groove with casio keyboards and bass-synths. It’s an interesting listen, picking apart all the sounds, especially the synths, but not really my thing. Cool guitar riffs.

 

I think you may have mentioned liking electronic music, so I wanted to try a variety of electronic artists I listened to. This is Drugs by Ratatat. Ratatat kind of has a similar sound to this w/ the guitars, but I enjoy their music.

 

 

Track 4: A slower number, with strings, keys and a choir backing up a soft man’s voice (“I’m a high school lover”…”You’re my playground love”), which makes me think Beck. After the first and second verses there’re sax solos. The song doesn’t really have a chorus, but it works just fine without it. Great tune. One of my favorites.

 

This song I believe was done during one of our LP's, and I really love the song a lot. This is Playground Love by Air

 

Track 5: The intro sounded a bit like Arcade Fire’s “Ready to Start”. It’s the same basic setup, synths backing a driving bass, and a traditional rock line up. There’s also something about the arrangement after the chorus that’s sort of epic (the actual meaning of the word) in the same way, say, No Cars Go is. I feel like I should know the voice, maybe because he sounds like Ezra Koenig on a few places. The song’s chorus is kind of feel-good (“He was just an old friend”). Cool outro.

This band comes from Brooklyn, NY. I discovered them not too long ago and really like them. They remind me of Grizzly Bear and Maybe Fleetfoxes. The song is Old Friend by Caveman

 

Track 6: Folky acoustic strumming backed by eerie electronic sounds, creating a larger soundscape, to great effect. The result is a heavier feeling/mood. The singer is a male, and has a voice not too unlike Jim James, though perhaps a little deeper. After the chorus, where a slow drum beat and a bass start, the drums kick in and the pace quickens. The song has great dynamics and a large soundscape, and like the percussion work. Another favorite.

 

One of my favorite bands from today Other Lives. They are a really amazing band and you should check them out! They always have a wide variety of sounds and large dynamic range. This song is Dustbowl III

 

Track 7: An electronic beat and some keys build up to a motif where the song steps down dynamically and a lone violin plays a beautiful motif, sounding very much like folk music (I want to say Norwegian but I’m not sure). The beat picks up again with a sharp guitar and a xylophone. It starts building dynamically again, and the motif is added to the soundscape. It climaxes when the full instrumentation returns. Very powerful.

Trying to pick another different electronic song this is by The Album Leaf. I find their music to be very relaxed with hints of strings and almost at times Irish sounding strings. This one is called Blank Pages.

 

Track 8: This is a bit similar to track 3, with casios keyboards and a deep grinding bass synth. The rhythm is very off beat, and there are occasional falsetto harmonies in between the stanzas, which are timed with the casio. Another synth, arpeggiating and prominent in the mix, is added for the second verse. Then there’s a robot voice and almost everything else cuts, before the song returns to its original off beat rhythm. What the synth does towards the end is pretty cool.

Yet another different Electronic song, this comes from Modeselektor's new album Monkeytown. The song features PVT, and is called Green Light Go

 

Track 9: The intro consists of muffled instruments and voices (I think I hear a pan-flute). Then an up tempo electronic drumbeat kicks in. This is a little calmer then track 8, and focuses more on the soundscape (the sounds in the intro and a couple of synths). I like that you placed them after one another. The wavy synth in the second part of the song is neat, and it fades with what sounds like waves washing up on the beach. Is this Holy Fuck?

Yet another different electronic song. This is Burial and Four Tet. I saw the song online and loved it a lot. The song is called Nova

 

Track 10: A harp (?) and soft piano play broken chords and the piano a motif before just playing chords in the right hand. The singer has a high register and good range (“Leave a light on in the wild”). A bass and guitar join in and also play broken chords. Then strings and wind instruments create a variation and the motif is repeated. Then there’s a crescendo and the song goes the full Morricone with trumpets, epic percussion and strings. I liked it, but it’s nothing I’d envision myself delving into.

I saw this artist open for Andrew Bird a month or two ago and this song was great! I figured i'd include it. This is Lighthouse by Patrick Watson

 

Track 11: Starts out with a strumming guitar (12 string maybe), bass and vocals. Drums join in in the chorus, and a xylophone in the second verse. The lyrics seem to paint World War II Paris, though that may very well be wrong. It’s a nice, short song that’s just less than two minutes. Sounds like it could be from the 70’s, just after the British invasion? Anyway, it has beautiful tune.

You definitely had the time period correct! I wanted to pick yet another older song. This is Junk by Paul McCartney, taken from his first solo self titled album right after The Beatles broke up. One of my favorites by him

 

Track 12: This reminds me a little of Bright Eyes, though maybe a little more on the Americana side. It’s a bit laid back and played at a ¾ tempo. The lead guitar is an acoustic, and there’s a pedal steel, which I love :awesome: It’s got a little Eels in it as well, not least in the voice of the singer. The chorus is sung in harmonies, and is followed by an acoustic guitar solo first, and then a harmonica solo. The song concludes with a final chorus and a flick of pedal steel.

You mentioned Beck before in the review, well this is him! This is Sing it Again from his album Mutations

 

Track 13: Kicks off with a chiming guitar motif backed by a layer of strings, and is followed by a slightly offbeat drumbeat and a bass doubling it. Most of the song follows this pattern, with the dynamics varying slightly. The harmonies used remind me of The Beach Boys, and the song has a somewhat summery feeling to it. I like this.

