Trogool - Beyond the River Skai

[Nayrb]

Hi folks!

I never did post my own music, but now I have a "new" album out; so perhaps it's the proper time.

I finished this a year ago (but just released this week), prior to joining SC. I was reading Mattias' articles and other resources without anyone to discuss things with back then, so you can probably hear some things that I assure you I've since altered my approach on. Since I finished this one I've learned a lot, especially thanks to SC and the good folks here, and applied that knowledge to subsequent music, which I hope to workshop more before release time.

That being said, certainly critique this as you will! Any feedback is always encouraged.


https://trogool.bandcamp.com/album/beyon...river-skai

[Otto Halmén]

I commented a lot on this already in private, but to sum it up: Avant-garde dungeon synth.

You're going against the tropes of the genre, as well as introducing frankly quite wild and highly varied timbral choices. You've spun graceful tunes that sound almost but never completely familiar. Listening to it feels like having dreamed the greatest dream and trying to piece it together as it slowly fades from memory.

In other words, I love it! Stay awesome.

[Rohan_Casukhela]

Will listen to this as the week goes on and give my feedback. Loving the first track already!

[Nayrb]

(03-05-2017, 09:03 PM)Otto Halmén Wrote: I commented a lot on this already in private, but to sum it up: Avant-garde dungeon synth.

You're going against the tropes of the genre, as well as introducing frankly quite wild and highly varied timbral choices. You've spun graceful tunes that sound almost but never completely familiar. Listening to it feels like having dreamed the greatest dream and trying to piece it together as it slowly fades from memory.

In other words, I love it! Stay awesome.

I shall do my best to retain any awesome I may have acquired, by design or accident, in my travels

But seriously, my sincerest thanks for your continued feedback and support!

[peastman]

That is awesome! I really like the way you use light textures with just a few instruments at a time, but then keep varying which ones they are. And to echo what Otto said, it does a great job of balancing sounding familiar and sounding exotic. You think you know what it's doing, and then it does something you didn't expect but still makes sense.

[Nayrb]

(03-07-2017, 03:18 AM)peastman Wrote: That is awesome!  I really like the way you use light textures with just a few instruments at a time, but then keep varying which ones they are.  And to echo what Otto said, it does a great job of balancing sounding familiar and sounding exotic.  You think you know what it's doing, and then it does something you didn't expect but still makes sense.

Thank you! On the "light textures / few instruments at a time" point, I often have a tendency to over-arrange for no good reason (or to give the impression of "grandiosity"), so I really try to focus these days on whatever is working in a track and not clutter it up. Sometimes I've doubted that I was successful, so it's good to know it's working.

[Mattias Westlund]

It took me a few spins before I felt confident enough to comment on this album, because... well it's very different from the orchestral fare that I normally listen to. But different in a good way, no doubt about it.

First of all, I love your textures and your pairing of instruments (and it looks like I'm not the only one)! You have some kind of dreamy, eerie surrealism thing going on that I can't help but love -- because it's weird NOT for the sake of being weird. There's plenty of melody and atmospheric orchestral things going on, but interspersed with strange musical things that makes me go "wait... just how does anyone come up with that?" I envy people who can write music that sounds wrong and right at the same time.

I can't really comment on any specific tracks because I haven't paid any attention to titles while listening to it, and it also has kind of a unified, almost concept-album-like feel to it. Great tunes all of them. I didn't think there would ever be an album that gave me Moomin, Cthulhu and Conan vibes all at the same time but clearly you have proven me wrong!

Awesome stuff. Keep up the good work! Definitely looking forward to your next release.

[Nayrb]

(03-10-2017, 10:42 PM)Mattias Westlund Wrote: It took me a few spins before I felt confident enough to comment on this album, because... well it's very different from the orchestral fare that I normally listen to. But different in a good way, no doubt about it.

First of all, I love your textures and your pairing of instruments (and it looks like I'm not the only one)! You have some kind of dreamy, eerie surrealism thing going on that I can't help but love -- because it's weird NOT for the sake of being weird. There's plenty of melody and atmospheric orchestral things going on, but interspersed with strange musical things that makes me go "wait... just how does anyone come up with that?" I envy people who can write music that sounds wrong and right at the same time.

I can't really comment on any specific tracks because I haven't paid any attention to titles while listening to it, and it also has kind of a unified, almost concept-album-like feel to it. Great tunes all of them. I didn't think there would ever be an album that gave me Moomin, Cthulhu and Conan vibes all at the same time but clearly you have proven me wrong!

Awesome stuff. Keep up the good work! Definitely looking forward to your next release.

Thanks! Very glad you enjoy it.

Not to be gushy, but it really is a confidence booster getting positive feedback from this community. I know you are all seasoned composers, producers and musicians, as well as discerning listeners, so I truly value your thoughts. I'd still value even harsh feedback, of course, but still...  The feedback I'm getting here is the kind I can use for reflection and continued growth, so it's very much appreciated.

If you can think of any specifically memorable surreal bits or instrument pairings, do let me know; I'd like to take notes myself.

And I will definitely have to check out this Moomin you speak of. Just looked it up and I dig the comparison already...

[Michael Willis]

I know I'm doing some serious forum necromancy here, but I got my coworker to listen to this album and he asked me what the plucked string instrument is at the end of The Gods Dreamed Marble Dreams. I guessed it is some kind of harp, but I'm wondering if I can give him a more specific answer.

[Nayrb]

Oh that's just my main concert harp (Kontakt stock "VSL"). I probably didn't do the most realistic harp composition on this album. I still have to learn more about writing for that instrument, but I'm happy with the effects achieved here.