Two Years On anniversary bonus instrumentals album! (+ discount codes)

Nick Standing AKA Jabun: Multi-instrumentalist, Composer & Mastering Specialist at JabunAudio making dynamic, clean and punchy masters to encourage people to turn up your music, rather than turn it down! Creator of the Skapunk project Better Than The Book

Nick Standing @Jabun

Age 33, Male

Freelance Audio Guy

Burgess Hill, England

Joined on 9/13/05

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Two Years On anniversary bonus instrumentals album! (+ discount codes)

Posted by Jabun - February 8th, 2017

Yo fellow Newgrounders!

Hope you’re having a great week filled with good vibes and awesome music! It's been a while since I last checked in, but some really cool news this week so it felt like a good time for another post! Let's get to it:

This week one year ago, Better Than The Book released its debut full length album, Two Years On, and since then it’s been an amazing adventure for myself and BTTB! We’ve had our first international radio play, our first interviews, and the first use BTTB music in people’s videos, amongst many other cool things. As well as being a pivoting point in my career, both as a musician and as a producer /engineer, Two Years On has also shown me what a difference music can make to people’s lives. When I first released it, I did not expect all the amazing feedback, touching comments and people reaching out that followed shortly afterwards, and I want to thank you all soo much for all of that support!

So exactly one year on I’m releasing a little bonus album to celebrate! It’s been teased a bit on social media, but finally I can unveil the new BTTB bonus album: Two Years On [Instrumentals]. It’s essentially exactly how it sounds: The Two Years On album, but without any vocals (and “Channel Surfing” which pretty much would be a minute of silence without vocals!). As a musician, I really love being able to jam over other people’s tracks, but it’s not too easy to find instrumental versions of a lot of songs, so I thought, it’d be a cool and simple thing to do to celebrate such a great year for Better Than The Book. You can find Two Years On [Instrumentals] on the Better Than The Book Bandcamp page and as with all BTTB, it’s here on Newgrounds for your streaming pleasure! I Hope you enjoy the bonus album and that it satisfies your Ska-punk hunger until the next time I hit the studio!

You can listen to Two Years On [Instrumentals] and the original Two Years On album right here:

or feel free to listen to them track by track via the playlists at the bottom of my profile page!

BUT of course, I’d like to say an even bigger thanks to you all reading this for showing a special interest in BTTB and supporting me directly, and so to express my gratitude, for the whole month of February there’ll be a 20% discount for anything you purchase on the BTTB bandcamp page! Just use the discount code “2YEARSON” and you should be all set, and I hope whichever music you choose gets you motivated and ready to take on the world and spread some inspiration!

That’s about it for this post and hope you enjoy the music. For those of you wondering what’s next for BTTB too, I’ve been gathering ideas for the next album and aim to start production late spring, early summer this year, with the album release at some point in 2018. Before then though, I should be releasing my debut electronic / chill album as Jabun. It's all written and recorded, and just waiting for a final mix, master and getting all that good old admin stuff sorted, so keep you're eyes out for that in the next few months, and in case you can't wait, I'll embed a video teaser of the album at the end of this post! Exciting times certainly, and I’m looking forward to sharing all of that with you soon! Until then though, I hope you have an amazing week, thanks so much for supporting BTTB and my other music projects, and I hope to be back here soon!

All the best and keep those horns blaring,

Nick

Better Than The Book / Jabun

Jabun album teaser:

Visit Better Than The Book at:

Bandcamp - https://betterthanthebook.bandcamp.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BetterThanTheBookUK

Twitter - https://twitter.com/BTTB_UK

SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/bttb_uk

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialBTTBMusic

Comments

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Cyberdevil 2021-03-05 10:08:19

Back when these audio embeds worked hmm... maybe there'd be a way to figure out a way to make them work elsewhere via the embed code here...

Jabun 2021-03-05 10:08:19

Ooo! Potential gateway into embedding indeed! I'll have to keep this post in mind! Good spot!

