Eurobeat Forever - New Compilation

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diskowarp
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Post by diskowarp » 22 Dec 2011, 20:16

Thanks for the great review :) Thought I'd respond to a couple comments
drnrg wrote: Foxxie- Gays Gays Gays Disko Warp
Her vocals remind me of the girly vocalists of the hi Energy style of the 80's. like Barduex(Three TIME Lover), Tyrants In Therapy, even a little Stacy Q(Two Of Hearts). Of course, in this song they are a bit faster .Also the soundworlds are very basic 80s style. The bassline melody and lyrical rhyming are pretty simple, but Euro orgasmic. The riff is catchy for its jumpy little beat and I allready mentioned the lasers and explosions. This song would contain many drum roll intros used by HRG Attack and TIME from A melo to B- melo to sabis ect.. and that's always been something I love in Eurobeat. It's just a cute blast to the past that doesn't sound too layered , so I can repeat it multiple x.
THANK YOU for picking up on the Bobby O reference :) Also Sabrina Solerno, Bandolero, Stacy Q, etc. Makes me happy that somebody got it
drnrg wrote: I also don't care for the title. "Guys Guys Guys" would have been better. and you are right about the production levels, but again, I think it was meant to sound that way. very basic and retro.
Well the song is about being at a gay bar and lusting after the men there. So I'm sticking by my title :D
drnrg wrote: Rayo- Light- My Number One Disko Warp
As much as I'm enjoying Disko Warp's songs; I would have to say that this Rayo- Light one would take the most TIME to get used for. Its still a good song.Is it a male singing? The melody is a different story. I even like those Asian style keys in the break. What I really love about you guys are your soundworlds. Your intros and the laser effects above all.
7/10
Rayo Light is a female singer.
drnrg wrote: and for the sake of argumeant, I know mp3 are the in thing right now, but I would really be interested in a physical cd when its in the works. You know cover sleeve and all the works.
Not to hi-jack the thread here, but thought I'd share some thoughts on this. I'm not speaking for the project here, it's really up to Nick's discretion, but in my personal experience it's no longer worth the trouble and money to do physical CD's for small releases like this. It's REALLY expensive to put one together, and even though a handful of us wish to have a physical copy with liner notes etc, we're in the minority - the truth is that 99% of the buying public have moved on to digital downloads and abandoned the physical format completely. To do a properly manufactured/printed/replicated CD like something you'd get from SEB, your minimum is going to be 1000 pieces, which runs around $1000-1300. A release like this is really only going to sell maybe a few hundred DIGITAL copies. You could do a short-run duplicated disc in a minimum of 100, and I've done that on Disko Warp a couple times, but they are in fact CD-R's, so they won't last forever, and don't look as nice, and even that is going to run around $300-400 to put together something nice looking. Plus when you're offering CD quality downloads from a source like Bandcamp, it's that many fewer people buying your CD. Sadly, when you do the math it just doesn't seem practical anymore :(

I'm not happy about it either, but that's how it goes, unfortunately.

Japan is the exception, not the rule - the Japanese music industry has kept their CD industry relevant by refusing to embrace the digital download standards of the rest of the world (itunes plus, non-drm, 320/flac alternative services). Plus this may be a difference of consumer preference in that country.

Just my 2 cents and industry experience :)

thejti
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Post by thejti » 22 Dec 2011, 21:10

Wonderland is by far the best Eurobeat track of 2011 (Avex and non Avex). HANDS DOWN. Great sound, great singing, and the 8-bit middle was genius.
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the_ditz
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Post by the_ditz » 22 Dec 2011, 21:27

thejti wrote:Wonderland is by far the best Eurobeat track of 2011 (Avex and non Avex). HANDS DOWN. Great sound, great singing, and the 8-bit middle was genius.
It's definitely the best independent label production I've heard - wish I could meet vocalists as good for some of my future productions (might have to see if I can "borrow" some from TheParadiseLast :D )

Shinraikan
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Post by Shinraikan » 22 Dec 2011, 22:49

Wooo, keep those reviews coming in. It's great to have feedback. We might have to put a few of them on the site, if that's okay. :)

I would love to make CDs as well and we have been asked a lot for them. I wouldn't make an official statement but I can't say we definitely would not do it. There's always the chance of a limited run, however we have to get some money in our funding before that happens. We'll just have to see, yeah?

