SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC073 September 2023 - Winners announced

[Mister Fox]

Hello and welcome to the Songwriting Competition 073 - September 2023



BEFORE WE GET STARTED:

• Please consult the official and very simple "Rules and Guidelines" (TL;DR version) for the Songwriting Competition regarding principles of the game, it's engaging game mechanics (allowed editing/re-submission of your entry until the deadline has been reached) and upload/submission guidelines.
• The general idea of this game is to "...just make music", to also challenge yourself by stepping a bit out of your comfort zone, and take a dip at realms you've never worked in before. Instrumentals are just as welcome as productions with vocals.
• The Genre and "Premise" of this months challenge can be found in in post #002
• Filename Template (Important): SWC073__ArtistName__TrackName.wav or .mp3
  • example: SWC073__MisterFox__ColorOfTheSky.wav
  • example: SWC073__Mister_Fox__Color_of_the_sky.wav

Read more about this month's competition further down below. And if you got any question, please also reach out on Discord.



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SONGWRITING COMPETITION THREAD INDEX

Post #001 -- Introduction post and index for the various stages of the Songwriting Competition. Will be updated as we progress
Post #002 -- Submission Period: General Information, Source Material, Sponsors
Post #003 -- Cheat Sheet: A couple of examples / audio demos for this month's challenge (limited if genre is "free to select")
Post #020 -- Voting: Summarized entries and start of voting process
Post #048 -- Results: Results of the Songwriting Competition

[Mister Fox]

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Friday, 01st September 2023 to Sunday, 24th September 2023 (24 days)

Challenge submission will end on 24-SEP-2023, 23:59 UTC+2/CEST (Germany) - until further notice.

Want to find out if you're still within the deadline, please either consult the Global Countdown (dedicated page), or the countdown on the landing site. There will also be short reminders on Social Media and on Discord. Does the game time frame feel too long? Why not set a personal shorter one of 5-7 days absolute max to push yourself to focus on the essentials, then use the rest of the time to ask for feedback and possible refinements.



SONGWRITING THEME: "Reflection" (Mental Health Awareness Month)
GENRE: free to select



Image Source: Thiago Matos (via Pexels), released under Creative Commons CC0



A few word about this month's theme:

I initially had many ideas for this year's "Mental Health Awareness Month", only for them to falter at the very last minute yet again. In the end, I decided on a theme, that is currently also occupying a lot of my time, not to mention mental headspace.

Sometimes, you just need to stop what you're doing, take a step back, and reassess things. Maybe your mind is doing that all by itself already. Forcing you to take on a different point of view, observe, contemplate what is currently happening. And if you are able to, start with a fresh mindset. Trying to do better.

Maybe you can't put this feeling into words, in this case, music might be the better outlet... and this is what this yearly recurring game is all about. There is no other clear guideline this month...
.


The genre doesn't matter.

It can be anything. A piano tune, it can be an ambient soundtrack, it can be an electronic track, it can be EBM with distorted vocals, it can be a hard rock production, it can be chaotic Drum and Bass, it can be a pop ballad, it can be a Hip Hop tune.

Just... make music. Tell us a story if you want to. One about yourself, about somebody you know, or maybe nothing at all (just whatever comes to mind). Process your emotions, channel it into art, and let it speak for itself.




The month (September) is about spreading awareness of Mental Health on the Mix Challenge audio community.

Not only on our audio community - I do want to spread awareness in general, maybe even some positivity in the process. We do need to get rid of the stigma that you shouldn't speak up and ask for help. That you should rather "man up", stick to yourself, pretend that everything is all right, even if it isn't. This is considered "a weakness" in our society - and we need to stop treating it as such.

A lot of people simply cope with art. May it be artwork of any kind, writing poems, humor, or in our case... creating music. Everything of that, is telling a bigger tale. And this is exactly what I'd like to evoke (again) this month: reach out, tell a story.

Feel free to share the word via social media with the following hashtags, to get more people involved:
#MentalHealth #MusicTherapy #HealThroughMusic and #ItsOkayToNotBeOkay




Important Footnote:

If you know of somebody that is suffering from depression, showing signs of self harm or having suicidal thoughts - don't look away, do not lock this person out. Reach out, offer help - and may it only be an ear that listens to a story. If you know of somebody that is suffering anxiety or is showing signs of severe introversion, don't pressure this person, give him/her space, be mindful and understanding.

