Front - Shivers (Narel Remix) (Soluna Music)

[Narel]

New remix on Soluna Music, in total contrast to my latest J00F release ‘Icaro’/‘Assonance’, this remix is smooth prog trance - no acid
I’m doing a bit more self promo as I don’t do it enough. Be sure to check out the original and Christian Monique mixes too . Enjoy

 

[Archon]

I’m doing a bit more self promo as I don’t do it enough.

Would actually be great if we could count on you to post your releases here. I honestly don't know how many productions are you putting out because I'm sure that this might've been overlooked by the rest of us. Who knows how many I have missed, and I honestly have very little time to keep up with the new releases. I hope it's of your benefit to do that.

I'm liking this, however that gated riff gets a bit repetitive as it goes on. The entire track just misses that soft touch that the post-2000 prog trance had. And I don't just mean the style, but the transitions, how the elements and sections just flow faultlessly, going from full-on to calm and back again, with enough breathing room and variation throughout. I think the ideas are there though. I just wished for something else from these elements and style, I guess. But I wouldn't rate it as a bad track, it's definitely nice.

Also, please post the rest of the mixes from the release if you're opening a thread. It's a hassle I know, but keeps everything in one place.

 

[skyriderz]

Really loved the first half of the track. after the breakdown some melodic part would have been great instead of repetitive sound same as intro

 

[Propeller]

Another good one, whilst not mind blowing. The most important thing about you is that you are musically gifted. This shows in the timing, sequencing, flow and progression of your tracks. And you add detail, attention and personality to your music. Very refreshing in a world where 99.5% of productions follow some template or another.

 

[Narel]

Would actually be great if we could count on you to post your releases here. I honestly don't know how many productions are you putting out because I'm sure that this might've been overlooked by the rest of us. Who knows how many I have missed, and I honestly have very little time to keep up with the new releases. I hope it's of your benefit to do that.

I'm liking this, however that gated riff gets a bit repetitive as it goes on. The entire track just misses that soft touch that the post-2000 prog trance had. And I don't just mean the style, but the transitions, how the elements and sections just flow faultlessly, going from full-on to calm and back again, with enough breathing room and variation throughout. I think the ideas are there though. I just wished for something else from these elements and style, I guess. But I wouldn't rate it as a bad track, it's definitely nice.

Also, please post the rest of the mixes from the release if you're opening a thread. It's a hassle I know, but keeps everything in one place.

You aren’t missing much I’m not prolific. Additional links added. Thanks for the honest feedback that’s why I like this forum. I did a lot of editing of the original audio on this one to make it work, I agree I’ve done more in-depth remixes, but I like it, and it adds a fair bit more energy to the original.

 

[Narel]

Really loved the first half of the track. after the breakdown some melodic part would have been great instead of repetitive sound same as intro

I considered that bit (after the break near the end) just the mix out as there was no breakdown to introduce the lead riff. That arrangement just kinda worked. Maybe I was being lazy

 

[Progrez]

You aren’t missing much I’m not prolific. Additional links added. Thanks for the honest feedback that’s why I like this forum. I did a lot of editing of the original audio on this one to make it work, I agree I’ve done more in-depth remixes, but I like it, and it adds a fair bit more energy to the original.

Would love hear more like these one below and planisphere's remix of your track that was top notch stuff
Airwave feat Michael & Levan - A Simple Day (Narel Remix)

 

[Spacetime]

Progressive is one of the hardest genres to get right in the modern era. I see a lot of groups on Facebook or Reddit claiming that the old 99-04 progressive sounds are returning but I’m not seeing it personally. I do think it was the best type of prog, from that period. I try not to adopt a comparative ‘looking back’ mindset too much. The Narel album from last year had awesome prog and this remix also works for me. I wonder if the producers of prog today really rate the old sound and want to replicate it and can’t, or if they don’t really want to replicate that old feel?

 

[Narel]

Progressive is one of the hardest genres to get right in the modern era. I see a lot of groups on Facebook or Reddit claiming that the old 99-04 progressive sounds are returning but I’m not seeing it personally. I do think it was the best type of prog, from that period. I try not to adopt a comparative ‘looking back’ mindset too much. The Narel album from last year had awesome prog and this remix also works for me. I wonder if the producers of prog today really rate the old sound and want to replicate it and can’t, or if they don’t really want to replicate that old feel?

Check out sets from Sasha, Hernan and Anthony Pappa from the last couple of years. Lots of prog breaks and sublime melodic prog house that takes me right back to 90's and 00's. The slightly harder edged stuff is there too, and a fair bit of acid.
As for rating the old, well.... I started listening to dance music when I was 12 and now I'm 40, so....

 

[Narel]

Would love hear more like these one below and planisphere's remix of your track that was top notch stuff
Airwave feat Michael & Levan - A Simple Day (Narel Remix)

Thanks, I love that remix, and I was super stoked as Laurent asked me to do it. Not done anything that trancey in a while and it's hard to find a home for as its not prog enough for labels like Colorize etc, but not trance 2.0 for that crowd. Forescape was an ideal home, but for obvious reasons our good friend Kirill has suspended the label for now : (

 

[trancedanne]

Thanks, I love that remix, and I was super stoked as Laurent asked me to do it. Not done anything that trancey in a while and it's hard to find a home for as its not prog enough for labels like Colorize etc, but not trance 2.0 for that crowd. Forescape was an ideal home, but for obvious reasons our good friend Kirill has suspended the label for now : (

How about releasing on bandcamp? I never understood why its so important to release music through a label. Back in the days it gave you credibility but these days when pretty much everything is digital?

