Hello Folks,
here's something I've been working with on & off for several months. The singer finally sent me completed vocals - well worth the wait - so I was able to pull it together quickly in the end.
This was built on a RealDrums base with some RealTracks that I think were two lots of background hammond organ and a piano track which has been heavily treated with active filters etc.
A Welshman named James Dodd did the guitar solos, an American named Anthony Androlunis did the vocals and vocal melody, an Australia, (& former Greencard holder),Eric Drabwell added exotic guitar bits to the outro and our own Rustyspoon provided translation into Russian which he recorded with his lovely wife.
I used a Tenori On for the exotic blips and blurps - also heavily treated. There're Mel9 tracks and a load of guitars ranging from fuzzed to Marshall 100 watt crush culture. Vantage bass, Mustang guitar and REAPER as the DAW of choice.
Audio of a cranky Cosmonaut, a Russian launch countdown, docking transport and rotary telephone were incorporated for fun & effect.
Vocals distressed and treated for the chorus and last verse using airwindows DRIVE, a JS flanger + a little whacky temporal tweaking.
I hope there's not much more to be done prior to mastering but would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.

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AND the lyrics?
In keeping with the density of the sounds and their space obsession the words aren't altogether attached to reality or stability:
Struggles of a Partially Reconstructed Male.(temporary title)
The poor quietist is not quite,
Detached from all the nettles.
Of the pale neurotic heroine,
Who’s presence tests his mettle.
Though Cubist’s eyes see plastics darts,
Spread out along the string.

In my stupor I shirk it,
Hold stoic serenity.
Pharmaceutical enhancement
Provides nothing for me
Put on my mental makeup,
Of managed reality.

Is Dharma Body a hedge fund?
Human capacity.
Recordings of her sleep talk,
Reveal how she might see me.
My beatic visions clouded,
An active principle.

SOLO

Though artist’s eyes see shiny darts,
Poison in each string.

In my stupor adoring,
Generation’s fealty.
Gothic aspirations
Sail the Holy See
Put on my mental makeup,
I manage servility.

The runaways eats chocolate
Stolen from the garage store
Shelter ‘neath the overpass
Where lovers go no more.
Unpleasant possibilities,
Potential for the past.

In my stupor I shirk it,
Hold fragile serenity.
Decomposed adrenaline
Flavours my cup of tea
Touch up my mental makeup,
A sense of civility.

One & one’s not one
One & two’s not two
You have to pick a dogma
To makes that maths come true
Simple algorithms
That make the world anew

Dang! This is the complete experience. Insane chord progression supports great rock vocal melody/performance delivering words worthy of Neil Peart that lie beyond the ability (or even the need) for instant understanding and go into orbit that may take a few more spins to juice. Production bits and fx highly entertaining. One very low bow to all involved.

Mastering suggestions? Make it louder? Up to you, boss.

Man!!!

This has to be one of the most creative songs I have ever heard on this site! I can see why it took you a few months to pull this together.

Just a fabulous listen through the headphones, so much going on! Loved everything about this from start to finish, coolest outro ever!

Mix sounds great but there are people here with more skills in that area than me so they can chime in on the subtle stuff.

Overall very much enjoyed this one, outstanding!

Wow - you absolutely knocked this one out of the park! Dave and Tangmo said it already, but the creativity here is stunning. A real breath of fresh air, not just for the forums but in general. Great right from the beginning, to that outstanding outro.

I wouldn't change a thing - thanks for sharing

Ray (& crew...),

Awesome. A totally immersive sound.

The driving guitars are really well balanced. The solo is smokin'... good bass & drums balance, too...

Good vocals, well mixed. Just the right effects on them - especially the high parts. And nice harmonies, mixed just right.

AWESOME outro.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. The rhythm and tone and melody of the song stays with you long after it is over...

fj

Ray,
Very cool sounding track, packed with creative goodness!
My opinion is that mastering can enhance it somewhat, but it is an art piece as it stands and it sounds good to me. I have heard some bootlegs of punk oriented tunes that were much better than same tunes commercially bushed. And also mr.soundcloud likes to chew up quality. In my opinion, Bandlab retains much more of original sound. Please post this when mastered, interesting to see what direction it will take.
P.S. Thank you for the invite on our small part.

Thank you for sharing!

Misha.

RayC and company,
Firtly that`s one of the best endings I`ve heard on a rock song here...that last Russian phrase still bouncing around my head.
Love the density and guitar tones and above all the energy that comes through-especially on the chorus.
I don`t have a nit - though I would say the vocal processing on the verses being noticeably cleaner than the chorus made me wonder how bit more "distressing" there might have sounded.
A very fine prodution- congrats to all participants!

Robert

This was such a creative song and the ending was really fantastic. Really loved the themes present here. Thanks for sharing!

This is an excellent song. The vocal and guitar are so well done. I think for me was the quality of the mix. This really stood out for me. Took the song to another level. So well done....

