byte-smasher’s domain

Here’s the second track in my mastering portfolio, an instrumental demo for a local band, Defend the Syndicate. This was another premixed track, so I didn’t get a chance to flex my mixing muscles… but I think it turned out great anyway. I have to say though, I would have loved to have had a chance to mix everything separately, as the bass kick really overpowered the entire mix to start off. I have a feeling I could have made the bass much more solid sounding if I’d had the stems to work with.

I’ve decided to start offering bare-bones mastering services to local bands …..gratis. Why would I do such a thing, you ask? Because I wouldn’t mind doing it for money eventually, but first I need to build a portfolio… and local bands just need some more exposure in general. It’s hard to get noticed by labels when your demo doesn’t shine… and you shouldn’t have to pay thousands of dollars for a pro mastering job just to get rejected by the label.

So here’s the first submission I received for mastering, a track by Andrew Edwards called “Holiday Parade”. Hit the triangular “play” button to hear the song, and toggle the mastered/unmastered version by clicking on the respective word…. pretty self explanatory really

By the time you hear this song
You’ve gone wrong
Caught up in the labyrinths of time
In your mind
Unlearn
Unwind
But not to worry
There is no hurry
“Come unto me, ” says she

“You’ve been polluted, uprooted
By time
You have been muted, computed
But I’m
A living vessel of the one
Of the moon
Of the sun”

Hey, you ain’t as dead as you seem
What the fuck?
Hey, but you keep living your lies
Hey, your life’s a bore but you dream
Bring yourself to be yourself tonight

I see evidence in how you hold your head
And I see evidence in how you say what’s said
I see it in your eyes
That you’ve been hypnotized

“You’ve been polluted, uprooted
By time
You have been muted, computed
But I’m
A living vessel of the one
Of the moon
Of the sun”

Hey, you ain’t as dead as you seem
What the fuck?
Hey, but you keep living your lies
Hey, your life’s a bore but you dream
Bring yourself to be yourself tonight

I started a thread on the forum about the songs that amaze us every time we hear them. Since then, I found this amazing site called imeem that allows you to search for and listen to almost any song and even make playlists of your favorites.

So I decided to make this playlist, of the songs that continue to blow me away every time I hear them: