TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Horizons]

I like the angry bass and the 80s-style synths and drums. I think the mix could be a tad tighter - drums didn't quite pop like I wanted them to, and the bass gets pretty buried in the mix at around 1:30. The mix was loud and the texture was very full, though. I also appreciated it when you stripped away the drums at around 1:45 to add some structural variety. The main melodic theme (at 2:59, and other places) is nice, but it might've needed a bit more variation after a while, especially in a relatively long piece such as this. The piece also sounds pretty uniform in intensity and energy for most of it, which unfortunately means my engagement level kinda fades after a time. The fade-out ending didn't help in that regard. Overall, I think the instrumentation, mood, atmosphere, and melodic content are all huge pluses. A little more shape and dynamism in the composition would be welcome, as well as a tighter mix. Keep at it, Pr0tagonist! :)

larrynachos responds:

Yeah... I was having some trouble with the drums because they were a single plugin and not separate samples. Sidechaining reacted with the whole kit, creating that kinda sloppy effect. I really wasn't sure how to deal with it, so I just lowered the volume and bass boosted the drums to give the kick some prominence.

Definitely screwed up the flow of this one. Just kept it loud and intense the whole time. My main focus was trying to give the melodies some variety, but I definitely should have paid more attention to the structure and pacing. Thanks for the review TL! I appreciate it!

[Shaft]

I like the percussion rolls and creative rhythmic content at the beginning. I like the grouchy bass and smooth, pulsing pads. The drum samples at 1:05 are a little generic, especially the clap. Later on, the open hat is also pretty cliché. The texture is a little minimalistic overall, but is also relatively dynamic, at least energy-wise. I guess I would've liked to see more melodic content. The composition is a bit underwhelming overall, especially in terms of moving notes. Production quality is solid, even if the texture is a bit thin. Overall, I think my favorite elements of the piece are the relaxing mood and the intricate rhythms of the drums. Keep at it, Hallow!

[/crash/]

Experimental indeed. The harsh static and Fourier synths mesh well together. I like the bell-like texture, even if it's pretty minimal. It has enough bass to balance out the frequencies. Has dreamy harmonic content despite the harsh effects. The latter third or so of the piece has a nice comedic element while also showing off your production skills. Doesn't really feel structurally complete as it is now, and the pacing is also a bit slow. Certainly amusing and engaging content overall. Keep at it, Stardew!

[Broken Sea]

Pretty and tranquil beginning. The cello solo is gorgeous. Entire first 80 seconds is a lush wave of sound. I thought the transition at 1:18 was a little sudden, although the more staccato-y, energetic sound that followed was also really cool. Once you start re-introducing some more legato elements at around 1:45, the piece really comes together. I guess I wished you had brought out the choir more in the mix during that middle section, but overall the production quality is pretty strong. There's another sudden transition at 2:57, but the outro is beautiful. Your tracks always have so much emotion, Papkee. Keep up the great work!

[Leer of Doom]

I love the ominous mood at the beginning. The subtle pause at :11 is a nice touch. Drums are nice and crisp, and the mix is loud and clear. I like the more mellow section at :50. Organ synth at :54 was cool, and the melodic riff at 1:05 is pretty great too. The build-up into 1:51 was a little drawn-out and broken up, but I think my main complaint is with the superfluous 2-second transitory section at 1:48. After an already very dynamic build-up, that section seemed more confusing than anything else to me. I guess I was also a little thrown-off by the sudden injection of so many new harmonic elements at 1:51. It's a fitting bridge in a lot of ways, but I suppose at that point in the piece I was expecting a final refrain that was a little more in-line with some of the other themes and riffs of the piece. At the same time, I applaud the way you created variety across the piece as a whole. Saving the most dramatic and, in many ways, most melodic section for last is probably smart. Maybe I just didn't listen closely enough, but I think I would've liked to see some of the riffs featured in the last minute foreshadowed a bit more earlier in the piece. Obviously, you intended 1:51 to be punchy and jarring to some extent, but the transition there didn't quite work for me somehow. Anyway, I'm rambling about tiny compositional details. Overall, really strong work with the production, sound design, atmosphere, and thematic elements. Keep up the good work, Spadezer! ^_^

Spadezer responds:

Aw thanks for the review. Would have been nice for the Chips Compo lol but better late than never. Glad you like it.

