Martin Bryant

This isn't usually my kind of thing but I found it a really satisfying listen. Well-rounded production, solid performances, and a song structure that held my interest. There's nothing I can really offer as constructive criticism. This song does what it does very well.

Martin Bryant

Very slick. I thought it was going to be more 'emo' than it was when it first began, but it turned into a mellow, listenable and mainstream-radio friendly song. I'd say there are likely licensing opportunities for a song like this for TV dramas etc. It's not quite the kind of thing I'd listen to, but the recording, mixing and songwriting are all 👌.

Martin Bryant

Really nicely put together overall - I like the variety in panning of the vocals and the lead vocal performance particularly. Either the drums are too quiet in the mix or there's little more than a tambourine for percussion - I can't quite tell. It doesn't hurt the song much, although it does perhaps reduce the overall interest level as the song goes one. About 2/3 through it felt like the song hadn't really evolved at all from the start and variety in drumming could help with that. As it has a lo-fi feel, that's not a massive problem but perhaps think about how to vary the arrangement to keep even casual listeners hooked.

Martin Bryant

As usual, not the normal kind of thing I'd listen to but I enjoy hearing your music evolve. Nicely mastered, and I like some of the touches like the aggressively honking bass, and the flangey percussion that comes in around halfway through. Well-paced with enough variation to keep it interesting throughout. Good stuff.

Martin Bryant

Gritty and passionate. I like it and would love to hear it live. I do think the recording sounds a little 'flat' - there's not a lot of variation in the dynamic range of the song. That said, it's the kind of song that works as a lo-fi recording so that's all good. 

Martin Bryant

I'm sure I've heard this somewhere before (maybe Spotify recommended it to me recently or something). I really like it - production-wise, the bass guitar sounds gorgeously tight and warm. Performance-wise, the vocal is a perfect fit for the song and the production. And songwriting wise, that's one catchy chorus. Good stuff.

Martin Bryant

This isn't the kind of thing I listen to myself but I can imagine it sitting very well on Radio 2, Smooth Radio etc. Well produced, with a good video. The only thing I'd say is to be careful of overused lyrical tropes. 'Cuts like a knife' is used loads in pop, and hearing it at the start set it up in my mind as a generic ballad in a way a different choice of lyric might have not.

Martin Bryant

I love how the vocals and instrumentation work together really well. The song is a great fit for the vocalist. I like the understated, but interesting, drums and I don't have anything negative to say about it. Good stuff!

Martin Bryant

Not my kind of thing personally, but it's a breezy and highly listenable pop song. At over 5 minutes, it feels a minute or so too long for heavy radio play but that aside it would fit perfectly into mainstream pop radio stations. Production and performance is slick.

Martin Bryant

I imagine this sounds epic when it's played live. The recording captures that feel well, with good strong performances and production. As a Brit, I can imagines this performing best in the USA, in a bar in Austin, watching it with a can of Lone Star in my hand. In the UK I can't imagine audiences taking to it quite as readily.

Martin Bryant

I like it! The production gives it a really 'bouncy' feel that works well, and the song is a great fit for the vocalist. The song has a well-paced structure that keeps me interested throughout, and it feels like the perfect some to listen to while driving along the Pacific coast on a warm summer's day.

Martin Bryant

Another enjoyable track, although it does feel like the bass could cut through a bit more - it feels a bit lost in the mix at the moment. Other than that, this has a fun feel with a sonically-rich arrangement that kept me interested throughout.

Martin Bryant

I'll review the overall video: I love the way the music pulls it all together. It's really calming but not in a way that made me lose interest - I watched it all the way through to find out more. While I don't think I quite 'got' it all, it's visually intriguing, well edited and has a cohesive story and style.

Martin Bryant

Compositionally, I love the space you've given the song - it's given 'space to breathe' in the arrangement. Production-wise, the bass of the kick drum really cuts through, which helps give the song definition. It's not the kind of thing I'd choose to listen to myself but it's well put together with plenty of variety in the instrumentation to keep interest levels up throughout.

Martin Bryant

I think the song and the lo-fi-ish recording style both work, but maybe not together as well as they could. The song feels like it would thrive better with a slightly (but not too much) more 'slick' production. Other than that, a good, listenable song and it sounds like you'd be a lot of fun live.

Martin Bryant

Good vocal performance and the track overall has a good vibe. Hard to suggest any improvements or changes - it is what it is, and it works.

Martin Bryant

I love the way the bass, the drums and percussion play off each other and complement each other. Really nice production and mastering. However, I do feel like the track would benefit from a bit more variety towards the end. It's short, so that's not a big thing. But it would keep listeners gripped throughout.

