TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[what else is left?]

A good question indeed. I love the emotional appeal of the atmosphere and sound design here. The swells of the strings and the gradually thickening texture throughout really give it a cinematic feel. I would've liked to hear a resolution to some of the tension you built up during these 92 seconds, but thematically it's probably fitting that the piece ends on a cliffhanger. Keep it up, Midi! ^_^

[redemption arc]

Ooohh, I have some catching up to do. Love the relaxed vibe at the beginning and the quirky synth lead. I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of the vocal processing, tbh - sounds a bit thin and artificial. It's also hard to make out the lyrics from the audio alone, although I especially like the "searching for truth" verse. The syncopations at 2:13 are just gorgeous, and I'm also a fan of the more ambitious solos that are layered on top of the vocals at around 2:40. The thick texture during the last minute is great, though part of me wanted the drums to sound a bit punchier there. Overall, this is really strong work, Midi. Looking forward to hearing the rest of your weeklybeats tracks! ^_^

[GLASS BREAK]

Hey man! Sorry for the slow response.

I like the gradual fade-in at the beginning and how the bass starts sounding more distinct once you loosen up the filters in the mid-range frequencies (around :20 or so). The atmospheric details and drums blend well together, and I really like the climax into 1:04. The drop at 1:06 is a tad minimal, and the bass there takes up a tad too much of the mix IMO. I might suggest cutting some of the mid-range frequencies on it, softening up the compression, and giving the atmospheric vocals and hi-hats a boost in the EQ. Otherwise, I'm really digging the ominous, spacey vibe of this one. The texture is a bit minimal at times, but the catchiness makes up for that. Keep at it, Crysstal! ^_^

[hyperParadox]

I like the ominous tone at the beginning and the fluttery synth that comes in at :12. The drums are a tad over-compressed, but the lead riff at :39 is catchy, and the airy harmonies fill out the atmosphere nicely. The bridge at 1:25 sounds a bit minimal, but in a way it fits the eerie vibe of the piece nicely. I like the louder, punchier second refrain at 1:40. The lead synth keeps ducking under the mix, which is something to watch out for - again, the sidechaining is a little too heavy for my tastes. That said, the composition here is really good. I'd say you have a knack for EDM! Keep it up, Crysstal. ^_^

Crysstal712 responds:

i found out for level automations which is what i do my sidechaining with, if i try to move it to the left so its shorter, it just doesn't let me do it for some reason. still trying to find out how to fix that though!

[aurora/aether]

I appreciate the dedication to the craft, man! The beginning sounds a bit minimalistic and murky. The floaty synth that starts fading in at around :30 is nice, but I wish it took up a bit more of the mix compared to the harmonies and bass. The blissful vibe at around 1:00 on is great. I also think you could've been a lot more creative with the drums here. The melodic content is a highlight, though, and the stop-start bridge at 1:45 was a good idea as well. Overall, I don't think this is your best work, but it certainly has potential, and I hope you keep working on it. Giving the lead a boost in the mix and filling in some of the mid-range tones in the texture would give this piece a bit more intensity and richness. I think that's what it needs. Still, props for the sound design, progression, and compositional details here. :)

Crysstal712 responds:

yeah ive been definitely working on those. im getting it

[Sunshine Lima Bean (Best Before Dec 15 2023)]

I like the blissful synths at the beginning. The sound design overall is pretty cute, and the melodies are catchy and upbeat. The snare, and probably the drums in general, could use a bit of a boost in the mix, and I also wasn’t a huge fan of the choir at :47 (and other places). It sounds pretty inauthentic, and also doesn’t blend very well with the rest of the sound design IMO. Otherwise, the piece was a bit repetitive. It had a near-constant energy level, which I think is a missed opportunity to create some more variety. Still, considering the communication issues and imbalance of contributions that apparently characterized the process, it’s still a catchy piece with some strong harmonic content and evocative sound design. Keep at it, guys!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[At The Seams ("Deathslab!" 's BOTB ENTRY)]

I like the ominous atmosphere at the beginning. The lead at :18 is nice and quirky, and the sweeps in the background give the texture a distinct extraterrestrial feel. I like how the piece “resets” itself at around :54, and the furtive vocals at 1:10 are haunting. The mix is a bit over-saturated with reverb by the 2-minute mark, and sometimes the vocal harmonies at 2:03 don’t blend very well together, and might benefit from being re-recorded. I also would’ve liked to hear the vocals be more up-front in the mix, especially between 2:03 and 2:43, when they make up most of the moving notes in the texture. The transitions in this piece are simultaneously bold and very smooth - I especially like the one between 3:03 and 3:18. Somehow the guitar solo at 3:20 is both a big surprise and something that really fits with the flow of the piece. With the repeat of the quirky transitory material at 3:30 or so, I feel like the piece lost a bit of momentum. Perhaps it would’ve helped keep the energy level up if the drums were a bit punchier in the mix.

The transition into 4:18 was another really good one. The vocal phrase at 4:28 is probably my favorite of the piece - very expressive and dynamic. Reminds me of @Garlagan’s vocal style, actually. Also, the thin percussion at 4:47 adds a great, whimsical vibe to an otherwise pretty dark-sounding part of the piece. The dissonant “oom-pah” chords at 5:07 continue the comical, almost circus-like theme of the previous section. The stop-start transition at 5:57 is another one of my favorites. Up to that point, almost all of the transitions in the piece have been smooth and gradual, but in a longer piece with a lot of moving parts, a moment like 5:57 really forces the listener to keep paying attention, right before the outro. The chaotic guitar riff there feels like a dream sequence - I might even suggest scaling back some of the reverb on the harmony parts there for clarity in the mix. The drone-like bass at 6:20 helps the piece come full-circle in a way - it’s just as ominous as the quirky atmosphere at the very beginning. The crash rolls and phasing effects on the final chord are just icing on the cake.

