SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC090 February 2025 - Winners announced

[simiansoundlab]

Hello everyone, I hope all of you doing well! This is our feedback and vote for SWC090

Self Reflection

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As this is my first time in a songwriting contest, I'm are glad to find a community which is really supportive and critical to each other, which is a very good thing. For this SWC090 period, I found it quite challenging because the theme is kind of unusual, but that's why I'm hyped to join and tried as creative as much as I could.
Also thanks to Mister Fox for the complete guide on how to submit and and the pictures for the reference, it was really helpful.
From the feedbacks, we (both Valdy and Steven) learned a lot realized there's still so much room for improvement!

Feedback

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toadhjo : I'm digging the minimalistic vibe but I don't know why this deserves to be a game OST! For me this kind of song is both really comforting and really fits to the theme.

ThomC : I love how you add the rumbling thunder for the background, depicting what you made for the theme. It gives a sense of longingness and hope in around 2:20-2:40. And how you change the overall atmosphere for the last half, reminding the people for the "reality" of this song, and I really think it's more than a songwriting, it was an experience listening to this track.

Arelem : I like how the main vocal treated, well saturated and i think it gave the song more coherence. Great composition

VCA-089 : The dissonance! Didn't expect for a bass to sound like that, great and unique sound design.

J.ruegg : I like your work, not to be biased because I love dnb (lol) but I feel like the augmented 5 you used in the higher freq pad really adds a touch to the overall feel. Not to mention the bass work, love it.

Voting

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1. toadhjo
2. ThomC
3. Arelem
4. VCA-089
5. J.ruegg

[J.Ruegg]

Self reflection

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This month was the first time entering a picture theme round, and it felt harder to vote as we didn't had the same parameters to measure the tracks so to say. So I actually never found myself trying to see how close or far they were to the pictures provided, but it was interesting to see all the musicianship displayed on here.
Regarding my production it was a good opportunity to explore a bit more deeply ZebraHZ and try some new plugins out.

Feedback

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ThomC

I like how the track evolved, specially the introduction to the string part in the last section. very dramatic. The main drum kit to me feels a bit too dry compared to the rest of the mix, maybe using more epic drums would have fitted the tune better. Otherwise excellent orchestration.


VCA-089

I like how this track evolved, some nice motiffs going on, regarding the distorted guitars/synths I am not a fan of the tone, sounds a bit too crisp and crushed. Otherwise it's enjoyable.


ElCubano

This one hits hard, I think it could be enhanced a notch up with more dramatic transitions and crescendos, and maybe a key/chord change in the middle to give something a bit more interesting. Overall sounds very nice.

EsteveCorbera

The main melody motiff has potential, but it left me expecting something more, I think some variation would have added more personality to it. Soundwise I think there is still room to polish some things here and there, and maybe add some ear candy here and there.


Arelem

I liked the guitar tone, but the riffs felt a bit too static. there is an arpeggio in the back that sounds a bit off key and became a bit distracting during the first chorus.


SimianSoundlab

There feels like some elaborated storytelling going on, the sound selection could be improved a bit, and the drum pattern feels a bit empty without hats or shakers, it could be added to enhance some parts.
Also, lots of ear candy sounds could come in handy for the transitions and to add more contrast between parts.


Hincore

Great blend of instruments going on, also the playing & orchestration is top notch. I really enjoyed this one a lot. The guitar solo at the end is very good.


toadhjo

Great ambience you crated here, my firts observation would be regarding the bass slides, using them more sparsily could make them more effective, and also keep it a bit less busy.
Regarding the percussion, it feels very minimal and snappy but having something like bongos or congas would add a bit more movement and variation.


JeroenZuiderwijk

Very nice guitar tones and riffs, to my ears the drums are the only weak point in this song as they sound too artificial compared to the guitar & bass. Mixing wise, I feel some high end lacking, and the vocals could be a bit louder in my opinion.