BTW, if you really only want Remember Me you can get it on iTunes. Setting it up as album-only download on one site is more of an experiment than anything. Most artists will be releasing their stuff solo/on singles in the future, so that's the reason for the strict album-only downloads. If you guys have any feedback about how you'd rather purchase the music, please let us know. :)

And Ditz, I'm sure one or more of my singers would be happy to sing for you. Get in touch with me in the next few months :)

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Post by Lebon14 » 22 Dec 2011, 23:08

I just bought it. I will be making a review. When? Probably not today; maybe tomorrow. :)
椛ちゃん、助けてぇぇぇぇぇ!

thejti
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Post by thejti » 23 Dec 2011, 04:48

1. Chistina Vee – Remember Me (DJ Bouche Euro Mix) (No Limit Zone)

A very good sounding track with great energy and great power. Why I enjoy the track, I'm still turned off slightly by the singing. I don't know if the singer strained themselves while singing but it seems forced. I do see potential for her however in future tracks.

4/5

2. Foxxie – Gays Gays Gays (Disko Warp Music)

Absolutely hilarious track with a SAIFAM/Hi-NRG Attack feel to it. I love how it sounds and am waiting for Disko Warp to release more serious sounding (lyrically) stuff but I absolutely love the riff and the track as a whole.

5/5

3. Mortimer – Gas Love 2011 (Odyssey Music)

Classic Travis. While I prefer his more recent stuff, I find this a very energetic and entertaining track. A quality track that will instantly remind people (if you've followed it) of his old stuff.

4/5

4. Saya – Breakin’ Tonight (Sugano Music)

It's hard for me to rate this as I'm not a huge fan of J-Euro but I find the music absolutely amazing. This is the path A-Beat C/Sunfire should have followed more than their current stuff. I wish Sugano would do some English tracks.

5/5 (For the music but decent singing)

5. Idris - Wonderland (The Paradise Last)

The trancy beginning gives way to epicness. The only label I can compare
this style to really is SCP with their Pamsy project but even then it's nothing like it. The singer is pitch perfect and blends well with the synths. This is important as in many Hands Up dance tracks, singers get drowned out by the synths. Seeing as this song has synths in that style, it is very impressive to see production on this level from an indy producer. This is by far the best track of 2011 and hopefully just a taste of what's to come from The Paradise Last group.

PS - PURE FLOPPIN' BRILLIANCE WITH THE 8-BIT!!!

10/5

6. Neon feat. Lovisa – Neon Nights (Neon Music)

I am completely unfamiliar with Neon Music but the style reminds me of the random tracks that were on the Initial D Fourth Stage D Selection 1. The great guitar and synth solos that are in the song are a very awesome touch and the synth/sing style chorus is a nice change from what most people are used to. I will say that I believe that a male singer would have made this track better as I don't believe it fits the female singer all too well, but the overall sound is top notch and again a testament to quality. I still find myself repeating this song frequently no matter how nitpicky I can be with my review.

5/5

7. Tekondo – Hitotudake Freedom (EBF Mix) (Sugano Music)

The same thing I said about Breakin' Tonight applies to this song. I do rather love the chorus structure and the guitar in the background. Songs like this might just get me into J-Euro more and remind of when I actually sort of did follow it with m.o.v.e. Outstanding production.

5/5 (Again mostly for the music but quality singing nonetheless.

8. Cougar – My Love Is Nineteen (Disko Warp Music)

This is awesome because this is how I wish Hi-NRG would approach their silly style. Non pitched with great energy. I love the music. While the lyrical style isn't my absolute fav, the synth riff (which might be my favorite synth riff on this album) and overall package are quality. The bassline sounds gallopy like the slower stuff HRG put out recently which I thought was a great touch.