Overall, I’m really impressed with the arrangement and composition here. The sound design is another highlight - a TON of variety and, other than the vocals early on, great blending and a rich texture throughout. The mixing and mastering could be a lot tighter, but other than that my complaints are very minor here. Massive props to you guys for going with such a bold and variational composition for this contest. Keep it up! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

bottledf0x responds:

Thanks for being a judge!

The sweeping, ominous pad in the first minute was one of my contributions to this track. I was aiming to give that section more of a krautrock vibe, since I've been listening to more of it lately. The track as a whole is like a journey through time and space, and I'm glad to have taken part in its creation. Full credit to Carb for the brilliant arrangement!

[Freefall]

I like the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning. The chord progression is a bit generic, although I’m enjoying the build-up into :18. The mix is a bit muddy during the busier parts of the piece - the drums could’ve been a tad punchier, and the bass line could’ve sounded sharper. You might have a bit too much layering going on towards the bottom of the frequency spectrum - it sounds like there are both guitar chords and a rounder, smoother bass playing at the same time. It might help balance things out more to either move the guitar chords up an octave or use some stereo widening on the pads to clear out the center of the stereo space. That said, I really like the blissful melodies throughout, and there are moments where the lead guitar really shines (2:26 comes to mind, even if the piano harmonies get a little buried there). You also do a good job creating variety later on in the piece, switching up the main melodies and adding some refreshing compositional details, like the transition with the reverse crash at 3:58. Overall, I really like the composition and sound design of this piece. The mix could be a bit tighter, and I might’ve also reconsidered some of the abject cliches, like the arpeggios at 3:39, but otherwise this piece is rockin’! Keep it up, ladies. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Dreams As Deep As Oblivion]

Very evocative sound design at the beginning. I’m loving the eerie choir and atmospheric details. The mix sounds a bit indistinct, with the drums and lead guitar both struggling to come through at times. There’s a nice call-and-response action between LD-W’s trademark demonic vocals and the guitar solo at around 1:50. That said, the texture feels pretty uniform for nearly 3 full minutes during the first half of the piece, and could probably use more variety in the energy level at the very least. The bright-sounding piano riff at spoken word vocals at 2:46 were pleasant surprises. I think the piano loses a step in the mix at 3:13, but I think the guitar solo at 3:40 is probably my favorite part of the piece, and it flows so well back into the demonic chanting at 4:37. The last minute or so has a distinct victorious feel to it - perhaps the demons were conquered? Overall, as aware as I am that the mixing approach was an intentional choice here, it doesn’t quite work for me. Some punchier drums and a tighter balance of frequencies would really help you capitalize on the high-octane energy of the piece IMO. There are also times where I feel that the texture is a bit too busy for a bit too long, something I think a “dry-modern palette” could also help keep in check. That said, the composition here is fantastic - despite my complaints about the lack of variety early on, the piece really develops a knack for storytelling and dynamism in the second half. Really compelling work overall, guys! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[My Infinity]

Somehow, I forgot to post my review here earlier. I apologize.
---
Love the Celtic-sounding instrument and loose phrasing at the beginning. The part at :36 has a very pensive quality, and the strings at :46 were a nice touch too. Something about the first minute of the piece sounds very transient and unstable, with the tremolos on the strings absolutely contributing to that. There’s a nice moment of resolution at 1:40, and I especially love the prominent low strings there. Sounds like the strings and piano are running away from home together. I’m glad you brought back the flute at 2:21, though - it provides for a nice, lighter texture that counterbalances the melancholic tone of the strings, even though the strings and flute never play at the same time (fan theory: the flute is the piano’s mother, and the piano is running away from home to be with the strings, a romantic interest who the flute disapproves of).

Anyway, the melancholic tone absolutely returns in full force at 2:44, and the way the strings slowly bleed back into the texture shortly thereafter is very elegant. The string melodies at 2:57 probably constitute my favorite part of the piece - very chaotic and dramatic, but certainly displaying the heights of passion between the lovers in a compelling light. The transition into the more tranquil tone at 4:06 is a tad abrupt at first listen, but you once again find a way of ratcheting up the emotion in short order for the final flourish at the end. The piece sounds rather triumphant and even peaceful during the last few chords - a marked contrast to the direction I thought you were going in as late as 4:35 or so.

Obviously, I’ve spent a lot of energy just unpacking the “plot” of this piece. The pacing is very fast at times, and it’s safe to say I find it hard to follow all of the twists and turns in the mood. There are a lot of individual motifs that tie the piece together over time, but in a way it still feels a bit disjointed between the prominent string sections and the flute/piano duets (over-protective mother/naive teen lovers analogy aside). One thing I really love about the piece is the production - the texture is airy, well-balanced, and full throughout, and the instruments all sound crystal clear in the mix. The sound design is beautiful, and I feel like I need to recalibrate my standards for the level of emotion and storytelling in a piece after listening to this. I still feel like you tried to cram 9 minutes worth of composition into 5, but at the end of the day that’s probably better than the reverse. You certainly accomplished your goal of transporting me to a different world, and I commend you for that. Keep it up, LSD! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10