TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[A Journeys End [NGUAC 2020 Final]]

I like the feeling of suspense at the beginning between the tremolo and the emotional piano chords. The piece is a little slow to progress at first, but there’s a good injection of energy at 1:05, and the crisp percussion and majestic melodies thereafter help move things along nicely. The melodies at 1:10 could’ve been a little more dynamic and memorable imo, but you did a good job of channeling the emotional quality of the piece with the return to the furtive, taciturn part at 1:57. Since so much of this piece is so minimal in texture, I would’ve liked to see a little more humanization at times. For example, the piano chords at 2:21 feel a bit square rhythmically, although I recognize the descending line thereafter has some nice little “anti-quantization” details going on. I’d also push you to do even more with dynamics, especially within the quiet sections. The ending was a bit cheesy, and I sort of expected the piece to end at 3:21 upon hearing it for the first time, although it does give a nice sense of resolve to a piece that otherwise has a subtle note of tension in the string drones. Overall, stellar work with the sound design, atmosphere, progression, and mixing. Despite my nitpicking on some of the compositional details, you really told a story with this piece (or, at least the end of one). Keep it up, Lazerwing! ^_^

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

[Ataraxia]

I like the plucked synths at the beginning. The pause at :13 threw me off of the flow a bit, but the beats at :14 are super catchy and refreshing. The combination of the airy lead at :27 and the hard-hitting bass are great, although the chord progression is a bit cliche. The texture also feels like it’s missing some mid-range instruments, although the mix is rather clean and crisp. I like the cutesy riff and delicious hi-hats you introduce during the bridge at 1:55 and the subsequent variations on the bass at 2:10. There are a lot of fun rhythmic details in this piece, which help keep things engaging despite the minimalism at certain points. I would’ve liked to hear a little more variation on the refrain the second time around (at 2:37), and overall the melodic content in this piece could’ve been a bit more dynamic and memorable. Still, I really enjoy the sound design, rhythmic content, mastering, atmosphere, and progression of this one. Keep at it, Lagiarathalos! ^_^

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

[The Concept of Time]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning and the dark brass at :15. The harmonic content is a little bare, but the texture is still rich. I might’ve liked to hear a little more of the vocals at :48 in the mix, just because their part seemed a bit more mobile than the strings and brass, but the gorgeous melody at 1:14 helps keep me engaged shortly thereafter. The middle section of the piece has a really nice sense of triumph and direction to it, and the string riff at 2:24 was a fun play on the more legato version of the same riff at :32. I might have asked for a little more melodic flair and harmonic depth in the more energetic sections of the piece, but that’s being nitpicky. The production quality, sound design, atmosphere, phrasing, and melodies are all wonderful here. Keep up the good work, Kevin! ^_^

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
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

KevinMueller responds:

Thanks for the review and the kind words! :)
And thank you very much for hosting the NGUAC! Your patience with some of the contestants was amazing and inspiring. You did a really great job!

[Alabaster]

I like the eerie ambient sound effects at the beginning, but the rhythm of their delivery felt a bit square, so as to render them cheesy. The creepy riser thing at :31 was a neat idea, but could’ve worked a tad better with some more atmosphere. I also had a little trouble squaring it with the blissful mood at :40. Still, I’m enjoying the thicker texture and quirky beats at :43. The instrumental hierarchy undergoes a lot of sudden changes during the energetic part of this piece, notably at 1:04, 1:11, and other places. The composition strikes me as a bit experimental, but I’m really loving the rhythmic content and sound design. I love the percussion at 1:59 - super danceable and fun, and it also sits really well in the mix. And that reminds me: the production quality is superb here, even if the pads at :58 didn’t quite pop like I wanted them to. There’s a lot of potential in this piece, and I highly encourage you to keep working on it after the competition. With a little more cohesion and a less choppy arrangement (and also much less of the experimental granulizer thing starting at 2:42), this track would be a total bop. It already has the engrossing instrumentation, neat rhythmic content, and just generally oozes creativity. Keep it up, ISMCataclism! Good luck with both school and your album. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
7.75/10

Zerisan responds:

Thank you so much!

