Composer Reacts to Polyphia - Playing God (REACTION & ANALYSIS)
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- Опубліковано 10 чер 2024
- Bryan reacts to and talks about his thoughts on Polyphia - Playing God (Official Music Video)
ORIGINAL VIDEO // • Polyphia - Playing God...
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0:00 Intro
0:43 Reaction
4:11 Analysis - Very Polyphia
6:53 Analysis - Hyper Technical
9:00 Analysis - Contrasting Compositional Styles
14:59 Analysis - The Narrative of the Song
18:09 Analysis - Beautiful Melodic Drumming
22:33 Outro
One thing to note is that imo, the first listen of any polyphia song is the worst. It’s a lot to process, so it’s like my brain doesn’t understand it the first time around. By like the third listen it sounds so much better because by then it all makes sense to me. That makes the technically a huge plus because it lets them put in so many little moments that sound great that you wouldn’t catch or even hear properly on the first listen. That dense quality makes the first listen tough, but after that there’s more in there for me to love than any other kind of song
for me this song i didnt expect the transition to the latin american \ jazzy section cause it was just chords and to me it actually appeared really simple to me -> in terms of technical playing
like i did not expect to feel like im on a beach
but then after several listens and more experienced guitarist reactions explaining the song i appreciate every part of the song even more
This is true for me, even the 'main' riff took me a few listens to really understand. Now it's super catchy to me!
This track is a jazz fusion/flamenco nuevo song in a pop/trap template. Very digestible song length, catchy melodies while still being instrumentally intricate. Polyphia are very much a love it or hate it kind of band. For me, I love it, because it's djenty, intricate, technical, catchy, vibrant, uplifting, all things I like in my music. Hense I am a big fan haha.
The best breakdown of the song so far. This to me is polyphia perfecting polyphia
Are they really a love or hate band though? My feelings on Polyphia are similar to Bryan's in that they are technically impressive and pleasant to listen to, but I've never emotionally connected with much of their music. I would still never say I 'hate' them nor do I love them.
I definitely sit in the middle ground for them. I enjoy what they do but none of it catches me as something I need more of after I've heard a single. It's impressive, groovy, and uplifting; but always bounces off of me.
It is like First Fragment without distortion :D
Brian! Really been enjoying your channel, been going through all your older videos and getting some new perspectives on bands that I have listened to for years. Thanks for the content my dude and keep it up!
All that to say I believe its time you revisit Native Construct, either a full album listen through of Quiet World, or at the least their magnum opus finisher, Chromatic Aberration.
Quiet World is on my list. I've kept meaning to get back to it and it just never happened. But now that I'm doing album reviews I'm saving it for that. I'm beyond stoked to return to their work.
I love the direction they are going in. More Al Di Meola/John McLaughlin fusion type stuff with trap grooves.
Could they top Passion, Grace, Fire 🤔Might be possible if they keep this up 🙄
I don't hear much McLaughlin, at least not if we're talking about his Davis/Mahavishnu material. Al Di Meola is more on point, and that may explain why I don't care for them since I don't care for Al Di Meola either (give me Holdsworth for fusion guitarists).
@@jonathanhenderson9422 yeah I meant those guitar trio albums that Al and John did alongside Paco. Very flamenco, latin inspired guitar lines.
The laidback comment is actually so true. Then you look at Manuel from Unprocessed who looks like he's fighting for his life wheenever he does percussive strumming
There's a fully acoustic, drum-focused playthrough on Polyphia's channel now, if you wanna check that out in your own time or for a video 👍
Not sure how they get the sound they have in the song, though.
It will be on the new album as far as I know (not entirely confirmed). It’ll have a ton of different styles on it so even if it’s not really for you, it should be a very interesting listen unlike anything you’ve heard, so definitely check it out. Their music has never really been made for emotional purposes though, so keep that in mind. It’s just not really what they’re trying to do, although I bet they could if they wanted to. Maybe since the new album will have vocal features there’ll be something better for you in that aspect
Unprocessed, CHON, and Syncato (Charlie Robbins) are probably the most similar acts you'll find.
I really think you should check out something off their second album "Renaissance". Song structure and story line is much better. My favorite tracks from that album are "Amour" and "Nightmare". Great melodies and not as crazy technical for just the sake of being technical.
