Spindrift

Although he sure have become a technically capable producer with the years I cannot agree with his music really. The early Hallucinogen stuff was not particularly well produced usually, but was for sure a bit original at the time. Unfortunally I never really got of on the style and my disliking was first based on really suffering on a couple of parites with his livesets. I just didn't find it very danceable. Now the production is good, but a bit to polished for me. I just cannot get along with music that has production that sounds like it has been someone struggleling to achive it. Maybe is all the hours in the studio I spent that blocks me, but I want to hear music where it sounds like artists/producers that are enjoying themself. I just feel i get a lot more from a good vibe and inspiration than someone trying to get something to be perfect.

@Goa Travellers I think you will have truble with a lot of people if you offer downloads. Sure they will not be legaly able to reach you if you are based in say russia. But you will piss people off. But I would think that it should be no problem for you to offer streams. No one is attacking psilosomatica or other web radio stations and there should be no need to contact the labels for permission. And I'm sure the fees is much lower than what I said in for example russia, if any at all. If people like to they can of course grab the streams, but thats not your responsibility.

@EP Please tell me more if you have any references to that case. From what I read there is cases, but the law is not normally very clear on what the stance is. So it can be other factors or not using the correct wording on the site that made him step over the law. Law's and interpetations vary from country to country and I'm sure they are rapidly changeing. There is heaps of sites providing P2P and torrent links and many that has been existing for many years. Like I said to Goa Travellers I would not be sure that it would be safe to do so, because I'm sure there is interests wanting to stop that from happening and I would not consider it a safe option. But to be sure of wheather it's considered legal or not depends on where he is planning to run the site from. It sure be very difficult to find a host that will let you have an account with them if you are providing links to eD2K. But not impossible, and there has been cases in for example Holland where they made clear that linking to illegal downloads is not a crime. And if you host in russia, like I said it is actually legal to sell downloads without paying labels and artists. I'm sure RIAA are doing as much as they can to stop sites like www.alllofmp3.com, but legally it seems to be a tough challenge. Personally I can see the problem from a legal perspective. Say we are discussing this subject and I happen to mention www.illegaldownloads.com as an example. Should I be sued for even mentioning that site? It gets a bit fuzzy easily and can demand to restrict the freedom of speech. One thing is sure, you need to have cash for a good lawyer if you want to sue someone for having links. You'll have a much easier case against the actual P2P users, because there the law is clear in most countries.

It's not illegal to provide links to P2P networks. The crime is commited by the users on the P2P network, not by the site linking. And it's perfectly legal to even sell copyrighted material from a host in russia. It's a grey zone of the law.

It's not legal to provide music downloads because the release is not currently on the market. It's not legal even if the artist would be dead. Of course you could bypass the law by having links to eD2k so you do not host the files yourself and therefore not take responsibility yourself. Alernativly host the files in Russia You would piss off people and be in the forefront of pushing the legal boundaries if you do any of the above. And you cannot be sure that there will be no chance of a lawsuit in the future, although maybe not so likely. You can have streaming though, and thats legal independent of if the release is still available or not. Provided you pay a fee to the royalty organisation of around $200 per mnth.

Totally agree on that Hehehe...seriously though...thx That kind of comment is truly heart warming. If someone make a comment that they think a track is killer it of course also nice, and thats normally enough to make me happy and feel to keep going. But that someone obviously think it's really special it feels very encouraging. So keep being generous please Hehe...JK I agree that it should not be overused since it should ba an extra step and mark to acheive that compared to a 9. Maybe something like the top 1-2% should deserve a 10. If I would be trying to rate releases it would be hard for me to say that everything should be perfect for 10/10. If one release have a few super alltime classics they can be amazing enough to make that a very special release for me and end up being one of the very top anyway. But I have to really struggle to think about one album or compilation with only IMO really super great tracks. In that case 10/10 for me would be the top 0.1% or so, which if find a bit too extreme.

I'm very flattered for that comment Just one correction, I don't want to be associated with stoneage anymore please For my opinion on a lineup... I don't like live sets too much myself. I could imagine ozric tentacles or some nice ethnic music for a warm up before the party get started for live music. I think there will be more actual LIVE live sets in the future though thanks to Abelton. So, I'm hoping that someone will give me a nice surprise soon. I'm sure there is some artitst making real live like that already, I just haven't heard them. As long as they are not in to prominent position so the vibe doesn't turn into a rock concert it could be very nice. One good DJ all night and one in the morning is ideal for me. Unfortunally I have not heard a DJ making a really nice night set for some years now (fuzzy bastard me), although I think there is a lot of nice night music around. So it's hard for me to make a choice. Buzyghut (or however he spell it now again) from parvatti crew usually play with a bit of variation and sure have some nice tracks. Mixing wise and if he can stand a full night I'm not so sure though. Morning I would like Timmo from Texas Faggott.

