TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Tethered to the Past]

I like the ominous tone at the beginning. Nitpicky thing: at :11, there’s this really low-pitched harmony line that sounds pretty indistinct. That might be on purpose, but it sounds to me like the notes are spaced a little too close together. I thought it was really clever when you transitioned into an oom-pah line at :17, which in turn progresses nicely into the more flowing and melodic vibe at :26. Stylistically, this is a rather eclectic piece, but you’ve really showed off your knack for storytelling and fluidity. I loved the frantic pitter-patter at 1:00 too. One transition that may have been a tad sudden for me is at 1:09 when the piece gets a little darker in tone again, but the ritardando into 1:28 was an effective way of foreshadowing the injection of energy thereafter. My favorite part of the piece is probably 2:08, which just sounds really cute. I also like how it gradually meanders its way to a lower register before launching into another more flowy section. The doodling at 2:50 is pretty impressive, but also wasn’t a particularly climactic way of concluding the piece imo. I would’ve liked to hear something with a fuller texture that united some of the disparate themes of the piece a little more. Still, the somewhat comical ending seemed fitting in its own right. Like I said, you really told a story with this one. I can envision the protagonist fighting with himself over whether and to what extent to let go of his past. There’s the stagnant, cyclical-but-enthralling parts of him that need curing, yet also the volatile, uncertain-but-optimistic prospects that the future holds. Anyway, fun piece, LSD! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
9/10

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you for the review, and sorry for the delayed response! I was teaching for four weeks as part of a university course, so I've been really tired whenever I've been at home :'D

Now that that's over, I hope I'll have some more time for music again!
As for your nitpicky thing, I don't hear what you mean there, as I'm just playing octaves. But maybe you were talking about 0:13, where the left hand might be a bit understated. I'm playing power chords there, but they might be somewhat quiet :)

The oom-pah thing is really fun to play! Believe it or not, I hadn't really developed that technique until now, so I'm glad it's in my arsenal.

Personally, I disagree about 1:09, as I feel like it's a natural place for the song to return to the intro. But it might've been unexpected, which just makes it all the better in my opinion!

2:08 is a callback to 0:31, and I agree that it's stylistically quite nice. Probably one of the most traditional parts of an arrangement I think I've ever composed.

I can see what you mean with 2:50. Seems like a lot of people also liked it though, so I guess it could be one of those flares that speaks to some people, yet not to others.
The way I see it, the climax of the piece is pretty much at 2:20, and the rest is just a fleshed out outro. I do however, feel like the outro draws the piece together, as 3:04 is pretty much the same as the intro and the middle section of the piece :3

"I can envision the protagonist fighting with himself over whether and to what extent to let go of his past. There’s the stagnant, cyclical-but-enthralling parts of him that need curing, yet also the volatile, uncertain-but-optimistic prospects that the future holds"

=> Wow, that's actually pretty close to what I imagine the piece being about, myself. I'm glad you caught on to that!

Thanks again for the thorough review, as well as for all your hard work!

[My Baby Flew Away]

I like the jangly guitars and vocals at the beginning. Perhaps the piece could’ve used more of a proper intro, but the beginning does have a spontaneity that matches the thematic content of the piece. There could’ve been a tad more emotion in the vocals imo. The lyrics and instrumental tracks both have a forlorn and rueful quality, but the vocals didn’t have me convinced of that somehow. They have a bouncy, sing-songy vibe (especially by :34 or so) that doesn’t quite match up with the wistful tone of the rest of the piece. I thought the tempo change at :18 was clever, though, and the vocals are mixed rather well. The lyrics come through quite clearly, and are also rather digestible in terms of the diction and delivery alike. The drums at :34 could’ve been a bit louder, but overall the mix is loud, clear, and well-balanced. I like the groovy synth solo at 1:03, but the riser leading into it at :56 was a bit cheesy imo. Later, the piece gets a bit repetitive, and I especially would’ve liked to hear some variation on the lead guitar riff. The synth melodies at the end really sell this piece, though. I’m sure that the blissful mood of the piece overall was intentional, but I’m honestly still a little conflicted about it. Regardless, nice job with the production quality, melodies, sound design, and progression here, Ectisity! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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
8.5/10

[Crystal Winter]

I like the light and graceful tone at the beginning and the rich atmosphere. The piece has a great emotional appeal and a nice spaciousness in the mix. The vocals are brilliant, if a little breathy for my tastes at times. The lyrics themselves are beautiful, and the rich texture really falls together by around 1:34. I really like the extended piano solo before the short, final vocal phrase. The piece has a nice and uplifting vibe overall, and the production quality is fantastic. Keep up the great work, guys! ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thanks for the review!
I am really amazed by how quickly Jordi was able to come up with and record the vocals for the track. He also added some more reverb on the piano, I think, which gave way for this amazing atmosphere. Personally, I love the breathiness, as I feel like it fits the wintery feel really well. It's interesting that you liked the piano interlude, whereas SplatterDash thought there could've been vocals there. I guess that goes to show how different taste can be, even regarding dynamics :)
It's also interesting that you find the piece mostly uplifting, and JessieYun feels some sad undertones. I really appreciate hearing everyone's thoughts; it's almost like conducting small-scale research, haha :'D
Keep up the great work, you too!

