[?] [X] [Torrents]

Not logged in.


Detailed module view [disabled]
Home

dfensman's Comments

 1   

View by:
Download: download view
Title: Child of Light / TMM
Filename: b_chldof.xm
Posted Sun 27th Jun 1999
Rated 9 / 10
This song has a fast beat but is still somewhat "mellow"... very pleasant and uplifting. The melodies have a lyrical quality, which makes them memorable. Basically, this song just sounds inspired to me. There are plenty of changes, etc. Technically, this MOD has all you could ask for. The samples are good, and the instrumentation is right on. There's quite a lot of effects, which are effective and not overbearing. Some stereo as well.

Download: download view
Title: Dance Of The Elves
Filename: b_elfdan.xm
Posted Sat 26th Jun 1999
Rated 5 / 10
The beat is good, there are some decent melodies, etc. This song is just too long and anti-climactic for me. As I said, there are some solid ideas, but things are repeated too often. The song never really changes. Things fade in and out, left and right, start and stop. Good range of samples and instrumentation. The mix is a little uneven but not too bad. Good use of stereo and effects to thicken the atmosphere.

Download: download view
Title: Before the Beginning
Filename: before97.xm
Posted Sun 20th Jun 1999
Rated 9 / 10
This is a great tune from the ambient genre. It has a mysterious feel, or maybe like something you'd hear while watching the formation of a black hole on The Learning Channel. Once it going, it actually has a pretty cool groove to it -- something I would not expect from an ambient tune. Near the end is a very interesting rhythm which feels like an extended time signature, but I'm not well-versed enough in music theory to know for sure. Either way this MOD is pretty dang cool! The samples are great. There's tons of sound fx and stereo to keep things interesting and "ambient." The underlying music is strong in its own right, and the excellent production values just makes it even better.

Download: download view
Title: For My Love
Filename: b_fml.xm
Posted Sun 20th Jun 1999
Rated 5 / 10
This song only has one chord progression! Fortunately, it's a good one for the genre. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe bass lines and chord progressions should change somewhere within a 4 minute song. The other elements do offer some variety: the lead melody changes, things fade in and out, etc., even the tempo changes -- but the one progression thing is a major downfall. I think a remix of what's here with a couple of well-placed departures from the main theme could earn an 8 or a 9 easily. The artist complains that his samples stink because "...my PC craps them :)" but I disagree. I don't listen to samples by themselves in a tracker, I just listen to the song with MODPlug Plug-in for Internet Explorer, and I think the samples sound fine. This MOD is well produced in my opinion. Mixed well, etc. I wouldn't download it unless I was really aching to hear a love song though, because of the repetitiveness I mentioned in the Music Rating.

Download: download view
Title: Fyll Våra Brunnar
Filename: b_fyll.xm
Posted Sat 19th Jun 1999
Rated 9 / 10
The following is taken from the artist's notes in the Instrument list: "This is a tune from the Praising songs collection called "David", given out here in Sweden by Viva Records. (c) Evalena Hellmark" This song has a very lyrical quality, probably because it's a remix of a song with lyrics :O) Still, lyrical is often synonymous with memorable, and that is the case here. Personal beliefs aside, catchy melody that sticks with you is the main thing this song has going for it. It sounds as though the artist stayed very close to the original -- the bass line, drums, etc. all sound professionally written and radio-ready. No weaknesses at all. The drums, bass and keys all sound great. A healthy dose of portamento was used on the lead synth voice to help imitate the sound of a singer.

Download: download view
Title: He gave His only Son
Filename: b_gavson.xm
Posted Sat 19th Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
"He gave His only Son" starts with a bouncy, catchy piano and things are added on top one-by-one: lead piano voice, drums, then bass and synth. Now we're at the main part of the song. Different voices come and go, but the chord progression and bass line stay constant. This MOD is a little on the repetetive side, but it's still pretty good. The ending is good -- nothing fancy, but it's not a brick wall either. Nothing wrong production-wise at all. Good clean samples, and solid instrumentation. Stereo is used well, not so much to create the illusion of movement as to separate the instruments and give a full sound. There is some subtle right-to-left panning as well.

