TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Darkness and Light]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning. Jordi's vocals at :21 are great, although I feel as though there could've been a stronger transition there than the stop-start effort at :20. The lyrics themselves are also pretty powerful. The rhyme scheme seemed a bit forced at first, though, so I like when you started to take liberties with it at the "one day" stanza. Nice melodic content through the 2-minute mark or so, and then the theme at 2:20 is really fun. The production quality is really strong here. I liked the arpeggiated transition into 3:27, drawn out though it was. I love how the vocals have a really low register towards the end. Makes them seem foreboding, even while the content of the lyrics seem encouraging/motivational. Cool piece, guys! Good luck in the ADM. ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thanks for reviewing!

I personally like the transition at 0:20. I think one shouldn't be afraid to have a short break in the music, or even silence, when going into a new section. Similar transitions are also used throughout the piece (such as at 1:00), as it's part of the composition's continuity.

I also tend to like when songs have something that binds the rhythm, such as through rhymes (or "near" rhymes). Especially in this piece, the melody is pretty straightforward in the verses, so another element that adds to the rhythm makes the verses a bit more interesting. I spent a long time contemplating where I should use the rhymes, and how I could convey the message of the piece through the lyrics.

Since the rhythm is simple in the first half of the piece, I felt like 2:20 was necessary in order to give the piece some variety and power. I'm glad you liked that part, along with the "one day" segment.

The production was surprisingly difficult for this piece. I'm happy with the result, but I'm not as good at cleaning up and mixing Jordi's voice as he himself is :D
It's nice to hear that you think I did a decent job with it!

I actually can't sing this piece myself, since my voice doesn't go low enough to be able to sing the part at the end. I'm really impressed with Jordi's performance, and I wanted to show off his singing in a lower register, since it still retains its emotional tone. He's such a versatile singer o.O

Thank you for the review, and for the good wishes! Good luck with judging and running the NGUAC! It's exciting to follow the progression!

[Look At Me]

I like the guitar riffs at the beginning. The drums sound nice and crisp, but still don't come through the mix as strongly as I would've liked. The vocals are really nice, and the lyrics are well-written. Production quality is sharp, and the arrangement song is smooth (if a little generic). I really like the dark brass riff at 2:40. The defiant tone of the bridge was great, but I think the vocals could've been foregrounded in the mix there a bit more clearly. The subsequent solo was really easy to get into, and I really like the reverse vocals at the transition at 3:53. The vocal layering during the last chorus was great, and overall the piece comes together really well. Captivating and passionate from start to finish. Keep up the great work, guys, and good luck in the ADM! ^_^

[SOL]

Really different from some of your other stuff! I like the dramatic swells at the beginning and the passionate guitar riffs at :14. Nice job with the vocals, too. I also like the lyrics themselves. Nice job with the glitchy ornaments too. Production quality is super high. My only complaint with the mix is that the drums are way too quiet. I just wanted that snare to have so much more bite than it did. The riffs at 3:05 (the guitar and then the dark synths) are really cool. I think you wrap up the piece well with that final refrain. It would've been nice if you had a refrain that was a little more distinct from the verses, though. Right now, the short vocal phrases and instrumentation are both very similar between the verses and chorus. I think it would help to have some more powerful vocals that are held out longer. Overall, though, I'm quite impressed with this piece. Dark electronica and synth guitars are a good combo. :) Keep up the good work, ConnorGrail!

ConnorGrail responds:

Thanks so much as usual for the great detailed review. I am experimenting a LOT with this aggressive style so I will be taking your feedback with me going forward ☺

[endK - Arena 51]

Woah...this is really different from some of your other stuff. I think the tranquil pads at the very beginning were a bit misleading given the raw, ominous vibe of the rest of this piece. I like the dark mood and the instrumentation, though. The lead is the most recognizable element of your style here. Also, there was a lot of minimalism in this piece. Perhaps the harmonies could be a bit fuller and more fleshed-out. The riff at 2:00 was one of my favorites of the piece. Really catchy piece overall. Lots of twists and turns, too - I didn't see the breakdown at 2:27 coming at all! Nice work, EndK. Keep it up. ;)

endKmusic responds:

Yeah, I can't stand in one area too long, I guess...
You mean the effect at the beggining?
I saw it as a 'turn on the console' kinda effect, just so people know it's video game themed straight at the start.
Thanks for the lead compliments!
About harmony - yeah, you're right, I wanted to keep it simple overall, did some harmony thingies mainly at 0:40-0:53, but nothing much after that.
Sounded good in the first place and I chose not to overcomplicate and go with it (eventhough I'm sure if there were some well-written harmonies in each part, it would clearly sound better).
Thanks for the comments and the review TL!
Means a lot.
Cheers!