[Party Games]

I like the power chords at the beginning and the groovy bass. The synth lead and drums are both pretty cheesy, and the drums don't quite pop enough in the mix. The mixing is a lot better than last time, though, including being a lot louder and richer-sounding. I think the drums might need a bit more compression, but the balance overall is a lot better. Have you tried putting an equalizer on the master channel, just to see the full effect of the separation of frequencies? The sidechaining might also be a bit overdone in places. Still, I'm really happy to see your progress on mixing in such a short time. The catchy melodies and full texture of this piece are enjoyable, too. Keep experimenting with the mixing tools, man. It'll totally pay off (and it already has)! Well done. ^^

[SoFtBOILeD-Your AfterStory]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The pads there sound a bit thin and generic, though. Some more complex layering and/or the addition of more oscillators might help them sound fuller and richer. There's a bit of atonality in the texture starting at :26, and it's hard to pin down the harmonic center of this piece for a while. Once again, the mixing here is really good, but the drums are also pretty generic. I appreciate the creative work with the toms/bongos at :58, but it seemed a bit out-of-character for the piece. The harmonic framework is pretty dissonant overall, and once again there isn't a lot of variety in the chord progression or melodic content. I'd suggest this: try making a piece that uses only 5 different notes (for example, C, D, E, G, and A, in any octave). That way, the harmonies will be restrictive enough that you can focus more on developing strong melodies and variety in your composition. My favorite part of the piece is 3:25, which feels like a harmonically stable bridge. The dissonance comes back at 4:22, but overall there are a lot of good ideas here. I think you just tried to do a little too much with this one, and it came across as a bit too experimental. Still, the 5-note idea should help you focus on the composition for next time. Feel free to PM me again when you've written it! ^^

[SoFtBOILeD-A Take on my Dreams]

I like the cutesy atmospheric riff at the beginning, although the synths there sound a little harsh in the upper register. The drum samples are pretty generic. The percussion at :46 is creative, although I would've liked to hear some more harmonic variation in the piece at that point. There are a lot of extended sections of the piece that don't have many bass tones. My favorite part of the piece is probably the production quality. Despite the thin textures at a lot of points, things generally seem really well-balanced, loud, and clear. Some of the stop-start transitions here didn't really work that well for me. For example, the one at 2:27 (and again at 4:00) kinda detracts from the flow of the piece overall. Other than that, my main concern here is that the piece is very repetitive. I wanted to hear some stronger melodic content and variety in the chord progression. Overall, nice work with the atmosphere, rhythmic content, and mixing. The composition could use a bit more creativity and variation, though. Keep at it, SoFtBOILeD! ^^

[The Watch ft. Ethereal Winds]

I like the haunting, Middle Eastern vibe at the beginning. The warm strings and vocals are both great. I'd love to get a transcript/translation of the lyrics. This piece has a great atmosphere and progression. The mix is a little quiet, but I love how the piece ebbs and flows in intensity over time. The vocal content often seems repetitive, but the instrumental tracks have a pleasant shape to them throughout. Strong work here, guys! Looking forward to more fruitful collabs in the future. ^^

McGorilla42 responds:

Thanks, Tainted! I'm glad you enjoyed it and we will upload more.

[Bring The Heat]

Sorry for the slow response! I like the drama of the orchestral hit at the beginning, but it sounds a tad dry and contrasts heavily in character with the flowing piano line. The brass instruments also sound a bit inauthentic, and the rhythm is a little hard-to-follow starting at around :08. I like the harmonic progression and sound design during the flowy part, and the re-introduction of the dramatic strings at :52 works well. I think the percussion could come through a little stronger in the mix at :53, and the piano chords might be a little too thick. You can open up the piano chords more by experimenting with the spacing - wider gaps between the notes makes the chord sound less clunky overall. You probably already knew that, though. I like the crisp string line at 1:11 and the build-up into 1:28. The mix is a bit too wide for my tastes there, and I definitely think core rhythmic components like the drums and bass should be front-and-center. The guitar melodies are killer, though, and I like the element of storytelling in this piece. The section at 2:45 is good for scaling back the intensity while maintaining a sense of apprehension. The final climax at 3:22 helped the composition come together well overall. I'm enjoying the mood, melodies, progression, and instruments here. The mix could be a little more balanced and centered, but most of my other complaints are a bunch of small details. Solid work, Lukiaffe! Sorry again about taking so long to get back to you. Feel free to send me another PM if I don't get back to you within a week. ^^

[Dragon Milk]

I like the tranquility at the beginning and the sense of climax into :27. The bass is a little heavy, though, and I would’ve liked to hear more variety in the harmonic content and instrumental hierarchy here. The melodies at around 1:10 are nice. The mix is pretty quiet throughout, despite being clear and well-balanced. I also wanted the drums to be more prominent in the mix here. I like the staccato-y hits at 1:50 and quirky sound design throughout. I think the piece could use some more dynamic melodic content and harmonic variety, but I still think the progression and sound design help keep me engaged. Solid work overall. Keep at it, Xehao! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Think]

I like the emotional quality of the beginning and the tranquil mood. The texture has a great sense of balance between the light piano melodies and bass drones. I like the percussion at :27 too, and the melancholy string line there is haunting. The transition at 1:22 was a bit sudden, but I appreciated the structural variety you offered there, and the piano solo at 1:50 was beautiful. I think the final refrain at 2:36 could’ve been a tad more climactic, as it doesn’t seem like you did more to expand on the first refrain at :27. I also would’ve liked to hear a proper outro here, as the piece ends pretty abruptly after the second refrain. Still, I love the sound design, mood, and atmosphere of this piece, and the beautiful melodies definitely help keep this piece engaging despite the lack of variety later on. Keep at it, WolfgangMiakoda! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10