TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Decade]

I like the spacey atmosphere at the beginning and filtered drums. The synth bass at :20 is a bit cheesy, but I like the volatile feel of the texture and the volume automations. There’s a great sense of climax into :46, and the phasing synths there are really catchy. The beat pattern is a bit generic, but the synths keep things super engaging. The piece also has a great sense of flow, and I like the subtle vocal samples too. I think this piece needed some more melodic content or a stronger sense of climax to really hit it home towards the end, though. There’s a lot of underlying tension in the piece, and it doesn’t quite feel like you resolved it (or escalated it either) by the end. Still, strong work with the instrumentation, production quality, and phrasing of this one. Despite my complaints about the melodic content, you’ve shown off some advanced composition skills here. Keep it up, JRTH! ^_^

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

[Eye Drops]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning and the distorted percussion samples at :16. The extended pause at :24 was a little awkward, but I like the intensity and glitch-y vibe at :28. The harmonic content is a little hard to follow, and sometimes the static-y effects sound a bit harsh in my ears. That said, the mix is loud and crisp and, while a bit over-saturated, fits the mood of the piece really well. I would’ve liked to hear some more distinct and extended patterns of moving notes, especially during the first half of the piece, but the atmospheric section at 2:15 is nice. The structure of the piece feels a tad disjointed, with a lot of sudden transitions and a bizarre duality of pacing (i.e., the first half has a lot of distinct sections in a row, and then there’s a drawn-out, flowing section between 1:58 and 2:55). The section at 2:55 also doesn’t sound very harmonically connected to the energetic sections earlier in the piece, making for a bit of an incoherent arrangement to the piece. I think you have a lot of good harmonic ideas here, and the production is very sharp, but the composition feels a bit thrown-together right now. I think there could be a stronger sense of connectivity between the different sections of the piece, and it would be a lot easier to keep the listener grounded if there was some more repetition. Overall, though, you’re clearly a talented producer. This piece sounds like you were very rushed during the composition process, is all. Keep at it, ISMCataclism! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
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
6.5/10

[Mid-Station]

I like the chill guitars at the beginning and the static-y atmosphere. There could’ve been a bit more reverb or other mixing effects on the sweep at :20, but otherwise I really like the moody vibe here and the sound design. The texture still feels a bit minimal, with the mid-range tones a bit thin here, but the rhythmic elements are pleasing and the hi-hats help fill in the top end. The distorted samples at 1:21 didn’t really serve a clear compositional purpose in my mind, especially since the section thereafter is largely the same as before. This is a great chill-out groove, but I think you could’ve done a lot more structuring here. I would’ve loved to see some more prominent melodic content and a strong sense of climax towards the end. Overall, you nailed the mood, atmosphere, instrumentation, and mixing. There could be a tad more variety here, and a more creative arrangement, too. Keep at it, Introverse! :)

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

Introverse responds:

thank you for awesome feedback. Hope to see you next year!

[Incise ~ Aqua Regia]

I like the gritty bass and air of mystery at the beginning. The mix is a little over-saturated, with a lot of reverb and compression overwhelming and distorting the texture at times. The instrumentation is pretty good overall, but the piano at :29 sounds like a bit of a cheesy sample. There’s a good sense of climax into 1:13, although I would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodic content. The piece also goes long stretches without a lot of phrasing or structural contrast. I think the frantic piano riff loses its edge a bit after so many repetitions. The chord progression and arrangement of the piece are also pretty generic. I enjoyed the variations at around 3:10, and overall the piece comes together well. The main things I’d suggest working on here are the mixing and mastering (less reverb, stricter equalization, lower gain levels on the compressors) and the originality. The risers and bass riffs sound especially generic. That said, you clearly have a good sense of rhythm and harmony, and I enjoyed the ominous mood and energy of the piece as well. Keep at it, Incise! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

Incise responds:

Thanks for the review! Can you give me some advice on how to make this piece better? I can use some tips to improve my music.

[Oceans Flow From It's Mouth]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning. It sounds calming, yet also has a grainy, weathered edge to it, like it’s depicting an old, wise traveller. I think you could’ve foreshadowed the entry of the lead guitars at :51 better, and the guitars there don’t always sync up well with the minimal drum beat. I think it would’ve helped this piece to have a thicker texture. Once the guitar became too dominant in the texture and the atmospheric elements faded into the background, the piece lost its sense of direction a bit. I really like the solo at 2:07 and the call-and-response action between the lead and the 3-note repeated chord riff. The sense of wonder is great by around 2:30, but I also think the structure of the piece is a little disjointed. The sudden transition works a bit better at 3:31 where there’s a noticeable fade-out of the atmospheric elements before the guitars come back in. I think you could’ve gone for a bit more emotional appeal/climax by the end, as there isn’t a great sense of engagement for me by the end. Overall, the things you do well here - atmosphere, sound design, production - are really good, and I honestly think this piece has the potential to be a top-tier track. Unfortunately, the composition didn’t quite live up to my expectations by the end. I think you need to find more effective ways of channeling the underlying energy of this piece into some distinct point of arrival. Right now, the structure doesn’t tell enough of a story for me. I know that might seem like really vague criticism, but some gradual transitions, more dynamic contrast and phrasing, and more saturated/well-balanced atmospheric elements can all go a long way towards improving this piece imo. I’m excited to see your future projects, Greyvoice. Keep it up! ^_^

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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Descent]

