TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[<{quan.tum.super.pos.ti.tion}>]

Ever since "Cranial," I've been looking forward to another collab from you two. The staticky atmosphere at the beginning and the slightly cryptic piano chords complement each other well. The eerie synths and minimal drums are great, too. Also, what the hell did you do to that organ at 1:25? Lol. I like how the piece resets itself at 1:50 before launching into an even glitchier section. My favorite part of the piece is the layering of the different chordal riffs at 2:55 - gives me goosebumps every time I replay it. The melodies at 3:20 or so totally hit the piece home, too. Even though the piece is really minimal at times, and also could use some more harmonic variety, the generous use of detuning and glitches totally makes up for that and then some. This piece is awesome and you should both feel awesome. I'm giving this a "just weird enough" out of 10. Happy 2022! ^_^

SkyeWint responds:

Happy 2022, friend!

This was a pretty quick smack together over about 8 hours on stream, sadly I didn't quite have enough time to play too much with harmony (that and the piano sample didn't have too many harmonies I could make cyclic chord progressions with!) or it would be a LOT crazier. I did definitely want to play with a lot of detuning and weird glitchiness though.

The 'organ' starting around 1:25 is actually two detuned sine waves (they actually detune in opposite directions too, making for some REALLY crazy dissonant harmonies even in the same note, while remaining vaguely identifiable as the same note. One also has some ring modulation and the other has some waveshaping to give it a bit of extra character. It was super fun to make lol

Interestingly, the chords starting at 0:55 or so are actually the piano that's been playing since the very start! But, it's run through a granular synthesis plugin controlled by midi data to make chords that... mostly have an automated rhythm? Makes for a really crazy texture as you can hear! The percussion is also absolute nuts, I have so many glitch plugins on it creating all the weird little alterations when it's mostly just straightforward rhythms at the basis. Great example of that is the high hat starting at 1:52, if you pay attention to it it's doing all kinds of crazy stupid stuff.

Thank you so much for the review, friend!

[F-777 - Stay Tuned]

I like the upbeat mood and fast pace of the beginning. The drums are a bit generic, but you've kept my attention with the dreamy atmosphere and fun melodies of this one. The frantic lead at :42 is a huge plus, although the piece does get a tad repetitive after a while. The mellow breakdown in the middle is nice for some structural contrast, and the minimal bridge at 2:10 or so also helped slow down the pacing. The riser at 2:20 is awesome, and the more atmospheric, smooth-flowing outro was a nice touch too. Stellar track, F-777! I will stay tuned, indeed. :)

[What You Love]

I love the energy and breathy, chopped vocals at the beginning. The piece is full of variety, yet flows really well. I think my favorite part is the chorus that most prominently features the vocals at around the 1-minute mark. The compression is really heavy here, but it gives the synths such a great punchy vibe without sounding too harsh. The guitar solos at around 3:45 really hit the spot, too - it's a great example of a genre-shifting mid-song that works really well imo. The vocal interlude at 5:00 or so is beautiful, and it progresses really nicely into the last refrain section that re-introduces the electronic elements. Holy shit, what a masterpiece. This piece is so wonderfully, chaotically creative. Keep it up, Garlagan! ^_^

garlagan responds:

thank you TL!!

[Priscilla's Tale]

I'm always jealous of people who can mix and master vocals this well. Turns out that Barrett's Privateers cover was just the tip of the iceberg, huh? Seriously, though, this piece is beautiful. It has a great narrative appeal, and the instrumentation suits the vocals perfectly. If I had to complain about something, it might be that the way the vocals are articulated/delivered at the beginning is a bit bizarre and hard-to-follow at times. The piece has a really appealing increase in emotion over the course of its length, with a thick texture and smooth flow throughout. The lyrics, while somewhat repetitive, are also intriguing and whimsical enough to keep me entertained. I think this song would fit really nicely in a musical inspired by medieval Europe or something. :D Cheers, Step!

[The Inn by the Glacier]

I like the tranquil and upbeat mood at the beginning. The percussion is really nice, and sets the atmosphere well, especially the tambourine. The woodwind mini-solos at around 1:20 are great, and once the piece blossoms into life at 1:35, the adventuresome vibe comes through, and you've phrased the piece's gradual build-up perfectly. The mellow outro with the strings and flute solo was lovely. I'm entranced. Keep it up, Step! ^_^

[Timmy's Very Bad School Day OST - 02 - Burn Notice]

Super catchy piece with fun melodies and crisp drums. Without playing the game, I'm guessing this was used for the title screen? Also, even with NG's super bad looping tool, I can tell this makes a great loop. Top-notch production quality and atmosphere too. Keep at it, LE! Happy 2022! ^_^

[Time Machine Adventure]

I like how the bass and funky synth at the beginning outline the progression before the pads and drums come in. I'm hearing some classic glitchiness at :48, and the groovy melodies at 1:08 really hit the spot. The drums weren't quite as prominent in the mix as I wanted them to be in some places, though. That said, I really like how you've alternated between the energetic and mellow sections of the piece. The solo at 2:25 makes the pacing of the entire middle section work super well, and overall I'd say your attention to sound design here has totally paid off. Hope to hear more from you in 2022, and sorry I was so slow to drop a review here - grad school and such. ^_^

[Emphatic Trilogy - 01 Emphatic Outcry]

Wow. Lot of emphasis from you these days. :) I like the upbeat mood and grouchy bass. The riff at :55 is really catchy, and the production quality is strong, as usual with you. The sound design is also a highlight - a lot of quirky synths and some cool risers to boot. The middle section has this great nostalgic vibe about it somehow, and it flows nicely into the re-intro at 2:40 or so. There's a decent amount of variety later on, and the syncopations by around 4:15 really help break up the texture and hit the piece home. Featuring the bass really prominently in the outro was another good choice - it's probably my favorite instrument in here. Keep at it, MegaSphere! Happy 2022! ^^

[JUMPTAEFVCK]

I can't believe I missed this! I like the pulsing synth bass and the squeaky textures in the background. Some of the risers are a bit cheesy, but nonetheless I'm enjoying the sense of build into 1:02. The drop is pretty minimal, but very catchy. I like the vocal samples you include intermittently, including the "jump"s at 1:38 or so. Harmonically, the piece could use a tad more variety, but it certainly pushes all the right buttons in terms of danceability, rhythmic content, flow, and - as always with you - production quality. I'm enjoying the renewed prominence of the squeaky riff towards the end too. Keep at it, Midi! ^_^

[Escape From the Grave]

Intriguing title. I love the dark organ chords at the beginning and the frantic riffs at :19. The percussion here is really nice and dynamic, and the heavy use of the ride cymbal gives it a somewhat jazzy feel. At times, I felt like the balance in the texture was a bit off - there's a big emphasis on the frantic harmonic elements, whereas for example, I think elements like the brass solo at :57 should probably take precedence, even though it's short-lived. The organ chords toward the middle make for a cool bridge, although perhaps that section could've been integrated a bit more cleanly with the final orchestral section at 2:04. That said, I really like the additional mallets and string harmonies during the final minute. The piece never quite relieves the sense of tension it creates throughout, but otherwise it's a great example of how you're so good at creating these cinematic masterpieces. Cheers, Ale! ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Hey! Nice to hear from you. I hope you're doing well :)

This is not my favourite of my own compositions, since indeed there are quite a few things that could be improved in it. I still like the general idea, but I just didn't have enough time to spend on it to really make it shine. I'm glad that you still found some enjoyment in it, and thank you for taking the time to leave such a solid review!