The Maldives
The Dream Islands become the scene of the karmic love of the soul mate of the tour guide Salia and the local Mohamed.
In an odyssey, she battles her heart against culture and religion,
and ultimately against herself, against the backdrop of one of the world's last paradises. 
Love knows no fear. Let your faith in it grow like a flower.
Give it water, let the sun shine on it and take care of it.
At night you will not be able to see it, but it is still there.
It will take time, but you will get a sign ... - "

The song is based on the book PARADIESLEBEN by my girlfriend and author PETRA RIEWE. 
LIVING IN PARADISE shows only a part of this incredible true story.

Listen to LIVING IN PARADISE

When I told DJ LEKICH about my new project, I could only present him with a relatively poor demo. 
But he went along with it right away anyway. 
With his help, we first put the song on a completely new musical foundation. 
When DJ then presented his first vocal track, it was clear that we were on the right path. 
As a bass player, only Marty came to mind. I knew his great playing style would give the background track the right touch. 
But I also needed string accompaniment. Especially for the big finale of the song. 
Since my musical skills are not sufficient for something like that, I asked Shigeki if he would like to join the project.
Fortunately, he said yes, because his brilliant work was the missing piece of the puzzle for a fantastic song. 
I hope you like it as much as we do.

This project has been an extraordinary amount of fun.
I would like to thank everyone involved for the great collaboration.
ANDI ;-)

LIVING IN PARADISE

FEATURING

DJ LEKICH - Vocals
MARTY STRAUB - Bass
SHIGEKI ADACHI - String Accompaniment

Can you hear the waves of the ocean
They’re telling us all about our life
There are so many fantastic emotions
And the love between us must survive

But it’s not too late
To say the words to you
And I’m feeling happy
Cause the words are true

And now I’ll wait
Wait for your answer
I’ll wait for your smile

We are living in paradise
And now I’m ready to sacrifice
I’m still loving you
Still loving you

I hope that you can change your view
So that our dreams can all come true
I’m still loving you
Still loving you

Look to the sky stars are shining for us
Every light a reason for our love
Fate’s the only thing that we can trust
And for a perfect life you are enough

But it’s not too late
To say the words to you
And I’m feeling happy
Cause the words are true

And now I’ll wait
Wait for your answer
I’ll wait for your smile

We are living in paradise
And now I’m ready to sacrifice
I’m still loving you
Still loving you

I hope that you can change your view
So that our dreams can all come true
I’m still loving you
Still loving you

We are living in paradise
And now I’m ready to sacrifice
I’m still loving you
Still loving you

Our emotions are jumping high
Flying fishes for a lullaby 
I’m still loving you
I’m still loving you

****** Song Summary *************
Title: LivingInParadiseV2
File:LivingInParadiseV2.SGU
Key=D , Tempo 80, Length (m:s)=4:45
1 bar intro, 90 bar chorus, from bar 2 to bar 91. Repeat x1 chorus
Melody has 2429 notes, Melody harmony is <no harmony>(0)
Soloist track has 524 notes, Soloist harmony is <no harmony>(0)
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Song is saved with bar changes for Styles,Volume Changes,RealDrums Changes,
Style is _HARTBRK.STY

RealTracks in style: 1839:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: ~~365:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 1831:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopModernGrooveBrightA-B Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 1037:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm NorthernRockBallad Ev 065
RealTracks in song: 3438:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritPsycPopBallad Ev 065
RealTracks in song: 1543:Synth Pad, PopBelieve Ev16 065
RealDrums in song: RockBritDrivingEv16^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride

*******************

LIVING IN PARADISE
Music by Andreas Melzer
Lyrics by Andreas Melzer & Petra Riewe
©2022 by PROJECT M

Andi,

Pretty song with a great intro! I like the different type of chord structure in the verses! Nice work with your synth sounds! Vocals sound really good Deej! Marty once again delivers some great bass work! Andi, I feel this is some of your best work that I've heard! It's a very good song!

Thanks, Torrey

Edit: I didn't realize that the strings were done by Shigeki. They are wonderfully done!

