[Fusion] The Hong Kong Fridge Confidential

[Quarmat]

Hi, this is my latest track, where Algoritm and Objekt do almost everything. Weird chords, funky allure and the vibraphone/brass combo that I can't resist sticking where I can.
I hope you may enjoy it. As always, I gratefully welcome your criticism and advice, which helps me on the road to improvement and knowledge.
Have a nice day!

[guitfnky]

wow, there's some really cool stuff in here! it's got a very unexpected mood which I really enjoy. my only suggestion would be to strip it back a little bit and focus on one or two primary melodic/harmonic instruments at a time--it sounds like there's so much interesting stuff going on that it's difficult to find the sort of narrative thread of the song, if that makes sense.

after a second listen, I think it's mainly the evolving pad that my brain is finding a bit distracting--it seems a little too up-front overall, and clashes a little with other elements in some sections.

I'm a sucker for a good vibraphone, and the bass groove is really cool. overall, nice work!

[crimsonwarlock]

Very nice track again Quarmat. But... vocals are too much back in the mix, while the vibraphone is a tad too loud.

[bossa]

Very nice bass line and great soulful harmonies. The vocoder-like brass sound is great! I feel a bit transported to the 70s, so a bit in the direction of Herbie Hancock and George Duke! Great Solo!

[crimsonwarlock]

... a bit in the direction of Herbie Hancock

Yep, absolutely. “I thought it was you” immediately came to mind

By the way, is that BLG what I hear?

[selig]

You had me at "The Hong Kong Fridge Confidential", I love a good song title!
This feel reminds me of a few bands I played with back in my High School/College days.
Nice vibes, coming from someone who still plays the real deal from time to time!

[ChulaCoola]

"I'm Bruce Dickinson and I gotta have more vibraphone"

Vibraphones are fine. In this song, the vibraphones are the featured attraction. JMYOP

But with the vocals, I noticed I can't make out the words. I noticed that when you are singing, the vibraphone often lands right on top of the words so I can't make them out. Try either ducking the vibraphones under/during the words, or putting them in between the words. For example, "I am singing...*vibraphone*...and I am so happy... *vibraphone*...I put this song...*vibraphone*...together". You know what you are singing, but I don't. And you might want to reduce the reverb on the vocals if needed. I noticed the vibraphones have a lot of inherent reverb in addition to the reverb on the voice.

But by all means, keep the vibraphones in, otherwise at the same volume. I REALLY like it! It is not something I hear often .

Keep it up Quarmat. I like it.

[Popey]

gosh you make some funky stuff : )

I would like the vocal a bit more defined but i am always amazed how damn funky you manage to make your songs

[Quarmat]

wow, there's some really cool stuff in here! it's got a very unexpected mood which I really enjoy. my only suggestion would be to strip it back a little bit and focus on one or two primary melodic/harmonic instruments at a time--it sounds like there's so much interesting stuff going on that it's difficult to find the sort of narrative thread of the song, if that makes sense.

after a second listen, I think it's mainly the evolving pad that my brain is finding a bit distracting--it seems a little too up-front overall, and clashes a little with other elements in some sections.

I'm a sucker for a good vibraphone, and the bass groove is really cool. overall, nice work!

Thank you for your feedback. I confess that it is typical of me to fail to take things out and end up with overpopulated sections, but -I swear- I am striving to improve ^_^'

and yes the vibraphone is a juicy instrument, I fell in love the first time I heard Milt Jackson in MJQ's 'Django'

Very nice track again Quarmat. But... vocals are too much back in the mix, while the vibraphone is a tad too loud.

Thank you for your feedback. I see, I may have reduced the vocals too much because before they way more in yer face. I thought that being all long vowels they could sit a little quieter.

By the way, is that BLG what I hear?

There is a BGL in the verse, but it has been printed to midi and edited Good ear!

Very nice bass line and great soulful harmonies. The vocoder-like brass sound is great! I feel a bit transported to the 70s, so a bit in the direction of Herbie Hancock and George Duke! Great Solo!