[Magnificent]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning and the gradual fade-in. The instrument you used for the arpeggios at :18 wasn't my favorite, but the piece has a great sense of climax into :33. The vocal samples add to the texture considerably, and the drop at 1:16 was really fun. I like the subtle glass clink FX at 1:40, too. After a while, it gets pretty repetitive, though, and I think the drop and post-chorus drag on for a bit too long. The breakdown at 2:17 was a good idea. I like the filtering work there. The underlying harmony changes pretty suddenly at 2:33, but I like the melody at 2:47 and the build-up to the second drop. Ending came on a tad suddenly; it could use more of a proper outro. Overall, really strong work here, Sylux. The production and sound design are great, and the mood of the track is really fun and upbeat throughout. Keep it up, and gl in the ADM! ^_^

Sylux03 responds:

Thank you so much!

[-Pink Spring- (2014)]

I like the cute synths at the beginning. Melodic content is nice here, too, and I especially like your use of percussion in this track. I also really like the more legato melody instrument in the post-chorus at :53. Mastering quality is really strong here. I guess my main complaints are that it's a tad repetitive, and maybe a bit generic arrangement-wise. I also think there are a lot of parts of the piece that don't quite have the same full texture that's characterized your pieces of late. Otherwise, the blissful mood, sound design, and cohesiveness of this piece sells it really well. Keep up the good work, WF! ^_^

Waterflame responds:

Thank you! :)

[-HDC- 'Raw' ft. Kwing & Mao prod. by Liberal Shimmering]

I like the detuned piano and the rest of the experimental texture at the beginning. Nice sense of climax into :25, too. The vocalists are really talented, but the vocals themselves sounded a bit dry. They could use some mastering effects - reverb, delay, etc. I also like the lyrics themselves. Beat is a bit minimalistic. Instrumental could use a little more filling out. At around 1:46, the vocals seem slightly off-beat for a while, but the "Billy Ray Cyrus" commentary was really clever. Fun track overall. I like the creepy mood and refrain with the "this beat is so raw" echo-y vocals. Keep it up, guys!

[Until Then]

Ambiance at the beginning was cool, but I don't see how it logically leads into the jazzy bit at :06 very well. That said, the smooth texture of the organ, E-piano, and bass are really nice. I think I'd prefer it if the drums were a tad stronger, but you did a nice job with foregrounding that trumpet. Melodic content in this piece is great, and the entire mood is so lackadaisical and carefree. Production is loud, clear, and well-balanced. The piece could also use some more structuring, especially since it's so short. The coda felt more like a bridge/breakdown than an outro. Still, strong work here. Moody and fun piece. Good luck in the ADM!

acxle responds:

thank you so much!

[TeslaX - Dark Deity's Sorcery]

I like the dark ambiance at the beginning and the gradual climax into :19. Interesting rhythmic juxtaposition at :26. Knife blade "shhing" at :39 was a nice touch, too. The mix is very loud, and the texture at the refrain is very full. Compression is a bit on the heavy side. The drop at 1:48 is probably my favorite part of the song. The rhythmic components and texture come together really well there. I enjoyed the re-intro at 2:45 too. At 2:48, it almost sounds like a cat purring. XD I think ending the piece with more beautiful ambiance was a good call, too. The part at 3:50 even felt a bit superfluous. Overall, fantastic piece, though. Strong emotional quality to it, yet a lot of passion and energy at its climax. Keep up the good work, TeslaX11, and good luck in the ADM!

[Azazal - Scratch]

Nice atmosphere at the beginning. The synths at :20 are a little cheesy and harsh-sounding in the upper register, but the production quality here is really high. Catchy drop. It's well-structured overall, too. I especially like the part at 2:32. I guess my main complaint with the piece is that it could use some stronger melodic content (and also maybe a more legato section or two for variety in the texture). That said, I certainly appreciate the punchy mix, sound design, and energy of this one. Keep at it, man!