Cyberdevil 2021-03-06 08:32:45

Still hoping the feature officially comes back, until that day...

Don't recall if we spoke more on it earlier but I assume the reason they might've removed it might be additional copyright problems. If people upload tracks they don't own and post elsewhere it'd be a whole new potential case of facilitating infringement/piracy/all.

But there's gotta be a way around that.

Jabun 2021-03-06 08:32:45

Agreed, and yeah, I recall us talking about it before when INK19 was released. True that possiblilty with regards copyright etc... As I mentioned before, I don't think NG probably has the nessesary legal infastructure to be able to really handle those kinds of potential music lawsuits so banning the content / making it difficult to share is probably the easiest and most cost effective way to control it.

That said we're in a strange position where most visual NG content is fan created and repurposed interlectual property but that doesn't extend to music (even covers) for some reason. Laws are strange....

Cyberdevil 2021-03-07 08:43:54

Mmm, that probably is why.

And indeed, it's a strange combination, though I remember Tom writing something earlier on how he wished we'd have more regular collabs instead of the reanimated scene ones that are trending now, since it's not impossible there'd be a wave of copyright trouble just waiting on those down the line. Original content really is the only safe area whatever form you dabble with.

Jabun 2021-03-07 08:43:54

Yeah I know what you mean. On the flipside, original content seems to be the hardest way to gain popularity these days without significant marketing funding, so I can see why people don't go in (purely) that direction. I feel like we're in a society which currently rewards re-hashing of material over purely original content (just look at the cinema). An algorithm based unfortunate occurance, or a result of general human nature, or both? I'm really not sure. Does make things hard for creators though...

Jabun 2021-03-08 05:56:34

@Cyberdevil Ah yeah, that makes sense. Such is the way of trying to keep things controlled in the fairest way possible I suppose

Cyberdevil 2021-03-08 06:43:16

Mmm that's true too, even original content fares better when it's not 'really' original, similar to how mainstream pop songs now often re-use the same notes/patterns/formulas as to make them seem familiar and keep people listening to new things when really they're just listening to the old stuff over and over... same with movie ideas, shows, so many other elements of entertainment. :/

It's a shame for sure. Not as stimulating a world that way. Feels like to a certain extent we all get brainwashed to follow these same patterns ourselves.

Mmm, it's gotta be related to sales somehow, wonder if the reason there's more of a loophole with animation is just that it's more difficult to track/compare...

Jabun 2021-03-08 06:43:16

Yup. Lots of trend following too. Remember when lots of mainstream pop was going through a dubstep inspired phase XD Too true with regards TV shows and other Audio/visual media...

And true. It think it's inevitable that there will be elements of our inspirations in our work, but it's when orginality dies entirely, or you can't even tell someone's inspirations (not beacuse it's entirely original, but because it's whatever the flavour of the month is rather than anything consistent and long-lasting), that everthing starts to feel regurgitated ...

And very true too. MUCH harder to algorithmically assess accurately whether an animation contains other's interlectual property (visually). Interesting...

Cyberdevil 2021-03-09 05:48:22

Ah yeaaah now that you mention it there was that too! :D Never really caught on though it seems, wonder if they just didn't believe in it themselves or if people didn't like it enough... I remember that all playing a part in movie soundtracks too at the time, and it didn't always work so well in particular there IMO.

Mmm. Have been wondering if we ever reach a point where everything's been done to the point it's just impossible for individual inspirations to stand apart from each other... in a way it feels like the technological evolution is what both fuels our inspiration and keeps things unique/makes it possible to categorize different styles by artist or era, when new instruments or other technologies make their entrance, if that machine slows down I wonder what'd happen, is the world maybe too big and too connected at this point so sustain individual styles without the concurrent technical progression...