Download: download view
Title: Begin Of Season
Filename: b_o_s.xm
Posted Sat 19th Jun 1999
Rated 9 / 10
The intro features just a string section. Piano joins in, followed by the main rhythm. The main body of this song has a fast tempo, almost a nightbeat feel, with simple yet well written percussion. The strings are the lead instrument, but piano is also featured at certain times. This song is pretty simple -- simple in a good way. Good music isn't necessarily complex. All it takes is a couple of solid chord progressions, some compelling rhythms and some good melodies on top. This MOD is a great example of that. All of the samples are great. This MOD features one of the better-sounding string samples I've heard. There's quite a lot of stereo activity, which creates a feeling of movement and may be part of the reason the song seems kind of nightbeat-ish to me (but the artist says it's trance, and who knows better than the artist?). The bottom line is, I think this is a very well-written song worth checking out.

Download: download view
Title: Believe in magic
Filename: b_i_m.xm
Posted Thu 17th Jun 1999
Rated 6 / 10
This song starts out with mellow strings and an acoustic guitar with very heavy delay on it. Something like very fast nightbeat comes next, frantic and hurried. Then a cool, mellow interlude that provides great contrast with the fast part. Those are the main parts of the song, they are repeated thereafter with minor variations. Sometimes the string "harmonies" in the background aren't very harmonic. That could have been the desired effect, and if it was then I obviously shouldn't take points away because of it. But I don't think that was the case... this isn't a "good tension" type of disharmony. It isn't terrible either -- the rest of the MOD compensates for it to some degree. Good samples for the most part. The snare's not so good. The delay on the guitar is too heavy for my taste. Some inventive tracking (maybe doubling each note an octave higher a beat or two after the original, or something of the like) probably would have sounded better. There's a lot going on stereo-wise, which adds to the rushing experience of the fast sections.

Download: download view
Title: Moving a Mountain
Filename: b_movamo.xm
Posted Wed 16th Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
The music is very good overall, except for the fact that it takes a very long time to actually kick in. It seems as though there's a minute and a half worth of intro! Fortunately, even the intro is pretty cool... immersive and ambient. I think I hear an Enya influence. The samples are very clean. This is a well-made MOD. Cool stereo and sfx, catchy melodies and good instrumentation. If you like mellow, ambient/new age/maybe-a-little-celestial type stuff, this is a song that you should check out.

Download: download view
Title: Breaking Free -Cam Smith
Filename: break.s3m
Posted Tue 15th Jun 1999
Rated 9 / 10
This thing is a blast to listen to! Cathy, lyrical melodies, great chord progressions, and just an overall uplifting feel. Listen to this MOD for a demo of what "orchestra hit" samples can bring to the mix when used properly... this is the first time I've ever heard an orch hit and didn't want to upchuck! There are drum and bass solos, kettle drums, strings... brilliant! The samples are all great. The mix could use a little tweaking... the slap bass gets rather overbearing at times. Other than that, this is a real masterwork.

Download: download view
Title: BloodFist
Filename: bloodfist.it
Posted Tue 15th Jun 1999
Rated 9 / 10
This song sounds a little Nine Inch Nails-esque, but original at the same time. It has a ton of atmosphere, cool drums, bass and sound effects. Could be used for the closing credits of a Mortal Kombat movie, or something like that. These samples are top-notch. The piano sample is VERY "wet" with delay, but I think that's the desired effect and it works well. It sounds like someone is beating the crud right out of that piano! The guitar sound is killer, and the mix is right on.

Download: download view
Title: be_funky
Filename: be_funky.mod
Posted Mon 14th Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
This MOD has a great feel to it -- a laid back groove. The "got ta be... got ta be funky!" vocal is repetitious, and because of the way it's pronounced, for about the first minute or so I thought "funky" was a 4-letter word. The keyboard and "sax" solos are catchy and well written. The bass line is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it's catchy and prominent, as funk bass should be. On the other hand, it's not a good attempt at true "slap" bass. This is actually a 2min27sec loop. The samples are all great. A cymbal would be nice now and then! Other than that, the drums are great.