Well, I do like very maximalistic music in general, so beatmixing is not really appropriate to do too much of when playing the kind of tracks I like. Then intro outro mixing can do just fine. But there is also many famous DJ's who hardly manage to do that ok, which like I said is sad. But I'm unfortunally very narrow minded being into the scene for quite long, so "good" music is just not enough for me to get going. For me the music need to be "amazing" if I should think it's a nice set and get off to it. So contents and flow really takes a big precedence to mixing to me. If we are talking constant train wrecks the flow will be gone completly of course and the contents destroyed, but very obvious and simple intro-outro mixes will be adequate if the music is amazing.

In my experience the ones that mix the best does not always have the best music. Sure I think someone who calls themself a DJ should now how to mix, because it really is not that hard. The only problem is that they are to lazy to practice. I heard many DJ's who really don't have clue about DJ'ing but seems to be excellent collectors and I think it's outrageous that they don't put more effort into their technique. So, I'm sorry lepton, I cannot change my opinion because I think it will make all DJ's become technical masters and have great track selection at the same time. I will still prefer to hear a DJ that have an amazing set of tracks than a deck wizard with mediocre selection. But I do wish they all could learn to make a decent mix of course.

I sure prefer substance. I find a lot of music overpolished to a stage where it sound very dead in my ears. But there is a risk whith focusing to much on the substance as well IMO. When people try to be really special and unique it can also result in music I have problems relating to. The key word for me is "inspired" really. If it sounds inspired even a track that actually has less impressive content and/or production when analyzed will still come across much better to me. Same goes for DJ'ing. Some DJ's play tracks that I like, so the subtance is ok. But if the flow and feeling is not really there it will not be enough. And if they beatmix is of very little importance in trance for me. As long as they don't try and fail all the time at least and stick to intro-outro mixes.

@trveller read my posts again and quote directly from them if you want to make comments on what I said. I never said neither "it's nothing" or "there is nothing to it".

Get off it. I did not say "there is nothing to it". Anyone that don't like the music you like is trying to boost their ego?? Really, you have lost it totally. Look your own ego. What you are trying to say is that you taste is right. Thats the stupidest thing anyone can try to claim. I said, that I don't like the production, I don't like the melodies. I can list a bunch of artists I think is amazing, classical, ambient or in pretty much any gernre. What would my ego gain in particular from not happening to like shpongle. Ok...I admit...I really really love shpongle. I'm actually just as patchetically idol fanatic as you that if I just let go of my ego I would toally worship him and just like you not being able to talk about anything else. I admit!!! Really traveller, you are pathetic. Like a little fanatic groupie or someting. Grow up.

LOL You crack me up traveller We are talking about taste, but you seem to think everyone have to love what you happen to like. And if they don't you come with some lowly personal attack. Face it taste is taste. FSOL and the other ambient I mentioned is a lot better, in my taste. And if we where discussing FSOL, I would swiftly agree that I could never come close to thier skills because I do envy them. But Shpongle... Well, I don't want to create something like shpongle, because I find it to be dull. It's not the type of quality, composition or innovativity I like, so I'm only pleased if I will never make something that will match in your subjective judgement. And I don't find ambient easy to compare to dancefloor music. And I haven't made much ambient at all, only one released track. Maybe you heard that and think it does not compare. I'm glad if you don't, because your taste sucks IMO.

Ok, I agree that FSOL are not only ambient masters. They did their fair share to contribute to dance music as well. I defy anyone to think of a more influential track than "Stakker - Stakker Humanoid" for acid music. That was one of the first tracks to be called acid, and consequently had quite a bit on the trance music to appear many years later. And "Mental Cube - Q" was one of the biggest sunrise hits in the early goa trance scene.

Yeah FSOL is really ambient masters, I love their stuff.

I find nothing is great about shpongle <-- Flame me now!! Overproduced and boring. Some call it perfection, but for me it just sounds dull and pretentious. The melodies is annoying. Not deep but poppy, but still not really catchy. Just doesn't do it at all for me. I almost prefer the many clones like Shulman and Bluetec, but can't really stand those either. But to be a bit positive I have found some ambient that don't sound like shpongle clones, which I find very enjoyable and alive sounding. Shlab006, Boards of Canada and Stress Assasin for example.

I consider myself mostly as an artists and partyanimal. But I guess all of the above would be applicable, so I cannot make just one choice.

