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AFO Album Compression Comparison

 
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FunkyVibes



Joined: 28 Oct 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Eugene, Oregon


PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:30    Reply with quote

AFO Album Compression Comparison
This post is meant to expand on the discussion regarding compression of A Funk Odyssey and the variance between the first test pressing and the final retail album release.

To make an effective comparison, I used the track 'Little L' from each album because it changed minimally between releases (as far as mixing goes).

Track without compression/brick-walling:
Little L - 1st Test Pressing (this album includes interludes)

Track has been compressed:
Little L - 6 track album sampler

Track has been further compressed (slightly):
Little L - 2nd Test Pressing (album features finalized track listing)

Track retains same compression level:
Little L - Album Version (Retail Release)

The compression level of the 1st AFO test pressing with the interludes included indicates to me that it may have been an un-mastered album version because its compression levels are very similar to other albums that had similar leaks like the self titled album Gorillaz which also had an alternate test pressing created without compression applied.
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FunkyVibes



Joined: 28 Oct 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Eugene, Oregon


PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 22:21    Reply with quote


Additionally, I took screenshots of tracks from each consecutive album to demonstrate the compression levels being applied on the music moving forward in the band's history.

Minimal compression:
When You Gonna Learn (Original Demo Mix) [Acid Jazz Label] - 1992
Again very little:
When You Gonna Learn (Album Version) - 1993
Remaster:
When You Gonna Learn (High Times Singles) - 2006
--------------------------------------
Very little compression:
Space Clav (Half the Man Single) - 1994
Very little:
Space Cowboy (Retail Album Version) - 1994
Remaster:
Space Cowboy (High Times Single) - 2006
--------------------------------------
Bullet (Virtual Insanity Single) - 1996
(High Times 2006 singles track showed similar compression):
Virtual Insanity (Retail Album Version) - 1996
--------------------------------------
Similar compression to TWM tracks - not so bad:
Falling (Retail Album Version) - 1999
More compression - great track btw, but it could really use a better mix
Supersonic (Retail Album Version) - 1999
--------------------------------------
High compression:
Little L - Album Version (Retail Release) - 2001
--------------------------------------
(Don't) Give Hate A Chance (Retail Album Version) - 2005
Interestingly, the instrumental version exhibits slightly less compression:
(Don't) Give Hate A Chance (Instrumental Version) - 2005
This remix is actually less compressed than the album version, ha!
(Don't) Give Hate A Chance (Steve Mac Classic Remix Radio Edit) - 2005
--------------------------------------
Overview:

1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1996 - 1999 - 2001 - 2005 - 2006
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Jam Vibe



Joined: 24 Apr 2015
Posts: 151


PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 22:32    Reply with quote


Thanks for the infos FunkyVibes!!!

The High Times is absolutely the worst when comes down to mastering, they simply took the organic feel from the early albums and applied some club like compression to the songs.

Now, about dynamite album, even being a very compressed album on almost all songs, i really think that some of the tracks sounds particularly good, like (Don't) Give Hate a Chance. The only disappointment is Talullah the loudness kind of kill the slow feeling of the song.
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FunkyVibes



Joined: 28 Oct 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Eugene, Oregon


PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 10:56    Reply with quote


Hey you're welcome! Smile I agree that the High Times comp is really bad and whoever was in charge didn't seem very concerned about mastering everything.

DGHAC actually doesn't sound too bad I agree. Some tracks I could never enjoy very much because of the production & compression applied to them. Like 'It Feels Just Like It Should' always grated me. The song itself is interesting and kind of experimental but the sound of it... the quality seems bad to my ears. Electric Mistress is another track that I feel could be improved by a different mix.

I felt similarly about some of AFO's songs like 'Twenty Zero One' (which i think would work better as an instrumental imo) and 'Stop Don't Panic'. 'Main Vein' to me needs a better arrangement. It sounds better as an instrumental too.
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Dye
Correspondent & Expert


Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 5146
Location: Planet Home; Buenos Aires, Argentina


PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 11:25    Reply with quote


Synkronized is, for me, the album that sounds perfect from start to finish.
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Funkalero



Joined: 13 Nov 2010
Posts: 138


PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 04:54    Reply with quote


Dye wrote:
Synkronized is, for me, the album that sounds perfect from start to finish.


I totally agree with you.
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Trolll



Joined: 27 May 2002
Posts: 335


PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 10:11    Reply with quote


Hi Funkyvibes,

Thanks for the good work! That's an interesting read.
On another note, regarding different mixes, I once had the promo 7" of Cosmic Girl (the white label 7" records for jukeboxes), and I could swear the mixing of the song was different from other releases.
If I still had that record, I'd have you try and "analyse" it the way you do, just to see if I was crazy or not (I might be...) Wink
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FunkyVibes



Joined: 28 Oct 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Eugene, Oregon


PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 03:48    Reply with quote


Funkalero wrote:
Dye wrote:
Synkronized is, for me, the album that sounds perfect from start to finish.

I totally agree with you.

For me, while I like the album & the mixing (for the most part)... it's the first album that really started to sound more processed I guess. Pro-toolish?

I also think it sounds too compressed imo.

Overall, it's a solid effort that I think was rushed due to the circumstances surrounding it. I have no doubt 'Symphonized' would have been a more polished album considering they already had 9 tracks finished before it was scrapped.

Trolll wrote:
On another note, regarding different mixes, I once had the promo 7" of Cosmic Girl (the white label 7" records for jukeboxes), and I could swear the mixing of the song was different from other releases.
If I still had that record, I'd have you try and "analyse" it the way you do, just to see if I was crazy or not (I might be...) Wink

Was it this record??
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Trolll



Joined: 27 May 2002
Posts: 335


PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 11:45    Reply with quote


Nope, that one :
https://www.discogs.com/fr/Jamiroquai-Cosmic-Girl/release/10275

The "backing vocals" on "Sends me into hyperspace / when I see her pretty face" sounded mixed differently to me on that record...
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FunkyVibes



Joined: 28 Oct 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Eugene, Oregon


PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 21:17    Reply with quote


Trolll wrote:
Nope, that one :
https://www.discogs.com/fr/Jamiroquai-Cosmic-Girl/release/10275

The "backing vocals" on "Sends me into hyperspace / when I see her pretty face" sounded mixed differently to me on that record...

Ahh... intriguing.
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Trolll



Joined: 27 May 2002
Posts: 335


PostPosted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 12:10    Reply with quote


Well, don't go and spend a lot on that record just to give it a try! Maybe it was just in my mind, but it struck me every time I listened to it, even comparing with other vinyl records...
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