Eurobeat Prime :: Forum

thejti wrote:Id expect to see more Bubbles, Kiki & Fancy, Franz Tornado, Go Go Girls, and original Saifam tracks soon.

I can only wish that will happen...

To me, Avex had a great variety of styles from 151-179...the serious, some slower, and just plain silly songs! If they do go in that direction, I'll be all for it.

thejti wrote:I got word that Avex no longer is seeking what they call airy eurobeat (such as Aleky - Eternity, a lot of Pamsy's stuff, the slower epic Dima stuff, Norma style, the slow HRG style, etc.) And have requested from the labels silly kiddy fast stuff. You should see a lot more of the insane HRG soon. It would explain why SCP is doing this style for Christine. Its insane the amount of flip flopping going on. The only label that hasnt been asked to change has been SinclaireStyle. Id expect to see more Bubbles, Kiki & Fancy, Franz Tornado, Go Go Girls, and original Saifam tracks soon.

This is probably the most depressing post that I have read in a long time, mainly because of the parts highlighted in bold. If these styles disappear from the Eurobeat scene, I'm afraid I will quickly lose my interest in the new releases. "Silly kiddy" tracks have their place, but not at the expense of the other styles.

Anyway, I downloaded this album yesterday so I haven't had a real chance to let everything settle in properly yet, but so far I'm really digging:

Hotblade / Power Two & Alix / Maximisin' (although I grabbed these from iTunes before I went to Australia, so I've been looping them heavily during my trip)
David Dima / Sunrise (You'll Always Be Alive) (just as epic as I'd hoped - perhaps even more so...)
Tora / No Turning Back (the best female Sinclaire track since Move On Now Baby - great melodies)
Jeff Driller / Mecha Fireball (the subtleties in the vocal melodies are what give this one the edge for me)

I'm back to work tomorrow, so that'll be when I can really start to give these songs my full attention. I seem to be able to appreciate Eurobeat more while driving!

para_rigby wrote:To me, Avex had a great variety of styles from 151-179...the serious, some slower, and just plain silly songs! If they do go in that direction, I'll be all for it.

Exactly, but like drnrg said I wouldn't be surpised if avex is doing this one purpose to avoid the labels getting in to a rut producing only one style. They could also be testing the waters with the next few SEB decades to see what kind of Eurobeat sells the most.

I also don't mean to spark the 'Para Para kills Eurobeat debate' but avex could be asking for this kind of Eurobeat now for a more para para style of Eurobeat (in other words not under 140 BPM) I wonder if this new shift in style has anything to do with DJ Boss now being SEB's advisor for the last yer. Only time will tell...

#Infinity wrote:I really wish it were easier for me to buy the new albums again, since right now, my interest in the series has dropped dramatically, even though it was still going strong throughout the 200's, during which I could buy everything from Musico. I've hardly even posted here as of late (well, I guess I've at least done more than I did over the past year, hehehe).

I agree. The SEB series is just so, so underwhelming at the moment.

SinclaireStyle, Go Go's Music, Dima and even Delta now are all sounding very tired. HRG have gone back to their usual ways with two very mediocre productions on this album ('Mecha Fireball' sounds like a potpourri of everything they produced in the 170s and 180s). SCP are fine but they're not producing anything overly special anymore. Sunfire is really the only label that's providing any glimmer of hope nowadays in my eyes, but their appearances on these albums are disappointingly scarce. And I think most of us want Saifam to go away already.

I'm just over SEB at the moment, haha.

Densetsu13

They could also be testing the waters with the next few SEB decades to see what kind of Eurobeat sells the most.

I love the sound of SEB going on for the next few decades. Thanks for the positive note Densetsu

Sorry for an OFFTOP ...

I just looked at the IDW site - and it now sez * account suspended * where IDW used to be..

I'm going to post a slightly shorter review of the 14 new tracks on this album here since I'm way behind with my full reviews for the last 3 or 4 albums. I may expand a bit more on this in my blog if I ever get the time!