I like the smooth pads at the beginning. The drums and gritty mid-range bass are a bit over-saturated in the mix. I’d suggest turning down the gain on the compressors a bit, especially on the drums. The pause at :17 is a bit awkward. I’d suggest adding a bit of reverb or atmosphere to bridge the gap there. The beats thereafter are catchy, but the harmonic content isn’t very engaging. The structure sounds pretty disjointed between the pause at :59 and elsewhere. The texture comes together a little more at 1:18, but the chord progression and a lot of the drum samples sound a little cliche and undecorated. I think you needed to spend a little more time getting a better sense of overarching direction for this piece, and some more harmonic depth and melodic content would also be welcome additions. The balance of the piece also seems a bit bizarre here - the main melodic riff in the piece at 2:28 sounded pretty thin and quiet compared to the drums, for example. The punchy hits at 2:46 also seemed a bit jarring and dry. Some reverb or minimal pads throughout that last section would probably help the piece feel a bit more connected. Overall, I like the synths, energy, and rhythmic content of this one, but I think it needs a bit more creative energy put into the composition and a stronger sense of balance with the mixing. Keep at it, FeniXNova04! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.5/10

[En Gee]

I like the fun rhythmic elements at the beginning and the cute, airy synths. The crashes and some of the other percussive sounds are a little too hard-hitting, though, especially on the downbeats. Over-compression is a likely culprit. The progression is enjoyable, but very slow-paced. I was itching for some more melodic content and textural fill at times. The riff at 1:32 is catchy, but could use a little more variety in the rhythm department. I also think the kick could’ve been a bit stronger there. There are several awkward and extended pauses in the piece, notably at 2:05. The vocals at 2:27 sound a bit cheesy, and the structure of the piece is pretty drawn-out. During the drops, there isn’t a lot of bass in the texture, and I wanted to see you incorporate more harmonic variety in the piece, especially towards the end when the piece gets quite repetitive. Overall, the arrangement of the piece could be a little more coherent, and there were times when I wanted the harmonies to have more depth, but I do like the rhythmic components, instrumentation, production quality, and melodic content. Keep at it, EppuJoloZ! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

EppuJoloZ responds:

Thanks for letting me have to opportunity to move even further :D
Next year I'm GOING further! >:D

[Aeterna]

I like the simple, yet provocative, intro and the prominent sweeps at the beginning. The melodies at :17 are really catchy and creative, and the texture feels really well balanced between the grainy percussion and heavy bass. Great sense of climax into :59, even if the section itself was a bit minimalistic. I think the piece is missing some higher-range frequencies, but the production holds up well here. There are even some moments (like at :46) where I think the drums are too loud (or maybe just have too much reverb). The atmospheric section at 1:41 was nice, and I appreciated the return of the melodic content and the ominous chords at 1:55. The punchy synths, dark mood, and intensity of this piece help make up for the cliche chord progression and sections lacking textural fill. I also appreciated the variation at the second drop. A lot of the instrumental palette here even has an eastern vibe, and I also really like the organ synth at 3:35. Strong work with this one, EmoshiLorenzo!

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?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10

[Young love]

I like the bright, airy section at the beginning and the cute synths. This piece has a good sense of atmosphere, and the bass at :16 really helps fill out the texture. The clap at :32 sounds pretty cliche, as do the risers and many of the other drum samples in this piece. I also think the drums are a tad too loud in the mix, but otherwise I think the production quality here is quite good. I think you could’ve used some more gradual and/or creative transitions, as the risers are overused by the end of the track. The bright piano melody during the middle section is nice, and the piece comes together well with the synth melody at 1:52. That said, there’s room for a bit more ebb and flow in the texture here. Within the distinct sections of the piece, the energy level is nearly constant, and overall the arrangement of the piece sounds pretty formulaic and cliche. I wanted the piece to have more of a sense of overarching direction, but instead it sounds like bunch of melodies that, as fun and cute as they are, were pasted together in a somewhat lazy way (i.e., with the same few sweeps/risers and crashes). The arrangement is probably my main complaint of the piece, though. You clearly have a good sense of harmony, rhythm, and production. Keep at it, DJFrankMusic! :)

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
.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

DJFrankMusic responds:

thank you very much :3

["Fractal" (8/5/19)]

I like the beat at the beginning, but there’s an unpleasant popping sound there that warrants fixing if you get the chance. The reverberant claps are especially nice, although the kick at :16 was a bit heavy, to the point of overwhelming the snare. The progression here is pretty slow-paced, although I like the atmospheric elements at :32. I think you could’ve faded the synths at :32 in more, just to foreshadow their prominence in the texture a bit. There’s another sudden transition at 1:02, although by 1:40 the texture is coming together more. I’d still like to hear some stronger melodic content here, especially since the riff at 2:02 is so repetitive and simple. The progression is pretty smooth through the middle section, and I like the strong (although very gradual) sense of build until 3:32. The content of the piece is pretty repetitive after that, and I would’ve liked to hear some more variety in the harmonic components and in the synth lead. I think a final melodic section would’ve done a lot more to hit this piece home, and you probably could’ve cut a couple of minutes off of this track given the excessive repetition. Still, you have a good sense of harmony, progression, and rhythm, and despite my complaints early in the piece, the mixing and mastering are quite good too. Keep at it, DJ-Saidez! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7/10

DJ-Saidez responds:

Yeah I'm still learning the ropes of this. No complaints with that score, the track was kinda iffy for me too. Now that this is over for me my next goal is to finish a couple of remixes to contribute to this collab album, hopefully I can use the lessons I learned and improve as an artist. My plan is to include Wonder and Fractal in that album.
I agree that Wonder scores higher, by the way. The production session for that track had a certain sense of magic that made the elements just fit, the same sense I attempted to recreate for this track but failed, since apparently it has to come to you.
Overall, this was fun! This reminded me once again how much I love music and making it!
どうもありがとうございました！

EDIT: The popping might be either the acoustic drums, or the sound effect I added at :26 which was intentional.