Can something be current-sounding and fresh and unique?

[rolanoid]

On first reading listing Y100506EL I was very excited as I have lots of tracks similar to the artists listed namely Air and Thievery Corporation. When I went to re-read it yesterday to ensure what I submit is on target for this listing my heart sank when I saw this line again "Tracks should be current-sounding with a fresh and unique style." I have tracks in this style which are current-sounding and I also have unique and fresh sounding tracks in this style but they are different tracks because the way I see it how can a track can be current-sounding as well as fresh and unique? If it's fresh and unique then it won't sound like what's already out there. I'm not trying to be a wise-ass I'm just trying to submit what they are asking for but I'm stumped with this listing as I cannot work out what they are actually after? All I can think is that they want stuff similar to what's out there but ramped up to the next level. Would you agree and if so then am I wasting my time submitting material that is only current-sounding and not fresh and unique?

NEW LISTING -- ELECTRONICA/AMBIENT/CHILLOUT SONGS/INSTRUMENTALS a la the variety of Air, Thievery Corporation, etc., are urgently needed by a major Media Company based in the UK whose clients include major Ad, Film and TV companies including Amazon, Nokia, ABC, Virgin Megastores, MGM, Showtime, etc. Tracks should be current-sounding with a fresh and unique style. Vocal and instrumental presentation must be top-notch! If your music is selected, music will be used for film/TV/commercial/documentary projects.

[garrettmiller]

Any particular song(s) in your taxi profile that you are considering submitting?

[rolanoid]

Out of the maximum 3 that I can send I have these possible contenders:

Joy Toy (Thievery Corporation / Nightmares On Wax / St Germain / Groove Armada / Zero 7)
Solar Kiss (Air / Groove Armada / Zero 7)
Same Time Next Year (Air / Royksopp / Ulrich Schnauss)
Picture Perfect (Air / Royksopp / Groove Armada / Zero 7 / Ulrich Schnauss)
Also considering Gaze Upon The Mountain as it is quite unique but possibly not in the required style ballpark?

[mazz]

Actually you can submit three at a time, but you can make more than one submission.

I say try a mix of both, because then you'll learn a bit more about how to interpret the listings. It might cost you 10 or 15 bucks to find out, but it's an investment in your education (at least that's one way to look at it!).

Go for it!

Mazz

[t4mh]

Having called TAXI on several listings for clarifications, something I would advise anyone to do, I believe that the 1st A LA listed is the most important to the listing. The others are just advisements about how far away you can get from the 1st. But in general, the closer you can sound to the 1st A LA the better your chances are for a forward. Having said that, I'm sure there are exceptions to any rule and I'm equally sure there will be a host of folks that have a war story that IS the exception. But from the horse's mouth, TAXI, you want to center on the 1st A LA.

HTH
Keith

[rolanoid]

Ok thanks for the good advice people which all makes sense. Fortunately the majority of the tracks I'm considering submitting are more like Air (I hope!) and they are listed first in the listing.

[billgers]

Good topic. I just got rejected recently from a similar listing. It was a yes/no, so no full critique, but the essence of the rejection reasoning was that my track wa not "fresh and contemporary". I'm a little irritated about this because by definition, bands like xx, Thievery Corporation, Zero 7, Sigur Ros, Explosions in the Sky have been around for a while, so my question to the screener is "what do you want: do you want it to sound like the listed bands or do you wnat it to sound fresh and contemporary? You can't really have it both ways unless the listing says it only wants something that sounds like what those bands plan on doing six months from now. Last I checked, I'm not a mind reader.

[t4mh]

Actually, I was looking for a mind reading plugin for my daw today.

Keith

[rolanoid]

Good luck! I used to work in a post production facility and would regularly have to select production music based on client briefs. The huge disparity between what they asked for in their brief and what they ended up using would regularly amaze me. I think a lot of the time with creatives it's often a case of "just send me a bunch of stuff like this and I'll know exactly what I want when I hear it."

[t4mh]

Good luck! I used to work in a post production facility and would regularly have to select production music based on client briefs. The huge disparity between what they asked for in their brief and what they ended up using would regularly amaze me. I think a lot of the time with creatives it's often a case of "just send me a bunch of stuff like this and I'll know exactly what I want when I hear it."

I agree and I think that statement really sums up a lot of it. Either that or, "If there isn't something I really like I'll settle for this or that"... But you get the idea. They don't know how to convey to us what it is they really want without the concept of an example. Hey, if we knew what they wanted we'd all just knock it out and send it to them.

Good Luck!
Keith