West Side by Sascha Ende

"West Side" has a really nice, chill foundation. The core piano melody is memorable, and the way it interacts with the subtle vocal chops creates a cool, almost nostalgic atmosphere. The beat itself is solid – that classic lo-fi hip-hop groove that's instantly recognizable and works so well for a variety of uses. It's the kind of track that would slot perfectly into a late-night study playlist or provide a mellow backdrop for urban scenes in a film or video game. There's a pleasant warmth to the overall sound, which I appreciate.

I do think there's room to push the track a bit further. While the simplicity is part of its charm, some subtle variations in the arrangement could make it even more engaging. Maybe introducing a slightly different chord progression in a bridge section, or playing with the vocal samples a bit more – filtering them, adding some delay or reverb to create some ear candy. The mix is pretty good, but the drums could perhaps cut through a little more; a touch more presence on the snare and kick would give the beat more impact.

Compared to some of the top-tier lo-fi tracks out there, "West Side" sits comfortably in the 'good' category, but could definitely move into 'great' with a few tweaks. The sonic quality is there, it's more about expanding on the musical ideas and giving the listener a bit more of a journey. Overall, it's a well-produced track with a lot of potential – it evokes a specific mood effectively, and with a bit more development, it could be a real gem for sync licensing.