TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Osaka beatdown]

I like the energy at the beginning and the generous dose of hi-hats. The airy synths at :26 are nice, but the lead riff at :40 sounds pretty harmonically different, and a lot of this piece doesn’t have much harmonic depth. The bell-like harmonies at 1:04 even make the texture sound a bit atonal. The drop at 1:30 is pretty cool, albeit pretty minimal, and I am enjoying the high production quality here. The vocal samples at 1:56 are fun, and overall I’m really liking the rhythmic content and flavor of the piece too. The transition at 2:22 could’ve been smoother. The fade-in approach into that new piano riff doesn’t really work given the differing harmonic frameworks between the two sections. My favorite part of the piece is probably 4:05, but the transition into that section could’ve been a bit smoother. Overall, you’re clearly a talented producer with a great sense of rhythm, sound design, and atmosphere creation. That said, the arrangement is pretty choppy here, and the harmonic content doesn’t always sound coherent. Still, solid work with the mixing, energy, and catchiness. Keep at it, KayozKun! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
7/10

KayozKun responds:

Thank you so much ^^

[Obelisk]

I like the pensive atmosphere at the beginning and the sound design. The progression is a little slow-paced at first, but I really like it when the texture comes together more at :46, even if the transition there could’ve been a tad more gradual. The energetic section at 1:20 also works well, and I liked the modulation at 1:40. The mellow section at 2:19 was smooth, and I liked the re-introduction of the energy at 3:29. You guys really like key changes, wow. While key changes this conspicuous during a climactic section should generally be used sparingly, I like how you foreshadow them slightly before the transitional moment itself. I also like the rhythmic details towards the end (like at 4:52). Overall, my one major complaint here is probably the somewhat choppy arrangement. Still, great job with the production, sound design, mood, and melodies! Keep it up, guys. ^_^

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

tailspun responds:

big thanks for consistently reviewing so many peoples' tracks, helps so much to get a second opinion (-:

[Trip Hazard]

I like the eerie bells at the beginning and the punchy drums at :15. The sidechaining at :28 is rather heavy, but I like the synth arpeggios and the sense of climax into :43. The harmonic progression is pretty cliche, and there are a lot of transitional moments in the piece before a climactic point of arrival (like at 1:25). The texture feels pretty rich and full at the drop, and I like the rhythmic content and sound design there. The bass riffs at 2:25 were really cool, although I think this piece could use some more harmonic depth and melodic content at times. The section at 3:19 does a good job of hitting the piece home, although there’s a lot of reverb in the texture there. Overall, solid work with the sound design, mixing, atmosphere, and rhythmic content. My biggest concern here is probably the cliche elements of the arrangement and harmonic framework. Keep at it, MegaSphere! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

[Le Blazer]

I like the catchy guitar riffs and crisp drums towards the beginning. The riser at :05 was a bit cheesy, but this piece has a really refreshing 2000s pop vibe to me. I like the electronic elements at :37, but I wish they were a bit more prominent in the mix. The texture also might be a bit heavy on the mid-range tones at times. I also wanted to hear a bit more structuring and harmonic variety here. The energy level is pretty consistently high throughout the piece, despite a couple of brief sections of more laid-back transitional content. By the end, the piece feels pretty repetitive, and I at least would’ve liked to hear some more variation in the melodies. Overall, fun sound design, mood, and melodies. The composition could be a bit more dynamic at times, but that’s my only major complaint. Keep at it, Depard! :)

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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Arrival of Hope]

I like the emotional quality of the string drone and the pensive piano octave-based riff at the beginning. The sharp percussion at :18 is nice, and the gradual fade-in of the string riffs at :15 is a valuable addition to the texture too. The more melodic content at :42 works well, although the progression of the piece feels a tad drawn-out sometimes. I liked the climactic section at 1:07, although after a while I think you start to overuse the stop-start transitions here. You could probably get more emotional appeal out of these moments of arrival (like 1:07 and 2:11) with some more gradual transitions. Still, I like the short breakdown in between the climactic sections and the added vocal layering (subtle though it was) at 2:11. The strongest elements of this piece are probably the sound design and production quality. I also really like how you used the percussion here. Keep at it, AceMantra! :)

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

AceMantra responds:

Thanks for your detailed review! I bet you have the review process down to a science now. XD

I see you've noticed some of my composing habits. I'm a bit of a sucker for long intros and progressions. As for the stop-start transitions I would have to agree with you.

While composing habits aren't necessarily bad, they can sometimes limit the growth of a musician. So thank you for pointing those out, and be prepared for something new next time. :)

[I Met Her at the Fair]

I like the rich and blissful texture. The instrumentation is great, and the melodies - while a bit simple - have a nice, bright flair to them. The production quality is also quite good, and it’s really a shame that you couldn’t finish this, because I can’t give you much credit for structuring or variety here. I like the slower pacing and horn solo at :39, abbreviated though it was, but the two distinct sections of the piece don’t feel well-connected yet, and the sudden transition at :29 doesn’t really suit the graceful, uplifting vibe of the piece. Overall, I look forward to hearing the finished product, and there’s no denying the quality of the mix and sound design here, but it also doesn’t really function as a structurally complete piece yet. Keep at it, Bosa! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Versus]

Hey man! Sorry for the slow response. I was doing some judging for a contest, so I had to prioritize that.

