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Mind Wipers - OST Crunchtime 02 Cyberpunk's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Composition | #25 | 3.805 | 3.880 |
| Impression | #26 | 3.726 | 3.800 |
| Quality | #29 | 3.687 | 3.760 |
| Overall | #31 | 3.726 | 3.800 |
| Correlation to theme | #46 | 3.844 | 3.920 |
| Creativity | #47 | 3.569 | 3.640 |
Ranked from 25 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Description
The soundtrack was created in mind for a cyberpunk video game in which the main character whose job is to wipe the minds of corpos who switched companies in order to protect their IP. Slowly through the game, the character begins to realize they had their mind wiped as well.
I used Logic Pro X, started by building out track 1 (Night Drive) using primarily Vital synth and Logic preset instruments.
Message from the artist:
Please give feedback, this style of synth music was really outside my comfort zone so I'd love to know how I could do better!
How does it fit the theme?
So the music was created based on what I know about Night City, the Cyberpunk Red TTRPG, and conversations with friends who really enjoy the genre. I wanted to create some dark, synth-y feels to hit the dark side of the genre, but also wanted to hit that "access everything you could ever want," which is what the last track is for.
Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://soundcloud.com/fireflylibrary/sets/mind-wipers
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Comments
Love the funky beats with the heavy synths in every track, undeniably cyberpunk! My personal favorite is Night Drive, just really like how the whole world was conveyed in such a chill track. Great Stuff!
Really moody and atmospheric! I'd say you have a pretty good handle on this synthy kind of stuff for someone that's not used to it -- kudos for stepping out of your comfort zone!
I especially liked "Rough Streets." It felt a lot like a track by The Glitch Mob (check out their album "Drink the Sea" if you want an example of what I mean). I think the harder edge of those buzzy synths really fits the cyberpunk theme!
Night Drive is cool as well, I liked the mysterious feeling of the opening. One recommendation I have based on other songs I've heard in the genre might be to vary the mix a bit on that solo instrument that comes in during the second half. It works really well in the composition, but the problem is once it progresses to the higher pitch range, there's nowhere left to go and the listener is left wanting more -- this is where mixing effects like ramping up the reverb or playing with the EQ can break things up and give some added oomph even at the top of the range. I'm no expert, though, so I may not be using the right terminology, but hopefully that makes sense.
"Ecstacy, Everywhere" is well-crafted as well and has a chill EDM feel. My first instinct was that it was a bit too "clean" for cyberpunk and maybe didn't fit with the other tracks... but then I thought, eh, it can't be all doom and gloom in the corpo-infested future -- there's gotta be some hope, too, right? 😄
Overall, was fun to listen to and I think you expanded beyond the stereotypical cyberpunk sound. Great work!
Big, oppressive vibes from the bass and kick drum on the first track! I like the way the track builds, and the harmonies do a lot to keep things interesting.
My biggest recommendation for improving the mix of the synth stuff is to keep an eye out for high-end noise — it can easily build up when you have multiple buzzy, hissy synths (or even basses!) playing at the same time. EQing the highs out of your basses would help a lot to tame the highs and keep things from getting too scratchy. :)
Thanks!!! This is helpful feedback! I definitely had some trouble balancing my mix, so I’m sure that would’ve helped.
Nice tracks. Love the sound design!
Nicely done! Rough Streets is my favourite, awesome sounds
Mix is probably too loud for me (in comparasion with others tracks... (i got volume at max after some ambient tracks, and beats and high notes teared my ears... but again, maybe it's problem with my haedphones).
But overally nice OST, I like how "Escasy everywhere" sounds like 90s party music ^_^.
Night Drive - Great mood. Can just imagine the street lights zipping by. Very strong opening.
Rough Streets - Nice man! Really like how you build on it. Really love that LFO synth in the back forming a strong rhythmic backing for this track. I was a little sad it didn't make a come back in the second part after the break. Still great tune though!
Ecstasy, Everywhere - Nice tune! Really enjoyed those tiny plucky sounds you textured everything with. They complemented the beat really well, almost behaving a bit like hihats rhythmically. Very nice.
Personal fav was probably the opening. Favourite synth patch (because why not) was the modulating one in the back on the first half of rough streets :DGreat job!