Wow, what a nice surprise! This is EPIC Andi.

We enjoyed the backstory and know you must be very proud of your girlfriend’s book.

Deej’s passionate lyric interpretation is great. Marty’s bass is smooth as butter. Shigeki’s strings truly were the icing on the cake.

And, of course, your lyric and BiaB tracks are the wonderful cake.
Great drums and a very good mix.

Awesome collaboration!

J&B

Andi...what a gorgeous piece of music...and super arrangement...Deej's vocals are killer and you can never go wrong with Marty playing bass...I love ethereal songs with sound effects if their done right and the ocean sounds are so appropriate to lead in and out of the song...love the melody and you're right the strings always cap off a soaring chorus...just super all round!! BRAVO!...Dan

A great ballad with interesting chord changes and top-notch performances of all artists. Well done Andi!

After the modulation DJ's vocal gets even more interesting!

Another solid and effective bass guitar by Marty :-). The strings section done by Shigeki is beautiful and indeed is the icing on the cake.

Who, or which BIAB soloist is doing the lead electric guitar?

Rob

Hi Andi,

Good song, chords and chorus with a pro-level mix.

Well done.

Best Regards
Nigel

Great collaboration.
The vocal is a little strident and could be EQ'd to deal with that, (some where between 750Hz & 1.2Khz), though it might also be the result of limiter clipping - it's a hot mix.Lots of dunamics - so not brickwalled or crushed but HOT.
Shigeki's strings are cool & inventive as always, Marty's bass is solid with the right notes in the right places and cool phrasing, Deej's voice and expression are always a joy.
Very cool song Andi.
The backstory made me think I was reading a Justanoldmuso post for a moment but it didn't end in caveats so was refreshing.

Lyrically the "...I'm still loving..." bothers me as it suggests impermanence or, even worse, a situation that'll change if circumstances don't suit the narrator.
That's just me grinding against modern idioms like impermanent verbs and "being there".

The whole mix is solid though the rhythm section does come in quite strongly & suddenly plus the rim shot is really loud and dominant.

The intro sound FX were, to me, vaguely amusing/ominous given that The Maldives is slowly, but inexorably, being inundated by rising sea levels.

I came back to listen again as it's a sweet song. I tried to tame the distortion/clipping and the rim shot with EQ across the stereo mix.
It was interesting that with everything flat and no gain it popped into the red a fair bit. with the EQ subtraction it wasn't as often so the unpleasant sounds may be in the player rather than the mastering but the high level would cause that in most players until the volume is reached for. I've inserted an image of the EQ I used. The deep notch for the rim shot is over doing it but all I could do in a stereo mix...in the mixing project it's be a simple level thing I assume.

Andi

Superb collaboration, epic vocal by Deej, excellent bass and the strings by Shigeki are wonderful.

Very well done by all.

Peter

Andi,

WOW. That is a BIG sound!

Terrific work by everyone involved.
Deej's vocals are excellent.
Marty's Bass sounds great.
Shigeki Adachi's string are beautiful.

Nice song.
Excellent mix.

An amazing collaboration.

fj

Nice sounding mix in the cans.

Aside from a few of the verse lines that sound awkwardly phrased or maybe rushed.... this is a good job by all involved.

Nice atmospheric track. Great sound

Hi Andi,

Well you did it again, finding the right musicians for your song. You are very good at that!
And they are very good in what they did, Marty, Deej and Shigeki!

I enjoyed the song and it's build upo very much. At first Deej sings a bit under his favorite key, but that was needed for the finale. And what a finale it was!
Marty is always steady in what he does. Playing the bass creativly. And Shigeki's strings were indispensable in this epic song.
Still, the thunder at the end didn't promise much good...

Enjoy your day,
Hans

Hi Andi really great work on this peace the best to date so well done love it thanks for sharing Eric

Very nice to read that you have got so many talented musicians to join your project. The end result sound really good, excellent collaboration, everything and everybody works together, romantic story with beautiful melody, enjoyable chord progression and great selection of instruments and artists. Deej's vocals are great as always, but I agree with Hans that the song key was bit low for his range.