[Incise ~ Starburst]

I like the quirky synths at the beginning and the bright tone. The compression is a bit heavy, though, and I thought the pads could’ve been a bit stronger in the mix. Still, I enjoyed the climax into 1:00 and the melodies thereafter. I like the 2-climax model you use in advance of the breakdown/re-intro at 2:34. It’s really effective at channeling the emotion. The synth on the off-beats at 3:04 gets a little lost in the mix, but I’m liking the blissful vibes of that bridge section. The modulation at 3:34 was a bit sudden, but it does help up the intensity going into the final refrain at the end. You also begin to overuse the risers by the end, but I love the dreamy outro and the rhythmic syncopations during the last 30 seconds or so. More big-picture, I would’ve liked to see you return to something like the emotional height of the section from 1:00 - 2:00 or so. It felt like it never quite got back to that same feeling of arrival and resolve that was at 1:30. I also think there were some places in this piece where you tried doing a bit too much with the rhythmic framework, notably at 2:34. Still, my favorite elements of the piece are the cheery melodies, flow, and danceability of this one. You get due credit for atmosphere and sound design, too. Thanks so much for participating in the NGUAC this year! I really enjoyed hearing your work. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

[The Beginning]

I like the piano at the beginning - it sounds a bit square rhythmically, but the atmosphere and mixing effects help keep things interesting. The vocals at :26 are really nice, and that airy section flows nicely into the synth pads at :51. You may have overused the reverb a tad here, and the texture is still pretty thin during the climactic parts. The echoey synth riff at 1:36 is nice, but after a while it doesn’t have a very strong sense of direction. I felt like the piece was missing the dynamism in the composition that I usually look for. The atmosphere and sound design are both really nice here, and I enjoyed the production quality as well. I think the composition could use a little more fleshing out, and a stronger point of arrival with more memorable melodies and build-ups might help create that sense of direction. Still, solid work with the progression, instrumentation, rhythmic content, and mood. Keep at it, ImSoAlive! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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

[Hole In The Sky]

I like the atmospheric effects and emotional appeal at the beginning. The progression is a little slow-paced at first, and I would’ve liked to see a stronger sense of direction towards the beginning. The piano part sounded a bit square at times, and some additional phrasing or dynamics considerations could really help you out imo. The string entry at 1:02 was nice, although again I think there could’ve been a stronger sense of climax into the entry of the brighter piano and rhythm section at 1:48. The atmosphere by around 2:15 is really nice, and I like the emotional quality of the bridge at 2:57. That said, the rhythm also felt a bit square there, and the piano continues to lack humanization. The piece comes together well towards the end with the return of the bright piano at 4:16, and the drawn-out string chord at the end was a nice touch. Overall, the sound design and the production quality are my favorite parts of the piece. I think you didn’t quite capitalize on the rich atmosphere and emotional appeal of the composition. I would’ve liked to see some more dynamic contrast, phrasing, subtle tempo changes, and the like. At times, the pacing of the chord progression also felt a little fast-paced to really sell the sense of wonder here, notably 1:20 or so. Still, I’m liking the creative arrangement, instrumentation, melodies, and rhythmic content here. Keep at it, Glassedhouse! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Nebula (Official Release)]

I like the quirky synths at the beginning and the rich atmosphere. The rhythmic content and spacious mix are really neat, and I’m enjoying the build-up into 1:04. The chord progressions and many of the arrangement and sound design details strike me as a bit cliche, and sometimes the synth arpeggios (e.x. 2:07) sound a bit harsh in the mix. That said, the production quality is really strong overall, despite the very heavy compression towards the end, and I like the emotional appeal of the breakdown at 2:25 or so. I might’ve liked to see some more variety in the harmonic content of the piece towards the end, and honestly I thought the second drop was a bit underwhelming, but overall the piece comes together well and maintains a lot of the tense undercurrent throughout. Strong work, Denis! ^_^

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
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

[Raindrops]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning and the spacious atmosphere. I think the piano sounds a bit square and artificial, though. I’d recommend some more humanization and shape to that instrument early on, especially for the first 40 seconds or so while the texture is relatively bare. I also think the block chords in the piano at :21 sound a bit clunky. The waltzy meter and syncopations at :42 are really nice, though, and the melodic phrases in this piece have a great, elegant flair about them. The violin sample sounds pretty inauthentic in the upper range (e.x., 1:14), and I would’ve liked to see some section of this piece have more legato elements to contrast the crisp articulation present in just about every instrument in the piece. Nice job with the variation in the melodies at 2:06 - that was a pleasant surprise. Despite my criticisms on some of the compositional and sound design details here, I’ll also say that the production quality is just about perfect. Very clean, well-balanced and full-sounding mix throughout. The arrangement of the piece, while not entirely original, channels the energy effectively and flows quite smoothly. Overall, strong work here, Dag0! Keep it up. ^_^

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?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Dag0 responds:

OMG This is the best score i've got from you, and it is quite surprising considering other judges reviews on this piece. Thanks! ^^