TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[-Challenger-]

The rhythm is a little hard to follow at the beginning, but it gets easier once the beat comes in at :07. Love the creative percussion and dense rhythmic content. I'm 1,000% sure I've heard that "listen" vocal sample at :35 before - where is it from? I also recognize some other vocal samples that Waterflame has used, haha. :D

Overall, the sound design choices here are pretty good. I like the guitar at :40 in particular. The synth at the very beginning sounds a bit unpolished, though.

I'd say my biggest problem with the piece is that it doesn't feel like it's going anywhere. You've pulled in a lot of different cool samples and beats, but you haven't really told a compelling overarching story. The transition at 1:29 was pretty jarring, too, and then by 1:41 the texture feels very similar to how it was before.

Overall, not your best, but still super catchy, with some solid mixing. Keep at it, CF24! ^_^

Creeperforce24 responds:

I saw that one coming lol

Also, the sample listen thing is from songs from waterflame, such as slapstick and Train to nowhere @taintedlogic
Waterflame told me it was from a website called Breakbeat Paradise

[-Shine!-]

I like the drum beat and the cute sound design. The texture oscillates between being a bit too minimal and having some clashing harmonies, like at :54. Also, the rhythmic content of the piece is a bit square at some points. The dreamy atmosphere at 1:43 is nice, although there's still some dissonance in the harmonies there. I like the "let's go!" vocals at 2:43, and the final refrain ties the piece together nicely. Overall, solid production and instrumentation here, but the dissonance was bothering me after a while. Keep at it, CF24! ^_^

Creeperforce24 responds:

Thanks for the critique! I’ll try to work on that!

[HOLDINGBACK]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning. The bass sits perfectly in the mix. There's a nice sense of build-up into :48. Really catchy beats. The drop at :49 might be a tad over-compressed relative to the rest of the song - it's just a really stark contrast in volume levels. Love the added hat and the more held-out pads during the second refrain, though. If I had to criticize one thing, it might be that the composition is a tad minimal, and that aspects of the arrangement are a bit generic, especially with all the stop-start transitions. Despite that, the production details really shine through, making this a really pleasant and well-balanced listen. Glad you're back, Crysstal! Be well. ^_^

Crysstal712 responds:

my phone's sound is basically none because of cable issues on it, probably gonna actually mix it when i can (not even an excuse there's just no way of mixing it right now lmao)

[-AnxiousBreaks-]

Pretty cool faller at the beginning, and I'm liking the bassy groove at :07 too. The chord at :30 is a bit dissonant, but the sound design is really cool. Almost sounds like a futuristic jungle, with robot animals and chrome-tipped plants. Love the vocal samples near the beginning as well. The piece sounds a bit minimal for most of the second minute, but the harmonies at 2:01 are cool. The intricate rhythms of this one are probably my favorite aspect. The production quality is also really strong. Compositionally, it runs out of steam a bit towards the end, when the harmonies don't get as dense and some of the riffs get a bit repetitive. That said, I really like the instrumentation and eerie, ambient mood. Strong work, dude! ^_^

Creeperforce24 responds:

Thank you! I’ll let you know when I post another! You do the best at making me improve!

[-Zethrasphere-]

The melody at the beginning is really majestic-sounding, and I like the creative rhythm it has too. The filtering on the drums and the sweeps at around :20 really make for a nice and smooth transition, and then the gritty bass at :25 offers some nice contrast to the otherwise dreamy texture of the piece. The frantic variations in the synth lines at 1:15 are really neat, and they have a nice call-and-response sort of pattern with the lead synth. Later on, the piece switches back pretty rapidly among a lot of different solos, but the sound design and the compositional details (like the whirring effect at 2:12) are still pretty cool. I think this is one of your best songs so far. Really catchy beats with some quirky synths, and the mood is a pleasant blend of cutesy and mysterious. Keep it up, CF24! ^_^

Creeperforce24 responds:

WHAT THE FUCK!?

4 and a half stars! IM NOT WATERFLAME BROOOOO

[Noname]

Oops, missed this one! Love the relaxed guitar riff at the beginning and the glitchy drums. By around 1:15, I'm really enjoying all the densely layered harmonies. At times, the rhythmic elements of the harmonies feel a bit square, but the creative drums certainly help make up for that. The transition at 2:34 was a bit sudden, but I like the gritty mid-range bass there.

Wow, 3:10-4:10 sounds dissonant. I really like the distorted guitar melody that comes in at around 4:10. It was a good way of hitting the piece home. The pacing during the last half of the piece is a bit slow, but the syncopations and sound design are on point.

Really evocative content overall, LAPSE! Is the date in the description (4/30/2010) when you made it? If so, I can clearly see both the origins of your style and how you've grown as an artist since then. Keep it up! ^_^

LLAAPPSSEE responds:

Thanks for stopping by again and reviewing, TL. :)

Yeah, I have had this untitled track since that date! Figured I'd release it -- why not? It was one of the things I managed to save when my HDD crashed back in the day.
I think I was listening to good bit of blues and prog rock back in the day when I created the second half.

[Aname]

I like the glitchy intro and crisp drums at :14. The synths at :40 are pretty dissonant, and occasionally I think you overdo the staticky sound effects, but the rhythmic content is great throughout. Production is super clean and well-balanced, and there's a ton of variety. Some of the transitions later on in the piece are a little rough. Not sure this one is my style overall, but serious props for the creative sound design and catchiness. ^_^

LLAAPPSSEE responds:

Yeah, s'why I never really released the thing. Just kept it to myself for a while. But, now it's here. Let'er rip. Can't win'em allllll.

[Theme for a Theme]

I like the rich, tranquil pads at the beginning and the prominent drums. The playful piano and airy synths really contrast nicely with the heavy rhythmic elements here. I also really like the minimal pads at the breakdown at 1:34 or so - I can definitely hear the influence from Thorn and other tracks of yours, both in terms of harmonies and sound design. The dreamy ambiance at 2:50 probably constitutes my favorite aspect of the piece. In fact, the whole piece sounds like drifting in and out of sleep despite the anxieties of the coming day, and towards the end I finally let the shut-eye take over. ^_^ Keep at it, LLAAPPSSEE!

[re.visited]

I like the ominous vibe at the beginning. Sounds more tranquil than creepy, though. There was a nice injection of energy at :32, although the percussive hits on the off-beats starting at :47 take up a bit too much space in the mix IMO. I would've loved to hear some more variety in the harmonies at some point, but you definitely flesh out the rhythmic elements effectively with the syncopations at 2:08 and 3:10. I will confess that once the texture gets as dense as it does towards the end of the piece, the drums don't feel as overpowering. :D Overall, really evocative stuff here, Midi! I envision an introverted ghost who gets invited to a dance party and ends up having a good time. ^^