Hopefully the technological progress we get isn't the kind that clears out that potential animation loophole now. :)

Jabun 2021-03-09 05:48:22

Hehe, I remember you speaking of the dubstepping soundtracks in films in previous conversations XD I think it was a case of burning too brightly and collapsing in on itself. When too many people get on the bandwagon (of for example a style of music) to the point of saturation, individuality is lost and things get overplayed until people want to escape it. Even if new stuff is really good, if it's all TOO similar then people will move on to other things. You could say we're approaching that for superhero movies in the current times for example.

+1 to the technological evolution breeds creativity, though in the current music industry market, it's become a similar situation, where people are mostly creating new products which are pretty much just clones of old vintage gear rather than destinctly new technology, or if there is innovation, it's soo expensive that most people can't afford it so the evolution is left to the elites which means phenomena such as "the beginners mind" with new tech is hard to come by. Innovation in sound has slowed down dramatically, while the tech innovation has been put into mostly creating things which do the same job as older things, but either more portable or less expensive and more accessable or more reliable. Think how much the Electric guitar has evolved since the 60s? Not a whole lot... If anything is going to keep things inspired, and developing, I think it'll be the creators rather than the technology and how they use those instruments in new and interesting ways. Think Tom Morello for instance. Pretty basic set-up as far as tech goes but he really changed the way we think and play electric guitar (IMO). Of course making tech more accessable will help give fresher minds a playground to explore so there is that advantage to the current market trends too :)

And true dat too. We'll have to see how everything pans out!

Cyberdevil 2021-03-10 09:10:46

Hmm, now that you mention that too... deja vu. :) That could be it too. Wonder if some directors also just didn't use it the best way possible; damaged the dubstep rep in the process. We did really have a superhero wave before covid hit yeah, wonder if maybe it'll manage to live on longer thanks to this pause...

Ah that's true. Though in the field of looping equipment and similar it seems there's maybe all the more progress these days? Was looking at a new microphone that translated melodies into percussion recently, lots of things like that, all the more innovation digitally maybe; not so much entirely material/traditional instrumentation/equipment?

Yupp, do hope for the best there!

Jabun 2021-03-10 09:10:46

That's possible (on both subjects). I do think the break probably did the superhero genre some favours, though MAN imagine if this pandemic had happened BEFORE Endgame came out XD At least it felt like the closing of an arc for the Marvel films before everything shut down XD

Hmmm not sure... it's possible that it's just in the areas that I've been observing that there's been little innovative progress (guitars and synths)? Potentially a bigger digital / software / firmware boom, I've missed? Though in the case of the mic->percussion interface, that's less an inovation of sound and more and innovation of interface (unless I'm missunderstanding things). We'll have to wait and see what people do with it all :)

Cyberdevil 2021-03-11 05:50:13

Ahh man that'd have been terrible! XD Maybe we wouldn't have had any lockdowns at all though then, maybe the fanbase would've rioted the Endgame into reality! And the initial covid wave been all the more disastrous hmm... anyway definitely a good thing they got that out first. :) And some other good ones. Saw The Joker too recently, another solid one, though personally I think Endgame's still a level over.

Seems like you'd be in tune with most things in the music industry more than me but maybe yeah. :) If you have a specific focus there. Ah but right, indeed, the sound itself is not so closely correlated to such innovations after all... seems like innovations that change the fundamental process of making something might somewhat alter the possible output and + inspire more and all, but we do maybe need a little more revolution in regard to that initial sound, if there's such a revolution to be had now... saw a video where a dude swapped out the strings in a grand piano for bass strings recently too, but in the end the sound's still a same even when the methods change and instruments merge like so. Wonder if there really is new sound to be had in this world too hmm, maybe we've innovated all variations already...

Anyway not to end that on a depressing note, I bought one of those mics, so personally at least excited to see how might change my own output, entirely new or no. :P Even if all's been done there's no way any one person can take in all of everything in a single lifetime after all; a little repetition's maybe not all bad...