1. HOTBLADE / POWER TWO (SCP)
The main reason I like this is because it harks back to that classic "Fastway"-style that was so prevalent in the mid 100's but has been lacking a little from the SCP stable since Jager started taking the lead. The non-stop inspired intro with all the tom-toms gets the energy level high from the start, and this continues throughout the song. The vocals are top notch - lots of power and drive in them. The hook has a great old-school to it that ties in nicely to the chorus, which is of course the highlight of the song with its anthemic melody and rising chord progression. In the absence of Go 2, I reckon Power Two is a fantastic substitute!
Score: 10-

2. TORA / NO TURNING BACK (SinclaireStyle)
One of the most played tracks from this album for me so far and easily the best Sinclaire female in the past few years. The intro reminds me of the Scottish dance group QFX (a favourite of mine throughout the 90's). The vocal melody has elements of SCP's female style (Yo Shine/Irene come to mind) and finally we can enjoy the vocals without all the terrible reverb! The trademark rising chord progression is evident here again in the chorus, which helps to give the chorus a pretty epic feel. I also love the way the beat momentarily drops out in the bridge. More like this in the future please, Sinclaire!
Score: 10

3. DAVE RODGERS / SKYLIGHT (SunFire)
More boundary-pushing stuff from SunFire. The intro is pretty odd with all the aahs, oohs and doo-doos. I'm more interested when the punchy synth hook kicks in - it has that raw, industrial sound to it that SunFire seem to be making their own. For me, I feel a little let down by the vocal melodies in this track - it doesn't seem to jump out and grab me in the way the previous two tracks have. The chorus is a bit better, but I still feel like the balance isn't right between vocals and backing track - a common problem with SunFire tracks.
Score: 7+

4. ALIX / MAXIMISIN' (SCP)
This is without a doubt the star of the whole album for me. In the absence of Pamsy, Alix is sure to be my new favourite female vocalist on the scene - I love the contrast between her sweeter, more innocent tone (in the verses) and her more direct and punchy tone in the bridge and chorus. A massive plus of this track is the breathtaking synth hook - the combination of the saw synth and orchestral hits give a fantastic crisp sound that makes me want to dance. I also love the beat breakdown at the start of the second verse. Even the second half of the chorus (with the wooooaaahs) has grown on me. Definitely a contender for best track of the year for me
Score: 10+

5. DREAM FIGHTERS / ARE YOU READY TO FLY (Dima)
I like the gradual build-up throughout the intro - it really sets up the hook nicely. The synth used in the main hook is classic Dima - no-one can do it better in my opinion. All of the elements of a fantastic hit song are here, but something is lacking. Whether it's the uninspiring lyrics in the chorus or whether there has just been a few too many tracks of this style lately, I just don't feel the same attraction to this track as I do to Don't Wanna Be A Survivor, for example. I do like the epic flourish at the end of the bridge with the ascending synth and beat drops.
Score: 9-

6. DELTA QUEENS ft. PAUL HARRIS / LOVE IS LIKE A RAIN (Delta)
I'm unsure why this was given the Delta Queens alias and not Cherry, but hey ho. I guess this is what Dave & Nuage might have sounded like if they were at Delta. The melodies are pretty insipid for me, and I don't like the key change at the start of the chorus - it sounds a bit stilted. The synth hook also seems to wash over me without making any real impact. I've never been a fan of this style of song anyway, but when there is no major USP in the production, I just find myself turning off completely. We have the typical Delta cookie-cutter structure as well which doesn't help the lasting appeal of this song.
Score: 6

7. JEFF DRILLER / MECHA FIREBALL (Hi-NRG Attack)
This track seems to have been given a bit of a hard time on the whole so far. Sure, it is a return to standard old HRG speedy style that got really samey, but I can hear a couple of features that take it above the mediocre. The warm synth tone in the main hook is a surprise - I was expecting something with more bite. The way the beat drops in the verse is pretty cool - I wasn't expecting that and it sticks in my mind. I really like the subtle key change to the bridge as well. The chorus is standard speedy HRG faire, so no great surprises there, but I am still endeared to this track for some reason.
Score: 9-

