TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Bitcrush - NGUAC Entry]

I like the distorted synths at the beginning and the cutesy melodic riffs. At :26, the piece sounds a tad over-compressed, and some of the synths at the drop at :55 sounded a bit harsh in the mix. That said, I’m enjoying the rhythmic content here, and the re-intro with the generous use of wet reverb at 1:48 was a good idea. I think you missed an opportunity in that middle section for some more dynamic melodic content, though. The arrangement and some of the composition details are a bit generic here, but the sound design and catchy breaks earn you back some points. I also might’ve liked to see some more variety later in the piece - variation on the main melody, for example. The production quality holds up quite well, though, and you nailed the somewhat foreboding mood and atmosphere. Keep at it, RedMike7! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

[Scars]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning and the combination of the gritty guitars and majestic vocals at :07. I think the compression is a little heavy - the drums are taking up a lot of space in the mix, to the extent that they’re really breaking up the sound waves of the other instruments. The intensity and thick texture are really fun, and I like how you contrasted that with the eerie atmosphere at 1:20. Later on, the piece doesn’t quite get back to the same “emotional height” as before, and I thought the ending could’ve been a bit more creative than a fade-out. I also think there could’ve been some more dynamic melodic content in this piece, as the most prominent example of that is the (short-lived) guitar riff at 1:03. That said, you nailed the atmosphere, rhythmic elements, and sound design here. Solid work, ProjectSoary! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
8/10

ProjectSoary responds:

Sorry for the late reply. Thank you very much for the detailed review! I'll def. keep that in mind for future releases. Still learning how use this GGD drum plugin. Much appreciated!

[Ruins of old]

I like the string chords at the beginning and the cutesy synth at :17. I’m enjoying the atmosphere at :31 too, but the kick drum there sounds like it has a tad too much treble for my tastes. The cello at :46 sounds pretty inauthentic, but it also blends in well with the texture. The piece is a tad slow to develop at times, but you kept things interesting by doing things like the volume adjustments on the piano line at 1:20. The flute solos at around 2:05 work well, but I would’ve liked to see some more variation on the main melodies during the last minute or so. The arrangement of this piece feels a bit formulaic at times, with very little phrasing within a particular section. The production quality is pretty good, but sometimes the mix feels like it’s missing some higher-pitched tones that would balance it out more. The composition also could’ve been a bit more dynamic and bold at times. Still, overall I enjoyed the atmosphere, sound design, melodies, and progression of this one. Keep at it, OliRO! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

OliRO responds:

Thank you so much for this detailed review! It was quite a good challenge for me and I appreciated every bit of it. If there is something I learned on this one is to be a bit less square in my construction and more daring in the phrasing. : )

[Garden of Eden]

I like the cutesy synth riffs at the beginning and the bouncy beat. Some of the synths are a bit cheesy, but they pair well with the upbeat mood and crisp drums. The melodies at :44 are nice, but they could’ve been a bit more up-front in the mix compared to the rhythm section. The panning here is also pretty heavy for my tastes sometimes. Composition-wise, you clearly have a strong sense of harmony and progression, although the harmonic framework is pretty generic and the drums could be a bit more creative at times. I appreciated the scale-back in the texture at 2:30 to offer some more structural contrast. Other than that part, the piece felt like the piece had a near-constant energy level for 6 minutes, which is a lot of time to stay engaged. I’m enjoying the melodies at 3:51, and again at 4:22. The arrangement of this piece feels a little dragged-out, especially since there isn’t much of a strong sense of overarching “story” here, but it’s still smooth-flowing and has a good amount of variety. Overall, this is a strong piece, Pandaguru! Nice work with the production, melodies, transitions, sound design, and mood. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
8.25/10

Pandaguru responds:

Thank you for the detailed review and organizing the competition! Will keep your points in mind for next time.

[Righteous Spirit]

I like the emotional appeal of the piano at the beginning. The pacing is a little slow, but I’m really enjoying the cello melodies at :30 and the dramatic crashes. The deep brass and somber string melodies at 1:15 pair really well together, and overall the progression is smooth and the texture is well-balanced. My main gripe here is with the mixing. The mix is super quiet, and for much of the piece the percussion could be a lot sharper. Otherwise, it fades into the background a bit, especially from 1:05-1:30. After that, the percussion better accomplishes the goal of driving the piece forward, and I’m enjoying the sense of build-up into 1:57 or so. The return of the piano melodies at 2:00 was a pleasant surprise, and the dramatic section at 2:16 did a good job of bringing closure to the piece. Overall, the composition here is really strong, and I also thoroughly enjoyed the sound design and progression too. Some more attention to detail on the mixing could help thicken up the texture and really make the drums pop during some of the more mellow sections of the piece, but at the end of the day that feels like a pretty minor complaint in light of the killer melodic content and arrangement. Keep at it, Omson! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
9/10