Janne

Fantastic Andi. Great ideas and loved the process - two writers to draw from with you and your girlfriend make a great and original story. You cannot ever go wrong with Deej on vocals. The mix was perfect (IMHO). Marty always puts down a great bass line, but I loved the way you had it stand out in the mix - and the strings - terrific! The modulation at the end was great, and though I didn't understand if the thunder was trying to bring out something more of the story, but I hadn't expected the ocean outro and it sounded good. Another great collaboration project!

Andi.

your songs are always different/unique.

3m12secs on very nice....loved the high vocs at the song outtro.


happiness.
om

What a fantastic collaboration
Super vocal
Outstanding backing band
The mix is spot on

This is what happens when outstanding musicians get together

Loved it

Your best yet I think, Andi!

Petra did a good job on the write, and you did a good job with the music.

Deej has such a great, signature sound, and man, he nailed the vocal!

Strings sound perfect, and of course Marty is the man when it comes to bass.

Excellent!

Lovely song Andi. Super collaboration. Deej's vocal was perfect for the song and Marty's basslines sweetened the song. Awesome lyric. Well done

Hi Torrey
Thanks for your great words
To get praise from such a top musician is already great
I think I speak for everyone involved when I say I'm glad you enjoyed it.
By the way: If I had composed the string accompaniment, your feedback would not have been so positive ;-))))
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hey This is great. Some of my favorite people!

Shigeki, Marty, and DJ and Andi!!

Outstanding production!!!!

I almost skipped your song because during the first verse I thought "okay, nicely done, but it's not for me"...

But starting with "But it's no too late" you had me, it's a really good song and I enjoyed it a lot and listened to it a second time...

Hello Janice and Bud
Really great that you like the song
DJ, Marty and Shigeki are really fun to work with.
Of course you can hear that in the final result
Thanks a lot
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Really nice song.......has a retro dreamy quality!!! There is a bit of an old Bee Gees feel in the vocal and the melody.....very nice!!! To me, the drum may be a bit loud or too aggressive for the song. Really beautiful work!!! Take care. Greg

Hello Rob
thanks for your feedback
The guitar solo is from BiaB
I added the name of the realtrack in the info text
Actually I wanted a solo from a guitarist.
But I liked the one from BiaB so much that I took it ;-)
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Deej always does a good job.
Well done both.

Vic

Hi Dan
Thanks for your great feedback and your nice words
I appreciate that very much
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Nigel
Thank you for the nice Feedback.
Great that you like the song.
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

"Battling culture and religion" is something we should all do, and when it leads to battling our self, we should fight even stronger. Andi, you KNOW how much I like this song, and how thrilled I am you invited me along. Your songs are very inspirational and on this one you gleaned extra inspiration from your girlfriend and her book. What a masterful job of selecting Deej and Shigeki. Man, it was fun hearing this song develop. You had a firm idea right from the start, and really did a great job getting us all to read from the same page. Well done on so many levels.

Now about the book: I bought the kindle version in German of course. Now I just have to find someone to read it to me. Ya busy?

Thanks again, brother.

Hello Ray
thank you for your detailed and good feedback
And nice that you like the song
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Gorgeous. One of the best sounding tracks I've heard on here. And Deej my goodness what a climb and big finish on that vocal - standing O from me.
Well done guys!
Josie

Hi Peter
Thanks for your feedback
Yes, Deej, Marty and Shigeki really did a fantastic job.
Great that you like the song
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Floyd
I'm really happy that you like the song so much
Thanks for your great feedback
I appreciate it very much
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Andi, Marty, Deej & Shigecki


What a gorgeous, big sound! This is a wonderful collaboration. Everyone's contribution added the perfect touch and dynamics. Always great to hear really nice collabs from folks all around the globe - in this case Germany, Japan & US. That covers a lot of the globe. Really nice, gentlemen.

Alan

Good feel and vibe to be sure! Like the modulation for the last chorus. Strong vocals!

Absolutely fantastic in all aspects. This is one of your finest compositions, Andi. Production is clean and I love the build in the second half of the song. Deej's vocal is spot on.