Never ever treat this person with disrespect or shrug away a subliminal cry for help. It is hard to judge how a person's mind works, sometimes the person you try to help is locking you out or will brush you away. The walls could be thick, they could be paper thin. Every single word can be measured in gold without you knowing. Be patient, be kind, just... be there.

If in doubt, contact local aid agencies that are specialized in this field.

Songwriting Rule Summary / Add-On Rules:

► Show Spoiler

• create a production fitting to the given theme, genre and general premise
• you can use any tool that is at your disposal (samples, virtual instruments and/or real instruments), exceptions apply regarding vocal sample usage)
• IMPORTANT: if you use non-licensed material (as in: non royalty free material from sample CDs, etc), give full credit to the source material
• for newcomers: no finished productions that have already been released outside of the time frame of the current Songwriting Competition (Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, etc), no cover versions or remixes, no ripped acapella's -- please only showcase your own new and original content
• do not go higher than -14,0 LUFS ILk/-1,00 dBTP in terms of perceived loudness (mastering). Music doesn't have to be squashed to bits in order to be impactful
• name your files properly prior to uploading and make the production downloadable. If you opt to present your entry through SoundCloud, the forum can also convert your links into a Soundcloud player through the [soundcloud] BBCode from the text editor (orange square with a white cloud in it)
• ADD-ON RULES:
  • Filename Template: SWC073__ArtistName__TrackName.wav or .mp3
  • <no (additional) add-on rules specified>

For a full set of rules, please consult the Official Rules and Guidelines (most notably Rule Book - post #6). If you got any questions regarding the game mechanics or similar, please either utilize the SWC - Gossip and Discussion thread, or reach out through Discord.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


LICENSE SPONSORS (Bonus Prizes):

A huge thank you goes to our very generous License Sponsors for this month's game. Those being (in alphabetical order):

Cherry Audio, Ghostwave Audio, Hollow Sun, Hornet Plugins, IK Multimedia, JRR Sounds, kv331 audio, Luftrum, Musiclab, Rekkerd Sounds, satyatunes - Sound / Graphic Design, and Tone2.


A detailed list of offerings can be found in the following information block.

► Show Spoiler

Available Bonus Prizes for Songwriting Challenge participants:

Note: All licenses are NFR (Not-For-Resale), except where noted.
Changes to available prices on short notice may be possible and will be announced separately.


RECURRING LICENSE SPONSORSHIP:


Cherry Audio is kind enough to give away one license of Voltage Modular Ignite, plus either a license of "Year One Collection" or "Year Two Collection"
Licenses will turn into NFR
More info on Cherry Audio: https://cherryaudio.com



IK Multimedia is kind enough to give away one license of MODO BASS 2 to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on IK Multimedia: https://www.ikmultimedia.com



Musiclab is kind enough to donate any 1 guitar of your choice to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Musiclab: https://www.musiclab.com



Tone2 is kind enough to donate a license of Saurus4 to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Tone2: https://tone2.com



kv331 audio is kind enough to either give away a SynthMaster 1+2 Bundle, or a freely selectable set of 3 SynthMaster Expansions
Licenses will not turn into NFR, you need to have a kv311 audio user account in order to pick up Expansions
More info on kv331 audio: https://www.kv331audio.com



JRR Sounds is kind enough to give away any-1 sound sets or sample set of winner's choice (exception: Bundles)
More info on JRR Sounds: https://www.jrrshop.com/jrr-sounds



Luftrum is kind enough to give away either a license of Lunaris 2, a license of Bioscape, or any two sound sets of winner's choice
License will turn into NFR
More info on Luftrum: https://www.luftrum.com/



Rekkerd Sounds is kind enough to give away 1 sound set of winners choice (exception: Krezie EDM and Neurofunk Vol. 1)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Rekkerd Sounds: https://sounds.rekkerd.org/



Ghostwave Audio (Vincent Bastiat) is kind enough to donate any 2 sound sets to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Ghostwave Audio: https://ghostwaveaudio.com



Hollow Sun is kind to donate one license of "Music Laboratory Machines - The Suite I" to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Hollow Sun: http://www.hollowsun.com



Hornet Plugins is kind enough to give away one license from the depicted tools (see image) to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Hornet Plugins: https://www.hornetplugins.com



Sound / Graphic Designer, and honorary Mix Challenge staff satYatunes is donating one commercial product of winner's choice (until further notice)
More info on satYatune's page: https://satyatunes.com/



THANKS FOR THE DONATIONS!
And also a thank you to all former contributors as well.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good luck to all participants.
And most importantly, have fun!

