TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[TFBA (NGUAC 2025 Version)]

I like the frantic beat at the beginning, although the piece is a tad slow to progress for the next minute or so. I would’ve liked to hear more of the melody at :45 in the mix, and by 1:20 or so the texture still feels like it’s missing a lot of mid-range tones. The transition at 1:28 is a bit abrupt, although I really like the atmosphere and strong beats at 1:50.

Overall, the production quality and sound design here are solid, and the atmosphere and rhythmic content are really captivating. The composition just needs a bit more shape - phrasing and variety that give it a stronger sense of direction. Some more prominent melodies and/or dynamic harmonic content could help accomplish that. Instead, the drums overpower the mix and, rather than channel the energy like a good drum part should do, contribute to a sense of stagnancy by not reflecting the contour and progression of the harmonic parts very well.

That said, I like the sound design of this piece, and - despite the overpowering drums - the production quality holds up well, with a clean mix throughout. I’ve been tough on you in this review, but overall this is a solid track with some catchy breaks and a nice atmospheric flair. Keep at it, XerXer716! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[It will last]

I like the dreamy mood at the beginning. The timing of the entry of the various harmonic instruments for the first 30 seconds is pretty creative. By :50, the bass and drums are really distorting some of the arpeggios and other harmonic instruments in the mix. It might help to eliminate more of the low-end frequencies of the harmonic instruments with an equalizer - at least tones below around 200 Hz. The harmonic content is a bit repetitive and bare-bones at times - for example, from 1:20 to 1:50. The melodies at 1:50 are nice, but also should’ve been a bit more upfront in the mix. I like the mellow breakdown at 2:25, and the crescendo into 2:53 was nice, although the level of dynamism of that section feels a bit underwhelming.

I think the transition at 4:44 was a bit sudden, and the bass is a bit too loud relative to the drums. The transition back into 5:22 was pretty cool, and I really like the busy percussion in the upper end of the frequency range. That said, the pacing of the last melodic section is pretty slow, and the mix really feels quite strained by the time the final harmonic layer is added at 6:27. The grainy quality of the outro at 7:01 was a nice touch, though.

Overall, I like the sound design, rhythmic content, and atmosphere of this one. A lot of the compositional details are also pretty cool, as I’ve pointed out. As a priority, the mixing really needs some cleaning up - a better balance of frequencies between the bass, drums, and harmonic instruments (usually more of the latter and less of the former) and some stricter equalization to limit the mud in the low end of the frequency range.

Secondarily, the piece could use both some faster pacing and more ebb-and-flow within phrases to channel the energy better. Gradual transitions, combined with some more melodic content outside of 1:50 and 5:58, would really help turn this from a slow-burner into a thoroughly captivating epic. Still, you’ve got some solid instrumentation and structuring to build on. Keep at it, X-Irus! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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?)
1/1
Composite score
6.75/10

[Neon - NGUAC ENTRY]

I like the tranquil mood at the beginning. The piano melodies at :15 are nice, although for the next minute or so the pacing of the piece is a bit slow. The melodies get a tad repetitive after a while, although I like the understated climax at 1:22. I also like the chromatic motion during the breakdown at 1:53, even though the rhythm is a bit hard-to-follow there at times.

I love the drop at 2:38 - it was a really pleasant surprise that turned the rhythmic paradigm from earlier in the piece on its head. The transition at 3:06 could’ve been a tad smoother, and I also would’ve liked to hear a second major climactic section later in the piece to tie it together. As it is, the outro feels rather dragged-out.

Overall, most of my complaints here are minor, although I think some faster pacing earlier in the piece and some bolder compositional decisions later would really take it to the next level. Still, you’ve put together a compelling, catchy, and well-produced track here, Voytek! Keep at it. ^_^

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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

Voytek-Music responds:

Thanks for the review! I understand that it's kinda repetitive (that's why I made the bass drop) and I think that I could have made better if I had more time (I was on holidays for the first week). 😀

[14 DAYS]

Woah, that reverb at the beginning is really overpowering. The mix feels a bit more grounded by :14, and I like the prominent hi-hats and atmospheric vocals. The sound design is a bit chaotic - there’s a lot of variety, and the pacing is very fast, which feels a tad disorienting at times. The production quality holds up quite well, though - I love the punchy drums and thick textures. The drop at :55 is really nice - strong rhythmic appeal, plenty of variety. The syncopations at around 1:40 are also really creative. At some point, some stronger melodic content would’ve been welcome, but this piece does a great job of creating depth to the rhythmic content and channeling the energy between sections. The “14 days” vocals towards the end are a bit cheesy, but you certainly won me over with how catchy and well-varied this track is. Tons of creative energy here, and it paid off. Going to be stuck in my head for a while. Keep at it, TurboDrivee! ^_^

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

[NGUAC - Revenge (2A03+VRC7)]