Votes

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1st – Hincore
2nd – JeroenZuiderwijk
3rd – ElCubano
4th – ThomC
5th - VCA-089

[Elcubano]

Feedback:

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Arelem - "Oblivion"
A very effective and well-structured track with an excellent industrial metal atmosphere that fits the theme perfectly. The vocals blend seamlessly with the style, and it reminds me a bit of Static-X.
The slightly artificial guitar tone might be surprising, but it works really well for this genre.
Very cool, I like it a lot!

Hincore - "Goosebumps"
Building the track around the bass as the central element is truly original.
Great atmosphere, excellent groove, with lots of variations and texture in the sounds and lots of instrument changes, keeping it engaging and reinforcing the mood.
I love the jam-like feel, especially in the bass playing.
A well-produced track that fits the theme perfectly.

EsteveCorbera - "Futuritzacio"
A huge amount of work went into the sound! I love the atmosphere, the choir arrangements, and the impressive number of instruments, with tons of details in the production.
The sound choices work very well to create a futuristic vibe that matches the theme perfectly.
The harmonization is very original, like at 2:51, where it adds a great sense of tension to the track.
A fantastic production.

JeroenZuiderwijk - "Alright"
A very catchy, direct, and spontaneous track with super effective guitar riffs. You can easily imagine the energy it would bring in a live setting.
Even though the execution and mix aren't perfect, the raw energy is there, and that’s what matters for this style.
I really like it!

Toadhjo - "Analog Sun, Binary Dreams"
A beautiful atmosphere, with an impressive variety of sounds and instruments. The progression around the two main chords is well-crafted, and the key change at the end brings a satisfying conclusion.
It feels like being in a world where time is suspended, almost like being outside of time. The lo-fi touch enhances this sensation, while the rhythmic element introduced from the start gives the impression of a countdown to a transformation.
A perfect fit for the theme, and a fantastic production.

Simiansoundlab - "Mindless Void"
good work on both sound design and composition!
Amazing atmosphere, I really like the slightly out-of-tune piano sound and how each instrument is introduced. The chord progressions are really cool and create a great sense of tension in the track.
The transitions between sections are well executed.
Totally in line with the theme. Very good production!

VCA-089 - "Hope Remains"
Wow, incredible atmosphere. I love it! The track’s evolution and progression are truly immersive, pulling the listener into a dark, intense mood.
I’m always impressed by the quality of the mix and the attention to detail in the production.
All the sounds are excellent and perfectly mixed, with an amazing bass tone.
For me, this is a flawless production.

J.Ruegg - "Desolation"
Impressive! A very well-structured production with outstanding work on the sound design, including creative use of saturation.
The track is both rhythmic and dynamic, yet carries a heavy, dark atmosphere. The contrast between these two elements is really cool.
Regarding the mix, it’s outstanding. Even though this isn't a style I specialize in, I’m really impressed by the quality and clarity of the mix.
Great production, well done!

ThomC - "Last Drive Around Town"
A beautiful track that tells a story. It starts off with a mix of joy and melancholy, gradually evolving into something darker and more dramatic.
The choice of instruments throughout the track is excellent, perfectly reflecting the evolution of the mood.
A very cinematic atmosphere. Fantastic production. I really like it!

My vote :

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1 : ThomC - "Last Drive Around Town"
2 : VCA-089 - "Hope Remains"
3 : Arelem - "Oblivion"
4 : JeroenZuiderwijk - "Alright"
5 : Hincore - "Goosebumps"

Self Reflection

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found the theme particularly inspiring. To build the track, I started with a clean guitar sound, played in the style of a funeral march, serving as a guiding thread throughout the composition.
Around this main motif, I gradually developed the other instruments to create different variations in atmosphere, playing with the chords, lead guitars, and the heavy rhythm of the drums, while keeping the goal of a structured, non-improvised piece.

I had initially tried a first version of the same theme with a much longer, more melodic intro, but the piece lost coherence.
I think this track would work well with a singer. I experimented with SynthV, but I don’t enjoy using this tool, and I’m not a singer myself.

For this track, I also tried out a new drum kit in Addictive Drums 2 (Studio Rock Kit), and I like it, it sounds quite natural to me.

