New thread for the newer music of Tepalom

[Halif]

UPDATE: aaaaaaaaand here's another. I haven't been doing much music recently. Or, more accurately, I haven't been posting much to Soundcloud.

It's been one of those times where whenever I open the software and start banging on the keyboard, the same kind of sound keeps coming out. Feels like a bit of a rut.

But anyhow... I am/was working on this drum and bass kind of thing. Something loud and basic for a change.

https://soundcloud.com/tepalom/ace-of-motion

It's getting hot here in Mel-burn-my-azz and it's time for a cold one (cup of tea, that is....)

and a read (and a lie down - 34 is the new 60 baby yeaaaahhhh!!!)

https://soundcloud.com/tepalom/in-with-the-now

Edited May 17, 2013 by Halif

[PsillyBean]

Great work man. You are kickin ass. Listening through your work, i notice you have a great feel for bass groove. I think thats what holds me most. whats are you using for your creations? Im a fruity loops clown myself.

[Halif]

Thanks!

I use a tracker called Renoise. Great flexibility but quite different interface compared to more common software like Fruityloops or any of the piano roll ones.

Here's a video if you're interested. But the video was taken with my phone, so it's shaky and the sound quality is not good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrOI0y1trJA

[Halif]

I put one of my old tracks back on my Soundcloud page if anyone is interested.

It's one of my personal favourites and I'm much happier now with the current mix, which has a greater clarity. Structurally it's the same composition as before, but I spent some time applying high/low pass filters and compressors to get the lead oscillator bass line to come out loud and strong without too much resonance muddying up the track. I do love my chunky bass lines

[Halif]

And.... here's another

https://soundcloud.com/tepalom/living-in-the-past-rough

After I made the above track I got some Dali (Concept 2) bookshelf speakers because I had just about burned out my last pair of small but fantastic Onkyo speakers. I'd been using those little guys for around 8 or 9 years and they were starting to sound like they had gravel and sand inside.

So for the last couple of days I have been enjoying discovering new nuances in my old favourite albums while simultaneously trying to justify the purchase of the speakers to my lovely, understanding, frustrated girlfriend.

I only have a small space in which to make or listen to music, so the Dalis are plenty powerful enough. What's been really nice though, is the way they can express a lot of subtleties (especially in the mid-range frequencies) without needing to be cranked up loud.

The downside to that of course is I can now also hear how badly mixed virtually all of my tunes have been so far!

[Halif]

I made a tune which is a bit different from my usual fare - mostly because it actually has a few vocal samples for which I used my own voice.

I tend not to use vocal samples for a few reasons: I like all the contents of my tracks to be completely self created; I find it hard to rip/extract vocal samples cleanly; I'm slightly paranoid about copyright issues; and mostly because I'm just not a big fan of vocals in electronic music.

So this one is a bit of an adventure for me. Not sure if I'll follow up on it anytime soon, but if I do make another track with vocals I'll try to find something more meaningful than my immediate financial concerns!

https://soundcloud.com/tepalom/autonation

[ajna]

well u know what man, i think this is prob my fave track of yours! so i hope u do follow up

i love how original and personalised the vocals have made your music

it's got a real 80s vibe in the best of ways

there's something i cant quite describe, but i feel differently about this track than your others, and nothing against any of your other music intended

it feels like something i'd hear in some real obscure mixtape and wonder who the fuck was that and what year is that from

lol but yeah nice work

[Halif]

Thanks, Ajna!

I know you said:

there's something i cant quite describe, but i feel differently about this track than your others, and nothing against any of your other music intended

- but I would actually be really keen to hear specifically what it is that makes you feel differently about this track versus my others, because you're not the first person to make that comment. A few friends who I played it to when I was making it responded to it in a much more immediate way than they ever had to my other tunes. They said "I like it!" without any hesitation or trying to find constructive comments to make.

I originally had no intention of posting the track because it just started as an experiment to see what my voice would sound like in a track, and if it would be possible to work more vocals into future tracks. The positive feedback I got from friends made me decide to put it online to see if other people would like it.

The good response from my friends was really encouraging as they can be pretty blunt at times and they're not into much of what I make. Those friends of mine are not musicians, however, and are generally mainstream music only listeners. I guessed that having some vocals just made it easier for them to handle because they only ever listen to "proper" songs - you know, with verse/chorus structure and full lyrics - none of this obscure, instrumental, synthetic, bloody 'art' music stuff!

But YOU seem to like this track too, and I know that your musical tastes are broad. Also, as I've stated before, I really like your music and would value your feedback very much. So if you ever feel inclined or if it just clicks in your mind about what makes this track work for you, I'd be curious to get some feedback from you about your personal, subjective opinion of the track.

[ajna]

ok i will attempt to elaborate

the vocals definately make it more accessible but i dont think that's it for me, coz i'm not really a vocals in electronic music kinda person either

there's certainly a pop-ness to it but it's a bit dark and 80s, it's quite genre-less really which i like, it is what it is, it's not trying to be anything else

it's a bit quirky, even a bit awkward, it's got character...

the comment about differing from your other tracks was to insist that i dont think less of your other music but i like this one for different reasons

i get a nice chilled vibe from most of your stuff, this one's a bit wierder, a bit more outsider synth pop sounding

i like a lot of lo-fi/experimental/dodgy electronica

perhaps if i share a couple of tracks, things that have a similar wierd x factor, it will better express my thoughts

(and expose my odd taste...and perhaps negate my opinion of your music entirely ha)

http://soundcloud.com/softwarelabel/carlos-giffoni-evidence

http://soundcloud.com/selftitledmag/steve-hauschildt-constant

http://soundcloud.com/gunsandsynths/false-memories

[Halif]

Thanks for the feedback!

I like both of those tracks that you linked to. I guess I like them for the same reason that you mentioned - they have some character and personality rather than slick, processed polish.