I like the pensive synth riff at the beginning. I think you overuse the crashes a bit between :15 and :30, and some of the sound design choices in the next minute or so after weren’t my favorite. The synth that first comes in at :52 sounds particularly cheesy, with the built-in filter change half a second after the attack. That said, the piece is quite catchy, with tons of neat rhythmic syncopations. The pacing is a bit slow, with a long time until the first “breakdown” in the beat at 2:37, but the texture is pretty thick and well-varied, which helps me stay engaged. After that, the piece sounds a bit cyclical, with pretty much a straight copy-paste of the arrangement from the first half. The production quality holds up pretty well, but the texture could use a bit more atmosphere (i.e., reverb and other mixing effects) at times, especially on the main melody and synth arpeggios. Also, the drums could use a boost during some of the busier sections - would be great to have them sound a tad punchier during the climactic bits. Still, the piece flows well, has great rhythmic content, and a good amount of variety and narrative appeal within each 2.5-minute loop. Solid work overall! Keep at it, TimeTravelleR54. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
8.25/10

TimeTravelleR54 responds:

Thank you so much for the feedback :) it will help me to complete this song properly. I'm grateful to have been able to participate this year, and I'm looking forward to next year!

[I don't know if I was enough]

I like the bouncy piano at the beginning. The vocal samples are cute, but a tad overused after a while. The drop at :34 is catchy, but the drums are a bit over-compressed. The breakdown at :59 was good for some structural variety, and the second drop at 1:25 was a creative arrangement choice. I still wanted to hear more of the bass and harmonies during the drop and less of the drums, though. The breakdown at 1:50 was a bit drawn-out, but I like the acoustic kit at 2:20 and the atmospheric elements shortly thereafter. The drop at 3:08 helps tie the piece together nicely, but at some point it would’ve been nice to hear some more dynamic melodic content. As it is, a lot of the harmonic progressions feel a bit formulaic, while the arrangement is rather disjointed. I think some more gradual transitions, without so many sudden changes in the instrumental palette, would help this piece feel more narrative-driven and flowing. That said, the mix is loud and punchy, the rhythmic content is strong, and I also really like the sound design. Keep at it, TAIKON26! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

[3rd location 1st theme - SWORDASH OST(pre release)]

I like the echo-y, distorted beats at the beginning. Really sets up the eerie tone of the rest of the piece. By the time the lead synth comes in at :17, though, the mix sounds pretty indistinct, and the melody is a bit too jumpy and chaotic for me to follow the contour very well, especially at around :29. I think you should consolidate your melodic ideas a bit (i.e., fewer notes and simpler cadences) to channel the energy a bit more. Right now, there are long stretches of melodic phrases that don’t quite have enough structuring around them to feel like they’re part of a coherent narrative. It might help to slow the tempo down a bit, or even creating little breaks/gradual transitions between the melodic phrases. Otherwise, I like the quirky mood and ghostly sound design of this one. There are a lot of good individual ideas here - the arrangement just needs a little more shaping to make it feel more cohesive and narratively compelling. Keep at it, swimkop! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

[Let Me Take You Out Tonight (recomposed bass)]

I like the mellow guitars at the beginning and the crisp drums at :16. The vocals are also really nice - conversational tone at first, but rather soulful too. The first vocal phrase lasts a bit of a long time (until 1:30), but the chorus at 1:30 has a really cathartic vibe. I like the solo at 2:09 too. The vocals at 2:23 sound like they’re straining a bit on the higher-register notes, but the transition at 2:39 was one of my favorite compositional details of the piece. I also think the vocals sound a tad dry in the mix at times - especially during the refrain, pushing up the reverb and chorus effects a tad could help give them some extra depth. Otherwise, I really like this piece - great, feel-good vibes, strong guitar and drum work, solid production, and vocals that are 90% of the way to professional quality. Keep it up, SquidSacksArt! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Take Me Home (feat. Kasane Teto)]

I like the tranquil piano at the beginning. The vocals sound a bit artificial, and also a bit harsh in the treble end of the frequency range. The piece is also pretty slow to progress, although by 1:24 the texture is nice and thick. The harmonic progression sounds rather repetitive, though, and the drums sound a bit strained in the mix. It might help make the kick sound punchier if you get a little stricter with the equalization in the harmonic instruments - they really shouldn’t have any frequencies below around 200 Hz, especially since there’s such a prominent bass here.

Compositionally, I also would’ve liked to hear some more melodic development later in this piece. You up the ante a bit during the second refrain by keeping the arpeggios going throughout, but in terms of the foregrounded content of the piece (vocals, mostly) the arrangement feels a bit cyclical and predictable. Still, this track is very smooth-flowing and has quite a bit of variety in the energy level. You’ve used mixing effects well, especially reverb and filtering. Clean up the mix a tad and maybe increase the pacing of the composition a bit, and this would easily get a point or two back from me. Keep at it, SpecialGuacs! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Sly - Kinesis]

I like the crisp beats and the creative pattern of emphasis. The sound design is also neat, although the texture is pretty minimal. The bass at :24 is nice, but I would’ve liked to hear a bit more of it in the mix given there aren’t many other harmonic elements to the track. By :44, it’s really bumpin’ though. Compositionally, the piece doesn’t quite feel fully fleshed out. I would love to hear some more ambitious melodic content or just richer harmonies in general. Still, this is a really catchy track with some neat instrumentation. Keep at it, SlyFrost! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.75/10