My progressive house remix of Will Hamm’s excellent prog house tune, Amaya, is now out on Beatport, Amazon and iTunes. Check it out and if you LIKE it, please SHARE it!
http://www.beatport.com/release/amaya/1172751
Sonaris Music Review: Space – by Fetal Pulse AKA Pedro Costa
The cool part about my “job” is that I get to do what I want, and that means that sometimes I get to review some very original music, stuff you won’t find in the Top dance charts or on the radio, but you might hear in the background of an epic film, or in a cafe by the beach. Today I got an opportunity to review Fetal Pulse’s album Space, which features some awesome original work. If you’re into quality, deep, spacial electronic vibes, read on.
Fetal Pulse is a new experimental/ambient/downtempo electronic project by Canadian indie music producer Pedro Costa. Pedro’s previous production endeavors include some licensing music for MTV, the UFC, and the Oxygen channel, as well as a Top 10 chart placement on the Polish Alternative Rock charts in 2009.
Space is a 12-track LP which releases on Bandcamp on October 22nd, 2013.
The album kicks off with a hard-driving progressive-house style track, Blast Off, with rolling arpeggios, heavenly pads and and a strong percussive presence. Immediately I noticed some unintended-but-interesting similarities between this track and my own track, Sputnik. Albeit better mixed, and better structured, Blast Off features some similar distant space themes. The track is a strong opening for an album packed with delayed fx, intertwinging melodies and spacy vibes – all tied together by a clear common theme.
Hyper Jump takes a step into the unknown with bouncy synth sounds and a relaxing atmosphere while Deep Space takes a leap into the calm, ethereal zones of what lies behind the dark side of the moon.
Touch The Stars adds some uplifting presence to the overall moody LP, with nicely panned percussive elements and a light melody.
The chills of the spacial void took over once Habitable World warmed up and the ghostly vocal oohs cascaded off my ear drums, leaving me in a supremely relaxed disposition. Flowing pads, the plucking of a distant guitar and vocals which shift from the background to the fore, seamlessly accent this excellent track. In my opinion the grandest and most ambitious track on the album, it’s executed flawlessly. An absolutely brilliant production, start to finish.
Interstellar Club is an interesting departure from the rest of the tracks with a funky bassline, and playful melodies. It’s complimented nicely by the technotrancy Zero Gravity Dance Party, which really heats things up with timely transitions, pumping bass and alternating melodic leads.
Last but certainly not least, Re-entry is an atmospheric outro with a nice mix of melodic and fx elements, tying the album together in one short, sweet goodbye.
Overall I found the album an enjoyable, and relaxing, listening experience. Whether for music licensing, ambiance aficionados or the casual listener, everyone can find something to like about this charming indie release. While admittedly a bit raw in parts, the album – much like space itself – attempts to capture every piece and facet of sound and combine them into an auditory journey while making no excuses, which is does well. I suggest you check out this eclectic and original album, and see for yourself. In the meantime, I’ll be kicking back with Habitable World on repeat.
Cover image by: Sweetie187
www.flickr.com/photos/58782395@N03/
16 Scientifically Filtered, Free Android Phone Alarms
Whether you think alarms are just another way for the man to get you down, or rely on them with your life – we can probably all agree that the generic alarms you often get with your phone leave, let’s just say… something to be desired. This is why I took it upon myself to create a few free alarms for your, and my, respective phones. In this pack, you will find some uplifting or relaxing alarms, all mixed by me personally to ensure the highest sound quality perfection, designed by someone passionate about music to make your ears feel amazing first thing in the morning. I decided to create a pack of alarms which are specifically filtered to either boost or hide certain sound frequencies.
We are all different, which means that a certain type, or sound doesn’t work for everyone. Some people respond better to the energizing tones of high frequency sound and others prefer to wake up with a soft, warm feeling of the relaxing low frequency vibe. This pack is comprised of several alarm sounds, all created, and mixed, by me to ensure the highest sound quality and the most pleasant experience. The natural human heart rate is anywhere from 60 – 100 beats per minute, so all of the alarms are created at the median 80 beats per minute, to ensure a smooth compatibility for most people.
This is a long shot, but what if your life improved simply because you wake up differently one day, and feel more energized, motivated and ready to make this day yours? Why not give it a shot and see how it works, for you? Would love some feedback from you, if you do decide to download this free pack. Check it out, and download for free, here:
DOWNLOAD SONARIS DELUXE ALARMS SOUND PACK
The pack is in a .zip file, you you may need an extractor, like 7zip to extract the mp3 files. Once extracted, in the Music folder on your device (android phone, or other device) simply create a Sonaris Alarms directory and add the mp3’s. Now you are able to choose them once you go into your alarm settings, and browse through the music folder.
If you LIKE it, please SHARE it!
Alarms, The Snooze Button and Procrastination
While I wasn’t able to find any concrete evidence to support the idea of people becoming more prone to procrastination by hitting the snooze button, it is the act which starts a person’s day and thus is an important part of almost every day of people’s lives. Whether you hit the snooze once, or ten times, you’re delaying getting up in the morning. Whether it’s because you dread the day ahead or because sleeping sounds so much better than getting up and doing stuff, one thing is for sure – most people probably don’t enjoy the jarring sound of the generic alarm.