8. LUKE / TIME OF FIGHTERS (Delta)
I don't like the tone of this track. It's as if it doesn't know what persona to take on - goofy, agressive or serious. The main hook is pretty horrible - it's one of the worst I've heard from Delta in the past couple of years. Luke's vocals sometimes sound far too forced and over-exaggerated and I don't think the register does him any favours - the verse is very low and things get a bit shaky from time to time. I also really hate the "come on" in the chorus - it just sounds a bit of an after-thought and is delivered in a fairly amateur way. Not Delta's finest hour by any stretch of the imagination!
Score: 6+

9. CANDY MORE / I'LL FLY (Go-Go's Music)
This one was a big surprise for me. The intro sounds will an early 00's vocal trance track before the rich, raspy synths make their presence known and a very deep club-style hook starts. I didn't think I was going to enjoy the vocals that much in this track, but I found myself enchanted by the tone and delivery. The melodies are as dynamic and lively as ever - Sandro and co. really are among the best songwriters in modern Eurobeat for me. Of course, the big highlight of this track comes in the chorus with that one line - "struck by light" - that is framed so beautifully the way the music drops out and the beats mirror the vocals. I love it! The only shaky moment comes on the final note of the chorus, but by that point I was already hooked!
Score: 9

10. CHRISTINE / DANCIN' TOGETHER (SCP)
I haven't been looking forward to this one at all, and my guard always comes up whether Christine is on the scene. I still can't put my finger on why I dislike her vocals so much - the tone just irritates me somehow. Anyway, here we have a further step into the goofy and wacky side of SCP for Christine - she seems to be the only alias that is promoting this style nowadays. For me, the way that sections of the main synth hook are used in the chorus is a fairly cute trick, and I like the "wooaah, nanana" section. However, I hated the section from around 2:39 - it sounds like the music has gotten stuck in a loop. More bearable than Bigga Boom, but still not my style.
Score: 7-

11. BORIS / SHALAKA BOOM (Delta)
HRG's Orchestra of Bazookistan meet Delta on a boozy night out in Moscow and this is the result! The silly tone of the vocals works in the context of the song. I really enjoy the vocal melody in this track - it does a good job of fitting the theme while still keeping the listener interested. The chorus makes me want to start jogging on the spot for some reason! Love the playful synth hook and the overall production. Delta are lucky that this track was featured here as it saved their bacon after the previous two poor tracks.
Score: 9-

12. HEATHER / BEAUTIFUL BOY (Dima)
Why Dima? Why bring such a bad singer on board? Honestly, I liked the sound of this track through the chorus until Heather/Sara's awful vocals started. They really kill this track for me, especially during the chorus when they seem to be especially shrill and irritating. It saddens me as I love the rich and epic sounding chorus - it has a similar rich sound to Are You Ready To Fly's hook. The bridge section is probably the one part with vocals that I can stand to listen to a lot. I'm hoping that we won't have too many Heather tracks in the future as it is a waste of Dima's talents as a songwriter and producer.
Score: 7

13. CINDY & CY-RO / TOWER OF LOVE (Hi-NRG Attack)
This has a very 80's feel to it somehow. The duet thing has never been something that Hi-NRG Attack has been really known for, and on this evidence I don't think it's something that they should rely on too much in the future. To give them their dues, they at least try to make the song like a true duet, with lots of question and answer between both vocalists. However, the melody seems to be a bit erratic and doesn't seem to have a strong focus or direction. The production also has big peaks and troughs so you never feel like the song is very coherent. Catchy but not particularly good... that's how I'd sum this one up!
Score: 7+

14. DAVID DIMA / SUNRISE (YOU'LL ALWAYS BE ALIVE) (Dima)
Beside Maximisin', this one stands at the very top of the pile for me on this album. Someone mentioned about the lyrics being about the tsunami, and whether that's true or not, they have taken on a completely new meaning for me. I strongly believe that this is one of best tracks that Dima has ever written. Once again, we have that rising chord progression that is so key to giving a song a truly epic, anthemic feel. The hard snare drum adds an edge to the production, while the more mellow synths give a nice contrast. The breakdown and heavy growling guitars in the bridge offer yet another dimension to the complex story of this song. The vocal melody, especially in the chorus, is just beautiful, and is delivered with emotion and passion by Dima. Before the track's even finished, I already want to hit the replay button. A fantastic ending to this album!!
Score: 10+

TOP 3 TRACKS:

