Every time I parse through our submission backlog, I’m simultaneously floored at the earnest passion on display and daunted by all the compositions to comment on. In our campaign to conquer the heap, here’s another shot at short, snappy feedback in the form of Mixed-Bag-Mixtape #03!

AuthorsOfAmbition (ft. TreLyric)

​I’m a sucker for audio equalization. Once the ambience of What You Need faded in with that distinctive high-and-low frequency cut-off, I was fully prepared to turn off my critical ear and go along for the ride. It's flawless how AOA’s mellow emceeing and perfect notch of reverb/delay snuggle you into grooving along – and what a groove it is!

AOA’s nonchalant swagger is unflappably effortless. Their flow, too, is impeccably natural, with clauses that never overstay their welcome nor conclude in a boring fashion. So often do contemporary rappers have their sentences end every fourth bar that AOA’s stanzas exhibit a refreshing idiomatic intuition for the medium. Their delivery is also incredibly itch-scratching, with liberal delays and flexes in oral tempo that put AOA’s dexterity of groove on full display.

Scrutinizing the production also reveals a subtle, but undeniable, proficiency – every component of the arrangement melds together. The thumping, rumbling bass anchors the ambient synths, which in turn complement the crisp but distant piano. The frequent, higher-pitched drum hits are clean so as not to interfere, and come in at exactly the right places to enhance the rhythmic flow of the rap rather than muddy it.

The track’s establishment of structure is similarly simple yet efficient. The signposting of every section is enacted through distinctive but low-key instrument permutations – the addition of keys, the sudden deprivation of percussion, the swelling of synths, etc. Once again, it takes a significant amount of skill to make anything look effortless. Even when I scrubbed through the song, I could immediately recognise how far along the piece I was, despite how similar it may seem to sound (save for the chorus with TreLyric’s soothing, cozy vocals. Her singing was so comforting that I was struck by the sudden urge to tuck into bed!)

The only thing I don’t like is that What You Need ends far too prematurely, right when I thought it was going to climax – perhaps with a chorus repeat buttressed by all the instruments reuniting, and an overlap of rap over the singing. That being said, not having enough of a tune is a wonderful problem to have.

All in all, solid bop!

You can find AuthorsOfAmbition and TreLyric on Instagram and YouTube.

Jonnie Jupiter

Here’s another fellow who knows how to get his boogie on! There’s never a boring moment with Skyscrapers.

Something I really appreciate about the arrangement is the breadth of grooves and riffs employed. The drum groove switches up every few seconds or so, but it’s never incoherent as it’s employed for drive and momentum. The synth and guitar riffs also heavily engage the ear by bouncing off the drum groove and vocal melody, a combination that really hits the spot and gets your head bopping.

I only have one critique, and it’s that the vocals are too distorted. It occasionally overpowers the rest of the instruments, such that I can’t appreciate the way they interact together as effectively. It’s also a little uncomfortable to the ear… If it weren’t so, I’d be happy to keep this on loop in my room as upbeat ambiance. Perhaps recording with a higher-quality microphone in a dry space, like in front of a cupboard, might help? Jupiter’s voice also appears to strain for some higher notes, such that the vocal delivery lacks the oomph of expression; perhaps shifting the track down a few keys might also help with that.

That said, this is one of my favorite pieces from the submission pile because of just how fun it is. I was grooving along so hard on my earphones that my brother was baffled when he walked in, after which I coerced him into listening to it with me. We then proceeded to concern our parents about what on earth we were doing, rocking our bodies in what appeared to be a silent room. With just a re-recording of vocals, this would be my uncontested go-to for feel-good music.

You can find Jonnie Jupiter on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.

Daunter

If nostalgia were to manifest as a song, I believe it’d be Daunter's Make You Last. Just the opening seconds are enough to transport me to a time when I was younger – the muted guitar strums, rounded synths, and filtered, tender vocals all possess a fuzzy quality that really feel like a warm hug. I got goosebumps at the end of every line, and was struck by the sudden instinct to drop whatever I was doing to flip through old photo albums and birthday cards.

Once again, I only have one critical piece of feedback, and it’s that the piano “melody” in the 1:04-1:25 section and its repeat are a little lacklustre. While the atmosphere is impeccable, an expressive melody would really help strike right at the heart. Perhaps a melodic line by a synth or instrument with a rounded timbre (like a soulful guitar line) may deliver. The piano soundfont employed is also a tad conspicuously MIDI-sounding, so finding a gentler piano sound might also benefit the track.

I know that the commentary on this piece is rather short, but I really don’t think there’s much more to say! This is also one of my favorites from the submission list because the soundscape is just so sentimental. It’s the kind of song I suspect will yield a perfect rest if I put it on to sleep.

Listen to Daunter on YouTube!

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Conclusion: Mixed-Bag Mixtape #03

Any commentary here is more brief than what would normally constitute a review, as necessitated by the format of the Mixed-Bag Mixtape. So, if you’d like to add on to the conversation, drop a comment below! All you have to do is create an account on iaasmusic.com, and you'll be ready to chime in.

If you're an indie artist looking for a chance to be featured on the site, send along your music submissions for our review here!