[VCA-089]

Self Reflection:

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After watching an image of this month I thought that making a movie soundtrack style song would be a perfect interpretation of the topic. I thought the term "uncertain future" is not only a fictional interpretation of a near (or a distant) future regarding technology (think AI takeover) or humanity in general, but may be also related to a current situation in the world regarding politics and ongoing conflicts. So I did the song in my own fashion as I always do and I tried to implement those aspects of the dark futuristic world that emotionally relates to the current world. And SWC is also a good motivation to improvise on the real instruments and learn to treat them right.

Feedback:

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1. Arelem - Oblivion

Quite an interesting industrial metal song with a good energy and strong lyrics. The vocals feel a bit static to me, but the processing makes them sound interesting. The rhythm section composed really well. I like the processing on drums and guitars. The thing is that at some places it sounds quite MIDI'ish with a very prevalent "machine-gun" effect. Playing with velocity and timings of the individual notes could solve the problem. Also, this song would benefit from a more stronger and developed chorus riff. The song feels a bit too short and undeveloped, like a rough demo. I think "RealEight" has the potential of making far more complex and interesting guitar parts.

2. Hincore - Goosebumps

The intro with the soaring guitars in the background was very atmospheric. The whole song holds up tension and interest pretty well, like a good thriller movie soundtrack, creating that malevolent/sinister vibe. The last section with big brass sounds was epic. The main bass part is very catchy and groovy, with some interesting playing techniques. The introduction of the solo guitar was great too. Everything works well in a very cohesive musical context. The level of production is pretty high.

3. EsteveCorbera - Futuritzacio

It starts with a very stylish synthetic sounds that sets up the sci-fi atmosphere. The overall vibe of the song is very bright and exciting, like something big is coming. The choir feels very aery and spacey. The new elements and parts are bringing in right when it needs to. The climax feels big and epic. The overall production is quite good, but the high mid frequencies could be tamed a little bit. It feels like the choir that occupies the whole headroom is clashing with other parts.

4. JeroenZuiderwijk - Alright

This is a nice pop-punk song that sets us back to the early 2000's and the making of it may have been filled with teenage years memories I think. The guitars sound thick. I can hear there is an octaver/pitch shifter used to emulate the bass part. The MTPDK 2 on drums, the sound that is very familiar to some home producers who are rockers in their heart. The song feels to me like a rough demo and after checking the description I found it funny that it was intentional.

5. toadhjo - Analog Sun Binary Dreams

The piano strums and a mellotron flute sets us into a mellow, vapoury, dreamy soundscape. The selection of sounds is very interesting, combining digital, analog and acoustic instruments. I prefered the upright bass over the electric one. The song feels like a rough sketch and ends kinda abruptly. The modulation in the last section promises something interesting (a big final chorus perhaps), but nothing happens.

6. SimianSoundlab - MindlessVoid

The glitchy bells, the typewriter and creature howling in the background. And then the atmospheric piano part behind the electronic beat is coming up. Those sounds immediately set a zombie horror game/movie atmosphere (like "Resident Evil" series). The song progresses really well with the distorted guitar sounds. The combination of soft piano, electronic parts and SFX works well together, creating that industrial thriller soundscape with a strong sense of drama. The production level is very high. Every element has it's own place and the spectrum feels balanced.

7. Elcubano - Threshold of Collapse

A pretty straight forward heavy metal song. The first half of the song was brilliant, with atmospheric guitar parts stacked on top of each other, slow rolling drums and a little choir part on top of it. However, the second half feels very cluttered to me, like someone tried to fit every single part at the same time. The rhythmically intense sections should've been composed with more open sound, brighter and heavier drums and the absence of atmospheric parts. Then there could be a final section where the solo kicks in (it should be a lot brighter and upfront in the mix). The song has great potential and generally good production quality, but the arrangement should've been changed to make it more balanced.

8. J.Ruegg - Desolation

A classic technoid DnB song, a golden standard. Sounds like it's made by a professional producer that does everything right. To me the melodic structure used in this song fits more for the atmospheric parts. In the main section the focus might've been shifted to more brutal riffs and reese sounds.

