TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Another Life...]

I like the jangly guitars, and the vocal concept is really creative. The reverb is a little overdone, but I'm really enjoying the powerful vocals at 1:20 or so. The mix is cleaner this time for sure, but some aspects of the balance don't quite click for me. The bass and the hi-hats both seem a little loud, especially the hats. The piece has a pretty nice flow, but the lyrics feel a little stream-of-consciousness at times and there could be more variety in the instrumental tracks. The heavy distortion at 4:20 or so kinda comes out of nowhere, but at the same time helps keep things interesting later in the piece. The ambiance at the very end (almost sounds like a half-second loop of someone mumbling) is a bit experimental, but also help add some variety. Overall, really evocative piece, PPS. The mixing is strong overall, and the experimental atmosphere and sound design make for a pretty engrossing track. Keep at it! ^^

PikeyPaige responds:

It’s about a homeless man in a wheel chair who is begging on the streets. He believes in reincarnation and that in other life’s he was important people in history. He also believes that he is ready to die and be reincarnated again. The stream of consciousness lyrics came from an actual encounter with a homeless vet who was being racist to a Mexican security guard outside a 7-11. I was reporting an incident and embellished what actually happened. I super appreciate you taking the time to assess it and give thoughtful feedback.

[AIM - Fox Dreams]

I like the combination of the chill guitars and groovy percussion. The melodic content is really cute, and the piece has a smooth flow too. At around :25, I think the organ could've been a bit more legato - the short breaks between notes disrupt the flow a bit. By :53, though, that problem solves itself. I really like the bells/chimes at 1:30, and the rest of the sound design too for that matter. I think my biggest complaint here is probably that the piece could've felt a little more dynamic. I know it's supposed to be chill, but the riffs got a little repetitive by the end. The modulation at 2:55 was certainly a step in the right direction, but they're still the same riffs, just transposed. Overall, really strong work with the melodies, rhythmic content, production, and structuring. Also fits the art perfectly. Keep at it, Petrol4brains! ^^

[AIM - Twin Cities Under Blue Sky]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning and the frantic techno beat at :43. The mix is really loud and clean, although perhaps a bit over-compressed. The piece is a little slow to progress, but the rhythmic content and sound design are both enjoyable. The drawn-out transition into 2:44 was cool, and I like the change of pace for the more melodic section at 3:30ish. The section at 4:30 was pretty drawn out, but the transition back into 4:55 with the repeating riff in a descending pattern was clever. I like the combination of the heavy beat and the rich atmosphere during the last minute. Overall, really solid work, man! Spacey track, yet catchy. ^^

CryNN responds:

Thankyouuuu

[AIM - Acid Frog]

Really loud and clear mix. I'm liking the gritty synths and sense of build into :22. The harmonic content was a bit lacking, though, and after a while you overused the risers. The composition could've been a lot more dynamic, although I'm enjoying the quirky percussion and other rhythmic elements. I appreciate the variety in the harmonies at 2:13, although overall the texture is pretty minimal throughout. It's still really catchy, though. I think my favorite element of it is the sound design. Cool stuff! Keep at it, PTP. ^^

[AIM - Bold and Brash]

I like the funky guitars at the beginning. The vocals are fun, and the structure and flow are pretty nice. The production could be a bit cleaner, as there seems to be a bit of distortion in the texture sometimes, but the composition helps make up for it. The fade-out at the end seemed a bit underwhelming, though. The piece could've used an injection of variety at the end, just to hit it home. Otherwise, this is an enjoyable and upbeat track. Keep at it, PikeyPageStewart! ^^

PikeyPaige responds:

Thank you TaintedLogic! I didn’t have a chance to respond to your comment until now but I wanted to take the time to be as thoughtful as you have been. My MacBook got lost on the airplane before I made this so I lost my mastering capabilities with it and I had to track with garageband iOS and it is pretty rare that I get a clean mix out of it. I added slide guitars to the outro which is just a repeat of the bridge and it wasn’t different enough from the bridge to be what you described you wanted to hear towards the end. I appreciate the feedback and comments like these really motivate me and make me want to do better. I was listening to my tracks on a road trip and I decided that my song Another Life is the best mix so far. Could you take the time to give an opinion on that track whenever you get a chance. If you agree the mix is good, I will endeavor to mix future tracks in the same way I did that one. Tytyty 🥰😍

[Rolling Waves - AIM 2021]

I like the bright ambiance at the beginning and the jangly percussion. Very pensive mood, with a nice dramatic flair at times with the church bells and suspenseful section at 1:00 or so. The piano riff at 1:10 struck me as a tad cliche, at least with the progression, but the beat at 1:40 keeps moving the piece moving along nicely, and the reverb helps fill out the texture a little more. Your production has also improved a lot in the last year or two. The pace of progression is a little slow towards the middle of the piece, but I like the evocative solo at 3:00ish. The turn toward the dramatic at the end was a nice touch too. Overall, really strong work here as always, WolfgangMiakoda! Good luck in the AIM. ^_^

[AIM - Eggstraordinary Garnish Grandiosa]

I like the spacey arpeggios at the beginning. The ghostly synth at :10 is really nice. The chord progression is a little cliche, and the rhythm is a little square. I like the ghostly melodies at :40 or so, but some of the effects in here are pretty repetitive (there's a synth effect that plays on the downbeat of every measure for most of the piece, for example). I like the flute-like synth at 2:27 - has a bit of a smoother sound than most of the quirky synths in here. The mixing is pretty solid too. Overall, fun piece! I like the melodies, flow, production, and sound design. Keep at it, Tebyricat. ^^

[AIM - Atlantean Arbitrium]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The guitars at :45 really help channel the intensity, although the piece is a bit slow to progress. The production quality is really solid - I love the crisp drums that start becoming prominent at around 1:45. The melodies at 2:20 really helped relieve the sense of apprehension in the first couple of minutes of the piece. That solo in the middle is so dynamic and well-executed. I like how the harmonies are momentarily tripping over each other at 4:40 - really adds to the sense of uncertainty in the texture. The piece really has a nice "slow burn," where it really grows on me after I get adjusted to the pace. Probably my favorite AIM piece I've listened to so far. Congrats on a baller track, Banana-head! ^^

Banana-head responds:

Thanks a lot man! The lead melodies were all improvised though haha, i had no main melody in mind when making this.

[AIM 2021 - open field skirmish]

The atmosphere at the beginning sets the mood nicely, and the crisp strings :20 and pads that come in later combine for a nice warm texture overall. Nice job with the percussion too, although you started overusing the crashes a bit at around 1:30. After that, the piece feels a tad repetitive. I would've liked to hear some stronger melodic content later on to drive the piece home, and also for you to develop some of the string riffs a little more beyond the initial patterns. Still, it has a nice bright tone, good sound design, and a crisp and clear mixdown. Keep at it, Yoshiii343! ^^

[AIM 2021- wadle chill]

I like the quirky synths at the beginning. The low string-like instrument and percussion sound a bit clunky together, but it grows on me as the piece goes on. I think my biggest problem with it is that it doesn't really change much over time - in terms of energy, harmonic pattern, or otherwise. The structure is really easy to figure out after listening to it just once (it's the same minute-long section played three times in a row), which is a telltale sign in my book that it could be more dynamic. Still, the sound design and cutesy mood of the piece are nice, and I like the syncopations and harmonies too. Keep at it, man! ^^

knah responds:

hey man thanks for the criticism :) i will be making a remastered version soon.