4/5

9. Hydlide feat. SquaDus – Regret (The Paradise Last)

Man does The Paradise Last put quality stuff out there or what... The singing reminds me of Kaioh mixed with Leo River. It's pure gold and especially perfect for Eurobeat. The guitarish sound with great music that again sounds like nothing put from the Italian labels is epic. The breakdown after the second time the chorus where it gets slightly calmer hit me good because of how great the vocals mix with the synth at that part. The guitar solo around that part reminds me slightly of the style of guitar solo from Power Of Sound where it was a more subdued guitar solo that enhances the song and doesn't overpower it. Amazing package again.

9/5 (Hard to put this over Wonderland but it was very very close!)

10. Rayo Light – My Number One (Disko Warp Music)

This reminds me of the eurobeat that started showing up on the That's Eurobeat Now albums (not the eurodance stuff) from Jennifer and Vicious V. It's not a terrible song, but next to the stuff from earlier, it fails to really shine and it's only average. Good try and I'm expecting more from Disko Warp!

3/5

11. Eurobeat Forever Vol. 1 Non-Stop Megamix by DJ Skyblue

A decent megamix. No review necessary.

Average grade 4.5/5 (The 10/5 and 9/5 were counted as 5's for obvious reasons. Don't want to be too biased)

I can't wait to hear Vol. 2! I wish I could be involved!
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DarkSky
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Post by DarkSky » 23 Dec 2011, 11:09

By the way, is the real name of vocalist ''Cougar'': Nikki Dehay? :')
Oh, and compliments for The Paradise Last.

And one more thing here: the reason why vocalists don't really sound like the Italian ones is often because of the lyrics. Eurobeat lyrics are quite special, while writing them I have to carefully look at the ''power'' a word has while singing it. The sounds should be open instead of closed. Frequently.. simple English words have that ''open'' sound, that's why lyrics of Eurobeat is often that easy and not hard to understand... :-)

drnrg
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Post by drnrg » 24 Dec 2011, 06:27

DarkSky
And one more thing here: the reason why vocalists don't really sound like the Italian ones is often because of the lyrics. Eurobeat lyrics are quite special, while writing them I have to carefully look at the ''power'' a word has while singing it. The sounds should be open instead of closed. Frequently.. simple English words have that ''open'' sound, that's why lyrics of Eurobeat is often that easy and not hard to understand...

Interesting point, but I don't really get your meaning of open and closed sounds. Do you mean like the certain words Eurobeat songs always seem to epeat on every song? Fire, Desire, Power, Passion,ect....

Megan188
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Post by Megan188 » 24 Dec 2011, 07:28

A small review for this compilation:


1. Remember Me (DJ Bouce Euro Mix) / Cristina Vee: 8+
The first thing I noticed here is that the synth’s notation and modulation sound extremely similar to Moonchild by Ace, a song which I adore. The production for this track is really strong, and I love the piano intro. The vocals are also pretty effective. Unfortunately, I think the chorus is a little incomplete and leaves me wishing for a bit more. A solid start to the album, though not truly stellar.

2. Gays Gays Gays (Disko Warp Extended Mix) / Foxxie: 9-
If I had to describe this, I'd say that it sounds like a 1995 – 1996 A-Beat C song on an acid trip. A lot of the instrumentation is fairly similar to that style, but the tempo is much faster, and the wacky sound effects add a much quirkier element to the piece. The vocalist here sounds like the same person who did Text Me Too Much, Lucky Princess, and she brings that same tongue-and-cheeck, satirical twist to the lyrical content in this track as well. While I think the use of the vocoder is a little odd, I think this is the best of the three Disko Warp productions, since their style fits this kind of song the best. Again, the synth is quite nice.

3. Gas Love 2011 / Mortimer: 10
While this song doesn't have quite the fullness or sophistication in its instrumentation as the rest of these tracks, its strong production values and masterful songwriting make it a bullseye that surpasses nearly everything else here. It's a pretty typical serving from Travis, but he still manages to raise the bar. And while I did say the instrumentation here isn't really the most "authentic," I actually think it suits the song and Travis' vocals really well, probably better than Morris Capaldi's laid-back style, if I'm honest. The aggressive synth riff is just pure awesomeness, and the vocalwork is powerful and enthusiastic. Without a doubt, this is one of the best tracks on the compilation.

