TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[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!

[Apocalypse]

I like the eerie pads at the beginning. The texture is really thick and bass-heavy. Pacing is a tad slow, although the progression itself is really enjoyable. Nice job with the melodies at :44. I think the melody synth could’ve blended better with the rest of the texture there, but at the same time it’s a good idea to have a more focused sound after such an atmospheric intro. The percussion around the 1-minute mark was a bit too heavy and over-reverberated, and the siren effect at 1:19 sounded too grating in the foreground of the mix like that. The crossfading into 1:54 was pretty effective, even if it wasn’t the most subtle of transitions. I like how the piece seems to be going in a new direction thereafter, and then you definitely bring the piece full-circle by 2:25. Overall, the production quality here is pretty strong, but I think the excessive reverb and harsh high-pitched tones of the siren could’ve been cleaned up at times. Composition-wise, the piece doesn’t have a strong point of arrival and conclusion imo. Perhaps 1:54 fits that description, but structurally it functions more like a bridge than anything else. Still, the loud, full mix and rich atmosphere go a long way. Keep up the good work, Equinaga!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Pretentious]

Catchy guitar riffs at the beginning. The song throws the listener right into the action without much of a proper intro, though. The progression is nice, with a well-balanced texture to boot. I think the hi-hats could come out more distinctly in the mix, and the drums in general could be a bit louder. That said, I really like both the vocals and the lyrics themselves. Sometimes, you don’t quite pronounce the consonants, though (e.x., “can’t” sounds like “can” at :31). The melodic content at 1:10 was a very welcome addition to the harmonic progression, as was the breakdown at 2:40. I like the melodic themes that start to bleed back in at around 3:30. That said, I thought the composition could’ve been a lot bolder towards the end of the piece. In my mind, you missed out on an opportunity to bring this piece back full-circle and offer some variation of the melody at 2:29 that really hit the piece home. I did enjoy the pauses towards the end as the piece was winding down, especially 4:13, but I think it’s regrettable that the piece never really returns to the emotional height of the first couple of minutes, and instead gets a tad repetitive with the “this is farewell” mantra. That said, I think my biggest problem with the piece is actually in the production quality. Not only could the piece be a tad louder in general, but there’s also some mic distortion going on, most notably at 3:56. Still, the piece has a really appealing 90s vibe about it, along with the raw passion of the vocals and the catchy guitar riffs. Keep at it, Dude2312!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Emotion Creator]

I like the ominous atmosphere at the beginning. The synths are a bit cheesy, and I think the intro could’ve been shaped a bit better (as the melodic riff at :05 comes in a tad suddenly). I really like the guitars at :25, and the drums start getting really creative at around :45. The kick could’ve been a tad stronger, but otherwise the mixing is very good. Strong, clear, and well-balanced texture throughout. The riff at 1:26 is really catchy. I would’ve liked to hear some stronger melodic content in places, though. This patchwork of riffs works well as a harmonic framework overall, but the piece was missing a distinct arrival point at an emotional height where everything comes together. The solo at 2:48 was definitely one of the more memorable parts of the piece, but it also functioned more like a bridge structurally than anything else. Otherwise, the piece gets a bit repetitive, and lacks compositional risk-taking. That said, I liked the coda. The strongest elements of this piece are the production, lush texture and atmosphere, and the guitar solo. The composition just needs to be a tad more dynamic to hit it home imo. Otherwise, keep up the good work, Denza91!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

[Sugar High]

The atmospheric flair at the beginning is nice. The gradual fade-in approach to the beginning could’ve been more creative, but by the time the beat comes in at :28 the piece has a great, warm sound design and soothing melodic elements. There’s a lot of blending and mastering effects, though. I wish the individual lines were a tad more distinct during the refrain. I like the downtempo section at 1:22. The entire piece is really smooth-flowing and well-structured. I’m tempted to say that you could stand to cut out some of the reverb here, but the atmospheric quality of the piece is pretty nice. Mixing is solid overall, but I wanted the kick and snare to be sharper at times, like at 2:12, especially the kick. The texture has a good balance of staccato-y and more legato sounds, although is leaning towards staccato-y at times. Sometimes, the pace of the piece seems pretty fast. There’s certainly enough repetition in the harmonic framework and melodic content of the piece, but I wish you had fleshed out certain sections a bit more. The fade-out ending also didn’t come off well. I feel as though you were struggling with how to conclude the piece. Overall, the sound design is good, but be careful not to overuse Nexus. Part of the problem with the reverb might be with how generously Nexus ladles it on. I’d highly recommend getting rid of Nexus’s built-in reverb and adding your own later (if you haven’t done so already). The blissful melodies, mood, and atmosphere of the piece really help sell it in the end, and everything comes together really nicely during that final refrain. Keep up the good work, Colin! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

ColinMuir responds:

Thank you as always TL. I liked the things you said. I felt the end should just live on, but that was probably a lazy thing to do as you stated haha. :)

[Unraveling the Mask]

I like the cute instruments and waltzy meter. The celesta melody was nice, and has a great call-and-response effect with the strings. I like the percussion at :43, too. There’s an enjoyable amount of variety in the texture here, while at the same time a near-uniformity of theme that’s quite pleasing. One thing I think could really improve in this piece is how the individual phrases are shaped. Right now, it seems like most of the transitions consist of Band-Aid-like approaches (reverse crashes, sudden changes in dynamics) rather than more carefully crafted, gradual lead-ins. My second biggest problem is that the coda at 2:13 really takes the piece in a different direction. All of a sudden, the mood is very melancholic. Instead of wrapping up the thematic content of the piece, it seems to function more like a bridge or breakdown to my ears. I also thought the underlying harmonic framework of the piece (as indicated by the strings that play on every beat) can be a bit cliche, and this is most conspicuous at the very beginning. That said, these are all tiny details. Overall, the piece has the same immaculate sound design, melodic content, and mood as your other recent tracks. Keep up the good work, BO! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10

[Forever Jazz]

I like the fun piano riffs at the beginning and the fast pace of the harmonic progression. The ornaments on the melodies are a bit excessive at times, and make the melodies a tad hard-to-follow, especially at :22. The saxophone solo at :19 is great otherwise, though, and I love how you scaled back the texture for the guitar solo at :40. The rhythmic elements at 1:10 are great. At times, I found myself wishing the drums were a tad louder, though, especially during the first third of the piece. This piece showcases your talents for harmony and progression really well. Any given transition never feels abrupt, but the plethora of transitory moments throughout the piece (and corresponding huge variety of different textures) can feel a bit jarring. I think my biggest complaint with this piece is that I wish there was some sort of refrain to tie this piece together more, even if it only came in at the beginning and end. That said, the production quality here is really strong, and the variety of textures also function to give this piece a lot of structural variety (with both moments of relative minimalism and flourishing emotional heights). Personally, I think this is your strongest piece of the competition. The track really starts coming together with the slower tempo around the 2-minute mark. You can just hear the victorious mood in the brass stabs (and see the dramatic leg kicks of the cabaret’s cast) at that point. Congratulations on all your fantastic work this year, AzulJazz! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
9.5/10

AzulJazz responds:

thank you so much friend