Prince of Voice (prince_of_voice.xm)

Overall Impression (10/10)

What might sound as your normal electronic jazz instrumental is actually a small masterpiece of voice sampling. Attempted by many, the genre of using your voice for all samples in a mod file has been around for a while, but this is the only song that I know of that actually made it work.

Technique, Arrangement, Composition (10/10)

All samples are made with Laxity's voice, one sample is made by carefully hitting a spoon against a coffee cup.

The arpeggiating sample is voice as well, sung with a cutoff modulation that you can do by changing the way you sing. The sample was then looped and played with a maximum tone portamento.

Some nice haas effects used on several samples, like hihats, primarily by panning them and playing with different notes.

Development (10/10)

You cannot tell this was made out of voice samples. The song was in my collection for a long while, but it took me a couple of years to actually go into the source and find out.

As usual, Laxity's production quality is top notch. He pulls out all the stops here, too. A rich, wide and balanced mix.

Creativity (10/10)

This is not a complicated tune. But for what it is, it's crafted with melodic mastery. Set against a mesmerizing backdrop of a constantly shifting arpeggio, Laxity delivers a gentle spellbinding melody that flows like a small babbling stream.

Because of the shortness of the tune I was thinking to give it an 8/10, but then realized that nowhere does it say that good music is long music. Or that short songs don't deserve to be judged on their own, without comparing them to epic 10-minute journeys with complex themes, variations and breaks.

If I am completely honest, this tune feels perfect to me. I took the time to think if I would add or change something, and my answer is no. I wouldn't change a thing.

Enjoyment (10/10)

If you leave it on looped, it will take a while until you realize that the song is actually quite short. But it's so serene and pure and well put together, that it works totally and completely.

A must have in any tracked collection. Up there with all the greats.