My recommended links for cubase users... http://www.emagic.de http://www.ableton.com http://www.motu.com/products/software/dp http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/default.asp

I'm with Ormion all the way. This crap about "less is more" is just a conspiracy from lazy designers and producers. I can't believe they got people to accept that shit. More is more and less is less. Simple as that. As for recommendations... Haven't heard much new stuff this year that I really like. I'm waiting from Ghreg on Earths album, he's really one of my favourite night artists with very intricate arrangements and plenty of originality and ideas. Also I got a track from Moodsyne that I put up on my site along with some old steptime from 2001 a few days ago. The Moodsyne track is great IMO, and I'm not just saying that for promotion. Of course if I didn't like it I would not put it up there Not the uber maximal stuff though and a bit more morning oriented. But check it out maybe, there is quite a bit of very maximal stuff up there since thats my preference in as well.

I thought it was strange that anyone would call themself after a conflict struck african city, and maybe it is after the alien planet as Frontier Psychiatrist said. I noticed looking at my atlas though that another name for Kinshasa is "Leopoldville" so I figured there was a connection with his name and thats why he went for that name. Anyway, can't really say I make more sense of his music than the name really.

I have been nagging a lot lately about how incorrect view many people seem to have about compressors and EQ. I totally agree with you Negrosex. It's tools to use when you have a problem with the source sound and is not a must on any sound to make it sound good. In fact I hear much more often that sounds seem destroyed by overcompressing and EQ'ing than sounds that sound like they really need some treatment. To say that you could not make full-on without compressors and EQ is just showing a lack of understanding for the possibilties you have on synths to control amplitude and frequency. Someone here said that they spoke to GMS and they say they do not use any compression on the bass for example. Envelopes on modern synths can be dead tight, and trying to get more punch out of them by compressing will only destroy the sound. No matter what music you are making, good sound is coming from using good sounds that fit together to start with. Sometimes things do not work out as you want or there is limitations with a sound source and you have to use corrective measures.

I think your track sounds quite good, but not impressive or great. Of course good is enough for people to enjoy, and if you enjoy working in FL, keep at it. Personally I just could not get the flow working with kick and bass sounding like that although I can listen to it and enjoy. I like a bit more depth especially in the bas region and find the sound in your track a bit too narrow. Maybe you just cut all the deep end of in the bass and kick which possibly would make FL handle it better. I have done a track in Orion that was released, and I don't think Orion sounds better than FL. No one complained about the sound quality what I heared and I think that track sounded ok But it sure don't sound like the productions I do in Logic A good track or production is not about what you use, but that don't mean there is no difference between different software or hardware in sound. Fine if you don't care about the sound quality and rather enjoy a nice workflow. I just get so fed up with people trying to deny that there is differences, because that is to fool yourself. But the question is does he mix in FL? I really doubt it myself. I heard about quite a few artists that use FL. Prodigy for example is often mentioned, but fact is they mix on an SSL desk.

Never bring the main out down or put compressors or limiters on it!!! Your main out should not have any processing, thats better done when mastering. Just bring your levels down on the individual channels. Logics meters is a bit confusing, but IMO good when you get used to them. What seems extremly low on the meter in logic is not actually that low compared to most other software. A handy thing in Logic is to press ctrl-a when in the mixer and then shift click the main out to deselect that. Then you can bring down the levels on all tracks in the same time which makes life a lot easier if your main out is overloading. I end up having most of my track on around -6 Db otherwise with a few tracks together you will run out of headroom.

It is just my opinion, and I'm fully aware that opinions differ on the subject. And I really think that you are right that if you are selling physical CD's you should put an effort into the artwork, because many CD buyers feel like you I'm quite sure. But I think there is many people who do not feel that they have to get art with their music like me. Sure I like psychedelic art, but I don't see why I have to be forced to buy some art everytime I buy music. And my guess is that most the people who will be buying downloads will feel the same. I do give you the option to order custom CD's with a choice of artwork if you like to support me or other artists on my site but don't like to buy downloads. But it's totally up to you what you feel like, and I will for sure not bitch if you don't buy my CD's, and release all my music under an open license. So you can feel free to download and copy it as much as you like. I will only be happy if you do decide to download and listen to my music, for free or not

www.resonantearth.com are extremly happy to be able to present a tune from Moodsyne; Tuppkoko. Some of you might be familiar with his earlier tracks but for those of you who aren't, brace yourself for a journey into some of the best morning music around. Crisp and clear production, but definatly not boring or formularic. I can go on and on how much I like his stuff, but the proof is in the pudding, so go and have a listen!! Also by popular demand there is five more previously unreleased Steptime tracks added from 2001-2002. Stepwolf, Sorgos, Grimner, Cat in the Corner and Flying Ballder. For those of you who are not familiar with www.resonantearth.com : You can listen to or download fulllength 128k mp3 for free, and buy downloads of 320k or lossless FLAC files for prices starting from $1, from which $0.65 goes to the artists. You can also make your custom CD's to be mailed to you if you prefer. Enjoy Folks!