 

[Daysleeper]

I was about to give some hard critique to the narel remix, but then i listened to the original and the other mix and damn, your remix is almost a masterpiece compare to those two. Those two are barely music to me, its just robotic boring background music, if even that.

I concur on releasing on bandcamp. Saee what happened with Enigmastate. If more producers could break away from labels which are just constricting you from releasing music with integrity and just releasing music witin a certain style (which i have said since forever). The last 10´+years its been all about styles, and not about musical substance and musical freedom.

 

[Archon]

Yeah but you could just as easily become forgotten, if you don't invest in promotion. The labels can at least provide that. Otherwise, if your name is not Armin van Buuren, you could be overlooked by many, as you would be just one of the many guys sending tracks to be played at a radio show. And then there's gigs...

Bandcamp is a very romantic idea, I just don't think it's feasible enough for solo artists trying to break away from labels.

 

[Narel]

I was about to give some hard critique to the narel remix, but then i listened to the original and the other mix and damn, your remix is almost a masterpiece compare to those two. Those two are barely music to me, its just robotic boring background music, if even that.

I concur on releasing on bandcamp. Saee what happened with Enigmastate. If more producers could break away from labels which are just constricting you from releasing music with integrity and just releasing music witin a certain style (which i have said since forever). The last 10´+years its been all about styles, and not about musical substance and musical freedom.

It wasn’t the most inspiring original material to work with, that’s just stylistic preference rather than criticism of course. But I’m glad you like my remix, sort of

 

[Narel]

Yeah but you could just as easily become forgotten, if you don't invest in promotion. The labels can at least provide that. Otherwise, if your name is not Armin van Buuren, you could be overlooked by many, as you would be just one of the many guys sending tracks to be played at a radio show. And then there's gigs...

Bandcamp is a very romantic idea, I just don't think it's feasible enough for solo artists trying to break away from labels.

This is 100% the reason why I stick with labels. Promotion. My tracks/remixes have been played by the big guys and girls - some of my heroes and influences, and released on some top drawer labels - some of my personal favs, yet my ambient EP on Bandcamp was downloaded twice. Now that might be because it’s ambient and no one gives a shit but based on my second album that stuff is liked.
What I took from that is promotion is key and me alone isn’t enough despite the previous top drawer support. Now I’m no social media peacock but I promoted that EP on my FB, Soundcloud, on here and sent copies out to a bunch of people who might like it.
We (me and Deepcry) just had a tune rejected for the forthcoming Pure Progressive vol.2 comp and had a long discussion about releasing via Bandcamp but decided we’d re-promo to labels instead due to the above.
Interestingly, those two Bandcamp downloads earned me more than about 250 downloads under a typical label contract. It’s a shit state of affairs to be honest. But, on the flip side, I’ve had some bloody awesome experiences that have come from releasing music as Narel and I’d keep producing and giving them away for free even if I eventually got the shits with the labels thing

 

[Propeller]

Interestingly, those two Bandcamp downloads earned me more than about 250 downloads under a typical label contract.

So if all that promotion doesn't earn you any extra money from sales, why do it then? Gets you DJ gigs? Kudos from having DJs play your tracks?
EDIT. I forgot about remix requests and the income from that.

 

[Narel]

So if all that promotion doesn't earn you any extra money from sales, why do it then? Gets you DJ gigs? Kudos from having DJs play your tracks?
EDIT. I forgot about remix requests and the income from that.

Just want to contribute to a music and culture I’ve been obsessed with since I was very young. I still get a kick when a DJ I have followed for years plays my stuff. Yes it gets a gig or two too, but nothing regular- though if I’d not moved to Australia and was still in UK it would.
It just sort of evolved from ‘I wonder if I am good enough to release now?’ Then ‘I wonder if that bigger label would be interested’ then the plays from the bigger jocks start to happen and you build a bit of a profile. Remix requests are all good but some still earn you nothing. Take that ‘Matahari’ remix, I didn’t receive a contract for that. Zach (Hoopoe) liked my stuff, I liked his so I offered to remix. I sent it to Solarstone on behalf of us both, he loved it, next thing I know it’s out on Pure Prog’. So after 12 years of putting tunes out, even on major labels, shit like that goes on. But… Ferry Corsten played that remix. Which blew my mind. I’ve been listening to Ferry since I was 14 and he has been a major influence on me. Yeah more $$$$ would be nice but

 

[Hensmon]

Remix is pretty nice, will have to give few more listens to make my mind up though. @Narel Thanks for the thoughts/insights into the scene too. Should really do an interview with you

 

[Narel]

Remix is pretty nice, will have to give few more listens to make my mind up though. @Narel Thanks for the thoughts/insights into the scene too. Should really do an interview with you

Happy to mate, PM me or email is on my FB and Soundcloud, maybe on profile on here too I can't remember.

 

[Progrez]

Happy to mate, PM me or email is on my FB and Soundcloud, maybe on profile on here too I can't remember.

What happened to this interview?