TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Think Positive OST (ADVENTure 2020)]

Oh man, I'm really behind in my reviews now lol. Really cute piece, Connor. I like the ghostly synths and somewhat melancholic progression. The mallets at 1:05 were a nice touch, and the drums keep things moving along despite the minimalism. I can tell it loops smoothly, too. Keep at it, CG! ^_^

[Never Alone]

I like the frantic arpeggios in the background at the beginning and the ghostly pads. The melodies at :26 are really neat, and I'm loving the vocals and energy in here too. The chord progression and beat are both a tad generic, and after a while you begin to overuse the transitions with the drum fills (example, 1:50). Otherwise, the flow is smooth and the production quality is solid. The piece might've used a bridge or solo that had some more harmonic variety, but overall strong work here, DJAB! I like the catchy melodies and upbeat mood here. ^_^

[00FF 1x]

I like the glitchy beat at the beginning. Some of the stereo echoes at :15 were a bit harsh in my ears, but the rhythmic content and sound design are really cool. The texture is pretty minimal, but the reverb and other mixing effects to a decent job of filling it out. The production quality is also good, with some crisp and loud sounds throughout. The kick drum from around 1:20 onward might've had a tad too much treble for my tastes, though. Also, the piece sounds pretty bland and bare from around 1:30 to 3:00 or so. It would've been nice to incorporate some more melodic content or a richer atmosphere to keep things engaging. The rhythmic variations at around 2:10 were a nice touch, but the composition still seems a bit underwhelming before the energy picks up a bit at 3:15 or so. Still, it feels like you never quite got back to the same intensity and groovy flow that characterized the first minute or so of the piece. I'd encourage you to keep working on this one. There's a lot to like about the instrumentation and eerie mood of this one, but some of the compositional details could use some more fleshing out. Hope that helps! Cheers. ^_^

[Tea Cup Massacre Epsilon: Descent Into Madness]

I like the dreamy synth arpeggios at the beginning and the rich atmosphere that’s quickly formed around it. The minimal drop at :47 was a nice choice, but some cool rhythmic content and sound design changes to keep things interesting. The production quality is really strong here, too. The section at 1:44 threw me off a bit, but at the end of the day it’s a clever transition into the ominous part at 2:05. The texture is still pretty minimal here, but I like the crisp beats and glitchy details by around 2:50. The transition at 3:10 kinda feels like I’m climbing out of whatever funk I was in for the last minute or so, only to realize I’ve landed in another sadistic hellworld. Sound design, atmosphere, mood, and production quality all get full credit from me here, but at the end of the day the composition is a tad underwhelming on the harmonic side. Still, I appreciate the storytelling element of the piece - there are a lot of fun “narrative” surprises in this track, not least of which is the riff at 4:21. Keep at it, WolfgangMiakoda! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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
8.25/10

[Wertw - Universe Travellers]

I like the glitchy beats at the beginning and the blissful synth riffs at :17. The mix is nice and crisp and well-balanced, and the melodic flair starting around :30 is nice. Some of the synths are a bit cheesy, but I’m enjoying the variations you introduced during the drop at :56. The second build-up/drop cycle happens pretty fast, but the extended breakdown with the dissonant piano and melancholy strings works well. The gritty texture at 2:46 was a nice way of re-introducing the electronic elements and re-establishing the intensity before the third build-up. I’m glad you varied the drop the third time around at 3:14, and the filler riff at 3:26 made me smile. Cool rhythmic content throughout the piece, and the modulation at 3:46 was a nice touch to hit the piece home towards the end. The glitchy details during the last few seconds are a nice homage to the intro, too. Overall, while I’m not a huge fan of the sound design and repetitive use of cliche build-ups, the compositional details, variety in the drops, and production quality here make this a thoroughly entertaining listen. Strong work, Wertw! ^_^

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

[Sentimentality]

I like the groovy percussion at the beginning and the quirky pads at :14. The sound design in this piece is awesome, and you nailed the sound design too. The melodies at :46 are nice, even if the refrain sounds a bit choppy overall with all the stop-start phrasing. The guitar at 1:19 was a fun surprise. It sounds a tad out-of-tune, but in a way that contributes to the quirky vibe of the track overall. Some of the chord progressions are a little cliche, but I like the variations on the refrain the second time around at 2:40. The blissful mood and instrumentation really have me sold on this one. Keep it up, Walpang! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

Walpang responds:

Woahh I finally got approval from TaintedLogic :0

[Desert Fever]

I like the drone at the beginning and the flutes and sitar riffs you fashion around it. You’ve really set up a haunting, cinematic flair to the piece, and by around 1:20 the vocals are just chilling. The injection of energy at 2:45 was a welcome change - something sounds devious about that string line, and the contrapoint with the horns later on was a nice touch. The percussion at around 3:20 is awesome. The (vocals?) that pop in at 3:35 or so had a bit of a strange articulation, and some of the transitions later in the piece (at 4:18, for example) were a bit sudden. Naturally, you follow that particular one I just mentioned with a gorgeous string melody, and my slight, nitpicky concerns with the piece fade away yet again. I also really like the moaning vocals that fade in at various places in the piece, notably at around the 7-minute mark. The last couple of minutes, starting with the danceable fanfare at 8:00 or so, provide for a climactic conclusion to this momentous work of art - and then you outdid yourself again with the cello melody. This piece is a truly special cinematic event, Vocif. Well worth the 60-70 hours (but that’s easy for me to say). Well done. Also, consider this an early invitation to join the judging squad for next year, if you want. We’d love to have someone with your acumen on the team. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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
10/10

[Rainwave]

I like the mellow riffs at the beginning. There’s a bit of atonality in the texture by around :15, but I'm really enjoying the lyrics. The echo/delay effects on the vocals were a bit cheesy, and might’ve felt more well-rounded with some richer atmosphere around them - reverb and chorus effects and such. The way you articulate some of the words at the ends of lines (“stride,” “tide,” “brine,” etc.) was a bit overdone, and occasionally the vocals sound a bit flat there too. I’m really enjoying the additional layering at 1:08, and the intensity of the refrain at 1:22 was really nice. The echoed bit during the second hook at 2:24 was a fun detail. The solos at 3:18 are really nice too, although the percussion that was playing at that part sounded a bit dry in the mix. I like the acoustic guitar and the percussion instrument itself, though. The ending comes on a bit suddenly, but the plethora of dynamic melodic content still helps complete the arc of storytelling here. Overall, some of the vocal editing and compositional details didn’t quite work for me here, but I still really admire your guitar and vocal skills, sense of progression, and memorable melodies. Keep at it, Verbicidemusic! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Our Last Day]

I like the crisp drums at the beginning and the gritty guitars shortly thereafter. The breathy vocals add some nice texture to the mix, but it’s a little hard to make out the lyrics. Upon reading them, though, I really like the dark content. The melodic riff at :32 is really catchy, but I think the refrain at :42 would’ve been a little more effective if the vocals had a little more substance in them. The intricate rhythmic content at 1:20 is nice, and the groovy bridge at 2:10 came just in time since I was itching for a break from the verse-chorus structure. The riff at 2:27 is super neat, and flows really well into the verse riff at 2:46. At some point, it might’ve been nice to hear some more structural variety that had some more pronounced changes in the energy level, dynamics, or atmosphere of the piece. Still, you nailed the instrumentation, rhythmic content, production, and mood with this one, and the modulation at 3:25 is a nice touch to hit the piece home. Keep it up, TSRBand! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

TSRBand responds:

I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for all the notes and the work you guys put into the comp :) It's been a lot of fun!