Thanks! Also, that modulating synth was probably my favorite as well! I kind of accidentally stumbled into it while trying to make anything sound a bit more dynamic, I was hitting the mod wheel on every synth just to see what I could make happen!
Though I know basically everyone's already mentioned this before, this is some solid work for being out of your comfort zone. Great job with this!
Thanks so much!
Doesn’t sound like you’re out of your comfort zone - I think you did great! The noisy synths work really well with the slow drum beat. Night Drive is my personal favorite!
Thanks!!
Night Drive: really nice sound carpet with those synths!
Rough Streets: Love that menacing ascending bass line. Cliché but very effective!
Ecstasy, Everywhere: Very nice harmony. I also like how melodic this one is.
Thanks for your comments! I appreciate it!
Overall some pretty cool tracks, but for some reason, it's the last one that really resonated with me. I'm definitely not very comfortable with cyberpunk music either (or with electronic music in general, fwiw), but I feel like maybe the music is a little too happy to be "true" cyberpunk? And a little too calm for the image theme? I still enjoyed the tracks quite a lot, either way, so well done!
Thanks! And yeah, I think I felt that way a bit too after I wrote it, but in my head I imagined like the song playing during like a moment of temporary bliss or pleasure, if I had more time I would’ve probably ended it sounding a little darker to show that.
For the first track, really love the chord choices right off the bat with that augmented I chord, really adds a sense of mystery to the track! Great synth choices, really like the crunchier lead over the softer atmosphere of the other sounds.
For synths being outside your comfort zone, this is really really impressive! Love the more mysterious take on cyberpunk in all these tracks, great sound choices.
Thank you!
An awesome job, specially "Ecstasy, Everywhere". I really enjoyed it!
Thanks!!
Very cool set of tracks here, loving the huge saws on Rough streets, probably my favourite of the 3. Nice!
Thanks!!
Very creative story and univers you've created there! I think your choice of instruments is really solid and felt cohesive throughout the piece.
I'm also not very confortable with working with synths so take this lightly, but what I would say is that maybe some of the synths felt a bit dry and lacked a bit of movement/morphing (especially for the leads you used).
With that said, this was a great entry and very enjoyable to listen to!
Thanks!
And yeah, I feel like that’s a really valid critique. I had a bit of trouble doing any modulation and changes to effects on the synths and also maintaining a good mix, everything would get all muddy sounding. I appreciate the feedback!!
Let me start off by saying I really like how this sounds! It’s a great OST, nice job :)
Not really feedback on the synth part you wanted, but I want to mention: using an exotic scale (or an augmented one? still exotic imo) for Night Drive is a very bold move, especially since it doesn’t sound that dark with the major third it uses here and there. It’s mostly a mysterious feeling, which I guess you were going for too. Rough Streets has a section where it sounds major-y too, when the synth is the only instrument playing, by the end of that section. A darker scale to use could be the harmonic minor, making use of that major 7 scale degree; though that could potentially become exotic too if combined with the minor 6 scale degree (they form an augmented second interval, the cornerstone of all exotic-sounding music).
The melody of Night Drive is what I guess makes it lighter or brighter in my opinion. Then again, I don’t have much ear training haha. I would have to transcribe it and analyze it, and I’m already listening to all the other submissions lol
For your first attempt at synth and electronic music, it’s awesome! You’ve done a phenomenal job at understanding the genre and replicating it. Congrats!!
Thanks!!! I honestly am very limited on my music theory, and really only know the major and harmonic minor scales. Outside of that, I just kind of write to feeling. Also, a lot of my music is pretty light and bright, so even just getting something mildly dark or mysterious is a win for me!
This was really great feedback, and definitely will push me to stretch my theory knowledge for next time!!
Heck yeah, that's the spirit!! Good luck on your music journey!! :D
I love hearing you go for a dark mood. I feel like you subverted your usual style here with a great result! I love the ascending and descending melody and bassline that creep along in Rough Streets. Very foreboding. That said, Ecstasy, Everywhere is an easy favorite for me. The limitlessness of the genre is a huge appeal to me and I think you nailed it :)
Thanks! Ecstasy, Everywhere is my favorite also, couldn't stay dark too long!