Stunning performance and production. Enjoyed my listen.

Charlie

Hi Herb
Thanks for your feedback
Nice that you like the song on the whole
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Andi, Marty, Deej & Shigecki,
A wonderful collaboration with a cool personal backstory I`m glad you shared.
Deej delivers an absolutely standout vocal on a good song with a big sound.
Very, very good work by all!

Robert

Thanks for the feedback
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Hans
Thank you very much for your great Feedback.
The guys will be happy about that
Yes you are right
The thunder really does not mean anything good...
You can ask Marty what it is all about.
He bought the German book the song is based on ;-)))))))))
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Eric
Thank you for the great Feedback.
Very cool that you like the song.
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Lovely. Touches of Peter Sarstedt. This is my favourite type of music

Hi Janne
Thanks for your great feedback
Cool that you like the song
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Brad
Thanks for your great feedback
I'm sure the guys are happy about it
The song is just an excerpt from the book
And the thunder introduces a dramatic twist in the story ....
It's a pity that the book is not available in English.
Take care of yourself
Greetings my friend
Andi ;-)

Hi om
Thanks for your great feedback
I am very happy that you like the song
Thanks a lot
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hello Mario
Thanks for your great feedback
All involved will be happy about it
Thanks a lot
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Dave
Thanks for your great feedback
We all are of course very happy when people
find the song as great as we do.
Thank you very much, I appreciate it
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Very nice.
To me, the vocal seems a little in the background but that could be a matter of taste.

Vic

Hi Scott
Thanks for the great feedback
Really nice that you liked the song AND also the lyrics
I appreciate it very much Scott
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Project M,

Very endearing melody. The arrangement is flawless. Your voice is perfect and blends perfectly with the orchestral coloring of your piece. It's really lively and well done. I appreciated.

Kindly regard
Derochette
alias JaniJackFlash

Great production, this was obviously a Showcase Forum All-Stars effort. I usually listen before reading and I thought for a second that you were sounding like Deej before realizing that it was indeed Deej singing. Can't say enough good things about this one. This is your magnum opus for sure. Well done!

Andi, Deej, Marty & Shigeki Adachi
Wonderful collaboration! Everyone sound great and add their unique talents to the project. A true multinational tune. Listens very well.
Thank you for sharing.
Misha.

Hello David
Thanks for your great feedback
I hope you will be back for the next big project.
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hello B.D.
thank you for your feedback
I'm glad to hear that the song was able to correct your negative first impression.
To be honest I also have to like a song from the beginning otherwise it has a hard time with me ;-)))
But that is often a mistake
Thank you very much!
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Greg
Thanks for your feedback
DeeJ will be happy about that ;-)
Yes, the drums are pretty strong - I think the song can take it
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Thank you very much Vic

Looks like I missed this when it first came around, so I'm glad it popped up again.

Excellent collaboration, sounds great in my headphones. Love the build, the vocals, the guitar, and the strings...

Impressive!

Hi Marty
Glad you had so much fun too.
Yes, this song is something special.
When I played it for the first time with the guitar to Petra, I could tell by her reaction that I'm on the right track.
And with you, DeeJ and Shigeki it became perfect.
working with you is just a pleasure anyway ;-)
Now about your book:
Petra has also spoken an audio book version.
IN GERMAN ;-)))
Greetings my friend
Andi ;-)

Theres a lot of good in this work.

Great track with a lot of flavors.

A few that caught me are, solid lyrics, the climb, great solos,

The build to a powerfully delivered vocal in the chorus.

Thanks for sharing

Hi Josie
Of course we are all happy about such a great feedback
Very nice that you liked the song so much
Thanks a lot
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Vow ! Pro in everyway, beautiful melody too.

Jona

Hi Al
Hope you are well
Thanks for this great feedback
Really great that you liked the song so much
I really appreciate your comments Al - thank you so much !
Viele Grüße
Andi ;-)

Hi Dewey
Thanks for your feedback
Nice that you liked the song
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hi Scott
Thanks for your great feedback
Very nice that you liked the song so much
Stay healthy.
Many greetings
Andi ;-)