Dreamy 2000's style Trip Hop - Feedback requested

[eandersonmusic]

Hey everybody!

I would love to get some feedback on this dreamy trip hop instrumental I'm working on.
I'm not sure about some parts, oh and I still need to give it a proper name. Due date is this Saturday.

Here's my track -
https://www.taxi.com/members/KIU8KmYxSi ... y-trip-hop


And here's the listing -
DREAMY 2000s Style ELECTRONICA INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a top-notch International Music Licensing Company with a GREAT track record of placements!

NOTE: This Company is BRAND NEW to requesting music from TAXI, so this is a great opportunity to create a new relationship for you and your music with a company that gets AWESOME placements with MAJOR brands.

This Library is on the lookout for dreamy Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumentals that could be heard on a playlist with the following references we got directly from our contact at the Company:

"Porcelain" by Moby
https://youtu.be/JPjyue81qhU

"Northlane" by Nova
https://youtu.be/K6zcrAr6Ask

"Life for Rent" by Dido
https://youtu.be/OFtNChII78k

"Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad" by Moby
https://youtu.be/R_7mzmfvBAI

Although the references have vocals, please submit Instrumentals only for this request.

Quoting the Library: "We are looking for Instrumentals in the following genres: Electronica, Big Beat, Breakbeat, and Trip Hop. We need tracks in the following Moods/Styles: Dreamy but Driving and slightly punchy, Ethereal, Flowing/Smooth, Emotional, Beautiful, Exotic, and Tropical. Your tracks can/should include instruments such as: Drum Machines, Electric Bass, Synth Bass, Treated Strings and Orchestral Elements, Piano, Synths/Keyboards, Vocal FX/Samples, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, etc."

This client has a preference for recently recorded Songs in the general production style of the references; but if you’ve got any great vintage recordings (recorded back in the day), they would be willing to consider those too!

Send them top-notch Electronica Instrumentals with an overall dreamy and etherial vibe and sound that could have been plucked straight from the 2000s. Inviting motifs, grooving rhythms, and solid arrangements with plenty of dynamics, forward motion, and interest are all needed by this request. Your submissions can range stylistically from Electronica to Big Beat to Breakbeat to Trip Hop. Whichever approach you take, please be sure your instrumentation falls in the general ballpark of the references. Your production should be polished and any virtual sounds or samples you use should be high-quality as well as era and genre-appropriate.

All submissions should be around 90 seconds to three minutes in length, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings are required – no gradual fade outs, please! Please do NOT copy the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe. Do NOT submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists’ music, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This client will need alternative mixes, shortened versions (60, 30, and 15 seconds), and STEMs, but not yet! ALL YOU NEED TO SEND RIGHT NOW ARE FULL VERSIONS. Please have the alternative versions on-hand and ready to send at a moment's notice if the client contacts you. If the company DOES contact you, they will ask that your alternative mixes, shortened versions, and STEMs are delivered to them as 24 bit, 48 000 Hz, 2-channel stereo WAV files with Integrated Loudness Exactly -16 LKFS, and Absolute True Peak not louder than -2 dBTP. But again, for your initial submission to TAXI, all you need to submit are full-versions, like every other submission.

CRITICAL FYI: The 60, 30, and 15-second versions need to be very precise! When creating music for commercials, the 60, 30, and 15-second versions actually need to end at :59.5, :29.5, and :14.5 seconds – including reverb tails and instrument ring outs. TV and radio stations use computers to switch from one commercial to another on VERY precise schedules, so if your reverb tails or instrument ring outs exceed :59.5, :29.5, and :14.5 seconds, your music will not work, and cannot be used.

IMPORTANT: If you had any session musician(s) (other than yourself) perform on your Instrumentals, please be sure to have any applicable paperwork and/or work-for-hire agreements on-hand if contacted by the Company.

NOTE: This company has a preference for working with composers who understand music licensing companies, how typical music library deals are structured, and how to deliver material/assets correctly. Go ahead and submit to this opportunity if that's you!

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal, so please be sure the Songs you pitch for this opportunity are NOT already signed with any other Companies or Catalogs. Any sync fees will be split 50/50 with the Company. You'll get 100% of the Writer's share, and the Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher's share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright to submit. Please submit as many Instrumentals as you'd like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Saturday, April 29th, 2023. TAXI # S230429EE

[DouglasKnight]

Hey Erik! I like this a lot -- it sounds like you have a good start, and now just need to develop it more, adding some more layers, dynamics and forward motion. Good luck with it!

[nicorivers]

I agree - great start but needs some more development. Right now it gets a little repetitive and could use more building in the second half.

[eandersonmusic]

Cool, thanks guys!!

[eandersonmusic]

Here's the revised version if anyone has any additional thoughts.

https://www.taxi.com/members/KIU8KmYxSi ... op-take-2-

[nicorivers]

I feel like it has more of a build to it now. Good work! An edit point could be cool and personally I'm not crazy about the vocal samples in there. They feel pretty random.

You may want to think about developing your melody through the track, too. Maybe it doesn't start in it's full form, or maybe it jumps up an octave or to another instrument(s). You could do the same with the whole track or drum beat. That would help you get more out of the material you already have. Maybe just the kick drum comes in first or kick/hat, then snare, or the melody plays the first note of each phrase and builds into playing the whole thing.

[eandersonmusic]

Thanks Nico for your response!
I think the problem with this one is that I went more on the 'artist' side of things instead of a 'sync' approach.
Every now and then I try something new and sometimes impress myself and I lose track of the end goal, and I forget about focusing on the sync aspect.. something I need to work on.
It's already been submitted, but I do appreciate the feedback and the time you spent listening and offering advice!
Thanks bud