[Mister Fox]

AUDIO EXAMPLES:
---------------------

Articles and Info Pages:

A great starting point is the "Addendum"/Supplementary thread for the Songwriting Competition
Songwriting Competition - Addendum: Music Maps and BPM Charts

Since the genre this month is "free to select", there are no clear pointers




Music examples (selection for inspiration, 00 videos):

No music examples available this month. But I can always recommend to enter random genre search words either into Youtube, Spotify or whatever music streaming services you prefer using.
.



Please also check in with the following threads in the the Gear Talk sub-forum, if you're on the look-out for new tools:
Places to fuel your GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) (the starting point if you're in need of audio tools -- from free to affordable).


if you're new to/need help with songwriting - please check out the following tools:

► Show Spoiler

ScalerPlugin Pty Ltd - Scaler 2 (collaboration w/Plugin Boutique, currently the most comprehensive chord/harmony tool out there)
Xfer Records - Cthulhu
W.A. Production - InstaChord and InstaScale
CodeFN42 - Chordz (Transition is also recommended, if you want more experimental/generative MIDI, free, Windows only)
trackbout - Ripchord (free/open-source MIDI chord generator, think Xfer Records Cthulhu, but simplified)
Fabrizio Poce / J74 - Progressive ("Max4Life" is needed, Ableton Live bound)

Please note, that a lot of DAW also have Harmony Theory and/or Chord Generation tools built in. Please consult the manual of your go-to software for more information.

More tools of the trade

► Show Spoiler

Need a good starter kit of free instruments?

Instruments:
AKAI - MPC Beats (limited to 1 instance, 8 MIDI + 2 Audio tracks, but can be used as VSTi in any other DAW)
Apisonic Labs - Speedrum (a "spiritual successor" to One Small Clue POISE, Lite version available)
Big Fish Audio - Momentum (a free and powerful WAV/AIFF loop mangler)
IK Multimedia - MODO DRUM CS (one drum kit)
Rayzoon - Jamstix (an amazing drummer brain)
IK Multimedia - MODO BASS 2 CS (one e-bass)
Spitfire Audio - LABS
Spitfire Audio - BBC Symphonic Orchestra Discover
Pianobook - started by Spitfire Audio's co-founder Christian Henson, offers many free/affordable sample sets in various formats
Decent Samples - project started by David Hilowitz as alternative to NI Kontakt (Full), offers many free/affordable sample sets
Orchestral Tools - SINEfactory
Vienna Symphonic Library - the "HELLO Free Instruments" series (offering an Orchestra, Piano, Small Percussion and more)
Sound Props - "Jam Pack" series (offering guitar, bass and drum sample sets for free/small donation, needs Kontakt 6+ Full)
kv331 audio - Synthmaster Player (the free version comes with over 600 presets!)
Cherry Audio - Voltage Modular Nucleus ("entry level" to Modular Synthesis, usable as plugin or instrument)
DISTRHO - Cardinal (a proper open-source variant of VCV Rack, plugin variants available)
Surge Synth Team - Surge-XT (a free and open source hybrid synthesizer)
Matt Tytel - Vital (spectral warping wavetable synth, a free "basic" version is available)
Arthelion - MOLOSS II (a free and open source hybrid synthesizer, Windows only)
Sonic Charge - Cyclone (Yamaha TX16W/Typhoon sampler)
CWItech - TX16Wx Software Sampler (If you want a highly powerful Soundfont2 loader / sampler)

Please do remember, our kind License Provider Musiclab also offer 14 day trial versions of their virtual guitar range.


In need for presets for your synthesizers, or even more samples?
Soundpacks - an information page highlighting sample sets and preset packs that have been released for free
PresetShare - a free synth presets exchange platform (account signup needed)
Tom Wolfe's Synth Vault - the free Monthly Preset Club (account signup needed)
VSTBuzz - Freebie Collection page, plenty of good material to find there (often Native Instrument Kontakt bound)



More recommendation for free/affordable tools can be found at the #audio-tech-deals section on our Discord server.

