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Artist Name: Nikki-Layne
Track Name: Zecora's Playground

I really am just hoping to get some good feedback here. I don't expect to be featured in your blog, as I am neither experienced nor proficient, but as a producer I have learned that there are few ways to improve quite so quickly as to have your work be critically and objectively critiqued by a more experienced artist. So, I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to run this wonderful blog. It is a great idea, and I hope everything works out for you.

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When people ask me what's missing from the brony music scene, I have several answers. One of those answers is "inspiration". Brony Music Spotlight opens its doors to its first musicians today, Nikki-Layne and Aphelion, and inspiration is the name of the game.

The track starts off pretty typical, a persistent booming kick that's characterized so many EDM tracks. Around 0:08, that's when the inspiration starts, and it doesn't let up until the tracks over. The track maintains a slow, steady build-up, bringing ethnic instrumentation to a rather basic synth line than encompasses a good portion of the track, with some clever use of modulation to prevent it from getting overly repetitive. The track progresses very nicely throughout while still maintaining a relatively low-key "jungle" feel. Subtle pad use, careful placement of additive percussion, and attention to detail regarding panning and effects help preserve a full soundscape, which otherwise might not be possible considering the almost entire lack of a low-end save for the kick.

This certainly isn't the tightest EDM production you'll hear, with some odd mixing mainly regarding that main synthline that serves as the lead element for the bulk of the track. And though the wide variety of ethnic instrumentation and careful consideration of panning and effects filled out the soundscape pretty well, the lack of a bass is off-putting and introduction of a bass track, if only subtly, could have done this track a lot of good. What's claimed as a bassline is actually very light on the low frequencies, creating emptiness on the low-end of the track overall.

Though production could definitely be better in some areas (future submitters: consider this track's production values a baseline for where your production values should be to be considered for BMS, because this track's borderline in that area), the composition is booming with a clear vision. This track is more inspired than many you'll find in the music community. Kudos to Nikki Layne and Aphelion for pumping out a track that cuts through the noise and delivers something new, and here's hoping we get some sharper stuff from them in the future.

-DusK