Martin Bryant

Really strong - solid production and a memorable chorus. This should be getting licensed for ads, corporate videos and sports montages etc as it's perfect for that. Good, solid pop.

Martin Bryant

The track and the video really complement each other. Punchy production and there's a good island vibe coming through. It's not really the kind of thing I tend to listen to a lot so I'm afraid I can't offer more detailed feedback than that but I wish you well with the release.

Martin Bryant

As with your other stuff, not really what I'd normally listen to, but well produced and arranged, and I can see the appeal. One of the lead synth sounds (the one that's prominent around 1'20" sounds quite 'thin' - that might be the intention but to my ears it sounds different to the rest of the track for that reason.

Martin Bryant

As a summer pop song it works well, although I found myself wishing it was maybe 5-10 BPM faster, as I think the that pace would better suit the vocals, which feel slightly sluggish at the current tempo. In fact, I found myself creating a remix in my head as I listened. That said, in terms of the instrumentation, that works well at the current tempo and it has a nice summer vibe that would go well with a strong cocktail on a beach at sunset.

Martin Bryant

Well recorded, well performed. If I had one suggestion it would be to add some kind of 'spark' to the production to keep aural interest levels up throughout the song - some kind of effect or twist in the arrangement that surprises the listener. Other than that, sounds good.

Martin Bryant

I'm sure this would go down really well in the right clubs but it's just too club-focused for my personal taste. Production-wise, the track is unquestionably slick, with the right mix of gloss and pure loudness. The video is a really good fit to the track.

Martin Bryant

I thought is was going to be a plain and boring house-y track when it started but around 1'30" it goes in a new direction that I really enjoyed. It's not the kind of electronic music I'd normally listen to but this is more adventurous that most similar stuff I've heard. Good quality production too.

Martin Bryant

Delicate yet expansive psychedelic rock that recalls the early work of The Verve. I felt like towards the end there could have been a little more musical variation to keep the song pushing forward and keep interest levels high. But in terms of performance and production, this is great quality, albeit not something that personally gets me excited.

Martin Bryant

I'm not familiar with the original version but this is a mellow listen with a real sense of emotion and 'feel' behind it. Great work taking an a Capella and building something unique around it. Can't fault the production.

Martin Bryant

It's well produced and recalls 2000/2001 but with a modern edge. I can imagine it playing well on the radio and at summer parties. It's not the kind of thing I'd choose to listen to personally, but it's definitely got a fun vibe.

Martin Bryant

See my previous feedback :) This one reminds me of The Police, weirdly.

Martin Bryant

Fun, playful, lo-fi stuff with personality. I like it. Just followed you on Bandcamp - some really good stuff on there! Honestly not a lot more I can say - it is what it is. Going to share your Bandcamp link on Twitter, rather than this specific track via Fluence.

Martin Bryant

Not really for the kind of thing I'd listen to normally, but the choral-style loop is a good texture to the mix and I like the effect on the vocal. It's the kind of thing I'd love to see performed live in a club at 1am - that's where it would really 'connect' for me. Your influences definitely shine through - especially a bit of a Kanye vibe here, with a little MF Doom in the more adventurous bits.

Martin Bryant

A definite echo of 'Waterfall' by the Stone Roses in the guitar here, with vocals that recall shoegaze bands of that period, but with a rhythm section that brings it all up to date. The last minute or so is a pleasantly unexpected development, too. It's interested me enough to want to check out your other stuff. Solid production that brings out detail, variation and character in the music. I like it.

Martin Bryant

Arrangement-wise I like the way it builds up towards the end but I feel like it's a bit to 'samey' for the first three minutes (bar the layered vocals bits). It's not the kind of song that appeals to me as a listener but it's a good song and production-wise I like the sparse opening with lots of space, and the way it builds up. I just wish the buildup was a bit more graded throughout the song to keep interest levels up throughout. You say it's unfinished, so my feedback is to focus on the first three minutes - it doesn't need much, just a bit more variation.

Martin Bryant

Well, this wins the prize for the most unusual thing I've heard on Fluence to date. Musically, it reminds me of Matthew Friedberger's 'Mr Fried Burger, I Resume?' mini-album from last year. Lyrically, I'm not sure as I can't really hear what's being said, but I'm intrigued enough  to seek out more of your music and share it if it turns out that I like it. Production-wise, it's hard to recommend you make the vocals clearer as their obscurity is part of the charm. Interesting stuff, indeed.

Martin Bryant

Really nice feel to this. Good production with influences warn proudly, but with an individual touch to it too. Compositionally, it feels a little 'samey' throughout and I'd prefer to hear some more variation in instrumentation etc to keep interest levels up throughout. Still, I'll definitely look out for more of your stuff.