Also, I call Polyphia's genre "Inter-dimensional Elevator Music".
Agree, Polyphia wasn't always hip hop influenced. Muse and Renaissance was what I originally loved and then it took me some time to get into their music, Most Hated EP onward.
Amour Gang.
Interdimensional Elevator Music is perfect. It's digestible, palatable, and groovy but something that works so well in the background.
@@TundraCH it was the opposite for me, I oversaturated myself with distortion and shred guitar growing up. So I wasn't interested much in polyphia until TMH
Atlas Novus by Scale the Summit is still my favorite song of this entire modern instrumental genre. It's a masterclass in composition and depth, rivalled only by Cloudkicker's best moments.
I am only now watching your reaction to this. One group, or actually a piece from them that crossed to my mind would be "Romantic Warrior" by Return To Forever. It is also the title song of their album as well. They utilize many styles in that piece including Latin music.
i love trap, groove and jazz, this song is the best kind of music for me
but yes their music does not follow the traditional way that has a story with ups and downs
so the best way to do it may be that the story is told through out the album, every piece is just a part of the story
I'm gonna give their upcoming album a listen (if this is an indication of an upcoming one). Their singles haven't really enticed me but maybe, like you said, it's more of a whole album experience to best enjoy their work.
Wow, I really enjoyed this analysis, I think you were spot on with pretty much everything you covered!
If your interested imo, I absolutely related to the "emotion" topic in their compositions, I have a cyclical pattern of getting heavily into their music, then feeling a little hollow after hyperfocusing on them, giving myself some time away from them then coming back. I think this is due to the lack of emotional substance like you'd said, they seem very conceptual in nature - but one thing I always get a sense of (and really appreciate) about their music is a sense of legacy, a strong emotional tie I experience in all of their music is the desire to make a legacy of themselves with their technical performance and musical capability; as an aspiring young artist I genuinely enjoy and gravitate towards this energy, and it's another draw I feel to their music.
I do think a reason behind the shift in this particular song was to illustrate the tonal difference between "hell" and "heaven" - it's a motif in many of their songs, and the slightly minor leaning to slightly major leaning vibe of each half is the collision between the ethereal bodies, much like the cover for this single! I hope this makes sense, but that was my interpretation :)
You're spot on about legacy. I don't know if that is specifically what they are aiming to do but even now, years after GOAT increased their popularity, there still isn't anyone doing what Polyphia is doing. Bands like Unprocessed have taken to emulating them but no one has quite reached that point of doing exactly what they do. Whether they keep improving or quit playing tomorrow, they're name will forever be tied to the beginning of this style of playing.
@@CriticalReactions Wow, I greatly appreciate the reply [thanks for taking the time to respond :)]! Absolutely, they've already been etched into history, whether it be in the realm of progressive rock, instrumental technique (drumming and bass playing included with the guitar), or in musical innovation in general. I think many of us can't even fathom what they'll take up next, and although their focus isn't specifically on emotional expression or intricate story-building, I can't help but wait in anticipation for how they'll continuously break new musical ceilings!
Check out Clay's drum playtrough. Amazing.
You should totally do Gaahls Wyrd - carving the voices, that's a really beautiful song
Tim Henson is a guitar wizard of the dark arts.
Totally agree. Every time I see him play my jaw drops despite knowing exactly what I'm in store for.
To me, the second half switched melody tot he whistle/synth and the guitars became texture elements instead of melody.
Hey is it possible to react ost from Attack on titan such as vogel im kafig or youseebiggirl? Thanks ! :)
Try Abigor - Scars in the Landscape of God next. Great medieval -sounding black metal from Austria.
I'm with you on Polyphia: their technical skill is absolutely stunning and the music is pleasant. But there isn't anything beyond that for me. Most of the time when I listen to music, I'm looking for some kind of emotional connection, and so far Polyphia have yet to do that. But I have the same issue with a lot of math-rock-like bands.
Did you listen to their second album, Renaissance?
well, something that technical can't be really emotional I assume, but I think Polyphia's music is kinda musician-oriented than made for mainstream purposes.
@@mottachcaphevangve2007 I very much disagree that technicality can't be emotional. Beethoven's Grosse Fugue comes immediately to mind.
