FEEDBACK AS REQUESTED: REVERBNATION THROWBACK POP - JOHNNY REI

FEEDBACK AS REQUESTED: REVERBNATION THROWBACK POP - JOHNNY REI

 

ARTIST: JOHNNY REI

TRACKS:/ /NUMBER 1 SINGLE

PLATFORM: REVERBNATION

FANS: N/A

VID PLAYS: 5000 (315 subscribers)

TOTAL SONGS PLAYED:N/A

LABEL: INDEPENDENT

LOCATION: LONDON, U.K

MARKETING: BANDCAMP, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, LINKED IN

ARTICLES: ON SOUNDALOUD

ARTWORK:

[original artwork]

PART OF THE 5 REVERBNATION DEMOS TO LISTEN TO SERIES.

FEEDBACK TO JOHNNY REI ON 19/06/13

Number 1 single seems to be the only upload you have on your account. How long has it been uploaded? And are you working on some new stuff? 

Otherwise what is this 528 Frequency you speak of? Is it about a band or just terminology you are using regarding your sounds?

Seeing the Numeber 1 single and some of the imagery in your account, I am drawn to the PR package approach you are wrapping yourself up in to get across.  The title? Meh. It got my attention, and I am sure others who search the indie database on Reverbnation.  That you reside in London arises my interest as to where you would be playing. 

Promote your mixtape at ReverbNation.com

The opening note reminds me of some of the late 90s Kula Shaker era music in Britain. You sound very, very British.  Something of a throwback to those times.  Did you go to a studio for this?  On the whole I feel the oomph the warmth and subtleties of the instruments that sound engineers are handsomely paid to bring out.  But I could be wrong, you may have composed this at home.

VS

Once the two-bar plus alternating key opening note is done, you then hit us with four by four disco tempo kick beats.  Again the disco environment in this track takes me back to the late 90s where many pop groups were incorporating it into their image and tracks.  Despite you going by a mockney gangster (studio name?) there is something of the lead singer from Kula Shaker in the sound of your voice or shall I say the lead singer of Arctic Monkeys to be more to date? 



Will it be a number 1 single? You have a lot of social networking website accounts opened but where is the interlinking between them?  For example is your Reverbnation linked to your Soundcloud? Or SC linked to your Bandcamp?  Have you Google searched your name with ‘music’ at the end, and seen what comes up?

Im number 1!... I am number 1

OTHER DEMOS TO LISTEN TO:

RAP - TITUS CHEATHAM

PERCUSSION - NITUS

JAZZ - STEVE MOHACEY

Have you considered getting your own domain to raise your profile within the cyberspace robots world? 

There is more to promotion than Reverbnation premier account automated fan pokes right?

You talk big, and have laid an attack to mark your space, but you need to now implement a strategy to get things more together.   

However good message on the frequency of feelgood music, I had to learn it from your Youtube video though, perhaps you should get the same message on all your accounts?

 

Nice to meet you too.

Rae Burnz

FEEDBACK AS REQUESTED: REVERBNATION COLLATERAL JAZZ - STEVE MOHACEY

FEEDBACK AS REQUESTED: REVERBNATION COLLATERAL JAZZ  - STEVE MOHACEY

Improvisation.....Jazz bitch

ARTIST:STEVE MOHACEY

TRACKS:/ /RETURN TO DARKNESS, BAGHDAD BLUES

PLATFORM: REVERBNATION

FANS: 127,000

VID PLAYS: 1,600

TOTAL SONGS PLAYED: 17,000

LABEL: INDEPENDENT

LOCATION: SAN ANTONIO, TX. USA

MARKETING: NAPSTER, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, MYSPACE

ARTICLES: ON SOUNDALOUD

ARTWORK:

[original artwork on Reverbnation]

PART OF - THE 5 REVERBNATION DEMOS TO LISTEN TO SERIES
FEEDBACK TO STEVE MOHACEY:19/06/13

Free EPK from ReverbNation.com

Soz for taking some time to get back but I have been around central Europe, got ill on my way back. 

Firstly I would like to ask, how are you finding Napster as your music distribution tool? 

The tracks I have listen to give feedback on are:

Return to Darkness: Because the title attracted me, and I mentioned something of it on Back from Iraq.