DAVID DIMA / SUNRISE (YOU'LL ALWAYS BE ALIVE)
ALIX / MAXIMISIN'
TORA / NO TURNING BACK

BOTTOM 3 TRACKS:

DELTA QUEENS ft. PAUL HARRIS / LOVE IS LIKE A RAIN
LUKE / TIME OF FIGHTERS
CHRISTINE / DANCING TOGETHER

HONOURABLE MENTION:

HOTBLADE / POWER TWO

Unlike the majority of other people on this forum, I am still pumped with the new tracks being put out on Super Eurobeat, and this album has another 4 or 5 tracks that could easily be gracing my playlist in months and years to come. SCP was especially strong this time around (despite Christine's presence) and Dima was saved by a breath-taking performance by the boss man himself. I'm also encouraged by the steps Sinclaire has taken to rid his female tracks of the same old cliches. Delta really needs to try harder though!

Almost 3 weeks since the album release, so about time I post something up. Like para_rigby, I am hardly good with musical jargon so don't expect something too in depth.

01. Power Two / Hotblade (8/10)
The chorus is pretty much why I gave this song an 8, otherwise, it would have fared slightly worse. Of course, I am not saying that the rest of the song are crap, they just don't provide the same catchiness but then again, it's still far from being puke bland. As of the time I typed this (June 18, near 3 weeks after the album's release), I could already feel it's power waning, but that's just me. Despite that, I'd still say that this is one of SCP's stronger efforts, and naturally, Hotblade's best track to date as well. Maybe a little more of the "push" and this song would probably be on the golden path.

02. No Turning Back / Tora (5.5/10)
Good vocal melody is the main reason why many of Grana's tracks work for me. The bad news is, I barely hear anything attractive this time round. With the main redeeming feature gone, what's there left in store? Well, the good news is that some of the more questionable production details like the hollow singing, synth choices and random riffs have been rectified somewhat. And it actually balances it out to be a rather okay sounding song overall, which actually isn't okay at all since there are many others on this album I'd rather be listening to instead of this. Not bad, just has nothing much going for it.

03. Skylight / Dave Rodgers (10/10)
The feature presentation of the album, or is it? Almost all of Sun Fire's tracks so far have been a great ride for me, and since the man himself is on the mic, you just can't go wrong with it. We've had middle eastern influenced stuff from Sun Fire before so the feel of this song definitely didn't feel "weird" at all. The intro is fuckin' awesome as usual, the melody's cool, and the little details like the dudus, the choir, the drum loops and the finale where Dave recites the song title in such a cool manner really helped the song quite a bit. It's not the new House Of Fire, that's for sure. But this song being one of the high end tracks of the year for me? Hell yes.

04. Maximisin' / Alix (8/10)
Here, there's nothing much I can say. I like the melody, I love Alix's vocals and I'd definitely want to hear more from her. It also comes across as being quite a flirty song to me sometimes, which might be a good thing, except the SCP team probably didn't intended for it to sound like that. Excellent stuff overall.

05. Are You Ready To Fly / Dream Fighters (3/10)
Really Dima? Are you ready to FLyyy~? Very amusing I must say. The song itself suffers from the same disease as Because Of You previously, it's overly generic and it doesn't even help that we have heard better things from Dima (E.G. Sunrise later). A 3/10, and I am being nice.

06. Love Is Like A Rain / Delta Queens feat Paul Harris (3.5/10)
This is just flat out boring in my opinion (Of course, if it isn't the case for your ears, then good for you!). I can't say I was expecting a new Damn Damn My Heart or Bye Bye Tokyo, but jeez, this is just so anti-climatic. The riff is acceptable, but the rest of the song is just way, way, way too aishu for me. Maybe someone else would like this but I personally think that something along the lines above mentioned two songs would probably be the way to go.

07. Mecha Fireball / Jeff Driller (7/10)
All around pretty good song, not much to say here.

08. Time Of Fighters / Luke (10/10)
I am still not entirely sold on this "new" Luke we're dealing with here, for one thing, he should have just gone with the The Champion kind of tone and it would probably make this song's epic level drive through the damn roof. Well, whatever it is, this still turns out to be a very exciting and energetic track, and the riff especially, is a very memorable one. Is this one of Delta's best? I think yes, can't go wrong with such a suave song you see.

09. I'll Fly / Candy More (5/10)
So is this the answer to Dream Fighter's track? It sure looks like it. I don't know if GGM dislikes me or it's me having a problem with GGM. Aside from one or two, their songs hardly ever makes enough of an impression for me personally. Maybe it's the quirky nature of the label or maybe because their image is too "happy" for me, I really can't pinpoint accurately. This one's just okay, just like Tora's song before, the kind where I don't listen to anymore after I get done with typing these up.

10. Dancin' Together / Christine (1/10)
Fuck, no. I like Christine, but these type of childish, cheesy upbeat material are not an option for me. Such songs generally don't even make a single appearance on my top ten of the week list. Haven't been, probably never will.

11. Shalaka Boom / Boris (7/10)
A little dull but still, not overboard. The riff especially, sounds rather uninspiring but oddly, the whole thing is actually pretty good. Boris sounds pretty rough too, something I don't remember hearing in eurobeat for quite a while actually but nevertheless, I still like anyways. The energy is ample and the folk influence that Avex talked about, well, let's just say I hardly have any idea what they're talking about but again, that's just me. Good song, just not on the high tier yet.

12. Beautiful Boy / Heather (8/10)
I really hated this track initially, and it's all because of what sounds like a joke vocalist at first. Well, I eventually warmed up to her vocals, albeit not completely (chorus is still a bit off) after a long while I must say, and the song actually opens up to be one of the better end tracks of the album. The details are excellent, and the part I really like about this track is the bridge, it sounds stupid at first but then again, this song grows pretty slowly anyways. Commendable debut I must say.

13. Tower Of Love / Cindy & Cy-Ro (6/10)
Interesting duet, the melody is sort of over-the-top. Vocals wise, I can't help but feel that Festari is miscast right here, everytime he starts singing, I just get jolted. The chorus is okay, but not the verses where they sing individually, I feel like this shouldn't have been a duet, or maybe, have Rimonti on the male vocals instead bah I don't know. Not a terrible song though, just not my cup of tea.

14. Sunrise ~You Will Always Be Alive~ / David Dima (10/10)
Songs like this definitely shows why Dima is quite easily one of the better eurobeat producers out there despite his general predictability sometimes. The tempo is on the slow side, but also smooth and pleasant. There's this double riff thing as well, which is quite good too. This is easily one of Dima's finest to date, nuff said.


Top 3 :
Skylight / Dave Rodgers, Time Of Fighters / Luke, Sunrise ~You'll Always Be Alive~ / David Dima (They're all equally good!)

Bottom 3 :
Dancin' Together / Christine
Are You Ready To Fly / Dream Fighters
Love Is Like A Rain / Delta Queens feat Paul Harris


HM :
Maximisin' / Alix

I appreciate Sun Fire's trying to make a new production style. Skylight is at least better than House of Fire, and its chorus is fairly catchy.

For Delta, they keep on making mediocre songs over and over. Capaldi's production style has scarcely changed since his debut in eurobeat scene.

No Turning Back seems to be a successor of My Body Sweat to me. Sinclaire even re-used voice samples he used in that song.

Beautiful Boy is like a combination of Baby Fly and Ready to Love, which means I am destined to love the song.

the_ditz wrote:12. HEATHER / BEAUTIFUL BOY (Dima)[/b]
Why Dima? Why bring such a bad singer on board? Honestly, I liked the sound of this track through the chorus until Heather/Sara's awful vocals started. They really kill this track for me, especially during the chorus when they seem to be especially shrill and irritating. It saddens me as I love the rich and epic sounding chorus - it has a similar rich sound to Are You Ready To Fly's hook. The bridge section is probably the one part with vocals that I can stand to listen to a lot. I'm hoping that we won't have too many Heather tracks in the future as it is a waste of Dima's talents as a songwriter and producer.

