Chic's Road Reviewed by Taxi

My song Chic's Road was reviewed by Taxi (The World's Leading Independent A&R Company).


Style
In my opinion, this has definite elements of House and Jazz. I would agree with how your bio describes your style, as a mix of a number or influences.

Melody
There are lots of tasty melodies executed by the various instruments. In particular, the sax and flute lines are fluid and emotively performed. The synth bass works well and plays some cool funky lines. To me it seems like you could perhaps use one main distinct melodic hook to give the overall song a touch more memorability.

Structure
The arrangement has a smooth flow and you do a nice job of letting various sonic elements get "showcased" as the track progresses by breaking down the mix and adding and subtracting components. One thought is that you could consider adding a bit more chordal contrast between sections- in other words, have another part that is distinct from the chord changes now. For instance, you could create sort of a "bridge" section, where you take your listener pretty far out, and then bang them over the head with the main chord changes- just a thought!

Lyric
Not applicable, but on that subject, I think this could make a cool bed of music for a rapper to put some flows overtop. Could make a nice remix.

Title
Very unique title, and I feel it fits the song.


Overall Comments

Miguel,

This is a really groovy track that creates a hypnotic effect. You sound like you've been honing your skills for a while- this is tight and well-crafted. Great danceable groove. My philosophy is that each instrument should be considered as part of the rhythm section (not just the bass and drums), and this track is a good example of that. One part that stands out to me as maybe not being quite as strong as the other components, is the electric guitar line that comes in (the more "lead" sounding part that happens in the last third of the track). It's a soulful line, but it feels to me like there might be an alternative to the note choices that might work slightly better. Also, the tone almost sounds too overly staccato, to my ears. I think that part works OK, but just not quite as well as the other elements.

The musicianship of the performances is impressive, and I love all of the subtle ear candy. Regarding my comment on the melodies, as well as the idea of considering another contrasting chord change- I think what you have here is appropriate to the genre of the track, where it's really more about the overall killer groove, as opposed to getting a hook stuck in your listener's head. That said, I do feel it is possible to achieve a balance where you're hypnotizing your listener with the groove, but where you also leave them with a memorable melody that gets driven home through plenty of repetition. In that sense, I do feel that you might add to the impact of the song with a bit more of a melodic theme that reoccurs. It can even be ultra simple. The same goes for an additional chord change- it's not necessary, but it might potentially make the song even more engaging.

Overall, very nice work here Miguel. You exhibit plenty of talent, and it sounds like you put your heart into what you do. I hope these comments and suggestions are helpful, and of course, ultimately go with what feels most "right" to you. Best, and keep listening, reading, and writing!