TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Corporate Espionage]

I like the ominous mood and bottom-heavy mix. The mysterious pads at :28 were a nice touch, and the brass also adds a lot of character to the piece. The title evokes the piece's connection to some sort of mystery/thriller old-timey movie. The details win the day with this piece, from the drum fill at 1:30 to the theremin at 1:45 to creepy outro. Keep up the good work, Possibly!

Possibly responds:

Thanks for another review, appreciate you taking the time :D

[A (Mountain) Range Of Options]

Very evocative! Sounds like sunrise over Wyoming. I love the power of those descending rolled chords and the mysterious plucking at around the 2-minute mark. Doesn't quite sound like a coherent piece yet to me, though. The pacing is pretty wonky, with a lot of extended pauses that hold a little too much tension without giving way to a point of resolve. Still definitely puts an image in my head, but it might need some drums or something to move it along. Keep at it, Possibly!

Possibly responds:

Cheers - yeah, I don't think there was supposed to be any resolution, cos they are lost and isolated in a wilderness. Think of it more of a piece meant to work in conjunction with images I guess. Thanks for the review.

[Bass Camp!]

I like the frantic slap bass and drums. Very bizarre texture - energetic, yet also kinda minimalistic until :30 or so. I like the strong beat and structuring too. The orchestral hits add some nice flavor, and the production is also really clean. Overall, it feels both very innovative and very organic, which is a nice combo. Keep it up, Possibly! ^^

Possibly responds:

Thanks very much, glad you like it, I appreciate the kind words.

[Between Doses]

The arpeggios at the beginning were a bit quiet. I like the murky-sounding melody, but I think the balance is still off. The transition at :49 was pretty jarring, and didn't really build on the direction of the first 50 seconds. I like how this piece is a bit more harmonically interesting than the last piece I reviewed, but it also lacks the flow and density of texture. I think the transition at 2:26 was a lot smoother than the analogous one at :49, largely because of the brief riser effect. I think you overdid the panning on the synths after that, though. They sound a bit harsh in my ears. The mix is pretty clean, although if you were going for a more atmospheric effect on the synths at the end a little more reverb might be advisable. You did a better job of winding down this piece before the end, unlike the last one. Keep at it, DjRemedy! ^^

[Enter the Dunes (original)]

Catchy beat, if a little minimalistic. I like the bass line and rhythmic percussion. Sound design overall is really smooth, but I think the texture was missing some higher-pitched tones. The mix is pretty clear, if a tad undecorated. Compositionally, the piece is a bit repetitive and lacks melodic content. I'd encourage you to find alternative ways of creating variety besides just adding and subtracting instruments over time, though. Phrasing, dynamics, filtering, and automation can all help vary the intensity of your piece, especially a track that has so much underlying apprehension like this one. The ending of the track was a tad sudden, but I did like the short bridge at 2:39. Nice work overall! You're certainly getting better. Keep at it, DJRemedy! ^^

djRemedy responds:

Thanks, TaintedLogic! I always appreciate your constructive reviews and will try to apply them to my next piece!

[Diacrisis OST]

Provocative use of vocal samples. Where did you get them from? The mix isn't all that sharp, though, and overall I found the composition here to be a bit dry and repetitive. The piece needs a high-pass, as well as some more high-pitched frequencies in general. It's minimalistic and harmonically underwhelming, even if you sell the mood and atmosphere well. The muddiness in the mix is my main concern here, though, even though the mix itself is loud. I'd suggest trying to rein in some of those bass frequencies with an equalizer and fill in some of the texture with some pads or other harmonies. Right now, the piece lacks any meaningful sense of directionality. I've been harsh on you, though. I'm sure it fits the tone and purpose of the game you made it for quite well. As a stand-alone track, it just needs a stronger sense of progression. Keep at it, man!

Alucard responds:

Your feedback was very helpful!

[~Fore~ Ethereal]

I love the gritty bass and apprehensive mood here. The pulsing vibe of the beat is really fun, too. You always have such a well-balanced texture between the energy and atmosphere, and I love how the intensity has this subtle escalation over the course of the minute. Nice work! There's still a lot of value in unfinished pieces, my friend. ^^

[~Fore~ Heart of Steel (loop)]

Excellent! I love the energy and the vocal samples at around :50 combined with the atmospheric flair at 1:10. The piano solo at 1:21 is a nice touch that really advances the emotional appeal of the piece. Nice job setting up the cycle of anticipation and resolve for the return to the A-section of the piece at 2:16. Really strong rhythmic elements in the drums here, too. The ending is a tad sudden, but overall it's another awesome track, man. Keep up the good work!

[~Fore~ Shadow (NG Edit)]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning and the atmosphere. Really cool use of vocal samples and sound design. Where are the vocals from? I love it when that grouchy bass comes in at 1:05, and the riser at 1:54 is really cool too. The more melodic content at 2:05 was a nice change to the texture. There are a lot of minimalistic moments in the piece, but overall I really like the progression, texture, and instrumentation. The production quality is also rather sharp. I suppose I would've liked the vocal samples to come back a little earlier, though. It would've offered a nice relief to the repetition that characterizes most of the 2nd half of the piece. Still, I can tell you spent a lot of time on the mastering and mixing effects here. Strong work! Keep it up, Aliaspharow. ^_^