The thing is, that vocalist is not a one trick pony like some other Eurobeat singers, and her style this time around is definitely not the one she uses for every song. Take a listen to songs like Pizza Girl - Crazy For You, Pizza Girl - Everytime You Go or Sara - Wonderland. Her vocal performances there are very different, much less chirpy and zany. With Dima AND Gilardi writing songs for her now, they will come up with tracks that just might make you eat your words. /end of fanboy rant

MAtRiCks wrote:

the_ditz wrote:12. HEATHER / BEAUTIFUL BOY (Dima)[/b]
Why Dima? Why bring such a bad singer on board? Honestly, I liked the sound of this track through the chorus until Heather/Sara's awful vocals started. They really kill this track for me, especially during the chorus when they seem to be especially shrill and irritating. It saddens me as I love the rich and epic sounding chorus - it has a similar rich sound to Are You Ready To Fly's hook. The bridge section is probably the one part with vocals that I can stand to listen to a lot. I'm hoping that we won't have too many Heather tracks in the future as it is a waste of Dima's talents as a songwriter and producer.

The thing is, that vocalist is not a one trick pony like some other Eurobeat singers, and her style this time around is definitely not the one she uses for every song. Take a listen to songs like Pizza Girl - Crazy For You, Pizza Girl - Everytime You Go or Sara - Wonderland. Her vocal performances there are very different, much less chirpy and zany. With Dima AND Gilardi writing songs for her now, they will come up with tracks that just might make you eat your words. /end of fanboy rant

I do know that she's not a new vocalist, but even in previous guises I have never been a massive fan of her tone. The Pizza Girl tracks were generally okay, but as Heather in this track, she just sounds far too cartoony and irritating to my ear. The song is slowly growing on me though, so if I start to enjoy the song enough, I may just be able to see past the vocals...

WNight wrote:03. Skylight / Dave Rodgers (10/10)
The feature presentation of the album, or is it? Almost all of Sun Fire's tracks so far have been a great ride for me, and since the man himself is on the mic, you just can't go wrong with it. We've had middle eastern influenced stuff from Sun Fire before so the feel of this song definitely didn't feel "weird" at all. The intro is fuckin' awesome as usual, the melody's cool, and the little details like the dudus, the choir, the drum loops and the finale where Dave recites the song title in such a cool manner really helped the song quite a bit. It's not the new House Of Fire, that's for sure. But this song being one of the high end tracks of the year for me? Hell yes.

THIS.

It's actually one of my favourite songs so far. I have to say I'm not a fan of (relatively) slow EB songs, but this one just... works. It works perfectly. The choir really adds some depth to the track; nice percussions at around 3:17; awesome work on the backing vocals throughout the song; the sabi didn't seem to me to be very typical of EB (well, not only the sabi), but it sounds good, what more can I ask.

One thing that will never cease to amaze me is the attention he brings to every detail. His songs just don't give me the impression he's holding back, that he's saving some ideas for the next one. He makes the best of every second. If there's an empty space at some point, he just fills it up with a nice melodic idea. Maybe a little guitar solo would have been nice? Oh well, you can't have it all.

Now, I personally find the mix a bit crappy (as in, what a mixing engineer does, not a DJ). Not awful, but it could have been so much better IMO.

14. Sunrise ~You Will Always Be Alive~ Great minds think alike, as this is also one of my favourites in this SEB. Listen to these drums, especially the snare; the guitars; this riff: it adds up to a great mix between video game music (I can't help but think of Street Fighter somehow) and Europe's Final Countdown. Very 80's, slow as hell but somewhat very intense. It's really that snare+synths that does it to me, so epic.

All in all, both of these songs deserve... let's see, 18.5/10. Yup.

kurisuto wrote:14. Sunrise ~You Will Always Be Alive~ Great minds think alike, as this is also one of my favourites in this SEB. Listen to these drums, especially the snare; the guitars; this riff: it adds up to a great mix between video game music (I can't help but think of Street Fighter somehow) and Europe's Final Countdown. Very 80's, slow as hell but somewhat very intense. It's really that snare+synths that does it to me, so epic.

Dead on descriptions. It's video game-ish style did indeed play a huge role in me liking the track, and I could definitely see this going into some RPG's melancholic final boss battles instead of street fighter (My reason being it's too down and slow to fit such a fast paced action fighter but that's besides the point). Epic is definitely the word to be used as well.

I'm glad to see more people are now liking the Dave Rodgers song. When I posted only one other person gave it a positive mention.