4. Breakin’ Tonight / Saya: 9+
This track has old school eurobeat written all over it, as the production sounds directly reminiscent of early 2000’s A-Beat C. The source track is beautifully dynamic and lends itself very well to this style. The synthline has some excellent ideas, and the chord progressions are variable and endearing. My one major complaint is that the vocalist goes off key during the chorus, but overlooking that, this is a great J-Euro remix!

5. Wonderland / Idris: 9+
I frankly didn't care about this song when I first heard it. I thought it was overrated and lacked the melodic development of such tracks as Fever Of Love. However, I have come around to it since. I think the chord progression is beautiful, and the vocalist sounds clear and poised. The buildup during the intro is also quite nice. I think the hard, pounding production clashes a bit with the soft vocals by the time the chorus jumps in, and that keeps me from rating this higher. Still, this is an impressive performance.

6. Neon Lights / Neon feat. Levosa: 8+
This is probably one of the most frustrating songs I've ever heard, particularly because it has the potential to be incredible. The repetitive, syncopated synth is really catchy, and the production sounds quite sharp. Unfortunately, the vocalist sounds like Norma Sheffield’s cousin and does not suit this track at all. It feels like she hardly knows that she’s singing a eurobeat song, much less a really aggressive one. She gets horribly overpowered by the lively, in-your-face beats and synths and almost sounds like she isn't even in the song. I also have to criticize the chorus, as it has a very empty, uneven structure that follows up poorly from the more persistent verse and bridge. The jackpot production saves this track's rating, but I personally wish this were an instrumental or at least sung by someone who sounded like she actually cared.

7. Hitotudake Freedom (EBF Mix) / Tekondo: 8+
This isn't really as interesting a song as Breakin' Tonight, but the remix still does the track justice. It doesn't stand out very much, but it's just satisfying and has a good synth.

8. My Love Is Nineteen (Disko Warp Extended Mix) / Cougar: 6+
Like Neon Lights, this has terribly weak and half-hearted vocals that get overpowered by the loud, aggressive instruments throughout the song. I don't usually nitpick about them, but even the lyrics in this song are corny in a particularly bad way, not like Hi-NRG Attack or as in Gays Gays Gays. The hot riff gets deserves some acknowledgement, but otherwise, this is weak and annoying.

9. Regret / Hydlide feat. SquaDus: 10
Along with Gas Love 2011, this is the big hit of the compilation for me. I absolutely love this guy’s vocals. They have the poise of a professional pop singer, but his unique accent gives it a charming edge that works well in this song, too. Indisputably, this is the most creative song on this album to me. It follows the same kind of pop-eurobeat path that Jager has also gone down, but it embraces a kind of character of its own. The melody may not be in-your-face awesome like Gas Love 2011, but it's just as intriguing. I also love the phrase variation as the extended track progresses further. I'll be listening to this song a lot in the near future, that's for sure.

10. My Number One (Disko Warp Extended Mix) / 7
This tune is okay, but even more so than My Love Is Nineteen, it doesn't fit Disko Warp's instrumental style at all. This song sounds like it would work well as aishu, produced maybe by Eurogrooves or Dima, but the wacky, rather unsophisticated synths used here sound like they're fighting the vocal melody rather than supporting it. On another note, this vocalist sounds really androgynous to me; I can't tell if it's a guy or a girl singing.

DarkSky
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Post by DarkSky » 24 Dec 2011, 10:43

drnrg wrote:DarkSky
And one more thing here: the reason why vocalists don't really sound like the Italian ones is often because of the lyrics. Eurobeat lyrics are quite special, while writing them I have to carefully look at the ''power'' a word has while singing it. The sounds should be open instead of closed. Frequently.. simple English words have that ''open'' sound, that's why lyrics of Eurobeat is often that easy and not hard to understand...

