TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Madness, Act 3]

I like the orchestral sound palette and foreboding mood at the beginning. The mix is a tad quiet and strained at times - the strings get a bit buried under the percussion at :58, for example. The harmonic content is really nice, but the arrangement of the piece seems to vacillate between a few different mini-phrases, which feel stagnant after a while. The bridge at 2:20 was a nice dose of structural variety in that regard, although I can’t help but feel that the tension in the piece remains unresolved by the end. I’d like to hear a stronger sense of ebb-and-flow in the composition, especially during the middle of the piece. But besides my compositional nitpicks, this piece is really strong. The booming percussion and other instrumentation choices, cinematic flair, and ominous undertones give this piece a whimsical vibe. Tighten up the mastering quality, and break up the formulaicity in the middle section, and you’ve got a top-tier piece here, my friend! Keep it up. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

Rhombys responds:

Thank you so much!

[Species]

I like the airy synth arpeggios at the beginning. The intro might drag on for a tad too long, though. I also think the synths themselves are a bit generic-sounding, and the build-up into 1:00 was pretty anti-climactic. By 1:25 or so, the beats are really catchy, and I like the filtering work and addition of the bass line at 1:35. That said, the harmonic content could use some more depth, such as with a more dynamic melody or new chord progression. You begin to do that with the pads at 2:07, although in the context of a fairly downtempo section of the piece it didn’t quite deliver the big “point of arrival” I was looking for. I enjoyed the transition into the chorus at 2:38, but again the piece feels a bit repetitive at this point. Although I will say that layering the dark pads from the breakdown onto the chorus was a good idea. Overall, I like the production quality, rhythmic content, and automations in this piece a lot. The composition could’ve been a tad bolder, though, and some aspects of the instrumentation and arrangement feel pretty cliche. Add a killer synth solo at the end or something, and I think you could boost your score by up to a point here. Keep at it, Raj! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

rajbeatsofficial responds:

Solid and in depth feedback man!!! Greatly appreciated. I definitely focused more on getting the sonics right than anything else with this one, and agree the sound design and layering could have been bolder. Will keep this in mind. Thanks!!!

[Partialism - Windows XP [NGUAC 2022]]

I like the old-school chiptune vibe at the beginning. The texture sounds a bit indistinct at :07, and overall the mix is pretty quiet, but it starts sounding a bit crisper by :20. I like the rhythmic content and sound design here a lot, especially the bubbly synth at :36. I still think some stricter use of equalizers and more generous use of compression could help the mix feel punchier here, but the composition is really compelling here. The melodies at 1:12 are great, and the build-up at 1:20 with the subsequent “aftershocks” was a really creative idea. You really show off your great sense of melody for the rest of the second minute, and you also contrast that nicely with the more mellow section at 2:00. The progression is a little hard-to-follow at 2:12, and with the constant energy and similar instrumental palette, I think this piece could use some more structuring at times. More contrast between adjacent sections in terms of energy, sound design, mood, etc. could help keep the listener grounded a bit more. That said, you wrap up the piece nicely with the return of those quirky melodies at 2:42. Strong work overall, Partialism! The rhythmic content, sound design, melodies, and progression of this are all really compelling. Some attention to detail on the arrangement and mixing could help you snag an extra point or two. :) Keep at it, man!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

Tetriform responds:

I really appreciate the nice feedback, I wasn't expecting anything positive lol
Thank you for taking the time to listen - I will definitely be trying again next year!

Jack

[Everlasting]

I like the distorted texture at the beginning with the pitch-bending and airy piano melodies. The atmosphere at :25 sounds really dreamy between the piano and pads, and the crisp beats at :45 are also a nice touch. The drop at 1:09 has a really warm tone, with the cutesy higher-end “woops” really selling the mood. The breakdown at 2:00 was a welcome dose of structural variety, but also a tad minimal. The high-end sub-bass was a cool idea, though, and I’m enjoying the lead-in to the second drop at 3:20. I like how you layered the more frantic synth line onto the drop the second time around. That riff really helps hit the piece home, while also solidifying this track’s blissful and triumphant mood. But I haven’t even talked about my favorite part of the piece yet: the production quality. The mix sounds so luscious and full, while also having a lot of interest in the high-end, which is in turn well-balanced with the bass and kick. All the instruments are crystal clear throughout. Overall, this is a really strong track, Pryce! Keep up the good work. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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
9.25/10

[PEEL THE SCAB]

I like the ominous tone and glitchy effects at the beginning. The rhythmic content and sound design here are great, although the vocoder is a bit cheesy-sounding. I also think the some of the harmonic instruments sound a tad thin in the mix compared to the static-y effects. The vocals start to be a bit overused at 1:14, but the melodies thereafter are really enjoyable. The production quality is solid here as well, with crisp beats and clear instrumentals throughout. Overall, I really like the composition here, and you’re clearly talented at writing melodies and creating quirky atmospheres. You’ve earned a scout for sure! Just please lay off the text-to-speech plug-ins in the future. :) Keep at it, OneBigParadox.

