| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Track Structure | 8 |
| Interest | 8 |
| Melody | 8 |
| Performance | 10 |
| Lyrics | 0 |
| Enjoyment | 9 |
| Recording Quality | 9 |
| Commercial Appeal | 7 |
| Overall | 8.4 |
The Fear
by MD-1 Project
Right o' heres my 4th review, this time the tune to be dissected is Mancini's The Fear..
Im going to review this track like the others, from a Dancefloor perspective as I think it's unfair of me to try and review from a Producers perspective as everyone I review is better than me!
Ok then *breathe in* lets get started.....
Track Structure
Very good track structure in this one. When we start off and the eerie vocals kick in with the thin hihats and sick syths you get a sense this tune is gonna be rather sister. The beats then kick in with more of the evil vocals and synths over the top. We move into the build up, with the lead synth coming in harder and harder, and the sounds seemingly getting eerier as it builds. Now, this is where, I was expecting some sort off break down but instead we enterered the outro and the tune finished. I was left was the kind of feeling of 'oh, I was enjoying that'. My prefence with Dance tracks in general is a track with a defineded break down. This had too much of a progressive feel to it for me, ie, it was always rising (which was really cool) but it was rising towards the end of the track rather than towards a break, which I thought would have been excellent.
There's plenty of layers to the track and theres always alot going on, but I'd never say there was too much going on. The creepy vocal keeps the whole thing tied together wonderfully. All the sounds and synths sound like they belong together which is really good.
So basically I think this tune is too short, where it finishes it should enter a break down (where the outro is now) and then go up yet another gear. This really is just a personal preference, I think probably instilled in me from years of listening to Trance and House tracks where there's usually a defined breakdown. I think if it it had a breakdown then shifted up another gear I'd give this 10/10, as it is 8/10.
Musical Interest
I must admit my musical preference isn't generally towards the dirtier, sicker end of DnB, but more torward the funkier and liquid DnB. Still tho this held my interest all the way through, and then some because I was expecting more! I like the various layers and the rising feel to it, which keeps the energy. I think if I was reviewing this in a club (not sure that would ever happen!) I'd give this 9/10, sitting here at home, it proves to be a be intense, even for me! 8/10
Melody
A hard one to judge really because you'd never expect a tune like this to have a melody as such. And it doesn't, but the lead synths are cool and that gives the track a hard almost industrial feel. Like I've said in all my previous reviews, a 10/10 melody would be something that stays in your head for weeks after hearing it. This although quality, wouldn't quite live up to that. Another 8/10
Musical Performance
Excellent 10/10, The effort and creativity thats gone into this are great, and the timing is excellent. Although in my humble opinion its too short, what there is performed to a top draw stardard. 10/10
Recording Quality
Very good, I don't know how you get the distorted sounds sounding so clear (if that makes sense!). Very sick and twisted but still everything comes through. I feel the beats could be a bit louder so they stick out more though. Still very good! 9/10
Enjoyment
Really cool, I loved listening to this, all the sounds and sinster synths make it creepy but enjoyable listening. I would give this a ten but as I said a bit earlier I was kinda hoping for a break down, then a change in gear back up, that would have got it full marks, as it it 9/10
Commercial Appeal
Hmmm, I think it would be tricky for this track to make it commercially because it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. A DnB track or a sick Techno track. It gets caught it a kind of limbo half way, which although is very good to listen to, might be a bit difficult to market. I might be wrong, a blend like this could open it's appeal up to both genres followers, but my instinct would be to say that both sets of followers wouldn't see it as something that's similar enough to what they're already buying to buy it, again hope that makes sense! 7/10
So.....
Really enjoyed this one, as I do most MD-1 Projects tracks. I had a couple of qualms but only things that are really a personal preference. This tune certainly deserves it's place in the user charts (at least it was in the user charts till Ricky was restricted to having only one entry, because he was dominating it!!). Really good tune....have a listen for yourselves. you'll enjoy it!
To listen to the track Click Here