9. ThomC - Last Drive Around Town

The amount of work put into this piece is simply amazing. It sounds like a very professional movie soundtrack. Starting as a relaxed melancholic tune that progresses into a mid-eastern flavored action theme and then there comes a very dramatic breakdown. I can imagine characters, scenes, landscapes... The level of production is very high. There are lots of different details in the arrangement. Every section feels very developed and balanced.

Voting:

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1. ThomC - Last Drive Around Town
2. Hincore - Goosebumps
3. SimianSoundlab - MindlessVoid
4. EsteveCorbera - Futuritzacio
5. toadhjo - Analog Sun Binary Dreams

 

[EsteveCorbera]

Good night,

As always, thank you all for participating and thank you Mister Fox for organizing this competition.
Thanks to everyone for the comments and votes made so far.
Congratulations on the good songs you have presented this month.
Thank you.

Reflection:
I like these free themes where each of us imagines a world of different styles.
This month I wanted to try making my composition with a small group of notes, I focused more on developing the sounds than a memorable melody because I felt that it had to be an uncertain future.

I leave you comments on your works:

Arelem - Oblivion
Original start, you made me check if the headphone connections were good.
As always, you made a super powerful theme. You hardly left any moment of rest.
The approach is fully in line with the theme proposed by Mister Fox.
Good mixing work in general. I like the vocal work and the spatial effects you've put on it.

hincore - Goosebumps
I really like how the song evolves, it's moving towards more interesting terms. I also like the style. Good work.
Good rhythm and good guitars. And good effects with the guitars.
As an improvement, maybe you could boost the bass a little.

JeroenZuiderwijk - Alright
Good song. With a lot of vibration. I like the explanations you give of how you played and arranged the music. The vocal choruses and the overdubbed guitars are also very good.
As one of the colleagues says, it's very cinematic, it would serve as an action song.
A few things to tweak: The vocals need more prominence (maybe hiding the guitars a little). The drums would make it deeper.

toadhjo – Analog Sun, Binary Dreams
I like the sound of the epiano, it gives character to your song. Very well chosen.
The flute, on the other hand, lacks something to be more real. It sounds too vintage, although I like the simple melody it draws. The constant rhythm that the finale ends up slowing down could have more variation, ends up being a little tired.

simiansoundlab – Mindless Void
From the first moment it gives you the impression of ‘Future uncertain’. Very good. It is also very cinematic.
I like the change of rhythm at minute 1:40 approx. The lo-fi piano works very well. The guitars give it strength.

VCA-089 - Hope Remains
I love your compositions. Very cinematic. Very good work with lots of layers and textures. I also like the 80s sound that some of the synthesizers have. I like the reverberated sounds. Very good work on the low frequencies.
Maybe it would hide the crunchy/distorted sound of high frequencies, it ends up masking other parts.

Elcubano – Threshold of Collapse
Good initial atmosphere with the guitars and drums. Very appropriate to the theme raised in this challenge.
Good mix with the stereo opening of the guitars. Good thought in combining distorted guitars with more natural sounds. Good work.

J.Ruegg - Desolation
Good sound designs. I really like this bass that is distorted and varies throughout the song. It brings a lot of interesting movement. Many layers and incredible sounds. Good mix and the use of the panorama, you don't get a break with so much movement. Very good work

ThomC - Last Drive Around Town
What a different approach from the rest of the participants. Here I see something quite calm, at least in the initial part. But suddenly things change, as if we had changed songs. In the central part I imagine that you wanted to move forward in time and go towards a more uncertain future. If I have interpreted it correctly, I like the idea.
I like the use of strings, very sensitive. These melodies they draw steal my heart.


(translated with google, sorry for the imperfections that the translation may contain)

► Show Spoiler

01 VCA-089 - Hope Remains
02 ThomC - Last Drive Around Town
03 simiansoundlab – Mindless Void
04 J.Ruegg - Desolation
05 Elcubano – Threshold of Collapse

[Mister Fox]

It's the 04th March 2025, 0:31 (UTC+1/CET) - the Voting Period has officially ended.