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UPDATED: 30-AUG-2023 08:20 UTC+2, updated 00-SEP-2023 00:00 UTC+2

[Mister Fox]

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 17 days left to submit your production.

So far, we have 0 entries.



If you want to access the extended game mechanics of the Songwriting Competition (asking for feedback during production), please try to release your first edits within the next 7 days to have enough time to get possible feedback (if needed/wanted) and continue to work on your song.

To those sitting on the fence - please don't feel scared off and think "the bar is set too high, I will never make it" - set yourself a shorter private deadline. Just make music, submit your entry, join the conversation. See where this goes.

By joining, you're already a winner. The rest is bonus.

[Arelem]

Hello All,

Here's my song "Anxiety". It's an alt-pop track with hip-hop/trap influences (at least that's how I'd classify it). I spent longer on this track than I have any song in a while but I think the result is worth it. I deal with anxiety and panic attacks so this one is pretty personal to me. I hope ya'll like it



Lyrics

► Show Spoiler

Verse 1
Sit and reflect on my feelings
feel like jumpin through ceilings
shoulders tighten, breathen heavy
chest beatin like it's gettin ready

like a cardiac attack, running down the track
runaway train, no pullin it back
when the feeling starts, already too late
wanna run away, get my head straight

Chorus
Cause I got anxiety inside a me
like a beast, won't let me be free
try to fight it, but it's too strong
like a battle lasting too long

Invisible chains hold me down
trapped in my mind, feeling like I might drown
But I won't let it define who I am
rise above it and break this mental dam

Verse 2
Sitting here, thought's like a maze
Trying to escape this anxious craze
Tangled in thoughts, like a wicked spell
But I'll break free, I won't dwell

Mind racing, heart pounding, can't deny
The fear inside, the tears I won't cry
But I'll rise above, face the darkest night
Gonna shine so bright, I'll be my own light

Gotta find my peace in the midst of strife
Navigate these storms, reclaim my life
through all the chaos, I'll find my way
Through the night, till the break of day

Chorus

Details

► Show Spoiler

DAW is FL Studio 21

The vocals are me. I used Newtone to fix some of the pitch and variance. Then used Fruity Limiter to normalize it, auto-tune, a bit of drive distortion, parametric EQ, De-Esser, bx SSL 9000, SSL bus compression, comeback kid for slap delay, and SpacedOut for reverb.
Used TrackSpacer to make the vocal sit a little better in the mix.
The main 'pad' is ignition keys with Neutron 4 and Comeback Kid on it.
The strings are Kontakt's Sessions Strings 2 processed with Neutron 4 and Neoverb.
I also used a custom Patcher preset for the transitions that uses a bit crush, distortion, compressor, white noise, phaser, high pass, chorus, delay, reverb, and stereo spread. I then automated the effects in and out in various parts of the track.
For mastering, I use a Fruity Waveshaper to create a volume curve and tame the peaks, a custom Patcher preset for side low-cut, true iron for some 'analog' feel, Ozone 9, and bx Limiter for some saturation and true peak limiting.

[Mister Fox]

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 14 days left to submit your production.

So far, we have 1 entry, but sadly no further interaction.



If you want to access the extended game mechanics of the Songwriting Competition (asking for feedback during production), please try to release your first edits within the next 7 days to have enough time to get possible feedback (if needed/wanted) and continue to work on your song.

To those sitting on the fence - please don't feel scared off and think "the bar is set too high, I will never make it" - set yourself a shorter private deadline. Just make music, submit your entry, join the conversation. See where this goes.

By joining, you're already a winner. The rest is bonus.

[BenjiRage]

Hi all

This is my first go at entering the songwriting competition. Truth be told, it's actually only the second song I've written in about 10 years, but the theme of this month's comp couldn't be more relevant to my life right now.

I've been going through frequent ups and downs recently due to worsening tinnitus and hearing issues which are linked to an ongoing low CSF pressure issue I've had for about seven years straight. It feels like the condition is slowly destroying my ears from the inside out and I've been very worried about how much time with good hearing I might have left. So much so that it's caused me to reassess the direction my life is going and I've made the decision recently to pursue music much more fully than I had previously been doing, while I still can.

