TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Jump Start]

Fun piece! Good to see you using vocals for a change. The production quality here is especially strong, and the sound design feels really light and fun. The lyrics get a little repetitive after a while, but I appreciate the additional rhythmic elements to the refrain as the piece goes on. The spacey outro with the vocal distortions was a nice touch too. Strong work here, MrKoolTrix! ^_^

MrKoolTrix responds:

Thanks a lot for the feedback! :)

[Geoplex - Subvert]

I like the cinematic vibe at the beginning and the crisp percussion. The strings have a powerful and uplifting feel, and the jazzy harmonies at :38 add a lot of character to the piece. The blissful mood during the refrain at :57 is great, and the production quality here is quite strong. I think you could've done a tad more with the drums during the refrain, as they sound a bit generic, but overall the texture comes together really well here. I appreciated the melodic variations at the breakdown (2:10) and the sense of climax into 2:38. The rhythmic content at 2:56 is also really enjoyable. Perhaps you could've done a tad more to vary the main melody during the final refrain, but I liked the additional prominence of the bass-y breaks there, as well as the atmospheric outro. Keep up the good work, Geoplex! ^_^

Geoplex responds:

Hey man! I appreciate the detailed thoughts, thank you :D I think in particular you're right about the section prior to 0:57, it's not the most percussively intricate buildup haha.

[Cream]

I like the quirky synths at the beginning and the filtering work. There's a synth that cuts off a little suddenly at :18 - I think it would help the flow of the piece if you added some reverb there and let it fade out more gradually. Same thing happens at :25, although by :33 it blends into the rest of the atmosphere better. The progression here is really nice, though - despite the repetitive nature of the harmonic content, the texture has a lot of variety between the angry edge to the bass at 1:25 and the glitchy melodies at 1:50. I suppose I'd like to hear some more structuring here, though. The piece could use a break from the main underlying riff at some point - a more atmospheric bridge or something would add a lot more shape to the piece. I also think the piece is missing some higher frequencies for a lot of the track. Even some hi-hats or something would help fill in that top end a little more. Still, I absolutely love the jazzy melody at 2:42. It's a great way of escalating the sense of mystery and intrigue of the piece towards the end, while at the same time keeping the same mild-mannered tone in place. Solid work overall, YHTFLKC! ^_^

[After Hours]

I like the refreshing piano riff at the beginning and the rhythmic guitar patterns at :16. The section at :30 has a fresh, funky vibe, although the pacing of the intro is a bit slow. Sometimes the delivery of the vocals seemed a bit clunky to me. For example, "it's time to go out" doesn't have the same swung rhythm that the previous two lines had. I also think the vocals are a little too quiet relative to the piano at 1:10. Otherwise, the production quality is really good, and I also like the sound design. The mood and instruments here are reminiscent of ABBA. Nice job with the filtering at the breakdown at 2:26. The piece comes together well towards the end with the additional vocal harmonies at 2:58. Overall, I think the vocals are what needs the most work here. They could use a tad more energy and precision, especially at parts like 3:28, where the blending between the multiple voices wasn't great. You might've needed some more reverb, or simply a re-recording there. I also think the vocal harmonies can come on a bit too strong in the mix relative to the lead vocals. Still, this piece has a nice sense of energy and danceability, and much like your last piece some great rhythmic content, instruments, and atmosphere. Keep at it, Time0ff! :)

Time0ff responds:

Thank you so much TaintedLogic!! As always your feedback is super helpful :D

Just fixed the volume, compression and EQ on all the vocals and piano, pls let us know if feel it sounds better ^^

Thanks again, u da best!!
T0

[DV - Fire to the Floor]

I like the dark, ominous texture and the gritty synths. There’s a nice sense of climax into :22, and the sound design sounds really edgy and refreshing. Despite the nice sense of atmosphere and fun rhythmic content, you never really followed through on this great sense of tension and anxiety in the texture with a dramatic climax or point of resolve. I think my main problem with the piece is that you need to flesh out the composition a lot more to give this piece a sense of ebb and flow. Right now, it sounds like an amazing chase scene that’s just getting started. The sudden ending is a testament to how there’s not a lot of structuring or contrast in the energy level of this piece. You left yourself a lot of space in the mix in the beginning for a fuller texture with more intensity, but you didn’t quite capitalize on it. Still, the atmosphere, sound design, and mixing in this piece are all very good, and that certainly counts for something. Keep at it, la-yinn! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
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

la-yinn responds:

Dude, it's awesome getting a review like this. To think you wrote one for every entry is mind boggling. You're the man, TL!

I've had this idea spinning around in my head to add lyrics/vocals to this track; a (lot) slower bridge part with a good bit of melancholy and then smash out an editted second drop to give it a lot more depth and that 'ebb and flow' you describe. But I never got even close to that. Hell, I'm pretty content I managed to get this produced as it is because there's a lot of technique I've had to learn over the last month or two that I wasn't comfortable with at all. Couple that with some automation failure when I exported to .mp3 a day before the NGADM deadline and, well, you get this loop. Hence the sudden ending. ;-)

[I'm trying]

