TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Wind Call]

This piece has a really creative meter. At times, I was struggling to follow the rhythm, but as more instruments come into the texture, the rhythmic patterns complement each other really well. The sound design is really interesting, too. A couple of the synths sound a bit cheesy and unpolished, notably the synth at the very beginning and the one that comes in at :39. That said, the atmosphere is pretty nice, and you have a good sense of harmony and progression. I would’ve liked to see you find more advanced methods of creating variety in the piece, like changes in volume levels, filtering, automation, etc., rather than just adding and subtracting instruments over time. The instruments blend well together, and the energy level changes fairly regularly, but overall the piece is lacking the kind of “point of arrival” or climax that I expect of a full-length stand-alone track. Overall, there are some really cool ideas here, with a solid production quality and some fun, quirky rhythmic elements, but the composition could’ve been a bit more fleshed out. Keep at it, C-Lehman! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
5.5/10

Caustic responds:

Thank you for this awesome feedback!

[An Amazing Adventure]

I like the cutesy synths and strong beat at the beginning. The chord progression is a bit generic, and the flow of the piece gets a little broken up by the abrupt transition at :36. I enjoyed the build-up into 1:00, and adding the extra beat or two before the rest of the instruments kicked in was a creative idea. I would’ve liked to hear some variation on the main riff later in the piece, but a bigger problem is probably the generic sound design and harmonic framework of the piece. There are a lot of cliche sounds in electronic music, and it’s hard to come up with good rules-of-thumb for avoiding them. But I think a good place to start is working on crafting more dynamic melodies.

Right now, most of the melodic content in this piece repeats every 4 measures or so. I think it would give the track more of a narrative appeal if you tried switching it up more. The next time you write a melody, try to make sure it has a “goal” in the context of your piece. In other words, that you’re leading somewhere other than where you started - it could be a particular note later in the melody, a specific feeling, or even a different section of your piece. This use of “dynamic melodies” is really hard to execute, but it’s also why the music of, say, @Johnfn (https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/622648) sounds so amazing. The melody still repeats certain patterns, but it also evolves over time, sometimes a lot.

Anyway, your piece is cute, catchy, and upbeat. You clearly have a good sense of harmony and rhythm. An important next step for you is making your sound stand out from that of other electronic artists, and melodies that grow and change over time can help you do that. Keep at it, BurningMagma! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.25/10

[Ji4H3 - Chasing the dream (Original Mix)[Free download]]

I like the upbeat synth melody at the beginning and the cutesy instruments. The chord progression and a couple of the sound design choices (like the lead at :49) are a bit generic, but the mixing and mastering is pretty good. At some points, the bass sounds a bit too loud relative to the melody, like at 1:17. The melodies at the bridge at 1:55 are strong, though, and overall the texture sounds full and well-balanced throughout. A little more variation on the main melody later in the piece would’ve been welcome, but the modulation at 3:01 helps add some degree of variety. I think my main problem here is the lack of originality with the sound design, arrangement, and harmonic framework. You clearly have a good sense of harmony, progression, and rhythm, but an important next step for you is making your sound stand out from that of other dance/EDM artists. Still, this is a catchy and enjoyable piece! Keep at it, bow1255. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[Zero_Em & Bonfire - Dream In Digital]

I like the riser at the beginning and the bassy groove at :12. The filtering work at :30 is also impressive, and I like the more atmospheric elements shortly thereafter. The drums could’ve been a tad more prominent in the mix at times, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear some more memorable melodic content or other memorable riffs. Right now, the bassline is taking up a lot of space at the foreground of the mix, and while the atmosphere is lush and full, it’s not quite enough to capture my attention for the entire piece. The breakdown at 2:26 helps add some variety for a while, but I kept waiting for the big emotional height of the piece with the soaring melody that never quite came. Overall, I’m really impressed with the production, sound design, and progression of this one. The composition could’ve used a stronger point of arrival towards the end, but that’s my main complaint here. Keep up the good work, guys! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[The Deamon]

I like the smooth pads at the beginning and the cutesy synths. The drop at :19 is really catchy, with some flashy synths and a smooth slap bass to boot. The vocals work pretty well, and contribute a lot to the rhythmic elements of the piece. The mixing is also rather strong here, with some clear, crisp instruments and well-balanced frequencies. The harmonic framework of the piece seems a bit repetitive, but the filler riffs you craft around it help keep the piece feeling fresh. I also really like the breakdown at 1:55 with the isolated synth riff. The build-up back into 2:27 was also enjoyable, and the final refrain thereafter really helped hit the piece home. This piece is thoroughly impressive, BAOWZ! Catchy, well-produced, upbeat, and full of variety. Keep up the good work. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
9.5/10