Interesting point, but I don't really get your meaning of open and closed sounds. Do you mean like the certain words Eurobeat songs always seem to epeat on every song? Fire, Desire, Power, Passion,ect....
Okay no problem! Let's say we'll use the word: ''desire'', the phonemical translation of this word is:
/dɪˈzaɪr/

the phoneme ''/d/'' is a plosive obstruent, the ''/ɪ/'' is a vowel. Because the first part of the word is stressed and this stressed part starts with a plosive consonant (/p,t,k,b,d,g/) you create a powerful sound.

''/zaɪr/'' creates quote an open sound, (open glottis), try to say it out loud exaggeratedly. You'll notice that your mouth will also be open.

Also words like ''away'' will cause this effect which makes it easier for Italians to sing and which gives these words more power. Try to say ''remember'', your mouth won't open that much, this word can be used in a Eurobeat track though, but it should placed somewhere you don't want to emphasize the power of the track. It could be ok for an aishu-style track like ''Remember yesterday'' but notice that Cherry has stressed the last part of ''remember''. You could do this.. no problem.

Because Travis uses so many closed words in his tracks, his tracks sound kinda muffled in my opinion. It would be good for pop tracks, but not for Eurobeat. Finding the perfectly fitting word is a hard task. But also the reverb and delay effect on his vocals makes the voice quite muffled..

Words that are perfect for use in Eurobeat are: fire, desire, away, take, reason, me, why, and so on..

By the way:

@Shinraikan, it's good you used the electric guitar in your track ''Wonderland'' it gives it that strong feeling it needs. Well done. Your lyrics are perfect Eurobeat lyrics as well :-)

the_ditz
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Post by the_ditz » 24 Dec 2011, 12:27

I do understand what you're saying Darksky but maybe that's because I studied phonetic and linguistics as part of my university course. The reasons you explain are why I wrote the chorus to Burn My Heart by Ray Dynamo using repetition of the word "burn" on the down beat for extra punch and emphasis. But to be honest I've never noticed a massive issue with Travis' lyrics.

I'll try to get a full review written over the Christmas and New Year period. ;)

Megan188
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Post by Megan188 » 24 Dec 2011, 17:33

I think Travis' lyrics are a lot more creative and ambitious than the majority of those by other eurobeat writers, and so I would be really upset if he was suddenly forced to use mostly nothing but the generic words instead. Granted, I do understand where you're coming from, and I'm glad I know why we hear the same words so much in eurobeat, but I still prefer Travis' current lyrics because they give a lot more edge and character to his songs.

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Post by the_ditz » 24 Dec 2011, 18:52

Megan188 wrote:I think Travis' lyrics are a lot more creative and ambitious than the majority of those by other eurobeat writers, and so I would be really upset if he was suddenly forced to use mostly nothing but the generic words instead. Granted, I do understand where you're coming from, and I'm glad I know why we hear the same words so much in eurobeat, but I still prefer Travis' current lyrics because they give a lot more edge and character to his songs.
QFT - don't go changin' Mr. Stebbins! :grin:

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Post by DarkSky » 24 Dec 2011, 22:01

Megan188 wrote:I think Travis' lyrics are a lot more creative and ambitious than the majority of those by other eurobeat writers, and so I would be really upset if he was suddenly forced to use mostly nothing but the generic words instead. Granted, I do understand where you're coming from, and I'm glad I know why we hear the same words so much in eurobeat, but I still prefer Travis' current lyrics because they give a lot more edge and character to his songs.
I like the emotional load that Travis' lyrics have, which is really great. And I'm definitely not telling him to change the way he writes. But I've heard more people talking about muffled sounding voice of Travis. Now those people know why it is..

thejti
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Post by thejti » 25 Dec 2011, 00:07

DarkSky wrote:I like the emotional load that Travis' lyrics have, which is really great. And I'm definitely not telling him to change the way he writes. But I've heard more people talking about muffled sounding voice of Travis. Now those people know why it is..
If I'm not mistaken, his earlier songs were recorded with an old mic and the newer stuff was recorded with a better mic. That might be why too.
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