Bafana - Chasing The Dragon Whoops, looks like I missed this when it came out. I've been listening to the original mix this whole time. (For comparison, I uploaded a copy of that at https://www.mediafire.com/file/hd5bkuk2qq0ui6z/359669_Chasing_The_Dragon__Radio_.mp3/file , and will take it down once you respond.)
As you said, the two versions are pretty similar, but there are more differences than just the intro. It has more varied instruments and lots of little background details. As others have said, it's a little repetitive, but so was the original and I liked that version just fine.
My initial reaction is that I like the old version a little better. I can tell that this version is objectively more polished, and I'm sure I'm biased by nostalgia, but I have a couple specific gripes as well. (Disclaimer: I am not even remotely a musician, so I may get some concepts wrong.)
First: the first 13 seconds feel too watered-down. My initial reaction was that you added it not because it's what the song needed, but because it's what club patrons would expect if a DJ played it. I was perfectly fine with the original mix's intro. (I don't know, maybe the song's fine and my real beef is with the genre...)
Second: some of the instruments clash. For instance the string or synth (not sure which) from 1:09-1:24 is either too loud or too high-pitched. (I know it keeps going until 1:37, but it's a lot more subdued compared to the other instruments.) The old instrument you used for this section (a piano synth?) was a lot softer and helped make the segment feel pleasant and relaxed, which I'm pretty sure is the point.
Third: in the original mix, 0:57-1:24 actually switched up the main melody in a way I really liked. It was similar to this version's 2:46, but even simpler, giving the song more variety. (Granted, the background instruments were maybe a bit too noisy for what should have been a calm interlude. I think the ideal version of that bit would have the old melody but the new background. Or maybe you tried that and decided it was too calm for a trance song, and that's why you chose the louder lead instrument?)
Fourth: I'm not sure what to make of the buildup from 2:46 to 3:40. You changed the melody quite a bit, and it feels off. For comparison, the original mix had this same instrument in the background. It played a closer-to-normal version of the melody while a foreground instrument played the original melody. In theory, I think this new version should be the best version, due to adding the most variety to the track as a whole. But at least for now, the new melody feels too different, and I'm not used to it.
And finally, I'd like to end with all the things I like. Why am I giving this so many stars if I have all these complaints? Well, I really do like the original mix, so I'm rating that too. Wouldn't be fair to penalize this version due to nostalgia. Plus, the core of both versions is the melody, which remains great. No complaints there. And several of the changes are just better, like that little background jingle that keeps coming up (for instance, at 1:02 and 1:07).
