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Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: Aug. 14 2007, 20:23 Wow, it's my fifth album already... and I just posted it on my music website. Some of the tracks were already posted here, in preliminary mixes, but the finished result is now freely available for download. Link-a-link-a-link-a: HERE! Bigger details are available on the page, but a few comments: I'm fairly confident this is my best musical work so far. It's tighter, more carefully arranged, and carries a bigger stylistic variety than my previous works, and it's humorous, light-hearted, vigorous and somewhat pleasant. For those not interested on the whole album, check out 'Sporty', 'Rusty' and 'Noisy', if you will. -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

Harmono Group: Members Posts: 759 Joined: May 2005 Posted: Aug. 15 2007, 14:44 For most parts I really liked your album. I wish I could write such articulate comments like the ones on your site. It isn't something one would expect after hearing Scary earlier. I expected more solo piano, for me, the rest was way better. Songs that I thougt stand out are: 'Noisy', a very energetic, crazy piece with frantic guitar solos. 'Tiny' reminds me of Incantations, while remaining original. 'Messy', this sounds modern indeed with a lot going on although so short.(I was'n't scared at all) 'Spotty' is my favourite one. the mixture of reggae rhythm, sawtooth synths and the buzzy guitar riff is quite danceable, just splendid.(you can see I keep using your words to describe the tracks, but that is mainly because they're so spot on). Overall the album is very good and ORIGINAL. I didn't care much about 'Stripy' and 'Rusty', but I will download and listen more. Thanks for the free ride. edit: I also liked the modal twist. Back to top

Harmono Group: Members Posts: 759 Joined: May 2005 Posted: April 04 2008, 21:25 Just listened to it again. A few thoughts. There's a very cliched samba rhythm on Sporty, that's funny. And there's also a pleasently disturbing dissonance. I don't hear much accented notes on the drums (robots?), although there are crescendos, diminuendos and tempo changes in the music. The drums do work though, especially the marching madness of Noisy, possibly because again the basic ideas (harmonies, development etc.) are good. Odd times, sensible feeling. Rusty is quite complex, except the waltz theme which is now stuck in my head. The beginning of Strechy reminds me of Kraftwerk. The album is full of harmonies and it's fairly unassuming how the last minute is just drums. Last five seconds of Scary bear a resemblance to some other ending. Beethoven? Or maybe it's nothing particular? A few thoughts... more like fragments. Well I have drank a lot of coffee. Anyhow, I give the album four million out of five million stars. Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: April 05 2008, 13:43 Those are great thoughts, Harmono. Loose comments can be as good as a unified review, which is the case there, I believe. Quote The beginning of Strechy reminds me of Kraftwerk. Yeah, that's something of a nod to The Man Machine. In fact, in my original plans, the end of Rusty and the beginning of that track would be a long-winded homage/parody to Neon Lights, but then I came up with the waltz theme. and changed the beginning of Stretchy to make the reference less like an imitation. Quote Last five seconds of Scary bear a resemblance to some other ending. Beethoven? Or maybe it's nothing particular? I'm quite stuck to Beethoven's piano sonatas, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. I didn't get the ending from one specific sonata, but the "rolling up" and the crashing chords probably got their cue from Beethoven, indeed. Quote There's a very cliched samba rhythm on Sporty, that's funny. And there's also a pleasently disturbing dissonance. Interesting that you say it's a cliché rhythm; indeed it has a "gringo" feel to it, now that I think about it. It was unintended, though. I guess it's just hard to get that swing of spontaneity purely with programmed rhythms. But it fits the concept, so I think it's alright. Thanks a lot for the thoughts, by the way. I really appreciate it! -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

nightspore Group: Members Posts: 4770 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: June 11 2008, 00:55 Quote (Harmono @ Aug. 15 2007, 14:44) I didn't care much about 'Stripy' and 'Rusty', but I will download and listen more. I thought "Stripy" was quite effective. I like the obsessive way you keep returning to that plateau of eight or nine piano notes; formally, it suggests trying to cross some insurmountable barrier, like a mountain (especially given the wistful tone of the piece). Then, when the piece switches to the musical glasses (are they musical glasses?) at the end, which then fade away, it's as though you're saying, "If you can't solve one problem,forget about it; go on to something else, which will dissolve before your very eyes." The piece surely deserves a better title than, "Stripy"?? Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: June 11 2008, 07:03 Ooh, in fact, I didn't mention here where the titles are taken from; I just don't remember whether that was intentional or not, but the fact is that every track is named after a character from a British cartoon called Little Robots, and the pieces are meant to somehow reflect the characters. You made a good reading of Stripy, matter of fact; he's this slow moving, slow speaking, ingenuous, introspective robot who's always carrying around his metallic teddy bear. He sometimes has difficulty connecting to the more active, energetic robots, so the piece switches between this almost-melancholy, the always reaching out but never achieving it chorus, and the tinkly interludes of turning to the teddy bear and forgetting about the world. The "musical glasses" are a combination of glockenspiel, vibraphone, harp and celesta, which end up sort of sounding like a single instrument. Anyway, thanks a lot for the comment and the nice interpretation! -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

Harmono Group: Members Posts: 759 Joined: May 2005 Posted: June 11 2008, 07:19 Quote (nightspore @ June 11 2008, 06:55) Quote (Harmono @ Aug. 15 2007, 14:44) I didn't care much about 'Stripy' and 'Rusty', but I will download and listen more. I thought "Stripy" was quite effective. I like the obsessive way you keep returning to that plateau of eight or nine piano notes; formally, it suggests trying to cross some insurmountable barrier, like a mountain (especially given the wistful tone of the piece). Then, when the piece switches to the musical glasses (are they musical glasses?) at the end, which then fade away, it's as though you're saying, "If you can't solve one problem,forget about it; go on to something else, which will dissolve before your very eyes." The piece surely deserves a better title than, "Stripy"?? I actually quite like Stripy nowadays. Back to top

nightspore Group: Members Posts: 4770 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: June 11 2008, 10:54 Quote (Sir Mustapha @ June 11 2008, 07:03) Ooh, in fact, I didn't mention here where the titles are taken from; I just don't remember whether that was intentional or not, but the fact is that every track is named after a character from a British cartoon called Little Robots, and the pieces are meant to somehow reflect the characters. You made a good reading of Stripy, matter of fact; he's this slow moving, slow speaking, ingenuous, introspective robot who's always carrying around his metallic teddy bear. He sometimes has difficulty connecting to the more active, energetic robots, so the piece switches between this almost-melancholy, the always reaching out but never achieving it chorus, Anyway, thanks a lot for the comment and the nice interpretation! My pleasure, Sir M. My getting the meaning of the piece "right" reflects well on me, I guess, but reflects even better on you for being clever enough to know how to produce the desired effect in the first place! Anyway, good luck with your record. I take my hat off to anyone who can anticipate the whims of the record-buying public! Back to top

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