@@ThaBeatConductor i've heard random/scattered songs of theirs, so i'm not sure if any of them were from that album
@@articircle the further back you go into polyphia's discography the more distortion and shred you'll find
For your tastes, as a big Polyphia fan, I might suggest the album Renaissance, for good measure, but unnecessary, you could listen to Muse, Renaissance and then The Most Hated in that order to hear how they developed their current sound, and of course New Levels New Devils is the album GOAT is on. Technically, The Most Hated is an EP, but I definitely recommend listening to it because it served as sort of a precursor to what was to come later. IMO, how their sound has evolved over the years is the real story behind the music. Except "So Strange" off NLND, that one does have lyrics and a story, and Tim Henson talked about it's meaning on Twitch one time though that was more about an idea he had for a music video.
The answer to the question about the electric/acoustic tone to the drummer's sound - It's a hybrid mix of his actual acoustic drum recordings with certain notes doubled up in a DAW with samples in post, and carefully blended by an expert mixer.
ua-cam.com/video/3D_Phw8ib9I/v-deo.html
this is technical and musically pleasing. It's not technical for the sake of being technical, in fact it's still played in 4/4 so it's nothing like mathrock aside from the technicality, and technical music has existed long before mathrock.
To me this seems like the ideal that most musicians strive for- something different new and fresh, that most people can jive to the groove of (which I think it's why they keep their songs in the ubiquitous 4/4 structure), that also can demonstrate the chops the artists have developed after years and tens of thousands of hours of perfecting their technique. It's also combining modern influences that people recognize with some old school influences that add a lot of flavor.
All the while maintaining a recognizable sound that people can listen to and immediately pinpoint the band that's playing it.
I can't stress how incredibly difficult this all is to accomplish. It's so difficult that while many bands manage to capture some aspects of this, none that I've seen except Polyphia encapsulate them all.
You may not personally like their sound, but the fact is that it's accessible to most people proven in the fact that they've managed to blow up so big as an INSTRUMENTAL band. That literally never happens, certainly not to this level since fucking Beethoven.
You may not like the music, but as a musician you've got to respect what they've accomplished.
I recommend you to react to Gaerea -Limbo (full album) or "to ain"-song from this album, they are black metal band from portugal and i would like you to check it out
since you have reacted to some black metal i think you should check out this song called 'Magical Shadows of my Tragic Past' by Mutiilation one of the first DSBM bands
Check out the new Jason Richardson Luke holland song.
Lot of people mentioning how they focus on the technical- and its hard to find an emotional narrative with polyphia. I hear it quite a bit that polyphia doesnt seen to have a direction, and i have no reason to disagree- i cant describe what the song is telling me.
But i also ask- why do i fucking love listening to it so much? Perhaps its supposed to be undescribable- just a feeling you have of comfort. Everything sounds so nice to listen to and i dont mind not being able to describe it. One guy commented that it didnt really have an ending, it "meandered" when it was giving off "iced tea on the beach vibes" haha. I said that i thought it drew inspiration from the "Lo-Fi" genre. It's similar to EDM where it doesnt have a story to latch on to other that the audio sample in the beginning that forces you to have that narrative but musically I'd say its all just comfort music.
That's it- it's just really comforting music and they put everything so well together its soooo satisfying to listen to.
I can totally appreciate this. By now I think I can make the observation that this is exactly the kind of music they want to make. It's not an experimental phase or anything; they make quick dips into technical flair without much care or attention to direction or structural flow. It's all about the "right here, right now." And that's fine, even if it doesn't quite resonate with me.
Alcest - Ecailles De Lune full album analysis
Please react to Marcin Patrzałek - Master of Puppets or Aerials. It's so 🔥🔥 🔥
A band like Polyphia would be someone like Covet.
Yeah, this doesn't alter my perception of Polyphia much either and I'm still more miss than hit with them. I can very much appreciate their technical skill and they do come up with some interesting ideas due to that technicality, but musically they seem to drift between muzak and sections where the only thing of interest is the technicality; so we seem to agree on this one. I can totally get why people who love that technicality and the particular musicality that comes from it would love them more than I (we) do.