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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
9/10

OneBigParadox responds:

Thank you very much for the feedback!

[Tavern Song]

I like the sound design at the beginning. There are a lot of evocative Nordic-sounding stringed instruments and crisp drums. The instruments sound pretty dry in the mix until the strings come in at :15, though. Perhaps some more reverb and other mixing effects would help fill out the atmosphere a little more. Also, I’d like to see you create variety in this piece in more advanced ways besides just adding and subtracting instruments over time - dynamic contrast, drum fills, automation, etc. Otherwise, some of the transitions here seem a bit abrupt (like at 1:34), although I really liked the one at 1:12. The melodic content here is good, but a little repetitive. Especially later on in the piece, I wanted to hear some more dynamic melodies and harmonic variety. The production quality holds up quite well, though, and as I mentioned the instrumentation here is fantastic. Keep at it, OliRO! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

OliRO responds:

Thank you so much for this in-depth review! I'm super happy to be part of the Knock-out round and I'll make sure to do some ironing on the aspects you mentioned. I understand that I really need to trade some of the methodical ''square'' knowledge for more wild creativity. I'll push this hard on the second round.

Cheers!

[Fallen Down Nostalgic]

I like the quirky mood at the beginning and the static-y atmosphere. Sounds blissful and yet also circus-like in a way, like it’s portraying a clown slowly going insane. The bass at :48 sounds a bit muddy, although I like the pitch bending and rhythmic content. The piece felt like it needed a bit more energy and drive, though - some drums would’ve been nice. It also ends rather suddenly and doesn’t really feel structurally complete to me. I really like the atmosphere here, and the sound design - while a bit cheesy - grows on me a lot over the course of the piece. You have a good sense of harmony, rhythm, and progression, but I’d like to see you do a bit more with this piece in the structuring and melodic departments - form a stronger sense of ebb and flow over time, stitch a story together, etc. Otherwise, you’ve set up the tension of the piece nicely without really resolving it anywhere. I’d suggest you keep working on this track, though - it has a lot of potential. Keep at it, Octusic! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
6.25/10

[What's The Use]

I like the harmonies at the beginning. The vocals and real recorded instruments were a pleasant surprise - I don’t see a lot of tracks with vocals in this competition, but they really add a lot to the piece here. Don’t be afraid to use some more mixing effects here - you could really thicken up the atmosphere of the piece with some more reverb on that cello and make the vocals pop a little more with some compression. Still, I like how your voice is just slightly raspy, but also very clear in the mix. I also like how they’re almost spoken rather than sung, making it seem like you’re performing in a musical or something. The melancholy lyrics fit the instrumental tracks really well, although sometimes it sounds like the instrumentals are tripping over each other a bit, like at :57. The acoustic guitar solos were also a pleasant surprise, although the lead is a tad behind the beat in the recording for the first few bars. The ending is lovely, too. You’ve really sold me on the emotional content here. At times, I felt like you could’ve given the piece a stronger sense of drive with some drums or other rhythmic content, but I can also appreciate the on-theme lack of resolution in the melancholy aspects of the piece. Overall, really admirable work here, Nodle! You’ve earned a scout for sure. Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
8/10

[Dototototo (WIP)]

I like the glitchy mid-range bass at the beginning and the ominous atmosphere. The harmonies are a bit dissonant at times, but I like how the texture thickens up by :46. The crisp, organic-sounding drums were a nice touch, too. The melodies seem a bit meandering and directionless, and the climactic section in the middle drags on for quite a long time without much change in the energy level or instrumentation. The mellow breakdown at 2:12 was a good idea, and the quirky pads there sound warm and rich to contrast the punchy drums and melodies. You hit the piece home nicely at 1:43, although the mix sounds a tad strained there, with the drums not quite as up-front as I would’ve liked to hear. The tempo automations at the very end were really clever, though. Overall, I like the sound design, atmosphere, production quality, and rhythmic content of this one. The compositional details might need some work, though. In particular, I’d like to see a stronger sense of melodic progression earlier on and more variety in the harmonic content and texture. Still, the cute, triumphant mood of the piece seems perfect for a video game soundtrack. Keep at it, NicolasPL64! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

NicolasPL64 responds:

Thank you so much!
Yeah, I should've mastered the track. At least I know I'm in the good way in terms of composition, sadly I didn't have the time for mastering the track or improving the mixing.

[blank.set]

I like the nature sound effects and tranquil piano riffs at the beginning. The automations at :16 were nice, but then the pauses between there and :24 threw me off of the flow a bit. I like the crisp percussion and dreamy guitars at :30, and the quirky beats at :41 really round out the sound design nicely. Sometimes, the treble range sounds a bit harsh in my earbuds, especially at 1:18, but otherwise the production quality is quite strong here as well. Once again, the filtering work at 1:46 is impressive, but I can’t help but feel like the pauses thereafter make the composition feel a bit disjointed here. The distorted texture at the end sounds really neat, though, and overall the piece feels cohesive and light-hearted. The filters cut off a tad too early at the very end of the piece, but that’s a tiny detail. Overall, solid work, Nascent! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10