TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Fractured]

Oh man. I hope it's healed by now! I love the emotional appeal of the piano at the beginning and the sense of build into :44. The sound design really captures the flurry of emotion I'd imagine you felt. The mix is very loud and clear here, if a tad over-compressed. The bridge at 2:30-ish is effective at channeling the energy, but doesn't add much to the piece harmonically imo. I like the bassy riffs towards the end (3:00-ish), and I found it fitting that you brought back the piano at the very end. The variations at 4:08 are also really nice, and there's some evocative filtering in there too. Nice work overall, MegaSphere! Really hope you get better soon.

[After Hours (2020 Remix)]

I like the filtering at the beginning, but the vocals could certainly blend a little better. It might help if there were some more compression/chorus effects to make them sound thicker. Still, I like the instrumental palette and sense of build into 1:05. The piece has a full texture throughout and a pleasing verse-refrain structure. The contained sound at the breakdown at 2:30 was a nice touch, and helped add some structural contrast to a piece that had a pretty consistent energy level otherwise. You definitely capitalized on that setup too with the additional backing vocals and flair of the last refrain at 3:00. Nice work overall, Time0ff! ^_^

Time0ff responds:

Thank you Tainted!

[LE - Snow 1]

This is beautiful. You really captured the air of mystery and wonder of the season's first snowfall. Has a nice drone-like quality too. The mixing and sound design are great, and I like how the "hierarchy" of the texture evolves over time to feature the full palette at different points. I should really check out LE!

[LE - Overworld 2]

I like the minimal percussion at the beginning and the airy flutes that come in shortly after. The warm strings and chromatic motion in the harmonies at around :45 are both really nice. The texture is a bit thin for my tastes for a lot of the piece, and sometimes I wish the piece was a bit more flowing to match the tranquil mood. The transitions in this piece often seem a little rushed, especially 4:30. That said, the sound design is top-notch, and there's a lot of variety in the soundscape to keep things interesting. I especially like the haunting violins at 2:30-ish, and the soothing counterpoint from 3:00-4:30 or so probably constitutes my favorite part of the piece. You did a nice job of making the ending sound conclusive without overselling it - a fittingly mild-mannered conclusion to a very tranquil and lovely piece. Nice work, Samulis! I should really check out more of your recent stuff. ^_^

samulis responds:

Thanks TL! I'm glad you gave it a listen, and enjoyed it. :)

As game underscore, it was not possible to make it too active/full in texture or else it would wear the player's ears after a short time. I also tend towards smaller ensembles these days, just a consequence of growing up I guess, haha.

4:30 isn't a transition, it's a 'response' to the 'question' posed in the previous horn phrase. The transition out of that section is at 4:46.

0:33, 3:06, and 4:48 are all the same material, just with more elaborate orchestrations each time, by the way. The material between those sections are the contrasting portions of the 'rondo'.

[XenoXenon - Time To Reflect]

I like the loud mix and cutesy synths. The kick has a tad too much treble for my tastes, but I like the drum samples otherwise. The vocals were a nice touch, and I like how you brought them back again towards the end. The quirky arpeggios at the breakdown at 1:14 are especially nice, and overall the flow and sound design of this piece are some of the strongest elements of it. This is more melodic than the last piece I reviewed, although I think the drum patterns could've been a tad more creative. Overall solid work again! I'm especially impressed with the mixing and atmosphere in the pieces I've reviewed today. :)

XenoXenon responds:

Thx !

[XenoXenon - Years Ago]

I like the airy texture and emotional appeal of the beginning. The rhythm of the chords feels a bit square and regular; I can tell it's not really being played live. Using more tempo automations and subtle dynamic/note length shifts will help "humanize" it a bit more. I like when there's a bit more energy in the texture at around :40, but I think you could've done a little more with that refrain before returning to the dreamy atmosphere at 1:00. There was a nice subtle sense of build into 1:50, but I think you could've done more with the refrain again, especially since it was the last one. This piece needs a little more melodic content to drive it home and complete the story arc you set up here. Still, nice work with the sound design, atmosphere, and phrasing with this one. The composition just needs a tad more depth imo. Keep it up! ^^

XenoXenon responds:

Thanks for the feedback :)

[-Gabberfly-]

I like the cutesy synth rolls at the beginning and the rhythmic details. The sound design is definitely a highlight here, between the guitar synths, static-y bass, and VGM-ish percussion. This piece reminds me a lot of your track "Grind District" from a few years ago - rhythmically driven and short, with really engaging and robotic-sounding instrumentation. The track is a bit repetitive, but it also captures a great sense of energy and progress. Makes me want to get up and run around. Strong work! Looking forward to a higher upload rate in 2020. :)

[Hymn in Ab Major]

I like the Auld Lang Syne vibes I'm getting from the opening organ riff. The white noise at the beginning was a little overdone, though. You really threw me off with the transition at the 1-minute mark, but I like the fun jazzy riff at 1:10 and the rhythmic details. Piece has a fun "mash-up" quality to it, and the production quality is rock solid as expected. The vocal recordings add some comedic value, and I personally think the melody at 2:15 is the highlight of the piece, short-lived though it was. The outro has a soulful edge to it, too. There are a lot of good ideas in here, guys. I'm sure BilliumMoto loved it! The experimental flair was a bit jarring at times, but I still really appreciate the creative energy you brought to this track. Happy 2020! ^^

[Wondrous Trek]

I like the anticipatory mood at the beginning and the bright tone of the lead synths. Great sense of build into :44, and the mix is really tight and spacious as usual. The melodic content is really refreshing and catchy, and and certain sections of the piece also have a fun rhythmic flair, especially the drop at 1:30, breakdown at 2:15, and transitory material. The upbeat mood and sound design really make this piece what it is in my mind. The arrangement might've been a tad cliche, and sometimes I think you spend a lot of the piece on the build-ups/transitions, but the piece still has plenty of extended "moments of arrival" to keep me entertained. Nice work overall, MKT! Happy 2020. ^^