TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Staying with You]

I like the evocative riff in the upper register at the beginning. Almost reminds me of a piano representation of an alarm clock - a somewhat repetitive ringing sound distorted by a state of being half-asleep. I like the simple descending progression at :05, which contrasts nicely with the more rapid ascending melodic patterns at :20. The rhythm feels a bit square until :45, and I like the lighter fare at around :59. I also appreciate the harmonic liberties you took at 1:10. The jazzy minimal section at 1:40 is fun, and you’ve really started to capture the emotional appeal behind the theme of the piece at the 2-minute mark. There’s a great moment of arrival and release at 2:15, which feels reminiscent of the beginning of the piece in a way. That moment of arrival is short-lived, however, and honestly I sometimes wish the pacing of the piece was a bit slower. The piece really starts coming together at 3:10, with a rich range of frequencies and a powerful and victorious tone. I thought some of the progressions and foregrounded content were a bit cheesy in the last minute or so, especially the frantic descending line at 4:16. The ending also feels a tad too drawn out imo. That said, some of that content also helps add some cohesion to the piece, which is hard to detect at other times in the melody lines. There are certainly some rough transitions in here, but I’ll commend you for the rather effective harmonic framework and pleasant melodic riffs. You’ve created a lot of variation around the bass lines and motifs, which gives the piece a strong narrative flavor. What else can I say, Ale? I’ve thoroughly enjoyed listening to and reviewing your work throughout this competition, and I absolutely look forward to hearing more of it in the near future. Congratulations on your effort and good luck with your future projects. ^_^

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
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
9.5/10

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

WHAH, even more lost reviews!

This one is so old I shan't say too much, but thanks for your consistency, and all the great work you're doing for the music community on NG! It wouldn't be the same without you :O

[The Trader's Way]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning. That riff is predictable, yet also charged with emotion - reminds me of rain. I also like how you shape the rest of the piece around that riff, with occasional swells and complementary patterns and melodies to add variety. The final build was done rather well, and I particularly like the octave jump at 2:08. Beautiful work as always, Papkee! All this piece needs now is a sustained emotional high point to hit it home. Sounds like the trader hasn't quite completed his journey yet. :) Still, wonderful work with the sound design and composition here. Keep it up! ^^

[Enchanted Wood (DKC2 Remix)]

I like the nature sound effects and quirky synth at :10. The crisp beats and atmospheric flair really make this piece imo. I like the rhythmic details on the percussion too. The piece gets pretty repetitive by the end, though. I would've liked to hear an extended melodic section or at least variations on that main riff at 1:58 to really hit the piece home. Still, solid production quality and sound design with this one. The composition just could've been a tad more creative, but I'm looking forward to seeing what else you churn out in the near future. :)

[Boots Cost Money]

Wow! Haven't heard from you in a long time. I like the western-sounding beat and the soulful guitars. Some of the percussion sounds a bit cheesy and dry sometimes, but overall the rhythmic elements of the piece are satisfying. The lyrics are creative and fun, although the mic quality on the vocals could've been better. Sometimes it sounds like you're trying to cram too many syllables into the beat pattern too, like at "take a million steps" (~:37). Overall, fun idea and catchy beats here! Keep at it, Mistarogerz. ^^

mistarogerz responds:

Thanks for the honest review!

[radio signals]

I like the relaxed mood and nature sound effects. The vocal samples and stereo crackles work well too. Once the beat comes in at around :30, the sidechaining is a little too heavy imo. Still, I appreciate the mellow atmosphere and flow of this piece. Might need a tad more variety or melodic content, but it's nice for some background music on a Sunday morning. ^^ Keep at it, man.

[COOL MOON]

I like the cutesy sound design and the static-y percussion. Also nice to hear something that's not in 4/4 time on NG. XD The melodies are really nice, and one of my favorite compositional details of the piece is the rolled chords on the downbeats during the more climactic/busy sections. I think the more contained, mellow section towards the end was a good idea, but the percussion there sounded a bit too heavy given the harmonic parts. Overall, solid work! Did you make this for a particular game on a commission? Either way, I could totally see this in a game. :)

ConnorGrail responds:

This one was not for a game, just me having fun :)

[F-777 - Power Glove]

This sounds like a super old school Newgrounds hands-up track. I dig it. The melodies are definitely the strongest part of this piece imo, although the mixing isn't far behind. The percussion sounds a little too thin for my tastes, although the other rhythm section elements help keep things engaging. It kinda sounded like you just went a little too far with the high-passing here. I liked the variations on the melodies towards the end (~2:20), and the more conspicuous vocal samples after 2:30 or so were a nice touch. Overall, the piece comes together well. Nice work, F-777! ^^

F-777 responds:

Thanks so much for your reviews man. srsly best feedback ever. You actually can hear it all.
Thank you!

[-Keep Going-]

I like the frantic synths and orchestral hits at the beginning. This piece is really blissful and fun. The bass line is a bit cliche, and I also thought the bass instrument itself might've been a bit too loud at times. The banjo is a nice touch, and the piece has a sense of motion about it that reminds me of a lot of your older tracks. The vocal samples at 1:53 are cool, and the melodic variations at 2:06 help take the piece in a more intricate direction in the 2nd half of the piece. There are some really interesting sound design elements all over this piece, from the banjo and vocal samples to guitar towards the end. Really cute track with a sense of continuous motion. Maybe it could've used some more structuring and a proper breakdown/bridge, though. Otherwise, super enjoyable track here, WF! ^^

[F-777 - Prism]

I like the airy synths and sense of build into :29. The chord progression is a bit cliche, but I like the blissful melodies and atmospheric flair of the piece. The B-section at 1:15 is a great touch too, and the almost eastern-sounding synth you had playing it was a great choice. Solid work here, F-777! Doesn't quite feel structurally complete yet, but it certainly does sound like old school you. :) Keep up the good work!