All participants have submitted final feedback, we therefore have 0 disqualification.


Please no more changes to your feedback from this point forward.
I will post the results within 3-4 workdays. (this is not an automated process)


Please have an eye on this thread

[Mister Fox]

Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the results of Songwriting Competition 089

The winners podium consists of:

1. @ThomC (38 pts)
2. @Elcubano (33 pts)
3. @simiansoundlab (28 pts)

Apologies for the waiting time, this is not an automated process.

<4 participant rule is not in use (staff comments and votes, my vote would count as bonus)
We have 00 disqualifications (due to lack of feedback / a final vote)
We have 00 entries outside of competition (but counts as submission within the deadline, yet couldn't be voted for)
We have 00 withdrawn entries (but counts as submission within the deadline, yet couldn't be voted for)
We have several users still in the game that tied

• The following ties on the chart happened due to various reasons
  • hincore -- participation vote is 16pts -- the tie with VCA-089 resulted due to losing out on bonus points (resulting in 26pts)
  • VCA-089 -- participation vote is 14pts -- the participant has all bonus points otherwise (resulting in 26pts)
• no (more) users that tied

"Sole (License) Winner" rule does not apply - 3-position Winners Podium (>= 9 participants prior to the deadline)


STATISTICS SHEET:
Overview of Submissions (PDF - updated: 06-MAR-2025, full sheet)
Overview of Submissions - loudness normalization comparison (PDF - updated: 06-MAR-2025, full sheet)

!

Bonus Info

Short info: I am using Wavelab 10 for batch analysis, then I manually port the CSV export to a Microsoft Excel/Open Office Calc sheet with custom layout (this is not an automated process). As pointed out in this post from SWC047 / July 2021, Wavelab has different tolerances for dBTP max analysis compared to tools like iZotope RX, Youlean Loudness Meter, NUGEN Audio VisLM, etc. To find a common ground, I've implemented "allowed tolerances" (just like with the Mix Challenge). These are based upon allowed offsets mentioned in the technical papers for EBU R128 and ITU-R BS.1770-4. Since no measurement tool is the same, to be on the save side, please export at -14,1 LUFS ILk max, and -1,1 dBTP max. As usual, I did list/analyze alternative releases (MP3s and FLAC). If you've submitted your entry in multiple file formats, the statistic sheet will focus on the uncompressed material first (WAV), then FLAC, then MP3. The higher the quality, the less possible loss on bonus points for "Loudness Specs" due to offsets introduced by a used CODEC. In this case, FLAC and MP3 are merely for information purposes.

Here are the results as chart in image form:




INTRODUCING:
An additional source of information that will contribute to the learning aspect of our community. The following screenshot shows you a more visual representation of your entry. Additional screenshots (see the second PDF file available with this post, the "Loudness normalization comparison") show how your song/mix would behave if it were "loudness adjusted" (loudness normalized / "matched") on a streaming platform.

This is bonus information. Very dynamic material may not be able to be matched, and material that is mixed too tightly (dense) may result in a lifeless listening experience (due to lack of transients). Limiting dynamic range is a highly subjective topic - there is no right/wrong scenario. But hopefully this gives you a better idea of how complicated the "Modern Loudness War" still is.





Thank you so much for your participation.

⚠	Moderation Message from Mister Fox
	INFORMATION: As of January 2023, we are using a "tiered points system" for the voting mechanic. An extensive Rule Book update with in-depth mechanic explanation is in the making (apologies for the waiting time). Breaking up a tie: There was no unbreakable tie that needed to be addressed. The fall-back mechanics were used. An explanation on the bonus points and penalty points: Due to exceeding the loudness specs, the following users could not acquire all 4pts bonus -- @Arelem, @J.Ruegg and @JeroenZuiderwijk for either exceeding the maximum signal strength of -1,00 dBTP or the maximum loudness of -14 LUFS ILk I sadly had to withdraw 1pts bonus from @J.Ruegg for not using the filename template properly. Please check your white spaces and double-underscores in the future. In case of SoundCloud, you can name your songs different compared to the filename. I could sadly not award 2pts bonus for "feedback for everyone" to @hincore and @simiansoundlab - as the feedback given was "the bare minimum" (by personal choice!). I hope you all had fun and learned something new in the process. Please keep it up for future challenges throughout 2025. See you folks in the next game.