The Last Days:  It is the last track on your extended playlist, and again the religious undertones in the title got me.

Finally Back to Baghdad: Again because I used it in the aforementioned link, title is nice, and there is something of the playfulness of Tom King of Soundclick in this track.

I will be giving overall feedback on these three, mentioning each along the way. 

 

Most of the tracks I listened to on your playlist are instrumentals.  This brings the focus to the rhythm, melody, placements, and choice of your solos here and there.  There also seems to be something of an apocalyptic undertone to the titles of your tracks: Last Days, Return... etc I am a fan of that actually.

Well done on getting as many as almost 2000 video plays, and getting yourself out there on live shows.

Sell music on Amazon at ReverbNation.com

Remember Jake and the Fatman?  Lethal Weapon I and cop dramas from the 80s?  

 I don’t know why but for some reason or other your melodies remind me of some of the theme tunes or interludes and chase scenes for dramatic effect.  Have you heard of this guy?  Tom King, from  Soundclick?  In his bio interview he mentions that he creates soundscapes for wild exotic jazz.  There seems to be an element of exoticism to your tunes though.  A heat to it.  That’s why I also sometimes get memories of some of the desert scenes in the movie Jarhead (2005).  I can imagine a fight scene. 

some of us never made it out of the 80s

back to baghdad again?

I am listening to most of your playlist through my Maxwell headphones, and the compression of double (bass?), to sax, and whisky cymbals, and snares sounds even enough.  There doesn’t seem to be much of that solo sounding odd, and screeching the ears somewhat that I listen to on many, many artists who are trying to put live instruments alongside electronic ones.  But then I think this is where you differ from Tom King, as his Jazz is meshed, and merged with electronica to astonishing effect.  

I haven’t seen your instrumental kit list, nor know of the virtual editing plug ins you use so can’t comment with certainty but it your music plays out as live instruments only.  Live sounds, recorded live, improvised, somewhat like a jam.

OTHER DEMOS TO LISTEN TO:

BLUES ROCK - BADGERSTATIC

RAP - TITUS CHEATHAM

POP - JOHNNY REI

Rae Burnz 



PART II 15 QUESTIONS: SOUNDALOUD'S RAE BURNZ VS ARTISTSERVERS' ZARBSONG

PART II 15 QUESTIONS: SOUNDALOUD'S RAE BURNZ VS ARTISTSERVERS' ZARBSONG 

 VS

 

ARTIST: ZARBSONG

TRACKS KNOWN FOR: FX CREATION, LIF DIRT, UNUSUAL EXPERIMENT

SITES FEATURED ON: YOUTUBE, ARTISTSERVER, SOUNDCLOUD, REVERNATION

ARTICLES ABOUT ARTIST: REVIEWS, FEATURE

ARTWORK:

[ORIGINAL ARTWORK

WEBSITE: http://www.zarbsong-music.com/

I had the opportunity to catch up with French experimental artist Zarbsong for the below interview.  You may remember Zarbsong for the previous review I did on his Artistserver/Scloud/Rnation upload FX CREATION, which I described as follows: 

"It entrances and cushions what it does in previous bars with subtle gear changes you may not instantly notice but is appealing to of affecting different parts of your musical cortex."

REVIEWS ARE IN ARTISTSERVER DRUMANDBASS - FX CREATION

http://soundaloud.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/reviews-are-in-artistserver-drum-and.html

 

 In this catch up interview (PART I) he diligently shares his views: what is good to look for in the many competing online music upload sites, the latest Star Trek movie, 70's synths, the future of Drum and Bass, photography skills and much more.

  This is PART II of our interview:

 

 

RB:I included your song FX Creation to represent the year 2008 in part 3 of my post on existential drum and bass called: The Drum and Bass Massive Attaxx – about online artists who still make their drum and bass tracks with the spirit of 93-96 drum and bass.   

What do you think of the drum and bass scene today?

ZS: Yes, it's true, I noticed that the classic “amen break” was endangered.  

It is less present in modern production. Personally, I like the “amen break” and I still use it in my tracks. 

 

I also like the more modern style. I try to combine it all in my shows and in my tracks.  Otherwise, more generally I think the bass music to change considerably the last time. 