Martin Bryant

The song: A really 'close, intimate' feel to the production that acts as an interesting counterpoint to the song's haunting melody. Not the kind of thing I'd normally listen to but it won me over with a catchy tune and a video well suited to the song.

The video: high production values, (intentionally) slightly gross towards the end – not exactly what was happening in the narrative sections (why he took a sample of her oddly glamourous-looking OD vomit) but I suspect ambiguity was the point.

Martin Bryant

Not really the kind of thing I listen to, but there's nice vibe to it and the production is rich, warm and seductive. The 'camera'; line is definitely catchy - this is a well-constructed song with a well-delivered vocal.

Martin Bryant

Nice warm, intimate feel to this with the reverb on the vocals adding some space to the overall sound. Production-wise it's good. Regarding the song itself, I'd say that at six minutes long I'd prefer some more variation in the structure and pacing to keep things moving forward. A key change, and change in rhythm, maybe some more instrumentation – anything just to keep the listener engaged all the way through.

Martin Bryant

This has a flavour of the kind of impassioned, almost orchestral indie of bands like My Life Story in the late 90s. The song is well constructed and the instrumentation and vocal work well together, pushing the song forward and urging the listener onward. Well produced, too. Great to hear good stuff like this coming out of Manchester!

Martin Bryant

Clearly a song with passion behind it but I feel that the 'smoothness' conflicts with the passion. I'd love to hear the passion come through more in the musical performance rather than just the vocal. The vocal tells a strong story and the instrumentation *almost* matches it, especially as everything gets more noisy and chaotic towards the end (I tlike that!), but the bassline and drums don't quite match up to where the song wants to go - they 'plod' slightly and feel flat.

Martin Bryant

This song is well produced and the vocal performance is strong. I think the song itself becomes a bit 'samey' as it goes on, although I get that a chilled vibe was probably the intention, and it's certainly got that.

I can't help with promotion, I'm afraid, but while I wouldn't normally listen to a song like this I think that overall it's very well done.

Martin Bryant

Firstly, Frauds is a great name. Secondly, I love the way this track builds up as it goes on, with a really nice ending, too. The production is good I look forward to hearing more from you in the future. I'll share this on Twitter now.

Martin Bryant

Good, solid, contemporary pop that would sound in place on many radio stations. It's not quite something I'd normally listen to, but the Disclosure influence shines through. If I have a criticism it's that it's maybe just a little too clean and 'obvious' - while the song sounds very good, the very best pop has something unusual, unexpected or playful that makes it stand out as excellent.

Martin Bryant

Although it's maybe a bit more 'slick' that the kind of music I'd normally choose to listen to, this is a catchy song that will stick with in my head for a while now, well-produced, fun and with a well put-together video. I can imagine it working well on light rock/alternative stations in the US, and it brought to mind the work of bands like Weezer and Silver Sun. I'm not sure if this sound would work so well in the UK right now, but overall I'm very positive about this one.

Martin Bryant

A very relaxing, chilled-out track that would suit a calm Sunday afternoon. The production is well done and it has a cosy but not cloying feel. In terms of structure, I feel it would be better if the track had more variation. It feels essentially like a loop right now. Some variation in texture and a key change would help make the overall listening experience richer. At that point I could imagine it approaching a Durutti Column type sound, which would be an interesting direction to take.

Martin Bryant

While it's not the kind of this I'd usually listen to, I found it a wistfully uplifting song. Production-wise, I thought the drums and and guitar complemented each other well, and the whole package works well together. If I have anything critical to add, it's that it felt lacking in 'something' to really keep the listener hooked – the production and the song itself stayed pretty 'flat' in terms of an interest graph throughout. Some changes in instrumentation, some subtle use of effects for variation etc could help lift this song up further (and uplift the listener even more!).

Martin Bryant

Very nicely shot video with beautiful colour grading. The song isn't for me personally but the video suits it perfectly and together they work as classy package.

Martin Bryant

Not my usual bag but it has a good vibe and is well produced. I really like the vocals, there's a really intimacy here, like we're being drawn into your world. It feels fresh but old-school too, and for some reason it makes me think of what the later hours of a Sesame Street after party might be like.

Martin Bryant

The production is good – I love the choice of synths, particularly – and the vocal is good although the song itself could benefit from a bit more variety and some changes of direction to keep things interesting and moving. Very listenable though, and I've followed you on SoundCloud to hear more in the future.

Martin Bryant

I'm not massively into hiphop and while I can appreciate the message here, the well-constructed beat and the solid vocal performance, but it just didn't do anything for me personally as an overall package. That said, any project that raises awareness of SF's homelessness problem is a good thing.