Thank you Bossa! The brass is the Algoritm stock preset 'Brass section' and yeah defo 70s inspiration but i was leaning more into Tom Browne's first album vibes.

You had me at "The Hong Kong Fridge Confidential", I love a good song title!
This feel reminds me of a few bands I played with back in my High School/College days.
Nice vibes, coming from someone who still plays the real deal from time to time!

Heheh yes, I love cryptic or nonsensical titles I think they tickle the listener's imagination, adding a little something to the music, as if there was something to look for, and even if you don't find anything it's still worth it!
Playing this genre live is so satisfying... too bad i'm not that great performer ^_^'

"I'm Bruce Dickinson and I gotta have more vibraphone"

Vibraphones are fine. In this song, the vibraphones are the featured attraction. JMYOP

But with the vocals, I noticed I can't make out the words. I noticed that when you are singing, the vibraphone often lands right on top of the words so I can't make them out. Try either ducking the vibraphones under/during the words, or putting them in between the words. For example, "I am singing...*vibraphone*...and I am so happy... *vibraphone*...I put this song...*vibraphone*...together". You know what you are singing, but I don't. And you might want to reduce the reverb on the vocals if needed. I noticed the vibraphones have a lot of inherent reverb in addition to the reverb on the voice.

But by all means, keep the vibraphones in, otherwise at the same volume. I REALLY like it! It is not something I hear often .

Keep it up Quarmat. I like it.

Thank you! I see what you mean, and well.. you're right. I always tend to penalise vocals if the voice is mine.
In fact, vocals are often the excuse to have an extra section in an otherwise instrumental piece...

gosh you make some funky stuff : )

I would like the vocal a bit more defined but i am always amazed how damn funky you manage to make your songs

Thank you Popey! Yes Funk got into my skull when I was a kid and the maids in my parents' hotel listened to disco, boogie and funk while they worked, and I have never been able to get it out.

Thank you all for listening and for your valuable feedback!

[crimsonwarlock]

I may have reduced the vocals too much because before they way more in yer face.

Balancing vocals is the hardest part of mixing, at least for me. Instead of upping the volume, maybe try a parallel channel for the vocals with a nice bit of distortion and a boatload of compression, and mix that in with the actual vocal track. This is an often used trick to give the vocals more presence without making it louder.

There are other tricks as well, like creating a parallel channel with a whisper vocal, and mixing that in. I seem to remember that you have BV-X, it has a whisper preset that might be fun to experiment with.

[Quarmat]

Instead of upping the volume, maybe try a parallel channel for the vocals with a nice bit of distortion and a boatload of compression, and mix that in with the actual vocal track. This is an often used trick to give the vocals more presence without making it louder.

There are other tricks as well, like creating a parallel channel with a whisper vocal, and mixing that in. I seem to remember that you have BV-X, it has a whisper preset that might be fun to experiment with.

Thank you Warlock. I will try to parallel inject some crunch. (And btw there's already a BV-X going on with the vocals, sort of octaver )

[ChulaCoola]

Instead of upping the volume, maybe try a parallel channel for the vocals with a nice bit of distortion and a boatload of compression, and mix that in with the actual vocal track. This is an often used trick to give the vocals more presence without making it louder.

There are other tricks as well, like creating a parallel channel with a whisper vocal, and mixing that in. I seem to remember that you have BV-X, it has a whisper preset that might be fun to experiment with.

Thank you Warlock. I will try to parallel inject some crunch. (And btw there's already a BV-X going on with the vocals, sort of octaver )

Ahh, that at least partly explains why I couldn't make out the words! Ok, so do you intend us to understand the words, or is it more for effect/atmosphere?

[jappe]

Nice one!

I like the vocoded vocals, it fits perfect with the music & mood.

Personally I don't mind the way the vocals blend in. It's vocoded so to me it's a mood setting/adapting instrument rather than something I expect to hear every word of.

I agree with guitfnky about the pad: it's a nice sound but have a little too much focus for my taste, easily fixed however.

Overall: Very nice and catchy, well played!