TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Life of Pain]

I like the echoy string instruments at the beginning and the relaxed mood. The strings at :21 are beautiful, although the piece is a bit slow to progress thereafter. I like the more intricate syncopations at 1:01 and the graceful woodwind solo. The percussion could’ve been a tad crisper in the mix, and the mix is a tad quiet for a lot of the piece, but overall the texture is well-balanced and full for a satisfying duration of the piece. The melodies here are beautiful, and I especially like the rich string harmonies at 2:40. The structure is pretty intricate, and some of the transitions are pretty sudden (like at 3:11), but overall I like the smooth flow of the piece, and you gave it a soothing sense of ebb and flow over time that keeps things interesting despite the sense of continuity. The texture comes together really well by around 3:30, but I think the ending could’ve been a bit stronger than a gradual fade-out. Overall, beautiful work though. Very evocative piece with some great sound design (especially the percussion) and mixing. Keep it up, Syamori! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
9.25/10

Baumarius responds:

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I think I know how to fix the issues you described, so I'll probably be using your review later to add some finishing touches. Thanks for the review, TL!

[Clash [Melbourne Bounce]]

I like the Middle Eastern vibe at the beginning and the catchy synths. The drum samples and arrangement of the piece are both a bit generic, but the mixing is good and the texture seems well-balanced. There are a lot of transitional moments in this piece, and the minimal drops with the overused riffs don’t add a lot of depth to the composition. The breakdown at 2:20 was good for some structural variety, but the harmonies are still pretty repetitive throughout. I also wanted to see you hit the piece home a bit more with a more prominent and climactic section. Overall, I think the piece needed some more harmonic depth and variety, but I liked the progression, rhythmic content, and atmosphere. Keep at it, DrayxMusic! :)

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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Derpcat - Radium]

I like the atmospheric intro and the sense of mystery at the beginning. There’s a great sense of climax into 1:06, and the drop is super fun, even if the mix is a bit overcompressed. I like the bright, airy synth at the breakdown at 1:48 too. The drop at 2:32 is great - what an explosion of energy and passion. The melodies in this piece are great, and I also like the sound design (despite the relatively cliche drums samples). The other thing I noticed that actively bothered me is the sudden cutoff at the end. Otherwise, most of my complaints are more missed opportunities than anything else. I also think the arrangement/structure of the piece could use more originality, but overall this is a strong and engaging piece with some great harmonic content and mixing. Keep it up, DerpCatOfficial! ^_^

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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

[Sexual Tyrannosaurus]

I like the gritty, atmospheric/industrial effects at the beginning and the clever vocal content warning. The beat at :21 is pretty quirky and fun, although I think the drums could’ve been a bit more prominent in the mix. The vocals are really well done, although I think they could’ve used a few more mixing effects and atmosphere. The transition at 1:17 is a bit sudden, but I really like the vocal layering at 1:24. I would’ve liked to hear some more bass tones in the texture at times. The section at 2:18 is probably my favorite. I like the coughing noises in the background and the way the vocal phrase grows in intensity until around 2:50. I like what you did with combining the atmospheric vocals and the gritty synths at 2:50 too. The texture at 3:08 sounded a tad too busy with the synth arps, but the piece comes together well at the end. The fake-out fade-out kinda threw me off a bit, but I really like the experimental texture overall. You basically broke every rule in the book regarding my compositional standards, and some cynical part of me wants to give this like a 7, but I’m totally getting down this. Seriously unique sound here, man. Keep up the good work, GoldenSHour! ^_^ Also, is there any particular reason you have downloads on your tracks turned off?

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?)
1/1
Composite score
9.5/10

[Knight Fight]

I like the frantic synth riffs at the beginning and the flow of the piece. The melodic content is really fun, as are the synths. I think the drums could’ve been a little stronger in the mix at times, but my main problem here is the lack of structuring. The energy level is pretty constant throughout, and it’s hard to discern the distinct sections of the piece in what often feels like a patchwork of riffs. The composition doesn’t have much shape over time, and the ending comes on pretty suddenly. I liked the little breakdown at 1:33, but it was pretty short-lived. Overall, you clearly have a great sense of harmony, rhythm, and progression, but the composition needed to be just a bit more fleshed out here. Keep at it, PSiMetronome! :)

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
.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
8/10

[When Life Gives You Lemons]