License selection:

We will now perform with the usual. Selecting of licenses is handled in public. In order of the winners podium (top spot to lowest), and only if you want to, please select one license/company out of the pool and mention it in this thread, then (important) please get in touch with me (via PM) with your full name, email address and your license selection. Else, licenses can not be addressed.

As usual - you're not forced to pick up anything. You can pass and therefore offer more to select for the next person in line (if there is a spot existing / not available for "sole winner" mechanic). Just let all participants/winners/the staff know in a timely manner (within 5 days of this post). Once one company has been selected, it's out of the pool for the next person on the podium.

Since SWC090 has a 3-position Winner's Podium, we can also continue to test a possible new game mechanic that offers "low placed participants" a chance to pick up a bonus license - if somebody from the Winners Podium passes on a selection. You can read more about this in SWC083 - post #067. The follow-up post will have a summary to that concept.




I re-open the field for talking some more about each others' productions. If things drift a bit too off-topic, please use the General Gossip thread, or Discord.



See you in in the next challenge!



Songwriting Competition 091 (March 2025) is still in full swing. There are currently 02 entries, yet barely any feedback. There are 18 days left to participate.

Please have a look.



EDIT: 06-MAR-2025 23:30 UTC+1/CET - initial post.

[Mister Fox]

A continuation of the "Passing on Bonus Licenses" mechanic...

We've been testing this mechanic since SWC083. So far, this concept has been well received and is still being fine-tuned. Sometimes a bonus license can be the right boost to elevate a production - and with this bonus mechanic, no one feels "left out".

⚠	Moderation Message from Mister Fox
	INFORMATION: Starting with SWC083 - and depending on how many bonus licenses have been picked - I am now putting "passed on" license selections back into the pool and make a possible selection available for "low positioned participants". Mechanic Idea: This mechanic will be available with a 3-position (or higher) Winners Podium. This mechanic will be tiered Tier 01 (9 to 15 participants) - the Winners Podium has 3 positions. Each passed on license will be added into a drawing pool (remaining participants), and additional winners will be selected at random Tier 02 (16 participants or more) - the Winners Podium will change from 3 to 5 positions. Each passed on license will be offered to up-to two (number: 2) "runner-ups" (position 6 and 7). Should these participants also pass on selecting something, then this passed on license will be added into a drawing pool (remaining participants), and additional winners will be selected at random. The draw is carried out using a tool such as the "Wheel of Names". Each participant is placed 5 times on the wheel and the wheel is spun 5 times. The winner of the bonus license is determined on the last spin. In parallel to the the "Podium"'s decision which route to go, participants in lower positions can decide upfront if they want to "pass on" a license. If this has been made clear before a draw is being done, this particular participant will not be added to the "wheel". if a randomly drawn participant also does not want to pick up a license, the "passed on" license will not be put back into the drawing pool (the offer can only be passed on once). This is to prevent an endless "draw", as this is an additional courtesy. Fine-tuning to this particular idea can still happen with future games.

We're all here to learn, grow from the experience, and spread positivity...

This is still an experimental bonus mechanic. I would love to get some additional feedback on this. If this mechanic is met with interest, it could become a regular implementation for the Songwriting Competition (incl. the Rule Book).

Thank you.

[ThomC]

Wow! Thank you everyone for your votes and for the great feedback, these competitions are super inspiring and I love that they keep me writing / composing. Also, it's great to listen to everyone's take one a particular theme, can't wait to take part in the next one!

Regarding the license @Mister Fox : Would it be possible to get MODO BASS 2 by IK Multimedia? Thanks a lot for doing this again!

Cheers everyone!

[Mister Fox]

Would it be possible to get MODO BASS 2 by IK Multimedia? Thanks a lot for doing this again!

That's entirely possible.