Ray & co

Just let that one wash over me. Impressive. Was waiting for the outro given the comments and was not disappointed.

The mix sounded good to me given the songs complexity.

Excellent work by all involved.

Peter

Sounds a bit like something the Psychedelic Furs mixed with X would make. Loved the Lo-Fi outro.

Thanks Tangmo,
you're very generous.
It's in the hands of the M.E. at present. He did refer a couple of problems back to me with a little dip in levels early in, some timing problems with the hihats throughout - I always have trouble with RealDrum hihats - too loud in the mix usually, and a couple of other bits I had to tweak.
I assume & hope the mastered version is louder.

THANK you very much Blue Attitude,
As mentioned above there were some mix issues I'd missed but the M.E. has the ears I pay for.

Thanks Deryk,
I appreciate your kindness.

Cheers fj,
the outro is a result of cooling my heels for a couple of months I suppose but once I'd found the launch countdown I was on a mission & built the rest up over time. Misha's input was the icing on the space cake.
The solo needed no work from a mix stand point - I threw on the PSP Vintage Warmer 2 and it was perfect.
Thanks for your kind words.

Misha,
again, thanks for your crucial part.
I will do a higher qual upload of the maste5 when it's done.
If the premaster is better - be sure to let me know.

Thank you Robert, very much indeed.
There's some distressing on the verses but only a smidge as I decided that any more stole the punch from the chorus. I did give it a shot though.

Thanks Ember,
It was a riff that had nagged me for a few weeks and it finally found its foil. Lyrically you can blame my rereading of Huxley & Orwell!

Scott,
another gentleman from Edmonton I have to thank!
(I have a good internet/musical collaboration friend in your town - Gerry Steele).
You're very kind.

Thanks Peter,
Misha's outro is outstanding I agree.

Thanks Mark,
A couple of bands I quite like so a compliment I can appreciate.

Ray,

Wow, nice work on this one—really well put together. It’s totally got a Bowie vibe to it. I was being lazy and listening to a few tunes on my laptop, but had to pull out the headphones for this one. They were worth getting up for! This totally rocks. Good stuff!

My best to you,

Deej

Well, Ray and friends - THAT IS SOMETHING !!! Very inventive, very creative, very well played and sung. Other folks have said it all - nothing I could add. A blast from start to finish. Amazing! And who am I to comment your sound and mixing job, Ray - you're the boss.

All the best,

Stefan

"In my stupor I shirk it,
Hold fragile serenity.
Decomposed adrenaline
Flavours my cup of tea
Touch up my mental makeup,
A sense of civility. "

Wow!

As Dave said "Man!!! This has to be one of the most creative songs I have ever heard on this site!"
Hard really to add to that as it says it all.

Two times through on the monitors and will play later on the "big" system but
even sans mastering this thing is HUGE.

The amount of thoughtful design/arrangement and mixing to pull this off must've been epic.

Reading the backstory made us realize very quickly that the way you produced this
is waaaaay above our production pay grade.

Rather than trying to parse out something this creatively complex we are better to just
kick back, turn it up and let it fill the room again.

Kudos to everybody who added their talent to this project!

J&B

Dear J&B,
You are very generous.
Perhaps the bombast will fade and leave not so much of value but for my part the recording was pretty quick & simple and wouldn't have happened without being able to construct a fab. RealDrums track.
Perhaps the most amusing thing in putting this together is that most of the ITB/Mixing work was required/happened in a week I had to work - called back from retirement again - so I was busy.
Thank you again for your kind comments.
The mastered version will be up this evening.

Ray and everyone,

This is an incredible listen!!!!

So much imagination bursting forth in every aspect of this creation, arrangement, production... "mind boggling" is a phrase that popped into my head. And I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. Creativity is let loose and soars! Kudos to all involved.

Regards,
Noel

rayc,

I think that you are creating a completely new rock sound by fusing progressive rock and psychedelic sound.
The guitar and vocals are powerful and wonderful.
The chord progression and melody are very creative.
The sound effects of the intro and ending give this song further specialities.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

A stellar, international collab!!! Involved talent from around the globe, and possibly some of the best acid ever produced!!......Very Trippy!! I would not mind the vocal being up a db or so. Fantastic job by all!!! Take care. Greg

When they hand out BiaB 2019 awards for "Most Bombasic and Epic", I know who's getting the prize!

Sounds like it was a lot of fun all around.

Noel,
Thanks mate: you're too kind.
I have to admit that it was a fun project.

Thank you Shigeki Adachi,
The sonic template is Hawkwind around the Quark Strangeness & Charm LP which was in 1977 I think.
Anthony creat6ed the melody. All I did was the lyrics and progression - he had the hard work.
Thanks again.

Thanks Greg,
It goes to show one doesn't need to take it to give it!
I'll pass your comments on to the collaboration team.

Thanks dcuny,
Bombast is my meat & epic describes my potatoes.
It was fun.