I like the soothing drone at the beginning and the smooth pads at :16. The transition at :16 could’ve been a bit less abrupt, but I like the progression from there - the emotional quality of the strings and the gradual sense of build over the course of the 2nd minute are both really nice. The vocals are fun, although I think you could’ve enunciated some of the consonants a bit more (especially the s in “use”). The mixing is good, and I like the melodies and atmosphere of the piece. The breakdown at 2:24 was good for some structural variety, and I like the emotional appeal of the section at 2:41. The middle section from 2:24 to 4:00 and the beginning 1.5 minutes are both pretty drawn-out, though, without a strong sense of direction and a lot of repetitive riffs. The vocals at 4:01 could’ve come through the mix a bit clearer, but I like the variations on the melodies at 4:32. By the end, the vocals also get pretty repetitive, and I thought the fade-out ending was a tad lazy. Overall, I like the melodies, mood, mixing, and thematic content of the piece. The arrangement and compositional details could use a bit of tightening, but it’s still a catchy and enjoyable piece. Keep at it, Ectisity! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[under the stars tonight]

I like the relaxed vibe at the beginning and the creative percussion. The vocals have a great, soothing vibe, but could probably be a bit more prominent in the mix. It’s hard to discern the lyrics. May I request that you put them in the author’s comments? The production quality is strong here, although at times the pacing is pretty slow and the texture is pretty thin, especially between 1:30 and 3:00 or so. The transition at 1:26 could’ve been a tad stronger, too. I liked the gradual climax into 3:35 and the key change at 3:49. I like the vocal work at 4:25 too, and despite the somewhat disjointed arrangement of the piece, it has a nice flow and a pleasant sense of resolve towards the end. Overall, my main concerns here are the drawn-out nature of the composition, the extended moments of minimalism, and the somewhat incoherent structuring. Still, you’ve done a lot of good work with the mixing, sound design, mood, and melodies here. Keep at it, Johnfn! ^_^

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

[Sunlight Santana]

I like the gritty bass riff at the beginning. The percussion and vocal samples at around :15 are nice too, and the rhythmic content and sound design make the piece really catchy and refreshing. The texture is a bit thin, bass-heavy, and transitional at times, but I like the intensity by around :45. I think the piece could use some stronger melodic content and some more structural relief in the form of an atmospheric bridge or extended breakdown. Still, for a short piece it comes together really well. Nice job with the production quality, synths, and mood/atmosphere here. Keep at it, Connor! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
8.5/10

[Cicade]

I like the glitchy content at the beginning and the cute synth riff at :14. The mix is really tight and well-balanced, and there’s a nice sense of climax into :54. The drop is strangely atmospheric, but I like the gritty underlying bass and smooth synth riffs. The melodic content here is nice, but I think it would’ve helped maximize the emotional impact of it to make something more legato and dynamic. I like how you varied the drop the second time the refrain came around (at 2:04) and, despite the relatively cliche arrangement, I think you have a really unique, refreshing sound design and mood to this piece. It sounds both blissful and somewhat ominous, and I really like that ambiguity. Keep up the good work, Zanzlanz! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

Zanzlanz responds:

First of all, congratulations on 3000 audio reviews. A bit arbitrary of a milestone to congratulate maybe, but it's no less amazing to me!

I'm interested about your review because track was partially inspired by your criteria and previous feedback (I do wish more judges could do what you do; it's so helpful).

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised about this, but you totally caught me having the typical arrangement! Though it did really help me piece things together, so the tradeoff was probably beneficial in the end. It may have helped sell the intentionality of the more risky choices too. :) But yes, it was comfortable for me and maybe I should be more bold in a competitive situation.

I'm super surprised people like the mix! I struggled with it a lot, so it's a big relief to have direct thumbs up there.

I really love and appreciate the description of "both blissful and somewhat ominous." Perhaps making things "more legato" would have reduced this aspect, but I can see that you're pointing out there are ways to consolidate some of the ideas better.

Also, varied drops: there's no other way man! It's a waste of music to do the same thing twice! :D Thanks for acknowledging that.

And again, thank you for the thoughtful review! Good luck with the next rounds, and do enjoy your couple weeks off!

[Afeared]

I like the gritty texture at the beginning and the catchy strummed riffs at :28. The melodic content might’ve sounded a bit more impactful during the first minute if all of the notes weren’t so short and staccato, though. The production quality and harmonies are both enjoyable here. I still think transitions are what you need some more work on. The changes in the texture at 1:07 comes on a little suddenly, although I like what you did with the shifts in the rhythmic emphasis at 1:22 and again at 1:40. The ominous top line at 2:35 added a nice sense of variety after a while, and I appreciated how you broke up the intensity of the piece with the breakdown at 2:51. I think the composition feels pretty drawn-out at times, especially with the added repetitions of the riff at 3:27. Still, I liked the new melodic material at 4:03, and overall I thought you did a good job of hitting this piece home. I don’t think the piece is nearly as bad as you think it is. It has a good sense of shape, and the sound design and mixing are both really strong. Keep at it, JDawg00100! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

JDawg00100 responds:

Thank ya for the review! :)