Yet another song by Caveman, this one got me into the band from being very catchy. This is December 28th by Caveman

 

Track 14: Flows well with the previous track. A funky bass and beat are accompanied by a back lying synth riff. The singer’s voice sustained in some places and more harmonies are used. This also has that optimistic, summery ring to it. The track is driven mainly by a prominent rhythm section and its vocals. There’s quite a bit going on here, though.

Wanted to try a different track. This is Still Sound by Toro Y Moi

 

Track 15: This one I know. I actually put it on my own mixtape, also as the penultimate track. It’s a hauntingly beautiful song, and so very simple. This is one of my favorite songs.

Since you know it, no need to explain hhaha

 

Track 16: The song starts out with a lone acoustic guitar repeating a line. After one bar it’s accompanied by percussion and after two bars a second acoustic and a bass. The singer has a high register and hoarse voice. It’s a very pleasant song to listen to, pretty easy going, slightly repetitive and with nice harmonies. Half way through an entire choir joins in and I can hear an accordion and a violin. The mixtape comes to an end with everyone singing, and then fades out.

Wanted to end on a laid back note so I went with choosing Hey Mama Wolf by Devendra Banhart

 

So thanks again! My favorite tracks were 1, 4, 6, 7, 11 and 15 :) Looking forward to seeing the tracklisting.

 

Here is the full tracklisting

1. Strange Days-The Doors
   
2. Arena-Suuns
   
3. Drugs-Ratatat
   
4. Playground Love-Air
   
5. Old Friend-Caveman
   
6. Dust Bowl III-Other Lives
   
7. Blank Pages-The Album Leaf
   
8. Green Light Go-Modeselektor & PVT
   
9. Nova-Burial & Four Tet
   
10. Lighthouse-Patrick Watson
    
11. Junk-Paul McCartney
    
12. Sing it Again-Beck
    
13. December 28th-Caveman
    
14. Still Sound-Toro Y Moi
    
15. Demon Host-Timber Timbre
    
16. Hey Mama Wolf-Devendra Banhart
    

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the mix!

[Wyrd]

Psssst Gloaming man, would you like to share a link to the mixtape so we can listen to the songs as well? The tracks sound interesting. Thank you in advance.

 

I am still waiting for my mixtape maker to reveal him-/herself. Any chance it will happen soon? :)

[the_gloaming09]

Psssst Gloaming man, would you like to share a link to the mixtape so we can listen to the songs as well? The tracks sound interesting. Thank you in advance.

 

I am still waiting for my mixtape maker to reveal him-/herself. Any chance it will happen soon? :)

 

haha... I don't know if I have the link, you should ask Marie.

[djibou]

haha... I don't know if I have the link, you should ask Marie.

 

http://www.sendspace.com/file/a5rh9c

 

;)

 

[Alien Radio]

The Puzzle of Life

 

Ahh, I'm a horrible mixtape partner. Let's skip all the excuses for being late and go directly to the topic.

 

***

 

My mixtape had a name and an artwork:

 

 

 

 

This really appealed to me and gave me big expectations for the mixtape. And luckily, they were fulfilled:

 

 

1. Jazzy, atmospheric, a bit creepy instrumental. Interesting start.

 

2. It starts with accordions and some aerophones, builds up with rocky guitars, then at the end drums get heavier and violins come in too. It's like an abstract collage of sounds. I can't understand the lyrics though, which language is it?

 

3. Upbeat bass + guitars intro. Then deep vocals enter: „Radio like transmission“ (…) „Dance, dance, dance to the radio“. It kinda refers to my username. :lol: It sounds like the 70s and 80s rock. I loved the bass and the guitars!

 

4. Acoustic one. The vocals really remind me of Luke Pritchard's vocals. Then later, a female singer joins in the background too. Howling accordion in the end. This is nice!

 

5. „It's been a long time, long time now, since I've seen your smile.“ This is Nantes by Beirut. I really like the song, but you probably missed it from my Last.fm as I usually listen to them on YouTube :P

 

6. Almost 2 minuts long intro, then a sweet male voice starts to sing dark, gloomy, but beautiful and sublime lyrics: „You lost all your sons and killed your daughters with your own doubt, so now you are the one who caves slowly in as stories spin out.“ Drums and violins come in. Wow, I got chills. „But it's all just one big lie, there is still earth beneath the pavement. There is still earth beneath the pavement“ - vocals become spine-tingling here, and then an instrumental outro concludes the song. Pure art, beautiful!

 

7. A cappela intro. It's a collaboration of two male singers I think. The vocals sound like James Blake to me, but I don't know if it's really him. Then it becomes all electronic. It gets repetitive, monotonous and boring after a while. I'm not really a fan of this.

 

8. Again a creppy and dark song. „This is a weeping song, a song in which to weep“ - the chorus screams. I liked the deep and rich instrumentalisation in this one!

 

9. Another jazzy song, but now with vocals. Weeping horns and alluring piano. Looks like my partner likes jazz just as I do!

 

10. This is Holocene by Bon Iver, a song I've been digging a lot lately. I love how it's simple and rich at the same time!

 

11. Silent violins, high-pitched piano, soporific vocals. It starts like a lullaby: relaxing, calming. Then it starts to get louder and heavier, until it reaches it's disturbing, but beautiful climax. As the song slowly fades out, I feel like I'm reliving the most beautiful dream of my childhood. But then, suddenly it turns into a terrifying nightmare. A dark synth starts, accompanied with something that sounds like a blustery wind and ends the mixtape mysteriously.

 

***

 

Overall, I think that this is a fantastic mixtape. Thank you for it! :D I enjoyed all the songs except the song number 7. My favourites were (obviously) 6 and 11. Eagerly awaiting the tracklist!