With the emergence of Dubstep, the merger with Drum'n'bass, the appearance of Drumstep it's amazing.  It never will stop and that is a very good thing.  

Bass music is a movement in eternal evolution. This is not the case for all the musical movements and that is rather a good thing as it will be so that movement will not die, and it is not me who will complain.

RB: What are three of your favourite old school tracks in the Drum and bass?

ZS:Not easy, there are so (many) !

Spoilt for choice?

RB: I used a still photography -  of the actor Martin Sheen emerging from the muddy waters before he kills Marlon Brando – from the film Apocalypse Now to introduce your song,  are you a fan of 70s/80s Moog synthesiser film soundtracks as can be heard in The Thing (1982), Amityville Horror (1979),  The Shining (1980) or in general?

ZS: Yes, I love, I love the dark and mysterious atmosphere of this kind, and is legendary Moog synthesizer. But unfortunately I do not have the chance to own one. I mainly use VST (Taurus Bass Synth, Moog Free Arturia Minimoog and many others are inspired by it) and of course I use many different types of synthesizer.

[VST? TAURUS, SYNTH MOOG? Meet me half way!]

RB: Your website is very dark and visually stimulating, as are your videos on Youtube, what are you currently working on? And can you name two or three films new or old you would like to make a soundtrack for? 

ZS: Yes, I am very interested in working on one soundtrack project.Why not create soundtrack horror movie or fantasy film or mystical atmosphere?

RB: Your Artistserver profile has you listed as living in France, Auxerre.  The black and white still photography you use in your video Drum THC reminded me of where I lived in south east London for 2 years.  What location were those images from?

ZS:That's right, I live in France. These photographs are found on the web and made by an (actual) photographer. I do not just say, I do not remember exactly but it is actually possible that the photography was taken in South East London.

[Real streetfighting Francophiles not like Candie from Django]

RB: What do we have to look forward coming from Zarbsong this year? And can you see yourself joining Reverbnation or Bandcamp? Sorry two questions in one again... Doh!

ZS:This year, I will of course put online several new track as always, and there will probably come a new album. I also work on a new project (with visual). 

There are also other projects, but it is too early to tell. Stay tuned!  And, I'm currently on Reverbnation and Bandcamp (to be seen on the links page of my website).

RB:  Will you be posting more songs on Artistserver or Soundcloud very shortly?

ZS:Yes, of course I will send any new song, I actually sends gradually on this website but on lots of other are coming.

RB:Finally, my friend recently went to go and watch the new Star Trek film, and tells me it may be a prequel to THE WRATH OF KAHN,  did you see the first one in this new series of film?

If so do you think you need  to be a star-trek fan (trekkie) to enjoy it?

ZS:I'm sorry but I have not seen.  
But despite all, I think there is no need to be a fan to enjoy. Everyone knows Star-Trek but in this case it could just be complicated to understand if you are not initiated.

RB:Thank you very much Zarbsong.

Rae Burnz

[The Aphex Rephlex legacy?]

[Urban Decay by Zarbsong]

[Experimental ad-busting hip-hop attitude]

[Transglobal citizens of the online music upload culture]

15 QUESTIONS: ARTISTSERVERS' ZARBSONG VS SOUNDALOUD'S RAE BURNZ

15 QUESTIONS: ARTISTSERVERS' ZARBSONG VS SOUNDALOUD'S RAE BURNZ

VS

  

ARTIST: ZARBSONG

TRACKS KNOWN FOR: FX CREATION, LIF DIRT, UNUSUAL EXPERIMENT

SITES FEATURED ON: YOUTUBE, ARTISTSERVER, SOUNDCLOUD, REVERNATION

ARTICLES ABOUT ARTIST: REVIEWS, FEATURE

ARTWORK:

[ original artwork]

WEBSITE: http://www.zarbsong-music.com/

I had the opportunity to catch up with French experimental artist Zarbsong for the below interview.  You may remember Zarbsong for the previous review I did on his Artistserver/Scloud/Rnation upload FX CREATION, which I described as follows: 

"Make no mistake this is a very original well paced and intelligently laced drum and bass tune that takes you on an adventure diving and detouring just when you think you know what to expect."

