TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Following]

I like the spacey atmosphere at the beginning and the drums that start fading in at :20. The clap sample at :26 isn’t my favorite, although I enjoyed the build-up into :51. The drop was catchy, but could’ve been a tad punchier and more dynamic. The “double-dip” drop at 1:20 was pretty cool - it definitely filled out the atmosphere nicely. The piece could use a little more fill at times, and you start overusing the stop-start transitions after a while, but the energetic bridge at 2:09 sounds good. The last melodic phrase of the piece feels a bit dragged-out, and overall the arrangement of this piece is a bit cliche. In fact, the generic sound design and progression is probably my main problem with the piece. The composition is a tad underwhelming, but certainly not bad, and the production quality holds up quite well. Overall, the piece didn’t knock my socks off or anything, but you’re definitely being too hard on yourself when your author’s description is just “sorry for this.” :) Keep at it, Mockany! Hope to see you back in the NGADM next year. ^_^

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Waiting For You (WIP) NGADM 2023]

I like the emotional appeal of the piano at the beginning, and the rest of the sound design is really good too, between the vocals, strings, and thunderstorm sound effects. The harmonic framework is a bit cliche, and the structure certainly could’ve been a tad more fleshed out. I also think the drums could’ve used a bit of a boost in the mix, especially the snare. The progression and atmosphere are nice, though - at some point, a soaring string melody or haunting, minimal bridge could absolutely tie this piece together well. I’d encourage you to keep working on it, although I definitely like what I’m hearing so far. Keep at it, Sashik! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
8/10

MusicSashik responds:

Hi! (Once again :)) Thank you for your thoughtful reviews. I greatly admire your ability to describe your perceptions of what you're hearing. While I agree with your insights, I still have a clear understanding of my current capabilities and how they influence the sound. Yet, your positive and informative feedback (as well as others') is exactly what will motivate me to keep going and do better. Although the final version of the song may not become significantly better(I'm always unsure if I could do any better), it is about what it is. This song is about losing someone who was once very important in my life – an early and influential friend who initially introduced me to the world of music, but not too long ago, he passed away.

[Quantize My Heartbeat (NGADM 2023)]

I like the edgy guitars and crisp drums at :13, although the transition into that section from the intro could’ve been a bit smoother. I also think the vocals at :24 could’ve used a bit of a boost in the mix - they get pretty buried when they’re competing with the guitar for attention, like at 1:30. The lyrics are really clever, and I also like your singing voice a lot. The solo at 2:12 absolutely slays, and the “robot girl” at 2:40 was produced/processed very well. Overall, you nailed this. I was totally jamming out to the guitar riffs, laughing my ass off the first time I heard 2:40, and generally reminiscing about the good ol’ days when @UlfusNG was uploading a nerdcore banger twice a week. Clean up the mix a tad, and this piece would be borderline unbeatable in my book. Keep it up, CrossCarrasco! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10

CrossCarrasco responds:

Thanks for the feedback 😊

[anxiety]

I like the smooth guitar at the beginning and the melancholy vocals shortly thereafter. The vocal layering is really nice harmonically, but they don’t always blend together well in the mix. The way the vocal lines are articulated is just slightly different sometimes between the lead vocals and harmonies, if that makes sense. The lyrics themselves are really vivid and evocative. The piece also has a great overarching sense of build-up, between the addition of the strong beat at 1:33 and the guitar solo at 2:24. The production quality is fantastic, and the phrasing and arrangement feel really loose and organic, like you’re both communicating these feelings to me by talking to me rather than through music. Overall, this is a very strong piece, you two! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.5/10

[Infinite Space (NGADM)]

I like the jazzy piano chords at :08 and the rhythmic content. Some of the drum samples are not my favorite - the kick has a lot of treble for my tastes, and until :42 the snare sounds rather dry. This piece is pretty slow to progress, and you could’ve done more to fill out the atmosphere before things start picking up later on. The production quality is good - I especially like how the bass at 1:08 sits in the mix - and the synth melodies that start creeping in over the course of the second minute. Pretty sure I recognize the perc that comes in at 1:44 as a preset from Logic Pro. :D

The texture really starts coming together at 2:20 or so with the synth string melody and atmospheric pads. Still, the moment of full-textured catharsis is pretty short-lived. I think you needed more fill in the soundscape earlier - some vocals or other melodies would be ideal. The sound design, atmosphere, and mixing are really strong here, but the composition, while pretty, is a bit bland in places. I was also a little thrown off by the abrupt ending.