[Race against you]

I like the upbeat mood at the beginning. The piano melodies are nice, but the instrument itself feels a bit generic - as if the sample is right from FL Keys. The rest of the sound design is solid, though. I’m enjoying the acoustic drum kit, slap bass, and smooth guitars. The composition could’ve been a tad more dynamic at times, especially during the lengthy middle section, and I think the drums could’ve used a boost in the mix, especially during the refrain at 1:16. Overall, the arrangement feels a bit formulaic, without much in the way of phrasing or smooth, gradual transitions. Besides the relatively quiet drums, the mixing is good, but compositionally it also feels a tad underdeveloped. I’m liking the cutesy mood, instrumentation, and harmonies, though. I’d encourage you to keep working on this one - it totally has potential. Keep at it, Namnotwastaken. :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7/10

[Void]

I like the gritty bass synth at the beginning and the phasing effects. The kick drum is a bit heavy for my tastes, especially when the texture is so minimal around it. The eerie sound effects are cool, but overall there isn’t a lot of harmonic content in this piece to keep me engaged. The rhythmic elements are cool, but the composition is a little bland at times and the reverb is pretty excessive. The arrangement of the piece is also pretty choppy at times - take the sudden transition at 2:06, for example. I think my favorite element of the piece is probably the production quality. Despite the overuse of reverb, the instruments all sound clear and distinct in the mix throughout. Given the minimal texture, however, that might be easier to accomplish than in most tracks. Overall, the piece needs a much stronger sense of development and harmonic depth to satisfy some of my compositional criteria. The mixing and sound design are both pretty cool, though, and you certainly nailed the rhythmic content. Keep at it, Michamadman! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.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
5/10

[Mestrix - Reverie [King Step Release]]

I like the emotional quality of the piano at the beginning and the bouncy synths at :25. The progression is a little slow-paced, but I liked the build-up into 1:03. The percussion at the drop is a little generic, and I also would’ve liked to see some more harmonic variety at some point. You did a nice job crafting the upbeat mood and dynamic contrast, though. I also liked the cute melodies at the breakdown at 1:43. Things come together well at the second “emotional height” of the piece at 2:24, but it’s still missing a bit of dynamism in the composition, at least in terms of the harmonic structure. The mixing is strong here, although at times it feels a tad over-compressed, especially at :22 where the kick takes up so much space. Still, you won me over here with the upbeat mood, melodies, emotional appeal, and phrasing. Keep at it, MestrixMusic! :)

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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

MestrixMusic responds:

Thanks man, super stoked to be in the finals. I'll take what you said into consideration!

[S1LENT GHO5T - Take 2]

I like the upbeat piano riff at the beginning. The melodies struggle to come through the mix a bit once the harmonies come in at :20, but I’m enjoying the build-up into :41. I’m not a huge fan of vocoders, admittedly - it’s really hard to make them sound natural/articulate. That said, the vocals are mixed well, and the texture fills out nicely around them. The chord progression is a bit generic, along with some of the sound design (lead synth, piano, and some of the drum samples, for example). The piece is smooth-flowing and well-structured. I enjoyed the melodies too, although towards the end they could’ve used some more variety, especially during a relatively long piece. Overall, my main problem with the piece is the lack of originality in the harmonic structure, arrangement, and instrumentation. The production quality, transitions, and mood help make up for that, though, and the lyrics and rhythmic content are also really nice here. Keep at it, LordJabeebus! ^_^

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

[K.O.R.S]

I like the quirky chord progression at the beginning and crisp drums at :13. The rhythmic content is really nice, although the composition could’ve been a bit more dynamic. I also think you overdid the reverb on that effect at :40 that sounds like a duck quacking in slow motion. The texture is pretty bottom-heavy, and sometimes the harmonies blatantly clash (like at 1:35). After that, the piece felt a tad repetitive, and also could’ve used some more dynamism in the harmonies. Honestly, the clashing harmonies don’t bother me as much as the excessive reverb and lack of variety here. You did a nice job of setting up this really experimental and somewhat dystopian-sounding texture, but I wanted to see a bit more “storytelling” after that. Still, the mood, atmosphere, originality, and sound design get top marks from me, and besides the reverb the production holds up well too. Keep at it, Kalviter! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
7.25/10