TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[-Tanuki's Ambition- (2014)]

I remember the original, haha! I like the melodies and sound design here a lot. The beginning sounds pretty contained and quiet, but the piece really blossoms into a bright, colorful texture by around :45. That's also the first section that sounds noticeably different from the original as I recall. I think the drums, especially the kick, could be a bit stronger, but overall the mix is loud and clear as well. As it is, the piece is pretty short, though. I think it could do with a third, grander rendition of the refrain to tie it together towards the end. Still, nice work here. I always like you revisit your old tracks, WF. :) Keep up the good work!

[Fore]

I like the bouncy piano chords at the beginning and the gradual fade-in of the synths and bass. The sidechaining on the drums is really heavy, but overall the mix is rather sharp, loud, and full. Really catchy rhythmic elements, and nice job with the melodic elements at :50. The arrangement of the piece is a tad generic, but overall my biggest problem with the piece is that it needed more harmonic depth and variety. I think the composition feels pretty stagnant and shapeless after a while, despite the quirky instruments and fun melodic riffs. I wanted to see you do more with the final drop to really hit this piece home, but instead it came off as a more rhythmically dense version of the first one that only served to highlight the over-compression problems. Despite this criticism, I think the fun sound design, danceability, and flavor of the piece still go a long way. Keep at it, YeahYay!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Sea of Love Tears 「恋水の海」]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning. The gradual fade-in could’ve been more creative, but the sound design is absolutely gorgeous. The emotional appeal of the piano riff at :35 is great. The climax into 1:02 is nice. I think the low percussion there could’ve sounded a lot more distinct in the mix, and the piano at 1:19 sounds strangely dry. The string cut-off at 1:28 is a bit sudden, although I did thoroughly enjoy the lush breakdown section. You’re great at creating textures and giving shape to a piece within phrases. I would’ve liked to hear a bit more variety in the refrain the second time around, but overall the piece comes together well. Strong effort all around, Tennon. My complaints are minimal, and I think the sound design and atmosphere are particularly enjoyable here. Congratulations on all your hard work over the course of the competition! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Tennon responds:

TL’s review never lacks any detail

[Niko - Out Of Control]

I like the pads at the beginning. The lead at the beginning has a bit too much treble for my tastes, and the attack of the snare isn’t as sharp as I would’ve liked. The melodic ideas at the first refrain are a bit simplistic, but have a number of fun ornamental qualities. The vocals at 1:15 sounded a bit grating, and the instrument at the drop at 1:22 sounded a tad unpolished. I also think that section dragged on a tad too long, with the more melodic content only returning (however briefly) at 2:20. While I did enjoy the textural and rhythmic elements of the breaks, I couldn’t help but want to hear a bit more fill in the texture and harmonic variety in this piece. The structure, while effective overall, has a pretty cliche arrangement with few opportunities for shape and contrast from the extended drops. I also think that, harmonically speaking, there’s very little novel content during the second half of the piece, which is concerning largely because the piece is so long. At the very least, I commend you for varying the drop when it comes back around at 4:48. You were right when you referred to this track as generic, though. I think the composition and arrangement could be a lot more creative and variational. That said, the production is pretty strong, and the piece has its merits in the catchy breaks and punchy sound design. Keep at it, Nikolopoblete!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7/10

[Miston Music - Bombs All Over The Place]

I like the quirky instruments at the beginning and the somewhat contained sound. The synths that first come in at :15 sound a tad generic, and the progression in this piece is really slow. The rhythmic elements of the track are pretty enjoyable, although at some point I was craving some more moving notes. The piece finally gets a stronger sense of direction by around 1:40, but then it just falls back on the same riff that underlies the beginning 100 seconds as well. To be honest, I’m starting to think that the composition and arrangement of this track simply needed a lot more effort. It sounds minimal, insular, and staccato-y throughout, with a thin texture only thickened by excessive reverb. There’s essentially no melodic content. The production is pretty good, but it also doesn’t stand out either. The progression is both incredibly drawn-out and somewhat stagnant after a while. I’m going to be frank, Miston: I think you can do a lot better than this. For what it’s worth, the content that is here isn’t bad. It’s just that I wanted to see you flesh out some of your ideas a lot more, with more shape in the composition and depth to the harmonies to boot. I’m sorry this isn’t a very positive review, but it just seems like you got a little burnt out. Thanks a lot for the hard work you’ve put into the competition this year. I look forward to seeing you around the Grounds in the future!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.75/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
5.5/10

[Chain Reactions]

Really creative sound design, especially with the percussion. I’m not sure I like the use of panning, though. You have a lot of elements of the texture - drums, foregrounded string riffs, etc. - that I would’ve intuitively thought would be front-and-center in the mix, but aren’t. The sudden transition at :52 actually worked pretty well for some structural relief, although I found it a bit jarring that the mood seemed so much brighter there all of a sudden. There was another pretty lazy transition at 1:38. I think the logic of the progression is lost on me a bit. You have a knack for storytelling for sure, but it just seems like the directionality of the piece would’ve been more effective with more gradual transitions. By the end, it still comes together pretty well. The sound design and mood sell this piece pretty well. Compositionally, I suppose I should also point out that there are a lot of apprehensive sections of the piece that lack resolve. Despite the frantic strings and rich texture, there’s not much strong melodic content in this piece either. Overall, I think my main concerns are the absence of a centered mix and the Band-Aid-like approach to the transitory content. It would be great if the piece had a more cathartic conclusion that gave all this build-up a sense of release, too. Still, the mood here is engrossing, and the cinematic vibe of the piece was very convincing. Keep at it, Lukiaffe!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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

[Freeing The Lunatic]