I like the vocal samples at the beginning and the kinda eerie ambiance. I don't speak French, so before I realized it was describing a boxing match I almost thought of a gladiator-like battle to the death. XD The beat at :11 has a groovy vibe with some quirky, fun sound design. The mix is loud and pretty clear, but the texture sounds a bit thin for long stretches of the piece. Sometimes, the vocals aren't as prominent in the mix as I'd like them to be. Perhaps you could try a bit more compression there. Also, the brass samples sound pretty fake. The mood changes pretty suddenly at the breakdown at 2:24, and that section doesn't have a strong sense of direction. I'm beginning to really like the mellow vibe the piece has later on, but I think you could've integrated a bit better with the gritty, busier beats from earlier. Still, there's some cool instrumentation, rhythmic content, and an engaging variety of moods here. Keep at it, Galicross! ^_^

GALICROSS responds:

thank you so much!! Your opinion is important for my next music.

I'm going to work on my mix and I'm going to put the text in English for the next reviews.

Good week

[CONSUME]

Belatedly fulfilling a review request. I like the quirky sound design at the beginning and the sense of build into :30. The murky texture at the drop is pretty cool, although the texture still feels pretty minimal. I like the rhythmic content and flavor of the piece, although the chord progression is a bit simplistic, and the harmonies lack depth for long stretches of the piece. The melodic flair at 1:35 is nice, but the riff there also doesn't feel very dynamic. The mixing here is rather good, although I would've liked to hear more higher-range frequencies in the texture at times. The glitchy content at around 2:30 is nice, but I also think the last half of the piece lacked a distinct climactic section to really hit the piece home. It almost sounds copy-pasted from the first half, and there isn't much of a proper outro either. Overall, nice job with the mixing, sound design, and progression here. There could be a bit more harmonic variety and textural fill here, but things stay engaging between the fun rhythmic content and quirky melodies. Keep at it, Larrynachos! ^_^

larrynachos responds:

I feel like the bulk of my time on this track was spent on sound design and EQ, so structure and flow suffer as per my usual lol. I'm content with this review

[Coarse Sand]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The gritty synths near the beginning are a bit cheesy, especially the bass, but I like the punchy drums and sense of build into :51. The production quality is really sharp, and the chopped vocals and grimy mid-range bass at around 1:40 hits the spot. The melodies during the breakdown at 2:13 were nice, and you did a nice job of transitioning back into the more energetic section at 2:53. The drum samples are a bit generic, but I like the middle eastern vibe of the harmonic content. You hit the piece home nicely with the dense rhythmic texture at around the 4-minute mark. The piece is dragged out a bit towards the end, and also cuts off a little suddenly without much of a proper outro. There were times when I thought you could've had more higher-register frequencies in the mix, but otherwise the texture sounds rich, full, and well-balanced. Nice work overall, Spadezer! This is a fun, catchy piece with some solid melodies and strong mixing. Good luck in the finals! ^^

Spadezer responds:

I'm always pleased to get a TaintedLogic review :)

Dang, even after spending some cheap money on cymatics percussion they still sound cheap lol. I'm curious where you think it could have had more higher frequency stuff. I also wonder if some of the lack of that is me somewhat unconsciously leaving space for the melodies too. I'm a little sad you thought it dragged out a bit, and I think I can see where you're talking about that. I've found lately I enjoy somewhat longer songs to groove along with the good moments more, so I think some of that is reflected here.

Otherwise, I'm really glad you enjoyed it! :)

[Uncharted Fog]

I like the spacey atmosphere at the beginning and the cute synth riffs. The bass at :23 is a little heavy, and I think the texture is missing some more legato elements (pads would be nice), but the melodies at :58 are really cute. I really like the somewhat melancholic feel of the piece at around 1:27 and the emotional quality of the synths there. At around the 2-minute mark, the harmonies trip over each other a bit, likely because of the delay effects. I think the part at 1:27 is rather minimalistic for such an extended section of the piece, and then the transition at 2:33 is a bit sudden. I think a lot of the last ⅔ or so of the piece is really languid and mellow, and might need a climactic section to give the piece a stronger sense of resolve. I really like the atmosphere and sound design here, and I think the mix is mostly well-balanced and clean, but the composition left a bit more to be desired here, especially in terms of harmonic depth and flow. Either way, I’d encourage you to keep working on this piece. It has a really nice emotional appeal in that it feels both cutesy and sad at the same time. Keep at it, Zechnition! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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
8.25/10

Zechnition responds:

Thank you for the detailed review! Very helpful suggestions! Hopefully I'l have some time to make a few changes.