But reflecting on something much more positive of times gone by, I decided to write this song "Above the Clouds" about a teenage crush I had when I was 17 on the character Tidus from the video game Final Fantasy X. Kind of sounds silly I know(!), but it was a big awakening at the time, so much so that I even had dreams about him. So yeah this song is about that, something really personal to me from a happy and care-free time of my life.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18K6YSd ... sp=sharing (Final Entry)

All the best

Benj


Production notes:

► Show Spoiler

Vocals all done with SynthesizerV Studio using Solaria 109:
• Verses - single lead, double-tracked BVs
• Choruses - triple-tracked lead, double tracked BVs

Instruments are all software synths:
• Drums: Aly James VSDSX combined with some custom samples
• Fantasia bell sound from Roland D-50
• Main plucky synth: Aly James OB-Xtreme
• Synth bass and chorus sweeping chords: u-he Diva
• Kurzweil K2000 for the "Robert Miles" style lead piano
• Reason Rack Plugin and various others used for lots of additional parts

Notable plugins / production techniques:
• Valhalla shimmer and Vintage Verb used extensively to create the ethereal nature of the overall sound
• Soothe2 to remove vocal harshness
• All synths and vocal tracks outputted through a single aux track with parallel compression sidechained to the drums to create the slight pumping effect and make the kick/snare hits really stand out
• Slight bit of master bus compression with Waves API 2500 to get everything gelled together
• Lots of EQ and compression here, there and everywhere mostly via PSP Vintage Warmer, Fab Filter Pro-Q3 and BX SSL 4000 E
• Audio Damage's Panstation 2 used on a lot of tracks to make things move in time through the stereo field so things are a bit more interesting

Arranged, mixed and mastered in Pro Tools

Lyrics:

► Show Spoiler

Little beads of ocean sparkling gently on your chest
As shimmering lines reflect the divine sun from the west
The road is long and the journey goes on
Along this island chain
Above the clouds, can you hear the sound?
From far away I'm calling

You crashed into my heart
Like the waves break on the sand
It feels like time is a circle
Flowing around this foreign land
Watching the sunset in the distance
Until the silent stars appear
When we're together
I want to stay forever
Above the clouds

Like a dream so real
That it makes me wonder
Does the music mean it's time to go?
It's your story, but I want you to know
That I will fight beside you
For the future of this place
With a heavy heart for the ending
Lend me the calm distraction of your embrace

You crashed into my heart
Like the waves break on the sand
It feels like time is a circle
Flowing around this foreign land
Watching the sunset in the distance
Until the silent stars appear
When we're together
I want to stay forever
Above the clouds

You crashed into my heart
Like the waves break on the sand
It feels like time is a circle
Flowing around this foreign land
At the sunrise in the morning
When you open up your eyes
And we're together
Can we stay forever?
Above the clouds

[BenjiRage]

Hello All,

Here's my song "Anxiety". It's an alt-pop track with hip-hop/trap influences (at least that's how I'd classify it). I spent longer on this track than I have any song in a while but I think the result is worth it. I deal with anxiety and panic attacks so this one is pretty personal to me. I hope ya'll like it

Hey Arelem, cool track! I really like the strings and reverb effect you've used. I was sitting at my monitors when I pressed play and at first I couldn't tell where the sound was coming from, it was like it had sunk way back into the wall! Really cool! Very evocative lyrics too.

A few small things I think would make it even better:
• Kick drum is just a bit too overpowering, even on small speakers it thumps a bit too loud and drowns out some of the words
• Maybe add a bit more vocal compression too
• A lot of the vocal phrases feel like they're coming in a bit behind the beat, just a fraction of a second but enough that it seems to throw it out. I realise this might have been done for creative effect or it might just be the heavy reverb predelay, but if not try nudging the vocal waveforms a fraction to the left

Nice work though

[Mister Fox]

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 7 days left to submit your production.

So far, we have 2 entries.



If you want to access the extended game mechanics of the Songwriting Competition (asking for feedback during production), please try to release your first edits within the next 3 days to have enough time to get possible feedback (if needed/wanted) and continue to work on your song. Please also remember, vocals are not mandatory -- instrumentals are just as welcome.