Jabun 2021-03-11 05:50:13

Indeed... glad things played out the way they did (or more like "didn't play out worse than they did")! Joker was great too, but a VERY different film for sure XD

I think most sound innovations usually come from things being used not for their intended purpose too. Even guitar distortion/overdrive was a biproduct of trying to run amps too loud that they couldn't keep the output clean, so we'll see how people abuse the new tech to create new sounds :D I'm sure there are plenty of sounds yet to discover!

And cool stuff with the mic! Looking forward to seeing you put it through its paces, sounds like fun :D And too true, something doesn't need to be revolutionary to be good and although variety is the spice of life, there's nothing like a good regular comfort meal too (<<< analogy in there somewhere XD)

Cyberdevil 2021-03-12 14:30:38

For sure. :) Yeaaah it really was, though honestly I was expecting/hoping it'd be even darker than it was, DC films are usually so much darker than Marvel ones, but I don't think this had as profound an impact on me as say The Dark Knight did, even if the Joker wasn't as central a piece there... it started great but somewhere along the line the seriousness somewhat whisked away somehow, IMO, not sure how that all happened... the talkshow scene's definitely imprinted in memory though. So ferocious.

Hmm looking forward to new methods of abuse too then! XD Though if we've already pushed the boundaries of where sound could go... I guess maybe ASMR is almost like this generation's counterpart. We went as loud as we could already, now let's get quieter..

Yeah I'm hoping it'll make it possible to start making occasional beats with minimal effort. :) Just having fun with sound without the complexities of program structure. Ayy good one! The spices of the day the comfort meals of tomorrow! May our taste buds never lose their power and the variations of spice be a bit more endless in eardrum-imposing varieties than those inclosed in commodity foods.

Jabun 2021-03-12 14:30:38

I think it's nice there's a distinct contrast between the Marvel and DC respective universes. Different I'd say. I feel like Marvel is consistently good but because there's so much of it, it's not always outstanding(?), while DC is either mindblowing or meh (usually depending on the freedom they give the director). Ah man that talkshow scene is plain chilling... Very well executed!

Not sure I'd say ASMR is quieter, but certainly more... intimate? Maybe the MOST intimate a sound you can imagine so far? All the fine details etc... Hehe, I'm SURE we can go louder XD Whether we should or not though is probably the bigger question XD

Sounds like a fun plan, and indeed sometimes it's easier to translate stuff from head to music via something like beatboxing or tapping on something rather than trying to program and visualise beats externally. As I mentioned previously I think, an innovation in interface rather than sound, but definitely useful :) Nice continued analogies and +1 to the sentiments :D

Cyberdevil 2021-03-13 05:41:00

Mmm, that might be true. I've been feeling like maybe DC's trying to emulate Marvel's success with their movies too, adding in a lot more of a comedic element/making them a little more unpredictable... maybe just an illusion that comes with the particular brands of superheroes they've been showcasing lately though. Fo rizzle. Executed fo real fo rizzle!

Hey you're right about that too, maybe it's actually louder, maybe it's more so we're still pushing the boundries of loudness; now working with even the traditionally quieter elements at this particular level... true true, and loudness within sensible limits for sure. :) Death Grips seem to have been pushing the loud loudness a bit further than my ears want to take it.

For sure, and for sure, you mentioned. XD +1!

Jabun 2021-03-13 05:41:00

I certainly they feel they did that with Justice League which was a dissapointment for me... Very much looking forward to Zack Snyder's cut when that's released :) Feels like the vision everything was leading up to since Man of Steel!

Too true. Loudness is a careful balancing act too easy to tip the scales XD

Cyberdevil 2021-03-14 07:21:02

Yeaah and the whole Birds of Prey universe and all too, feels like a lot of similarities with a lot of these lately. Ah Zack Snyder's cut? I need to read up...

Too true too. :)

Jabun 2021-03-14 07:21:02

Ah I've still not seen that one (BOP). I think Zack Snyder's Justice League cut is out later this month. LOTs for you to read up on. Quite the story!

Cyberdevil 2021-03-15 06:21:54

Woo, gotta get on it...

Two Years On anniversary bonus instrumentals album! (+ discount codes)

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