Download: download view
Title: Genesis
Filename: b_genesi.xm
Posted Mon 14th Jun 1999
Rated 8 / 10
Mellow, relaxing, lyrical, well-written. There's a rather unique stop in the middle -- a piano solo, pretty much. The song is pretty repetitious, points off for that. Other than that, this sounds like an inspired work. Definitely worth checking out if you're into mellow piano stuff. The samples are great, especially the piano. There are some bells (tubular bells?) that blend in well and accent things nicely. The mix is excellent. I see nothing wrong technically at all.

Download: download view
Title: ░▒▓ Eternal Battle ▓▒░
Filename: battle.s3m
Posted Sat 12th Jun 1999
Rated 9 / 10
Very cool. At times, this song does sound like something you might hear during a battle scene in a movie. A very triumphant, uplifting battle scene! The same basic chord progression is used throughout the song, but the beat and instrumentation change continually so the song never gets old. This is the way to do variations on a theme -- not just piling new things on top but turning old ideas into new ones. There's a rather inspired flute solo about half-way through the song. The samples are pretty good, the flute sounds great. The piano sounds killer during the groove near the end of the song, kinda reminds me of Elton John's stuff from the "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road" album.

Download: download view
Title: BEST 97 MEGAMIX- FABINHO DJ
Filename: best97.s3m
Posted Thu 10th Jun 1999
Rated 6 / 10
The next-to-last part of this song is a very cool groove. I'd like to hear a MOD where that was the main theme... As for the rest of it, the focus is pretty much on the beats -- and there are some very good ones. It's pretty choppy, one part doesn't seem to have anything to do with the next. It's more of a compilation of ideas than a composition. Not really something I could follow along with and get into. Would probably make great a raver though, lots of bass and beats. The samples are all very good. There is a sample of Van Halen's "Ain't talkin' 'bout Love." My only beef with that sample is that it's not played at the same tempo as the song!

Download: download view
Title: Chrono Trigger...Belthsar..
Filename: belthsar.s3m
Posted Wed 9th Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
This is a loop, about 1 minute long. Very dark and mysterious sounding -- great atmosphere. There is a weak spot or two, but the music is very good overall. The artist complains in the sample list about the quality of the piano and harp samples. I disagree, I think the strings fall short occasionally. I really like the piano, harp and pizzicato violin samples. It's only 79k... worth checking out.

Download: download view
Title: BEST98 MEGAMIX-FABINHO DJ
Filename: best98.it
Posted Wed 9th Jun 1999
Rated 5 / 10
These are the songs included (according to the artist's notes in the sample list): Believe(Cher), Playz(Radical), Barbie Girl(Aqua), My Heart will go on(Celine Dion), Stardust (Le Groove), UP & Down(Vengaboys), Meet Her at the...(Da Hool). It starts out great -- it sounds like a lot of effort went into tracking the Cher tune. It gets weaker and weaker as it goes, however, and by the end it's gotten pretty bad. One nice thing is the interesting, somewhat goofy take-off of "My Heart Will Go On". After that, it's all downhill. Most of the samples are good or better. There are some samples taken from CD's (notably the "I'm a Barbie girl..." vocal and the guitar from Playz). Those were used well, and most of the sound is still produced through solid tracking technique, not ripping.

Download: download view
Title: believe.
Filename: believe.mod
Posted Tue 8th Jun 1999
Rated 8 / 10
There are a lot of ideas here. The music in this song seems to change continuously (I like that). Very good use of stops to keep things fresh. I'm not crazy about the New Order tribute near the end... I don't think it was necessary. The song was fine without it. Still, that tribute is a good one, and New Order / Orgy fans might get a kick out of it. All of the samples are great. Good choice of instrumentation as well. It's very well-produced, well worth checking out.

