Hayling, from most of these tracks, I'm a little confused when you say you like the quieter stuff. Maybe you just turn your stereo down, or you aren't going for songs, but more mood. I don't think mood is musical, because you can attribute a song to a certain mood you are in when you first hear it, and it can change when you hear it in a different mood. The music is dependent on your mood, not you on it. There ARE exceptions to that rule, of course, as anyone who listens to Madonna's "Justify My Love" can't NOT think about something sexy when listening to it!
Auricle - Musique
Love opening African-style drumming - see that change at 26 seconds was not too long
Jazzy, augemented major chords are never my fave - I like the minor key stuff
Nice mix to form the body of the song, break at 1:50, there's your claps at 2:19
2:36 sounds cool, where will it take me? Umm, back to main body, nothing added new = disappointed
Those hits at 3:49 might be the best part of the track
Why not go back to the great drums at the start towards the end? Another laptop song made with a bunch of loops and minimal songwriting - not very influencing
5/10
Jody Watley - Saturday Night Experience (Ron Trent Remix)
Jazz piano, reverb, thump-thump-thump bass drum
Good production, nice use of strings, smooth obvious extended version of a song
I'm guessing if you like this artist, you will love this mix - but how about someone who's never heard of Jody Watley?
The key step up at 5:25 is nice - well-written - ah those claps in the background
Break at 6:19, no melody, riff or anything that stands out to be the "signature sound" for the song - the lines, "Saturday...... Experience..... Just Groovin'....." don't count
6/10
Dub Taylor - Pop Immediately
Interesting "squishy" sound, alternating bass, quick changes/layering - good start
That hi-hat sounds like someone clinking thin china plates together
Sampled trumpet works well, taking the ear away from the loop, managed well
Going back to the basics at 4:48 sounds very cool
Still, missing an ingredient to make it memorable - something else introduced as a signature sound didn't come. I got a copy of this one, though
7/10
Sasha - Deep Progress
I am starting to see the commonality of all the tracks you recommend
Always waiting for something to come and blow my mind, and nothing ever does
Halfway through the song, and it's the same instrumentation all the way through
Even the build finish at 3:43 doesn't reveal much of another facet to the track
The high saw mass realized after the break at 4:42 is when the track sounds it's best
But how long can you expect people to listen to the same loop with only subtle changes
Normal rideout, but I like Sasha and have some of his other stuff, so I give it a good number :)
6/10
Bassic - Regenerator
Oooo, love how this one starts - low bass, quick changes, alternating strings
Has a melody riff! Vocals, walking bass line, faroff violin wail
2:15 there's that "something different" - time goes quickly listening to this track
Well constructed, production is a little lacking, doesn't sound great, but who cares
Without listening to anything else before, just listen to 5:03 for a taste
Great ambient track, has almost all the elements of good electronica - copy me!
9/10
Sasha - Boileroom -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a_Qxd4ECToI couldn't find the mix you posted, but just the original mix
Backward-tape aciied, great production, 2:05 is a reward!
Very cool bass sounds, beat doesn't get boring
Listen to those bells at 5:05 - guy knows what he's doing
Even a rideout that you want to listen to all the way through
This is one that I might try to make a 3 minute mix of
8/10
Ad Finem - If You Fall (Chilled Mix)
I could only find the Gold Trix mix
Yawn... drum machine to start - Djs use these intros to match BPMs - I don't like them in standalone songs
I like that synth riff, where will it take me? Nice reward at 2:02
Some nice vocals, 3rd step down in key signature = always good
I think if there was a radio edit of this track, I would like that better
Nice plugs, lots of work gone into making this track
Just think that it's message has been extended unneccessarily
7/10
Mindflight - Release
Alternating bass drum! Layered hi-hats! Neat snare! Could come from the 90's!
So does "Deep house" mostly have that augemented/diminished key signature on a Rhodes piano sound? Personally, I don't like it - one example is enough in my library
"Silent tears...." when was crying ever about sound? Gimmicky
Cool sound introduced at 2:34 - it could make the track memorable enough if expanded
Well-made break at 5:24, why not make that go off into regions unknown? The listener would have the patience for it...
Overall, not terrible, and in many ways might've been way better than what was offered back then
6/10
Sound System - Trinity (10:00 version)
Why was this the worst song ever? Please elaborate
Ooo those vocals at 0:50 are not so good, I like the chorus though
(Trying 8:24 version)
Sound the same... okay, I see what you mean - might not be the worst of all time, but better than many people in their bedrooms could put out...
Ok Hayling you now have to do more analysis of my suggestions, but can't just give me a number - they have to be observations (and I'm only giving 4 so you don't spend all night listening to music you've never heard before - or do you want to?):
ARC - Octane
John (or Nigel) Stanford - Far Centaurus
Delerium - Consensual Worlds
Solar Fields - Bngl. w (3 minutes in, man!)