In REVIEWS ARE IN: ARTISTSERVER DRUM AND BASS - ZARBSONG, and PART 3 DRUM AND BASS MASSIVE ATTAXX (FOR YEAR 2008)

To my surprise he has only been making music for six years long. His English destroys my french - Echante! - (I just came back from Brussels and am learning french at the moment).

In this catch up interview he diligently shares his views: what is good to look for in the many competing online music upload sites, the latest Star Trek movie, 70's synths, the future of Drum and Bass, photography skills and much more.

15 QUESTIONS TO EXPIRMENTAL ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN ZARBSONG FROM RAE BURNZ

RB:  Hello nice to speak to you and thank you for doing this interview.

Can I ask you, what your name Zarbsong means?

ZS: Yes, good question. How to say... In France it is common to use the word "Zarb" in the popular language (slang) to define what is strange. So simply put, it means "strange sounds."

RB:  I found you on Artistserver this year but your track FX CREATION on your website is from 2008, what brought you to Artistsrever?

ZS: On the Web, I usually try to share my music with as many people as possible to publish on different social networks and community sites available for this purpose. With Artistserver as with many others, it is possible to register for free, to share our music, offers to download and chat with other members... This is exactly what I want.

+

 +

-

 +

=

 ?

RB:  You have your music on Youtube, Soundcloud as well as your own website. Can you explain to me which music upload website you find the most beneficial to your music and why?

ZS : It is not easy to answer this question. there is good and bad in all of them. The advantage of SoundCloud or YouTube can be that you can easily share your player on networks like Facebook. It is therefore my opinion better to use all the benefits and advantages of each.

In addition, there is a risk to be present on just one site. In the past, we have seen the end of myspace (many have lost a lot of fans and people because they were only on this site) Otherwise, the benefit brought to the music by this kind of web site is simple, it is a great tool to share and discover that music in the world... That's great

RB:  What hopes do you have on the future of independent online music upload sites like Artistserver and Soundcloud?  For example will they get more mainstream recognition?

ZS: The future of independent music... that is the question! I would say that indeed dedicated website to download certainly have a great future ahead of them and will certainly continue to grow.

I think this is an important advantage for independent music, because this one has always been ignored by the traditional media (in France anyway) and this kind of website provides an opportunity for communication and promotion of our day , the web took over and became a major media and especially a free media.

This is obviously an opportunity for independent music.  In addition, surfing the web, people discover things by accident which would not have necessarily been seen, and it awakens their curiosity which is a very good thing for emerging and alternative cultures.

RB: Your track FX CREATION is very subtle in the way it changes moods within a moment. How long have you been making music?

ZS: I started to make Electronic music in the end of 2007 to around October, November if I recall well. Before that, I knew absolutely nothing about music production. 

RB: The leader of the Prodigy (Liam Howlett) once said he makes music to shock people. I found your sounds are very precise, hypnotic, and a little creepy.  Every sound seems in place for a reason.  Are you making a social/artistic statement through your music?

What do you hope to achieve by your music on the online independent artists community? Sorry two questions in one. LOL.

ZS: Very very good question. For the artistic process, I will simply say that it would be beneficial for the culture of setting a limit to creativity. When learning artistic disciplines (music and others also) for example, I find it incredible that we dare talk about rules or how to make precise. It is an absolute nonsense. How can there be limits to creativity...

For me, it's learning should be limited to teaching the basics of the discipline to give everyone the tools needed to start. Then everyone had to use as it sees fit in its inspiration.

There is no right or wrong way to create, it's ridiculous and yet it is the idea and operation of many music school. Socially, I would say that the world in which we find ourselves is sometimes creepy. But it is not obvious to speak about it with music that doesn't contain speech (or words).

But it is possible with video. Which is why some of my videos evoke a post-apocalyptic world. These days, with the problem of economic crisis, ecology, politics, and many others, it seems essential to consider our future. 

RB: Your website says you make experimental music, are you achieving what you set out to achieve as an independent artist?

ZS: I am my desires, my inspiration. You have to take life as it comes and enjoy what she offers. On my website I said, i make to the experimental music ... yes, I think it's a great way to not lock in specific style.

Tres Bien, Tres Bien. That's all we got time and space for now.  The remaining eight questions on subjects such as will follow shortly.  Salut!

Rae Burnz