TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Zel - Diamond Caves (Spadezer Remix)]

Cool white noise at the beginning and sound effects that sound like water dripping. I like the catchy bass riff that starts at :36. The progression is really nice and anticipatory. The drop was cool, but I think there's a bit too much reverb in the texture for my tastes. I'd prefer the breaks there to sound sharper, and the reverb gives off a more atmospheric vibe. The ghostly melodies at 1:55 were nice, and I like the steady undercurrent of bass that's maintained throughout this section. Later, the bass gets even heavier, which is definitely a highlight, but the final melodic refrain at 3:10 or so definitely hits this piece home. The texture is very busy and maybe even a little bottom-heavy throughout, but the production quality is still really good. Impressive work here, Spadezer! Keep up the great work. ^_^

Spadezer responds:

Thanks for the feedback TL! I could see what you mean about the reverb, and even since I've uploaded this, listening to it again I think I'd agree and change up some of the mixing a bit. Like the kick needs trimmed up, and some of the bass I let get a little messy. I'm also really glad you like 3:10 section!

[Bored and Ignored]

Really cool track again! I love the percussion and sound design, especially with the vocals. The stagnancy of the bass line before the 1-minute mark might be my only real complaint here. Otherwise, it's a really fun track with a lot of variety and a distinct flavor and rhythmic appeal. I think the track loses a bit of momentum towards the end. I kinda wanted to see you bring it full-circle, but the compositional elements didn't come together quite how I wanted them to. Overall, a super fun piece, though. I think the structural complaints I have here are probably more to do with your CPU limits than anything else. Keep at it, Jacob! ^_^

[Overstimulated and Underperforming]

Woah! I like the pulsing vibe and thin percussion. The panning may have been a bit much, but the rhythmic attributes of the piece are really appealing. Nice job with the progression and sound design, too. Really cool groove here. Sounds like background music for a Buzzfeed video. XD Keep up the good work, Jacob!

Sorry to here about your struggles with self worth and future anxieties. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need someone to talk to.

[Close to Her]

Beautiful! I love the Celtic-sounding instruments and the choir. The string swells and the modulation at :48 were both especially nice compositional elements. I like the emotional outro, too. Man I wish this piece was longer. Composition, mastering, and sound design are all fabulous. Great work, Bosa!

Bosa responds:

Thank you!

[Rhode Island]

Super fun track! The whispered lyrics at the beginning are a little hard to make out, but otherwise I have absolutely no complaints. Your vocal range is great, combining a rich baritone with a strong falsetto. Do you take voice lessons? I love all the vocal layering and call-and-response effects ("that's right!", etc.). The instrumental is smooth, too. Reminds me of the soundtrack of an 80s sitcom. Great comedic value too - I burst out laughing at "their mascot is a scrotum." Just of curiosity, have you ever been to Rhode Island? XD Admittedly, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't take up the opportunity to write a song about my home state of Massachusetts, but seriously: fantastic track here, LE! ^_^

LunacyEcho responds:

Thanks for the review as usual! Haven't been taking vocal lessons haha, but definitely have been trying to get better at singing recently (this song pretty much hits both the upper and lower limits of my range too)

And heyy Ylvis already did the Massachusetts one! It's a riot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvUMV1N7eGM

[Underbound]

Hi Ale and Jordi! Been a while. This is a super cute piece. Overall, I like the unconventional sound design, but a couple of the choices sounded a tad unpolished, especially the cloudy pads at 1:26. The piece definitely comes across as a collage of ideas, but upon watching the animation it does come together a bit more as a cohesive whole. I think my favorite riff is the somber one at 1:48, although I like how the initial riff returns at 2:34 to bring the story full-circle. Nice work, guys!

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

I'm on the hunt this night!
I think this may be the last one to have slipped through the net :O
Thanks for your thoughts! ^____^

[AIM - Timeless Adventure]

I like the uplifting Celtic-sounding tune at the beginning and the bass drum at around :20. The percussion throughout are quite good, in fact, and they're mixed really well too. The melodies get a tad repetitive, but I really liked the thicker pads you added at 1:30. Super cute piece, and it fits the bright, well-defined art really well. Strong work here, Everratic! ^_^

Everratic responds:

I'm glad you think the percussion is mixed well because that was very difficult! It's nice that people think it fits the art work well :D

As for the repetition, I do agree with you, but I guess I don't see it as being that bad since there's a healthy amount of variation in other areas. That's a fair point though.

Thanks for the review!

[More Love]

I like the progression at the beginning, but the synths themselves are a little dry and could use some delay/reverb effects. The vocals are a nice touch, but I had trouble making out the lyrics after around :45. The piano sample sounds a little generic and undecorated, but the strings at around the 2-minute mark add to the texture well. I think my favorite element of the piece is the mixing. The texture is really well-balanced, full-sounding, and clear. The arrangement is a little cliche, but I like the little burst of energy at 3:15. The ending comes on a little suddenly. I think a more emotional outro would fit this piece well. Overall solid work, though. Looking forward to hearing more new tracks from you, TRA! :)

[The Road Less Traveled]

Really interesting meter here. I think it's in 6/8, but the beat threw me off a bit for a while. I like the bright tone and the continuity of the underlying rhythm - just like footsteps. At the same time, I would've liked to hear a little more structural contrast over the course of the piece. The bridge at 1:48 is the closest thing you get to adding more space to the mix for an extended period of time. Otherwise, there isn't a lot that stands out from the overall texture. I like the harmonic content and the transitions, but the composition could use a little more shape and fleshing out. Overall nice work, Chrono! ^_^

ChronoNomad responds:

Hey there, TaintedLogic! Thanks for dropping by, my friend.

Merely manifesting an idea that was clinging to my mind's eye (though I guess that goes without saying), and I thought that it had a really interesting sense of tension that was simultaneously rather chill. Also getting back to my piano roots a bit since I've been doing a lot of very different things recently, and those beautiful ivories have been calling out to me for a while now. How can I ignore such a plea? xD

I really appreciate the review, man! This was a more fun and casual romp, but it was originally going to be a much shorter - and ultimately more repetitive - loop. Suffice to say, I'm glad that I took the time to expand upon it somewhat before bringing it back around. There's quite a bit of change, especially in the lower register, but much of it is subtle and requires a few listens to really pick them out.

Despite the simplicity of the musical ideas, I still quite enjoy the motif. I can just sit and listen to this for an extended period of time without getting bored, and it brings me a sense of peace for some reason. If other folks enjoy the ride, hey—that's a bonus! It's just nice to have a place to share the music. ^__^