Overall, there’s a lot to like here. This is a great downtempo groove with some fun instrumentation, but it would benefit from a bolder composition. Keep at it, Ketyri! ^_^

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

[LIVE THIS WAY (internet addiction)]

I like the edgy synth guitars at the beginning and the crisp beats at :11. The vocals at :22 sound good, although a bit over-processed. The lyrics themselves are also really good - clever, but also relatable. The instrumental tracks could use a tad more variety at times, and the texture seems to be missing some upper-mid-range tones throughout. I like the “this is how it is now” bridge at 1:48, although I would’ve liked to hear another refrain or melodic section or something instead of going right into the outro from there - the way it is now felt a bit anticlimactic. Still, I really like the production quality, rhythmic content, progression, and passionate vocals here. Really glad you went out of your comfort zone with this one! Keep it up, Ackee39. ^_^

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

Ackee39 responds:

Thank you for your (as usual) super in depth feedback!
I def ageee with you that the main thing that needs to be fixed is clearer instrumentation, the song is too reliant on the vocals I think, and I agree that filling up those hi-mids could make the instrumental sound more full. I’ll do my best to work on that for next time!
Anyways thanks as always for reviewing, as someone who started relatively recently and is looking to improve both mixing and songwriting, your reviews are always incredibly helpful. Cheers!

[art meadows]

The glitchy piano riff at the beginning is really evocative, and I love the atmosphere around it too. It’s a little hard to follow the rhythm/flow of the piece at first, but I also really like the thin-sounding percussion and funky synths like at :55. Also, don’t think I didn’t notice you sneak a Discord notification in there at 1:10, lol. Overall, the rhythmic content and sound design of this piece are really creative, and the relaxing atmosphere really helps win me over too. You even wrapped up the piece nicely with the smooth melody at 2:14. It’s pieces like this that make me wish my judging rubric had a maximum of 5 points for originality instead of 1. Keep up the great work, LordAndiso! ^_^

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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1+++/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10

[do u <3 that]

I like the quirky atmosphere at the beginning and the groovy bass that comes in shortly thereafter. The percussion at :21 is great, and overall the mix sounds loud and crisp. The distorted vocals at :34 are also really cool. Alright, instead of continuing to list the instruments one by one, let me just say that the sound design is really cool! :D The composition could’ve been a bit more fleshed out, though, and the texture of the piece feels pretty minimal throughout. Some more reverb might help in places, but you could also use more harmonic depth and a looser mix that gives more space to the existing instruments. Still, the rhythmic content, instrumentation, and progression of the piece are top-notch. So, to answer your question, YES, I <3 that. :3 Keep it up, InventoryObjects!

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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Skyrail Ascension [WIP]]

I like the dreamy synths at the beginning and the subtle build-up into :23. The bass sounds fine to me, but the drums could be a tad punchier in the mix. The melodies are cute, and this piece also has a great sense of atmosphere about it. The harmonic content in this piece is very repetitive, but I like your new sound design choices later on in the piece, like the crisp drums at 2:12 and the warm pads and strings at the breakdown at 2:37. I think it’s pretty ironic that this piece is called “Skyrail Ascension,” because it has a descending chord progression throughout. Overall, the atmosphere, sound design, and mood of the piece are great, and the production holds up rather well despite the soft drums. My one major complaint is the lack of variety in the melodies and harmonic framework. Still, this piece sounds tailor-made for a video game soundtrack that takes place in a futuristic utopia. Keep at it, Erik! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Ghostly Grooves]

I like the catchy beats at the beginning. The sound design is really nice, from the quirky synth lead at :30 to the jazzy pads to the countermelody at 1:10 that I can only describe as “ghostly.” The mix is pretty clean, but also feels a bit off-balance. The bass and harmonies are very quiet relative to the lead melodies, and the mix is also rather quiet in general. That said, the composition here is top-notch, with a revolving cadre of memorable, dynamic melodies, and some killer rhythmic content and sound design. Really neat track, Metatron! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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
9.25/10