TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[-Hidden Path- (Rapid Route mix)]

I remember the original! I like the vocal sample additions and the more prominent VGM style of this one. The bass also seems more up-front than the original, and the tempo faster. The blissful synth melodies are nice, as are the rhythmic elements, especially during the middle couple of minutes. It's good to see you featured the riff at 1:30 in this one too - I remember that from the original. The ambient outro is a great touch, especially with the rhythmic variations. Strong work here, WF! ^^

[-Skelter-]

I like the old school breakbeat vibes here. Parts of it remind me of "Daybreaker," with the jazzy flair and prominent vocal samples. There's a ton of variety here, but the flow is really smooth. I love the vocal sample at :35 - really takes some of the tension out of the busy beat. Same thing with the mini-breakdown at 1:20ish. The jazzy chord at the end seemed like a fitting conclusion - quirky, yet not out-of-place. Probably my favorite track of yours of 2020. Keep it up, WF! ^^

[-Train to Nowhere-]

I love your experimental tracks. The ominous beats fit in really well with the old-school movie samples. The piece is a bit minimalistic, but I'm enjoying the pulsing effect that the texture has at around 1:15 and the variations in the beat towards the end. Overall, it could've used a stronger sense of direction, but it's still really evocative and catchy. Perfect for a rainy Saturday. :)

[-Megalopolis-]

Really cute piece! I like the upbeat melodies and synth guitars at :25. The authentic-sounding drums are a nice touch, and the rhythmic elements and sound design are top-notch as usual with you. The jazzy breakdown at 1:35 is really refreshing, and the string melodies at 1:45 give a softer edge to the piece. It's really full of variety and fun riffs - I could envision this as a loop in a video game. Keep it up, WF! ^^

[searching for clues]

I like the rich strings and church bells at the beginning. The effect of the short phrases on the flow is effective at first, but it felt a bit choppy after a while, especially with the back-and-forth between the energetic/dramatic mini-phrases (:34, :51) and the more mellow and ominous ones. Still, the orchestral samples are really high-quality, and I like the brighter tone of some of the chords starting at around the 2-minute mark. Everything sounds really well-balanced and clean in the mix, too. You've been scouted, my friend. Welcome to Newgrounds! ^^

LudwigComposer responds:

Thank you for your thoughts and scout! The song is meant to be easy to rearrange to suit film, that is why there are gaps.

[Blackout Remix]

Certainly different style than what I'm used to hearing from you. I like the string pads, clap syncopations at around :43, and flashy synths. You might overuse the transitions with the tom-toms a bit, but I'm enjoying the flow and the minimalistic sections with the bare vocals. The piece feels like it could use a bit more variety towards the end, but perhaps the original didn't have much more vocal content to work with. A prominent solo or bridge wouldn't been a welcome change. Still, happy to see an upload from you. Happy New Year! ^^

dude2312 responds:

Hahah I genuinely felt like I was at the NGUAC2021! Great review, TaintedLogic. You know appreciate your criticism a lot.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my little piece.

[Chasing Parallels]

I like the eerie chimes at the beginning, and the breathy vocals contribute to the ominous tone of the piece overall. I like the echo effects at around :35 too, but I feel like the vocals at :42 were a bit dry by comparison. The lyrics have a strong narrative inclination, and the composition itself is also full of variety. The motif of "parallel lines" is really clever, too. Occasionally, the big pitch jumps in the melodies are a bit jarring, notably at :20 ("yard"). The mix sounds really good to my ears, and the dense and jazzy texture later on in the piece is just engrossing. The glitchy solo at 2:51 is awesome, and the vocal layering at around 2:30 is great too. The piece comes together really well as a cohesive thematic whole, even while the composition itself is full of surprises. Brilliant piece, Kor-Rune. Please upload more in 2021! Also, if you ever put this on an album, please PM me - I'd love to snag a DL. ^^

Kor-Rune responds:

Thank you so much for the shout and feedback !! I will absolutely let you know, there's several tracks im putting together for such a thing :')

[Modus Operandi]

Congrats on having the last NG song of 2020. I like the pensive mood at the beginning and the spacey beat at :25. The piece is a little slow to progress, but the lead at :45 was showing some promise before the piece sinks back into minimalism at 1:15. I like the mysterious mood at 1:18 - not my favorite sample, but it fits the piece. The bass line in this middle section is a big plus - really keeps the piece grounded. The lead riff at 2:20 is probably the most memorable part of the piece for me, and you tie it together well at the end. The composition could've been a bit bolder here, but you've certainly done enough to earn a scout. Looking forward to hearing more synthwave beauties like this from you in the future. Happy New Year! ^^

XORVUX responds:

Your review puts my intentions into words very well, and your feedback is noted. I am heavily drawn to atmospheric soundscapes, so I'm relieved to hear that part turned out well. I'm still learning how to build structure and impact, but I eagerly continue to learn that skill. Frankly, I'm surprised (and honored) to be approved this quickly. So thank you very very much for scouting me! ...also a little nervous, since I hope my other tracks fair well against this first impression. Nevertheless, a first review like this is oh-so relieving. Glad to hear your kind words, glad to finally contribute to NG!

[Chromatic]

I like the phasing pads at the beginning. The rhythm is a little hard to follow at first, but there's a good sense of climax into :24. I wasn't a huge fan of the chopped vocals that come in on the off-beats, but the sung vocals starting at :48 worked really well, especially once with the additional layering at :55. There are a couple brief moments of dissonance between the vocal harmonies and the synths at 1:08 or so, and the heavy compression/sidechaining in there makes the instrumental track sound a tad distorted. Later on, the piece gets a tad repetitive, but the melodic bridge at 2:47 helps tie things together. Overall solid work here, DJ-AfterBurnz. Those "dah-dah"s grow on me as the piece goes on, too. ^_^ Happy holidays!