I love the cinematic vibe and the sound design. There’s a lot of reverb in the texture, though, especially on the percussion. The prominent string riffs at :23 are really neat, and the melodic content at :44 is great. The piece doesn’t really have a strong sense of build, though. You’ve sold the first third of this piece as setting up a huge amount of apprehension and drama, and then the rest of the piece gradually fades into this vague, thematic melancholy that I honestly fail to understand. I think you wrote this piece with a story in mind that I’m not getting. As a stand-alone piece, it seems almost like a filler track in a concept album, meant to bridge the gap between more coherent themes. The production, sound design, and mood here are all fantastic. Unfortunately, it doesn’t feel like a structurally complete piece, and it lacks a logical point of resolve. That said, the content that is here is riveting. That low, growly sound at :12 is delicious, and the crisp strings and percussion are very well-balanced in the mix. Overall, I’d say that the directionality of the piece (chiefly from invigorated to melancholy) is the piece’s main flaw. This technique would’ve been more effective without the abrupt change in instrumentation at 1:24 and the change in pacing at 1:47, but by itself it’s still pretty compositionally risky to pull off a progression like this. As much as I want to commend you for such risk-taking, I honestly found the progression of the piece to be a bit jarring. That said, absolutely keep exploring your knack for weaving together these gorgeous cinematic textures. The piece was on the verge of becoming an instant favorite of mine until 1:24. Congratulations on all your hard work this year, Lucas!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[So Lit]

I like the pads at the beginning and the atmosphere. There could’ve been more of a distinct transition into :13, but the beat there is rather catchy. The thicker texture at :27 was nice. I thought the lyrics were pretty cliche, and similarly to your last piece I think there could be more texture in the middle frequency range. My biggest problem with the piece is that the composition feels pretty stagnant. There’s very little shape over the course of the phrase, and the melodic content is never really varied. The arrangement and progression are very predictable, and at the very least I would’ve liked to see you do a bit more with the final refrain at 3:09. My favorite element of the piece was the production - it just highlights those crisp hats and spacious sub-bass really well. Relatedly, the sound design of the piece between the bell-like synths and creative drums is also satisfactory. The composition just needs a tad more variety and flavor imo. Keep at it, Kurtiskong!

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[illbefine]

I like the jazzy chords and the mellow beats at the beginning. I really like the vocals, including the lyrics themselves. Sometimes, I think the vocals could be compressed a little more, just to put them a little more up-front in the mix. Occasionally, your voice tails off a bit toward the end of the phrase. The cute melodies at the post-choruses are simple, but still enjoyable. I think my biggest problem with the piece is that the composition feels pretty safe. The texture was pretty minimal in places, and I think you could’ve gone a lot further to create a sense of release and resolve with some of these post-chorus sections. At the very least, varying the melody slightly between 1:20 and 3:06 would probably be advisable. You also overuse the crashes/hats, like at 1:20. Overall, though, this is a catchy and fun track with a strong production quality and cool sound design. Keep at it, Icantpronouncethis!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

icantpronouncethis responds:

Because this was my first attempt at using "normal" vocals, I kinda wanted to make it a bit simple, but I did learned a lot in the process. The part that still gets me is the compression. I know the gist of it, but I'm not sure how to use it effectively. So many knobs. Plus, there so many use of it, Limiter, Sidechain Compression, etc. Any tricks and tips to practice or learn more about compression?
and thank you so much for your input. It was a lot of fun being in this competition.

[To The Clouds]

I like the tranquil mood at the beginning and the atmosphere. The busier string riff at :16 is great, and the progression of this is really nice despite a sudden transition or two (:31, for example). I also found :46 to be a rather unexpected harmonic shift. At times, the spacious strings and bell-like instruments can be simply mesmerizing, and the vocals at 1:25 only amplify this effect. I think my biggest complaint with the piece is that it feels really disjointed. There are a lot of transitory moments in a short time, especially during the first couple of minutes, and sometimes you seem to take a Band-aid-like approach to bridging these gaps. For example, the not-too-subtle modulation at 1:40 is smoothed over only by a crash. That said, I’m really enjoying the mounting sense of apprehension by 2:20. The percussion at around 3:30 sounds really cool, and the piece comes together well by the end. I was a little confused by the entrance of the horn at 4:07. I guess I don’t usually regard introducing new melodic instruments that late in a piece as advisable. I understand that you used the same instrument earlier, albeit in a much different context. I know that it’s a tiny detail, but I still found the 4:07 entrance to be a tad jarring. Miniscule compositional complaints aside, I thought the production here was absolutely fantastic. The only thing that I would dare criticize about that is that I thought the strings on the downbeats were a bit too strong at 3:20. Still, you’ve made a really strong effort yet again, Jordi. The atmosphere is gorgeous. The sound design is beautiful. The melodic content is inspiring. Great work! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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
9.5/10

etherealwinds responds:

Hey hey TL!
Thank you for taking the time to review my track. I always appreciate that! Because I was taking the piece in so many different directions, I wanted to scatter the transitions appropriately enough to highlight the changes, switching it up from orchestral transitions and electronic swooshes. This piece definitely goes a lot more places than my tracks generally would, but that was sort of my intention with this - I was having a lot of fun exploring what I could do using orchestral elements. That said, I'm excited to keep working with orchestra in the future to make less explorative pieces and solid structural pieces.

I'm not super sure I personally agree with the brass being a confusing new element in the piece, at least for me. It was quite present at 1:12 near the beginning of the piece and again at 2:49 quite heavily to change the tone of the piece. I'm feeling really inspired to go back to the piece though (which I will do) thanks to so many wonderful suggestions and perhaps the brass will make more sense in the piece when everything else comes together! Fun fact: this is actually the first time (I think) that I've ever used brass in any track of mine.

Really happy you liked my piece for the final and I'm defintely glad I entered this year!