Another tape cover: The Twins - "Love System"

[adamstan]

Something for Italo lovers


Here is the first recording when I thought "gee, it would be nice to have 16 track" There was a lot of bouncing needed to fit onto 8 tracks.

I started by recording bass (Korg Poly 61) kick (Solton Programmer 24) and scratch hihat track (Vermona DRM, which was also clock source) on tracks 1-3. Next step was to add snare (by hitting a pad connected to EDD5 analog drum synth) on track 4. Then I flipped the tape over, and recorded reversed snares in bridge on track 5. After that I replaced hihat track with Roland TR626 (triggering it manually from it's built-in pads) and added another snare drum layer, also from 626 on track 6. Then I bounced drums in stereo to tracks 7-8, while overdubbing TR626 crash, cowbell and handclap on top of them.

Keyboard parts were also layered and bounced, and finally they landed on tracks 4-6:
- track 4: B5 bell and B5 PWM strings
- track 5: Poly61 brass and DX7 EP
- track 6: B5 strings and reso pad in bridge (they are variations of the same patch, just with different filter settings)

And finally I recorded voice on tracks 2 and 3.

That makes at least 14 layers, and it would be nice to add some more backing vocals, but there was no room on tape So 16 track would be ideal. OTOH - squeezing it all into 8 was fun

[jxalex]

You got it very well done. That tune is something which I remember very precisely in details (until I began to understand lyrics then I see that the Twins ruined that synthesizer _sound_ ).

This also matches better to your voice. Real Life was little bit too high for Your voice I think.
Also I think that in this tune YOUR voice sounds better together with the synthesizer sound background and integrates better than The Twins lead singer itself
Still, The Twins ruined the whole thing becouse of their crappy lyrics in the past (like most italo tunes are so).


What I like with Your covers is that You really pay attention to these small subtle details in the original tunes. Most of the youtube video authors just in every situation where it needs just more work and effort, just back off (or do it loose way).

I think the good match to Your tonal range are:
George Gray - Life
Camouflage - The great commandment
Yazoo - Happy People
(the italo cover was by Harko - Happy People).
and some Michael Cretu tunes too in a lower key.

[adamstan]

Yes, most of the italo lyrics are horrible - it's difficult to sing them with straight face

Also I think that in this tune YOUR voice sounds better together with the synthesizer sound background and integrates better than The Twins lead singer itself

Thanks - that's something

As for the key and my voice - yes, "Send me an angel" was a bit on the high side, and additionally I was almost screaming there. Doing this tune, I took different approach - I put on headphones, turned up the monitor bus, got pretty close to the mike and sang quietly and softly.

[vicd]

...and some Michael Cretu tunes too in a lower key.

Spot on!
I'd be curious to listen to your interpretations of Angel 07 - or Captain Right. Or maybe even of the Silent Warrior.

[mdannyg]

This is so good and fun, I also like it better than the original. Especially prefer the way you say "don't get left on the shelf".

[Music Bird]

Your cover sounded just as good as the original, and the original used a PPG Wave 2.2 at least in the video, which is pretty cool that your DIY synth sounded similar.
Other songs I would recommend would be some Yazoo songs in a lower key. I'd love to see Situation, Walk Away From Love, Don't Go, Happy People, or Nobody's Diary, some of those songs you would sound good singing in a lower key, except like they said, Happy People too.

[adamstan]

Thanks

Something from Yazoo might be a good idea. I'm also thinking about Secret Service. "Flash in the night" maybe? Or "Fire into ice"?

[jxalex]

Secret Service is a way little high for Your voice, also they have most of them in the same key
even this is on a lower key:
total tolly - oriental acupuncture
Avalance - Johnny Johnny come home

Secret Service has atleast 3 different versions of "Visions Of You"
(the first was by Håkansson himself, the second one of was arranged for duet "Katz", and the third is
Filippa Rundqvist - Visioner

)



Something more which is perhaps for You:
TWO OF US - My inner voices
Pseudo Echo - I will be You
MARTINELLI - Cinderella
(thats perhaps a somewhat low key to you?)
Angie van Burg - Lady in White
Mixed Emotions - So Close to Heaven
Début De Soirée - Nuit De Folie
Silicon Dream - Andromeda
Silicon Dream - Prima Ballerina
DIgital Emotion - Dance to the Music
(or whatever whichever Al Corley tracks)