What if the sound of the alarm impacts how the rest of your day goes? Do you ever wonder if you’re more agitated because you woke up from a delightful slumber to the sound of a jack-hammer-like, dissonan, intrusive sound of your phone or alarm clock? I certainly have, which is why I decided to create a pack of alarms which are specifically filtered to either boost or hide certain sound frequencies. We are all different, which means that a certain type, or sound doesn’t work for everyone. Some people respond better to the energizing tones of high frequency sound and others prefer to wake up with a soft, warm feeling of the relaxing low frequency vibe. This pack is comprised of several alarm sounds, all created, and mixed, by me to ensure the highest sound quality and the most pleasant experience. The natural human heart rate is anywhere from 60 – 100 beats per minute, so all of the alarms are created at the median 80 beats per minute, to ensure a smooth compatibility for most people.
This is a long shot, but what if your life improved simply because you wake up differently one day, and feel more energized, motivated and ready to make this day yours? Why not give it a shot and see how it works, for you? Would love some feedback from you, if you do decide to download this free pack.
DOWNLOAD SONARIS DELUXE ALARMS SOUND PACK
The pack is in a .zip file, you you may need an extractor, like 7zip to extract the mp3 files. Once extracted, in the Music folder on your device (android phone, or other device) simply create a Sonaris Alarms directory and add the mp3’s. Now you are able to choose them once you go into your alarm settings, and browse through the music folder.
If you LIKE it, please SHARE it!
Sonaris Music Review: Free To Relax EP by Brandon Shaffer
Received a music review request today, from an emerging producer named Brandon Shaffer, out of New York – a place close to my heart. The EP, called Free To Relax, is a mix of ambient vibes, chill atmospheres, and distant beats and is available, independently, via Bandcamp.
While the mix could use some clarity, and the beats could use a bit more of the ambiance flare which is bestowed upon the other elements of any given track, it’s the creativity which shines on this release.
Something about this EP is very raw, but in a good way. It reminds me of the inspirations I felt when I first started writing music, having many ideas and trying to do something with them. Brandon manages to do this well. From the sweet chords of the Minimal Piano piece, to the melancholic atmosphere of Dark Cavern, to the funky vibe of Science & Spaceships, I enjoyed the variety of sound and the progressive structure of the pieces. Emotional Wreck surprises with a slathering of sounds, which all work well together, completing a pleasant listening experience. The release, to me, is a soundtrack to a dark, gritty, urban film.
While it may not be “polished” – what the release does offer is some fresh, untamed creativity from an unbridled talent, something of which I think we all feel we could use more.
Visit Brandon’s Soundcloud and Twitter for more.
What’s Up With the Music in GTA V?
In a big way, the Grand Theft Auto series – since GTA III – has been a lot about music, to me. A lot of my best memories are tied to playing the game and listening to the radio. Whether it was flying through the streets on the Infernus (sp?) jamming to Rise FM in GTA III (“Time has no meaning anymore!”) with trance and dance music, or driving through the country on a tractor in San Andreas while learning to appreciate classic Country music, or the wild synthy sounds of 80’s pop blaring in my Cheetah – music was always a huge part of what I enjoyed about the series.
It wasn’t even that the games had music I liked, which they did to some extent, but rather the music was clearly chosen very carefully, for each channel on the radio. To me, San Andreas had one of the best varieties of music available; from country, to rock, to rap to electronic, all the bases were covered. While I didn’t feel that the music in GTA IV was quite to my taste, it was still pretty relevant to the game – even featuring an Eastern European channel, for the atmosphere. So, why is it that the music in GTA V sounds so… I don’t know… generic?
Did Rockstar Games lose a brilliant music director? Did they lack time to carefully pick out some amazing tunes for one of their more ambitious titles? Was is cheaper to just pay a major label or two a blanket fee to use their songs?
I suppose any of the above might be true, or maybe music isn’t meant to be a focus point in this game? It seems like even the trailer for GTA V didn’t feature any wildly iconic, theme-setting song with which to associate the game. Is it Rockstar’s way of telling us that, perhaps, music is playing a smaller role in our modern society, producing less legendary sound and more uniform, cookie-cutter formula-driven fare – or is this a stretch?
Indeed, it feels like Rockstar didn’t try to go for that underground, indie sound which could be found so easily, even by spending a few hours on Soundcloud – at probably a much lower cost than licensing music from a major label. This time around, GTA wasn’t a place I found new artists I want to check out, or that new catchy song – in a genre I normally might brush off. I feel like I have been exposed to less new, fresh music content by GTA V than ever before in a GTA series. Judging by some of the discussions I’ve had with my peers, and comments I’ve read on reddit, it seems I am not the only one. Perhaps Rockstar can add the option to send in original music via the Rockstar Social Club, for consideration to be added to the radio as an update or free DLC?
In any case, GTA V, in my rather humble opinion already seems like the pinnacle of accomplishment in the series, through an amazing storyline, smooth-as-silk gameplay – Rockstar definitely crossed the t’s and dotten the i’s in this installment in the Grand Theft Auto series. Maybe it’s not about the music in this one, maybe the music took a step back to let the rest of the game really shine… which is does – brilliantly.