And to those sitting on the fence - please don't feel scared off and think "the bar is set too high, I will never make it" - set yourself a shorter private deadline. Just make music, submit your entry, join the conversation. See where this goes.

By joining, you're already a winner. The rest is bonus.

[Arelem]

Hi all

This is my first go at entering the songwriting competition. Truth be told, it's actually only the second song I've written in about 10 years, but the theme of this month's comp couldn't be more relevant to my life right now.

I've been going through frequent ups and downs recently due to worsening tinnitus and hearing issues which are linked to an ongoing low CSF pressure issue I've had for about seven years straight. It feels like the condition is slowly destroying my ears from the inside out and I've been very worried about how much time with good hearing I might have left. So much so that it's caused me to reassess the direction my life is going and I've made the decision recently to pursue music much more fully than I had previously been doing, while I still can.

But reflecting on something much more positive of times gone by, I decided to write this song "Above the Clouds" about a teenage crush I had when I was 17 on the character Tidus from the video game Final Fantasy X. Kind of sounds silly I know(!), but it was a big awakening at the time, so much so that I even had dreams about him. So yeah this song is about that, something really personal to me from a happy and care-free time of my life.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18K6YSd ... sp=sharing

All the best

Benj


Production notes:

► Show Spoiler

Vocals all done with SynthesizerV Studio using Solaria 109:
• Verses - single lead, double-tracked BVs
• Choruses - triple-tracked lead, double tracked BVs

Instruments are all software synths:
• Drums: Aly James VSDSX combined with some custom samples
• Fantasia bell sound from Roland D-50
• Main plucky synth: Aly James OB-Xtreme
• Synth bass and chorus sweeping chords: u-he Diva
• Kurzweil K2000 for the "Robert Miles" style lead piano
• Reason Rack Plugin and various others used for lots of additional parts

Notable plugins / production techniques:
• Valhalla shimmer and Vintage Verb used extensively to create the ethereal nature of the overall sound
• Soothe2 to remove vocal harshness
• All synths and vocal tracks outputted through a single aux track with parallel compression sidechained to the drums to create the slight pumping effect and make the kick/snare hits really stand out
• Slight bit of master bus compression with Waves API 2500 to get everything gelled together
• Lots of EQ and compression here, there and everywhere mostly via PSP Vintage Warmer, Fab Filter Pro-Q3 and BX SSL 4000 E
• Audio Damage's Panstation 2 used on a lot of tracks to make things move in time through the stereo field so things are a bit more interesting

Arranged, mixed and mastered in Pro Tools

Lyrics:

► Show Spoiler

Little beads of ocean sparkling gently on your chest
As shimmering lines reflect the divine sun from the west
The road is long and the journey goes on
Along this island chain
Above the clouds, can you hear the sound?
From far away I'm calling

You crashed into my heart
Like the waves break on the sand
It feels like time is a circle
Flowing around this foreign land
Watching the sunset in the distance
Until the silent stars appear
When we're together
I want to stay forever
Above the clouds

Like a dream so real
That it makes me wonder
Does the music mean it's time to go?
It's your story, but I want you to know
That I will fight beside you
For the future of this place
With a heavy heart for the ending
Lend me the calm distraction of your embrace

You crashed into my heart
Like the waves break on the sand
It feels like time is a circle
Flowing around this foreign land
Watching the sunset in the distance
Until the silent stars appear
When we're together
I want to stay forever
Above the clouds

You crashed into my heart
Like the waves break on the sand
It feels like time is a circle
Flowing around this foreign land
At the sunrise in the morning
When you open up your eyes
And we're together
Can we stay forever?
Above the clouds

Sounds good, especially for not really producing any songs as you said. I was more impressed with the vocals until I saw that you used SynthV to do them. I mean, they still sound good, it's just that they are synthetic. I'm still a bit impressed because when I tried checking it out, I found it quite cumbersome to program and manipulate. My favorite part was at about 2:50 when it goes intramental honestly; so don't feel like you NEED to add vocals to your productions. I tend to do vocals on mine because that is the type of music I enjoy and also to get practice working with vocals. I don't really like my own voice so I do tend to either bury it a bit or cover it in effects. Anyway, I don't really have any critiques for you. The mix sounds good and all that. It does feel super retro but I assume that you meant to do that (it would be weird if that was on accident). Good job!