I think it sounds really good, but would never put their stuff on my playlist. Take a rap album and remove the lyrics and you basically get this, it's just a beat. You can definitely tell a story through instrumentals, but Polyphia doesn't seem to even attempt to do that.
That change in the middle section makes me think of K-pop (and Doramas).
I'm unfamiliar with K-pop song stucture but I'm guessing it's common for wild style changes mid-song?
@@CriticalReactions I'm not an expert on the genre either, but I was thinking more of the mood of that section.
So, I don't actually see this song as a 'technical flex' the same way as say 'G.O.A.T.'. It is highly technical, but I don't get the impression that was the point. Now, despite how much I love how beautifully put together the song is, the 'girl from Ipanema' section is by far my least favorite. With the whistles, and the synth, and a progression that has been used (more or less) a million times, it basically sounds like menu music from a Grand Turismo game. This is my one real complaint about Polyphia. They are undeniably brilliant, but it seems like a limited breadth of experience leads them to places that are a bit gimmicky.
Booo thought we were getting slice the cake a week early lol
Sorry man. But next Saturday will be Slice the Cake. I promise. No more tricks :)
So much happening and so little I care to notice. So many ideas and it all sounds the same to me. I feel like the guy complaining to Mozart about too many notes.
I don't fall into the "so little I care to notice" camp but I do have difficulties connecting it it. I wonder what would happen if I slowed it down and give the ideas to breathe, maybe making small tweaks since I'm sure some of the ideas are based around the speed of flow.
@@CriticalReactions I don't know if it's a case of an uneducated ear not being able to appreciate what they're doing, or if they're filling empty space with stylistic flourishes, but I definitely suspect the later. Reckon too much of my early education in music came from punk-influenced stuff, so I'm suspicious and even a bit contemptious of classical virtuosity (except for the Denzel/Crowe film, "You're the only guy on my dance card, Parker").
"Love the drum work" Yet, I hate the production and mixing of the drums. I get what they were going for: sample replacement to get that EDM sound out of the drums which is not a bad idea to contrast against the acoustic guitars. But whoever mixed it just completely overwhelmed the mix with the drum kick to me it's almost unbearable to listen to. On repeat listens of the track on lower volume and EQ adjusted to take some of it out I can honestly say the musicianship of everyone where, yes including the drummer, it's stellar.
However it's a rare case where bad production all but ruins the track for me.
EDIT: 19:21 it can be both: it's performed on an acoustic drum kit but can use drum triggers and sample replacement. It's not the easiest to get right unless you dedicate a lot of time to isolating the cymbals so you definitively need a music producer or very dedicated drummer but you can play the song on the acoustic drum set then replace in this case the drum kick and tom toms (Snare doesn't sounds like it was sample-replaced but could have been idk) for electronic sample drums that give you that drum machine sound of EDM that you hear on the track.
And it doesn't *has* to be post recording you could do this live too: Most extreme metal drummers use sample replacement for kick drums live to get a better sound out of the insane speeds that otherwise would loose some of the bottom end because of how fast they are. You connect the drum triggers to a midi device that sample replaces the kick sound entirely and then you can mix how much of the actual kit you want and how much of the sample you want. Only difference is that extreme metal drummers usually just replace the kick drum with a sample of their own kit anyway and just put it there to have a more consistent and bigger sound where here it's being mixed/replaced by a drum machine type of sample instead.
OK, I had heard the term "drum triggers" before but didn't realize it was basically merging an acoustic kit into an electronic one. Even cooler is being able to mix the two independently as the engineer is getting the mic'ed acoustic plus a MIDI signal.
@@CriticalReactions Update for you: now we actually *have* a drum playthrough and he's using an acoustic set so you can tell they did exactly what I suggested and use trigger to mix in sample replacement for the drums. Here's the link ua-cam.com/video/3D_Phw8ib9I/v-deo.html
@@dimitriid Yup, good call on that. I don't know which I like better yet though. The sample replacement fits their vibe better but I really like the warmth of the acoustic.
These dudes are talented, but all their shit sounds the same and lacks emotion.
listen to champagne or aviator or even the older more metal stuff, saying all their stuff sounds the same is just weird
These dudes have more variety than entire genres
@@maaaaaap I should've said that the past two and seems like also the new record sound the same.
Super talented and technical. Sounds like shit though.
🤨🤨🤨