Download: download view
Title: Bizarro
Filename: bizarro.xm
Posted Tue 8th Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
This song has great drums. The bass line is a little monotonous, but the other elements of the song vary enough to compensate for that somewhat. Good overall feel -- kinda "post-apocolyptic." All of the samples are excellent, including the siren and the "HUH!!!" vocal. Great drums, as mentioned above. Well mixed, very well produced overall.

Download: download view
Title: exploding heads
Filename: bassh2.xm
Posted Mon 7th Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
Most of the emphasis of this song is on the drums. There is also nicely understated and dramatic accompaniment by some rather eerie violins and a bass guitar. Points off for the brick-wall ending :) Great samples. I like the stripped-down approach that was taken here... proof positive that you don't need a plethora of samples to make a great MOD. Normally I don't like uneven mixes; the drums are very dominant over the bass and the strings. In this case, however, it sounds fine. This song is definitely worth a listen for anyone who likes a goood drum/percussion tune, or just likes well-produced MODs.

Download: download view
Title: Happy Birthday
Filename: birthday.mod
Posted Sun 6th Jun 1999
Rated 4 / 10
Music-wise, this stays pretty faithful to the original. The drums are terrible -- not one cymbal or hi-hat. Other than that, this is well-tracked in terms of recreating the classic Beatles tune. I think the samples, by themselves, are ok (except for the piano samples). The instrumentation doesn't work. The lead "singing" voice is terrible.

Download: download view
Title: Battle with Asmodeus
Filename: battle05.s3m
Posted Sun 6th Jun 1999
Rated 6 / 10
Sounds like a theme from a video game. Good drums and and the bass line is great. The leads are catchy, and feature mulit-part harmony. It's a loop, just a little under two minutes long. Very good samples. The instrumentation is a jazz, synth, funk type set-up: keys, sampled string section chords, horns, bass and drums. Sounds great, you wouldn't know it was 48k. There is some effective use of stereo too, at times it kinda makes you feel like you're surrounded by a real band.

Download: download view
Title: Beating the odds
Filename: beating.s3m
Posted Sun 6th Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
This song has a great atmosphere (and, of course, beat). There are some rather "dangerous" harmonies near the half-way point, where there's a lot of tension. I think that was what the artist was going for. It has a great bass line as well. It's a little too long; some parts are repeated too many times. The samples are great, especially the one of the funk guitar. It's the first of its kind that I've heard in a MOD (I'm sure there are others out there though). There are some cymbal "swells" that are pretty annoying -- that would be my one real beef with this song.

Download: download view
Title: beat-box_online_!!!
Filename: beatbox.mod
Posted Sun 6th Jun 1999
Rated 8 / 10
Very well written. The melodies are complex and memorable. The bass line is vital and helps set the mood of the piece without being overbearing. The rhythms, syncopated at times and straightforward at others, fit the music well and make this a complete composition with lots of diversity. All the samples are great, and the mix is fantastic. I can hear every hi-hat and every note of the bass as clear as day. The drums are huge! Good stereo too... this is a very solid MOD.

Download: download view
Title: Bluebox
Filename: bluebox.xm
Posted Sat 5th Jun 1999
Rated 4 / 10
Very, very repetitious. There are no lead voices at all -- just drums and a static bass line. The beat is pretty good, but 5 minutes of it is MUCH too much. Nothing wrong with any of the samples, but there's not many of them in the first place. The telephone samples are probably the best part of this MOD. It's well-produced, just not what I would consider to be a very good song.

Download: download view
Title: Buddy Holly
Filename: buddyholly.s3m
Posted Sat 5th Jun 1999
Rated 8 / 10
This is the best MOD remake I've ever heard. The samples chosen re-create the original very well. There are no noticeable tracking "glitches" (notes played slightly differently than how they were played in the original because of limitations of the tracking software or the artist themselves) as there are in many remakes. If you like the original Weezer tune, you'll like this MOD. Great samples. I don't think the artist could have stayed any more faithful to the original tune. Very well mixed, I can hear all of the instruments without really trying.