:)

[A Peculiar Advent (Remake)]

I love the staccato strings at the beginning. Smart choice with the gradually thickening texture, and the melody at :27 is beautiful. Has a classic oom-pah-pah waltzy vibe to it. Some of the percussion (was that conga?) seemed a tad out-of-place, but overall the instrumentation is gorgeous. I really like the transition at 1:51 too. Overall, the piece has a fairly repetitive progression, but you keep tossing the foregrounded element of the mix back and forth among different instruments, which helps create variety. The ending didn't quite feel conclusive, but theoretically the piece could go on for a long time as I'm envisioning this quaint old dance hall's evening band. ;) The theme of "reprehensible figure arriving" isn't quite how I'd characterize the piece, but it put an image in my head nonetheless. Keep up the good work, BO!

Everratic responds:

The percussion I used is indeed unconventional, but I don't think it's out of place. It could certainly take a moment to get accustomed to, but I feel like it's worth having because it enhances the imagery. I agree with you about the ending; I ran out of ideas so I tried to repeat part b but in a more sinister manner, but it's not very conclusive. Thank you for the review!

[The Last Dragoons of Aurök]

I love the drama and the punchy vocals. The brass is a nice complement to the vocals while the vocals are at peak intensity. Love the thick texture and bite of the rhythm. The bridge at 1:20 was a great touch too. Production quality is solid as well. I guess my only complaint is that the percussion could've come through better in the mix, but I certainly think that the vocals deserved to be the center of attention. Keep up the fabulous work, Jacob!

[Love Never Ending]

I love the warm strings at the beginning. Has a great cinematic vibe, and the build-up into :35 was really nice. You're really tugging at my heartstrings by the time the soft piano starts at :38. Seems like a lot of the piece is quite transitory rather than producing cathartic content, but that's probably my only complaint. Of course, the cathartic content starts coming at the cello solo, and there's a great sense of energy coursing through the texture after that. The texture is so rich and lovely towards the end. Strong sense of emotion and storytelling with this one. Keep up the great work, Jon!

Bosa responds:

Thank you so much! :):):)

Such a positive and in depth review, thank you!

[C'mon]

Stimulating work. Mix is clear. Very quirky sound design. The "k-k-k-k-come on!" vocals instigate a bit more energy than the rest of the piece could back up. Atmosphere and mood are really cool, especially when those ghostly synths start sneaking in there at around 1:15. Overall, the composition was a bit too experimental for my tastes, and the vocals get a little tired after a while. I would've liked to hear a bit more melodic content or dynamism. Maybe that's just my judging-mode self talking, though. It's a fun piece. Seems like you explore quite a variety of genres, Jacob. I'll check out more of your work soon. Keep at it! ;)

Jacob responds:

Oh, it's all terrible. But I do like to play around!
I was trying to get the "C'mon" to pull me out of the comparatively ambient background, sort of like the feeling of your name being called while daydreaming.
I want to play with that concept more, see if I can make it more effective. It'd probably help to take time to create a dream-state, eventually bringing in a voice (preferably more present and hi-fi) to abruptly pull you out, either to supplant a climax, or after the piece has concluded. Could be cool!
Thanks for the review. You always have great feedback.

[s n x // - ello]

Mix is really loud and clear. The little crackles in the background add a fun retro aesthetic. Sounds really spacey and chill overall. Not very dynamic composition-wise, but at least you stripped away the beat momentarily in the middle. The kick sounded really quirky - heavy, yet also with a pretty carefully curated afterbite. How did you do that? Did you make the kick yourself? Love the relaxing vibe, though. Keep at it, Sequenced.

Sequenced responds:

if I remember correctly, I layered a two-three kicks for it.

yeah after going back to this, I pushed the limiter a bit too much on this track. derp