I like the militaristic drums at :11, although the piano sample sounds a tad dry and the mix is very quiet. I think you could’ve used some more compression and other mixing effects to help fill in the texture here. At :45, I’m enjoying the melodic content, but the rhythm of the bass isn’t always synced well with that of the piano. The guitar instrument at 1:08 sounds nice and smooth, although there are some dissonances at the harmony at that point that don’t fit the blissful and relaxed vibe of the piece overall. The breakdown at 1:30 was nice for some structural variety, but I wanted you to find more creative ways of providing variety than just adding and subtracting instruments over time. Filtering, automation, and phrasing can all really help give a stronger sense of shape to your piece with more gradual transitions and additional dynamic contrast and textural fill. The piece really starts coming together at the 3-minute mark imo, with a really engaging and refreshing guitar riff that made this piece feel climactic and conclusive without letting go of its laid-back roots. Overall, this is a well-structured and cute piece with some pleasing melodic content and a tasteful atmosphere. I think there is room for more creativity with the production and a more incremental approach to the arrangement at times, but I like the way you tied it together at the end with the emotional appeal of that piano riff. Solid work overall, Kerathon! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

kerathon responds:

Thank you for your awesome review! I'll work on all the aspects you listed for my next work :)

[Futuredread (Old Draft)]

I like the quirky sound design and atmosphere at the beginning, but I wish the piece had a more gradual intro that avoided throwing the listener into the middle of a dense, overwhelming texture like this. I like the somewhat abrupt pause at :35, but the continuation of the dissonant rhythmic textures with the sudden transition at :39 was a little much. I wanted to hear more harmonic depth and melodic content in this piece, as well as more shape in the composition beyond the hectic textures that characterized most of the piece. You clearly have a knack for constructing unique atmospheres and dense rhythmic frameworks, but you also haven’t shown off a sufficient diversity of compositional skills in this piece imo. There are sudden transitions (like 2:24), not a strong sense of direction or storytelling, and several dissonances, even though they fit the thematic content well. Still, I think the dark, industrial vibe of the piece is engrossing, and I applaud the clarity of the production given the extremely busy texture. This piece leaves more to be desired out of the arrangement and composition, but I certainly think you’ve nailed everything else. Keep at it, LD-W! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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
8.75/10

LD-W responds:

I pretty much whacked this together in 2 evenings, so it seemed to of worked alright enough to at least get me through auditions haha. Should have significantly more time in brackets to get something better worked out.

[Catch-22 Escape Plan]

I like the rhythmic content in the guitar at the beginning and the loud mixing. The vocal harmonies sound a little out-of-tune, and the rhythm doesn’t always sync up with the beat well, either. The spoken lyrics don’t work super well either, especially when you try to cram a few too many syllables in one line. The lyrics seem really creative and reflective, and I like your use of panning and sound design, but overall the texture is a little experimental and atonal for my tastes. The quirky synth at 1:20 cements that impression further. I really like the thematic content of this piece, though (“Catch-22 Escape Plan” = baller title), and the production quality is strong. I would’ve liked to see you use a more digestible harmonic framework at some point, and the piece might also need some more structuring and melodic content. Major points for creativity, sound design, and mastering, but I’m afraid this piece just doesn’t satisfy my compositional standards. I’m definitely curious about your other work now, though. Keep at it, KingBop! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
5.75/10

[Flashback]

I like the drums at the beginning. The guitar riffs during the first 20 seconds or so sound pretty indistinct, and also don’t necessarily fit the rhythm of the beat very well. I like the more melodic content at :24, although the texture remains pretty thin. There’s also not a lot of structuring in this piece, and the mix is pretty quiet and thin. I like the gradual thickening of the texture over time, although the recordings sound pretty unpolished, and the melodies seem to meander without an overarching sense of direction. You’re clearly a talented guitarist with a good sense of melody and atmosphere, but the arrangement and production quality of the piece just needed more effort to satisfy my standards. Keep at it, JFloyd400! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
5.5/10

JFloyd400 responds:

Yes i agree completely. This was actually just a random saved demo of a pedal i got one day. (Flashback Delay) So i didn't really pre-plan anything and was just trying out the sounds of the pedal with some backing from my Sdrum and Jamman. And this was also before i had my mixer so quality at the time was very low and since i usually play with other pedals the volume and tone weren't the greatest. I appreciate the amount of thought you gave to your comment and will definitely try to improve in the future.

[whoomy whom who]

I like the airy percussion at the beginning and the synth riff at :04. The synth bass instrument itself sounds a bit generic, though, and the rhythm of the synths at :19 is a bit hard-to-follow. The piece is pretty slow to progress overall, and the texture is quite minimal for most of the track. Maybe some more reverb or other mixing effects on some of these instruments - especially the synth bass - would help fill in the texture. The pause at :55 was a bit awkward, especially since the atmosphere faded out completely before the next instrument came in. There’s a lot of dissonance in the texture at around 1:15, and I also think that there’s never really a strong sense of development and direction in this piece. The texture sounds rather experimental at times, and there’s also little sense of structuring into distinct sections. The mix is rather quiet, although I’m more concerned about the composition. I think you need to consolidate your harmonic ideas here and focus on making diatonic (i.e., tonal) sounds until you have a stronger grasp of how to use dissonance effectively. Try laying out a progression of a few chords before you start working in your DAW, and then making patterns that fit into that chord progression. That’ll give you a stronger framework for not only a tonal harmonic structure, but also a richer, fuller texture. Once you feel like you’ve written a piece this way, PM me and I’ll leave you another review. Sorry if this review seems a bit discouraging. There are a lot of good ideas here - it’s just you need a bit of help arranging them in a more meaningful way. Keep at it, nonfer! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
0/1
Composite score
3.5/10

nonfer responds:

glad you didn't care for it. pretty good prizes really should go to someone just starting out.

the drums were the worst part of it. i normally don't leave them like that.

thanks for listening and taking the time to offer your critique,
-nonfer

for others reading this, @taintedlogic was the judge from ngadm 2019 reviewing my submission to their contest.
here's his track "Zenith of the Second Sun" : https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/800677 (video game genre).