Download: download view
Title: jetstream
Filename: bb_jet.mod
Posted Sat 5th Jun 1999
Rated 6 / 10
The artist does a great job of creating atmosphere, but there's not much for changes at all. What is here is definitely catchy and well written. It's a loop, so beware of that... playing time is 4:18 but if you're not careful you'll hear it 3 times before you start to say, "...man, when's this thing going to end???" Not that it happened to me or anything :) Nothing wrong with these samples at all. Good use of the bottle blower sample -- people tend to get carried away with that. The snare is a little louder than I would have liked it for this kind of a tune.

Download: download view
Title: Freak (by Bazaar)
Filename: baz_iii.it
Posted Fri 4th Jun 1999
Rated 8 / 10
This is full of great ideas. It's an orchestral type of composition with a suite of individual movements. The intro and the ending are unique and creative -- as they have been for all the songs I've reviewed by Bazaar. There's one part near the end where things become very cluttered, with too many major voices going on at once. Other than that, this thing's fantastic. Bazaar is obviously a very talented musician with a great ear and no shortage of inspiration. This is probably the best collection of samples I've heard used in a single MOD file. Not only that, but the instrumentation is right-on too. Great production value all around -- very theatrical and well mixed.

Download: download view
Title: Mackeral Sky
Filename: baz_i.s3m
Posted Fri 4th Jun 1999
Rated 9 / 10
10 minutes long and loaded with great themes. Not a boring second. Not the least bit repetitious. I like songs that have several different musical styles within them, and this one does that. The intro and ending are both spectacular -- very original and creative. It's like a symphony, composed of different "movements." Brilliant! You need this MOD! A couple of the guitar samples aren't really well suited for the parts they play -- notes are played too close together and "step on" each other. All the other samples (and there are a lot of 'em) are great. This MOD is a gem -- beat, melody, killer dynamics, stereo, sound effects... it's got it all.

Download: download view
Title: Slam (By Bazaar)
Filename: baz_ii.s3m
Posted Fri 4th Jun 1999
Rated 10 / 10
This is extremely well written. Just over 8 minutes long... if anything, it's too SHORT!!!! It has tons of energy -- to rate this as anything less than pro would be an injustice. Great dynamics, stereo, sound effects, and atmosphere. Very theatrical. You don't just hear it, you experience it. First-rate all the way! Download immediately. This is "encode-to-CD-format-and-crank-it-when-I'm-in-my-car" material. 308k... Bazaar obviously knows how to make a killer MOD. Suffice to say that I have no problems recommending this MOD to anyone.

Download: download view
Title: watch your bass bin
Filename: bassbins.mod
Posted Fri 4th Jun 1999
Rated 6 / 10
This song has some great beats and very good musical ideas. Very "riffy." Lots of drum breaks -- too many for my liking. Still, it's well-done overall and should be well received by fans of the genré. It's well-named: watch your bass bins! All the samples are fine. The drums sound great. I like the vocal samples too, although I think they're a tad over-used. Quick download at 133k... definitely worth if you're into ravers.

Download: download view
Title: doom
Filename: blue_silence_-_doom.mod
Posted Fri 4th Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
This song has some very intense rhythms. The melodies aren't spectacular, but they go well with the beats and don't clutter things up. There's a nice departure about half-way through and then it goes back to the main theme... well done. Energy is the keystone of this MOD. Good samples (except the clapping one). I like the vocal break -- it's original and humorous. Very cool dynamics, especially during the intro.

