TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Direction]

Been a while, Garlagan! I love the haunting vocal ambient stuff at the beginning and the melody once it finally "lands" at :31. Part of me wanted it to be a bit more legato, but the rich chords underneath it really help fill out the texture regardless. Nice rhythmic work in the drums, too. By around the 2-minute mark, the main theme of the piece is getting really repetitive, despite some intense creativity in the non-harmonic elements of the piece. I think my favorite thing about the progression was the subtle transition to 6/8 time at 3:08. That part also had a really cute, waltzy vibe to it. The final refrain ties the piece together well, although I was still itching for a bit of a different direction to the piece by the end (no pun intended). The distorted, ambient content at the very end was really well done, though. Overall, I'd say my favorite elements of the piece were the sound design and production. Keep up the good work, Garlagan!

garlagan responds:

thank you TL!!

[-Momentary-]

Huh! Haven't heard a hip-hop track from you in quite some time. I certainly like the ambient quality and the way the chords cut off so precisely before the next measure. The details really make this piece what it is, like the subtle pause at :58 and the sound effects. I really like the brighter chord at 1:16, too. The drum samples are super nice and clean. I think the faster pacing of the chords towards the end is a nice touch, too. I agree that the piece doesn't really have a proper melody or a strong sense of progression at times, but for what it is it's a really enjoyable track. Simple in some regards, yet satisfying. Keep it up, Waterflame!

[Yötön Yö]

I like the organ at the beginning. The progression gets brighter as the intro moves along, and the percussion at 1:03 was a great touch. The mix is a bit quiet, but otherwise quite clear and crisp. Your lyrics are always so spiritual, Jordi. I commend you for taking on an immense challenge with the linguistic requirements here. ;) One instrumental choice that caught me off guard was the plinkish sound at 2:35 - is that from the organ too? Somehow it didn't quite fit the rich chordal atmosphere of the song in my mind. Excellent work with the sense of emotional height by around 3:35, though. This piece comes together very well, and I thought your choice of a rather melancholy final chord was strangely refreshing.

Sorry for not reviewing this sooner, and congratulations again on all your hard work over the course of the ADM! ^_^

etherealwinds responds:

Sorry I'm replying so late TL! Thanks so much for the review :) some really kind words!

[Mourning My Memories]

Okay. 'Bout damn time I got around to this. I like the fun, lively riffs at the beginning. Somehow, the chords seem a bit too rich and introspective to be danceable, though. I'm really enjoying the smooth flow and occasional dramatic pauses. The more reserved section at 1:10 was a really nice touch, too, and the spaciousness of the ominous part at 1:24 was great for some structural contrast. One thing I didn't quite enjoy about the middle section of the piece was that the rhythm felt rather square. It gets more interesting by around 2:10, but even then the piece lacks the flourish and energy of the beginning. I really like the compound melodies going on at 3:10, as well as the ritardando at 3:25. The droning vibe at 3:40, followed by the strong bass line at 3:50, really sold the drama of the piece. It's a huge compositional risk to have a track decline in energy overall over time, but I think you've done a great job of portraying a descent into melancholy here. The brighter sound of 4:38 caught me off guard a bit, and it sounds like you're taking the piece in quite a different direction by the end. Structurally, it reminds me of one of your (quite long) improvisations, where you explore a theme for a few minutes before moving on. It seems like that's what's going on here, except at a smaller scale. Overall, lovely work. This was an especially vivid listen. ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you for the review!

Haha, I have a hard time imagining someone dancing to this :'D
Maybe if it was a very interpretive dance though?

I'm aware the energy decreases after the first section, and that's ofc quite intentional. I see the first part as someone trying to solve a suddenly arising problem, while still in decent spirits. After that attempt failing, the mood gets more melancholy (I imagine a character mourning whatever they've lost, while remembering the past). There's a bit of redemption at the end, at the sudden shift back to the earlier theme, but I wouldn't quite say things end well :p

As for the arrangement, I played around with a few different styles, somewhat differing from my general pieces, which might explain why it sounds a bit like my improvs!
Thanks again for the review :D

[Forgotten Promises]

Beautiful, calming instrumental. I love the imagery in the lyrics too, especially about the road swallowing night and day. The vocals themselves are also very strong, and the mix has a amazing degree of clarity and balance. If I had to complain about something, it'd be that the "drink with me and drown with me..." line sounded a tad too aggressive for the overall tone of the song, both in the content of the lyrics and the way the phrase was articulated. The sound design is one of my favorite parts of the piece. Sounds celtic and whimsical, especially with the fun little afterthought at 3:26. It really sounds like you guys had fun making this piece, which is great to hear. If you ever release an album, please PM me directly and I'll absolutely buy it. Congratulations again on all your hard work in the ADM this year! ^_^