BAOWZ-Tobass responds:

Sooo glad you like it! you made my day !!! My ego is taking off now XD

[Mr.Market]

I like the crisp beats at the beginning. The intro seemed a little dragged-out, but I’m enjoying the cutesy synths at :22. The piece is a little slow to progress, and generally the transitions are a bit abrupt. At :44, the pads sound a tad dissonant, although the panning on them was a creative idea. The mood shifts again pretty suddenly at 1:07, but I like the harmonies there and the bouncy synth lead. Overall, the texture here is pretty minimal. Have you considered including a more prominent bass or chordal instrument in the texture to make the piece sound more full and lush? I’d also like to see you create variety within individual phrases with things like volume changes and mixing effects. Those tools could in turn help smooth over some of the transitions here. Overall, there are a lot of good ideas here, but I think the arrangement doesn’t quite come together for me as a cohesive whole. Sorry if this is a somewhat negative review. You have a good sense of rhythm and harmony. Now I just want to see you develop a stronger sense of progression and flow to the piece. Keep at it, AthosBR64! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
4.5/10

[Dim Dimension]

I like the cutesy synths at the beginning. I think the reverb effects are a bit too strong, though. The drums fall a bit flat in the mix, while the synths sound a bit indistinct during some of the busier parts of the piece. In general, drums should be the loudest element of the texture, and usually putting a bit of compression on them is advisable. The composition of the piece is nice - I like the upbeat mood and dreamy synth arpeggios. The harmonic framework feels a bit stagnant, though, and the piece gets pretty repetitive after a while. At some point, using a bridge or breakdown to create some more variety in the sound design and chord progression might’ve been advisable. I also think some of the transitions here are pretty abrupt, like at 2:38. Overall, the cute mood and atmosphere of the piece are the highlights for me, and I admire your sense of harmony and rhythm. Finding a more unique sound design and progression, greater variety, and sharper mixing and mastering are probably next steps for you. Keep at it, Annie! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.75/10

[AniGleb - Inner blast]

I like the quirky bass instrument and percussion at the beginning. The chord progression and some of the synths (like the pads at :39) sound a bit generic, but I’m enjoying the upbeat mood and energy. The breakdown at :53 was good for some dynamic contrast, although the piece takes a rather unexpected turn at 1:19. I think you could’ve integrated the more foreboding mood there a little better with the more upbeat remainder of the piece. Most of the vocal samples in this piece work well, but the one at the very end seemed a bit drawn-out and misplaced. Overall, I like the mixing, progression, and sound design, but some of the elements of the composition threw me off, and a lot of the arrangement and harmonic choices are cliche. I also think there could’ve been some more memorable and/or dynamic melodies in the piece, but that’s more of a detail-oriented complaint. There are a lot of good ideas in here, including the part at 1:19. It seems like you tried to do a tad too much with the piece at times - some more repetition and building off of existing harmonic patterns would probably make this track feel more cohesive and conclusive. Still, I admire your mixing and mastering skills a lot - the piece is loud and punchy, but also well-balanced. Keep at it, AniGleb! :)

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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[Laurie's Interlude]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning and the creative use of white noise at :27. The vocal effects and panning are really soothing too, and blend in really well with the synths. The entire piece is very flowing, including when you strip away most of the atmosphere at 1:30. The mix is a little quiet, but the ambiance here is already very luscious without much compression. The pacing of the piece is a bit slower towards the end, but the frequencies are rather well-balanced between the pads, bass, and vocal elements. I’m enthralled, honestly. This piece is beautiful. If there’s somewhere I can download it, please let me know. You’ve more than earned a scout, Ana! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
9.25/10

[Battle Spirit - Quest to Kill God OST]

I like the ominous tone at the beginning and the sense of build into :15. The flashy synths and bouncy melodies complement each other well, and the rich harmonies and crisp beats help give the piece a lot of depth. Some of the elements of the texture are a bit generic, like the prominent open hi-hat on the off-beats, but the mix is really clean and well-balanced. I like the filtering work at 1:16 - it was a wise choice for a re-intro. At times, there are some sudden transitions in this piece, but in a way they fit with the frantic character of the track. The arrangement starts becoming a bit repetitive towards the end, but for a piece with so much variety within the part that’s compositionally distinct (first 77 seconds), I think that’s fine too. Overall, this is an impressive track, AmishPimp! Bouncy, fun, catchy, and well-mastered. Fave’d and DL’d! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10