Yeah, here's the thing - I've been listening to music in this genre for many years now, and I always marvel at how creative producers of this groove electronica can be. It's where great basslines meet synth swirls meets weird spoken word phrases from some '50's film. Plus groovy drums of course. Plus, weaving in natural acoustic instruments like guitars. I think it's where the future of music is. Your taste can and will vary, of course!
Anyway, Walt's effort is, simply put, one of the best of its kind. and to think I found it on the Songs forum at the Cakewalk site!
Walt's mixes, somehow, have a nearly equal and even blend of the instruments. Nothing seems to "stick out" in the mix, there is no false prominence that seems weird. Yet everything comes through super clearly - no two sound sources run on top of each other. I'd really like to learn to eq like that!
Another standout is the drums/percussion - it's brilliant, Walt how much time (in years)did you spend programming all that? Are you a drummer, did you spend good money on samples, or just hella skilled in Piano Roll View? Either way I'd say it's the percussion that drives your album, and I usually think of it as just a side dish on a few songs. Yet you have tasteful percussion choices all over the place in every song. Very well done.
It is more than flavored with a few sounds and rhythms from "world beat" territory, so expect a few international intrigues along the way. This shows that Walt has some pretty strong and varied songwriting chops.
Apart from the spoken word elements, there's not much else in the way of vocals. I guess one song has a "vocaloid"-style female singer, and I don't know too much about that area. I'd love to hear some more vocals, but that is not prominent in the genre so no biggie.
If you are any kind of fan of this genre, or have heard of Boards of Canada, Bent, Darshan Ambient, Sounds from the Ground, Fila Brazillia, Global Communication, Jon Hopkins, Lusine, Mocean Worker, Tosca . . . you should go get Walt's work pronto.
One complaint I have with the genre is that sometimes, the composer has a lack of musical imagination, and things can get pretty repetitive . . . Walt has no problems here.
And even if you don't like this genre much, it's a mixing clinic.
Sorry for the long review, but there you have it. Thanks Walt, I don't know how you are going to get this famous, but it deserves to be.
-Tom