Download: download view
Title: between the eyes
Filename: BETWEEN.MOD
Posted Fri 4th Jun 1999
Rated 5 / 10
There are a lot of the tried-and-true, "Dokken-meets-Iron Maiden-meets-Judas Priest" metal cliches here. I like it! You don't find many true metal MODs -- usually more like industrial or thrash. There is a full arrangement here, which is somewhat unusual too. Many MODs lack a true arrangement with different, individual parts that accent and compliment each other. Whomever wrote this obviously put a lot of time and effort into writing an entire, complete song -- not just one cool idea. The samples range from ok to very good. I can hear some crackle in the lead guitar sound that I don't think should be there. The cymbals sound pretty bad. There's no bass guitar to speak of, but after all, this is a heavy metal tune :) Bottom line, this is a guitar song all the way. It's a small file (108k)... probably worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre.

Download: download view
Title: Boomie's PopCorn
Filename: b_pop.xm
Posted Thu 3rd Jun 1999
Rated 6 / 10
Very cool intro... it kind of "ramps up" to the overall tempo of the tune. This song has a great beat. The melody has a lyrical quality, which is always good. I think it could use some kind of an "interlude" -- something 3/4 of the way through that provides a significant departure from the main theme. Even without that though, this is pretty good. The samples are good. There is too much delay(or reverb) on the lead synth voice, but that's not really a big deal. Good job overall.

Download: download view
Title: bananas
Filename: bananas.mod
Posted Thu 3rd Jun 1999
Rated 4 / 10
I like the beginning a lot. The intro is unique to say the least, and there is some great drums/percussion work for about the first half of the song. As for melody and riffs, there are highs and lows. Some of the instruments are out of tune. The drums are a definite high-point. I like the "singing"... nothing typical or boring about that. The lead synth voice is weak.

Download: download view
Title: Attack!
Filename: battle.mod
Posted Wed 2nd Jun 1999
Rated 5 / 10
What's here is great. Good beat, nice tension (I think that's what the artist was going for). It's the beginning of a very good MOD. Unfortunately, it never develops -- it's incomplete. Very good instruments -- they really fit the music well. All the samples are good. Sounds killer for 17k.

Download: download view
Title: thor's magic bathtub
Filename: bathtub.it
Posted Wed 2nd Jun 1999
Rated 7 / 10
I really like the laid back, "fluffy clouds" feel this MOD presents. The percussion could use some work -- I think the one "clicking" sample is a bit overused, and there should be more variety where percussion is concerned. As I said, I'm not crazy about the "click" (snare?) sound I keep hearing. The synth voices are quite pleasant and fit the music well. Not much in the way of stereo or effects. At 2k, it's worth checking out.

Download: download view
Title: Onward ho...
Filename: bass.mod
Posted Wed 2nd Jun 1999
Rated 1 / 10
This MOD is indefensible. The drums are bad, the melody is annoying. Don't taint your ears with this piffle! The good new is, it's only 22k. The bad news is, that's 22k too many. You're probably curious by now, thinking "geez it can't be that bad..." WRONG! This is terrible.

Download: download view
Title: boontah
Filename: boontah.xm
Posted Wed 2nd Jun 1999
Rated 6 / 10
This song has a very cool beat; plenty of attitude. It may be a tad long at 3:15... either that or just slightly short on ideas. Still, the music isn't half-bad at all. The drums are great. I'm not crazy about the lead synth voice. There is some kind of a "yelp" sample (a human voice I believe) which contributes a lot to the feel of the piece -- good choice on that one. The mix leaves a lot to be desired: either the drums and bass aren't loud enough or some of the sound effects are too loud.

Download: download view
Title: bop till you flop
Filename: BOPFLOP.MOD
Posted Wed 2nd Jun 1999
Rated 10 / 10
Now we're talking! Catchy melodies with a lyrical quality which are revisited often enough, yet not too often. The break near the middle of the song is killer. Unlike many MODs, the bass line is well-written and vital. It is an equal part of the song's equation, not just an afterthought. The drums sound as if they were tracked by a drummer, and ditto for the bass and keys. I'm not a real fan of the genre, but I know a great MOD when I hear one. First-rate all around. The mix, samples and instrument selection are all top-notch. And it's only 149k! There is subtle stereo, not gimmicky or overdone at all... just where appropriate.

 1