[Windswept Cycling]

Cute piece! Sounds like a video game menu tune. Instruments are pretty cheesy, and I guess I would've liked to hear some more legato elements throughout the piece. The A-B-A form is really satisfying, though, and I like the melodies. Keep up the good work, LE. ^^

[TeslaX - False Consciousness Collapse]

I like the ominous ambient sounds at the beginning. The synth riff at :13 is a tad cliche, but the sound design really sells the intro regardless. There's a nice sense of build, although the pacing is a bit slow. The drop is pretty satisfying, and I like how the theme remains audible throughout. The frantic melody at 1:45 was a nice touch. The change-of-pace at 2:20 was a tad sudden, but I appreciated the structural contrast. I definitely didn't expect the synth guitar riffs at 2:47, but that part sounded really full-textured and cathartic. While most of the piece thereafter is smooth-flowing, I'm not sure I liked how the build-up into 3:44 essentially led right into another build-up. Overall, the piece is quite long and also somewhat disjointed. That said, the production quality is really good. The compression is very heavy, but everything is so crisp and clear in the mix. Well done on that front. There are some parts where I felt like there could've been a stronger sense of melody. The synth guitar bit is the only part where there's a prominent melody at an emotional height, and towards the end the piece descends into a series of mostly emotional, ambient sounds that don't seem to resolve some of the harder-hitting themes you introduced earlier. The one sound design choice I think was questionable in the piece was probably the violins at 6:30 - they just sound really fake. Otherwise, this piece is still a huge accomplishment. You definitely went all in for the final round, and I'm really impressed with your production skills and sense of storytelling. Keep up the great work! ^_^

[Rager - Ground Zero]

I like the grouchy bass and the crisp drums at the beginning. The ominous lead synth harmonies at :15 or so were a nice touch. Good job with the rhythmic content too. I think there are some slight balance issues. For example, the arpeggios at :40 onward are a bit too loud. They seem like something that would be used for atmosphere, but they're heavily foregrounded in the mix. I also think this piece could use some more melodic content. The harmonizing is great, but it rarely coalesces around a single memorable melodic riff. The piece also has a strong sense of continuity without much in the way of phrasing or dynamic contrast. At some point I wanted to see you vary the energy level of the piece for an extended period of time. I really liked the arpeggios at 2:46, but they didn't seem to lead anywhere after the sudden transition at 2:56. The piece could use a stronger sense of conclusion, too. There isn't much of an emotional height or climax in the last minute or so, which I think is a missed opportunity. Overall, though, I really like the sound design, and the mix is loud and clear. Keep at it, TheMightyRager! ^_^

[LL Beans]

Amusing piece. The gritty synths at the beginning had a bit too much attack, and also sounded a tad unpolished imo. The rapping was really good, and the content of the lyrics was thoroughly entertaining (and had quite an appealing comedic quality). I think the song could use a little more structurally and harmonically, but for what it is I enjoyed the piece. Keep it up, guys!

[Cracking the Code]

Cool synths at the beginning. I would've preferred the snare to be a bit more full-sounding and less static-y, but the rest of the sound design is really nice. The harmonic progression and melodic content are both satisfying, and the modulation at 1:07 is a nice touch. I think the texture could use a bit more fill in places, but at the same time I really like the relaxed vibe this has. The ending came on a bit suddenly. The piece loses a bit of cohesion between the pretty dynamic middle section, but still comes together well by the end. I like the mixing effects a lot here - there's a very spacious mix with some fun echo/delay effects on the lead. Overall solid work!

ChronoNomad responds:

Hey, TL! I really appreciate the critique, man.

Glad you like the synthy stuff, but I guess those snares just don't quite pass muster. Ah, well...I tried several on for size, and ended up choosing this one. What can ya do? lol

Lots of really nice comments, and I pretty much agree with your assessment. The abrupt ending was planned, so hopefully it works okay, but I'm not thrilled with that last transition into the main melody...or lack thereof. Sadly, just a couple days after rendering the track for submission, my computer gave up the ghost. Got a new one up and running now, but even if I'd wanted to make adjustments, the file is no longer accessible. :(

Eh, life goes on. Thanks again for stopping by, having a listen, and leaving a review! They always brighten up my day.