TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Reunion]

I like the nature sFX at the beginning and the quirky percussion that comes in at around :15. The progression is a bit slow, but the piano line at :41 was really nice too. Has all the makings on an ambient beauty, especially with that lush cello. All of the elements of the texture sound so well-reverberated and full. I also really like the big break in the flow that the flute provides at 1:45. The piece really started going in a different direction afterwards. The melodic content of the strings and flute are beautiful, and I love how the melodies are tossed around between the different instruments. I guess my main complaint here is that the melodic instrument absolutely consumes the texture when it’s playing. I wanted to see the texture fill out at some point with some harmonies that were a little more present in the mix. That said, the arrangement of the piece is really nice, and ambient beauty minimalism is the right kind of minimalism to have. The voice acting at the end was so well done that I was worried (until I read the description) that it was from a movie or something and I was going to have to disqualify you. XD Seriously, though. Captivating work. Keep it up, LucasMasoch!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.5/10

Baumarius responds:

I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I'll probably go back and work on some of what you specified before I release it on the album. Thanks for the review!

[Stay]

I like the somewhat contained sound at the beginning and the cute synth riff at :13. I like the refrain at :26 too, but I think the texture didn’t quite fill out how I wanted it to there. The sub-bass is the most prominent addition to the instrumental there, and I think the texture could’ve used a tad more atmosphere (maybe even with some more mid-frequency tones if there’s room in the mix). I like the verse at 1:05, too - the backing vocals help fill out the texture too. I think the two vocal lines at 1:42 kinda trip over each other a bit (same thing at 2:58), but that’s a small detail. A bigger concern I have is that the harmonic framework of this piece feels pretty stagnant. The chorus is never varied throughout the piece, and the instrumental needs a bit more variety as well. I also thought the fade-out ending was a little underwhelming. That said, the melodic section at 2:21 helps out this piece a lot. It just adds a sense of directionality more so than anything else in the piece imo. I also think there are some generic aspects of the arrangement and lyrics in the piece, especially during the refrain. Overall, though, this is strong work. The production is really clean, and the piece has this underlying moodiness that’s easy to get into. Keep up the good work, Kurtiskong!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Impetum Immortui]

I like the energy and the foreboding mood. The samples don’t sound very realistic, especially the brass. Production quality here is good, though - loud, clean mix and well-balanced frequencies. After a time, the progression is a tad hard to follow. The pacing is very fast, with few “arrival points” and clear directionality to the energy level/intensity. The piece still stays engaging throughout, although the ritardando towards the end felt a bit awkward given the rhythmic structure and pacing of the piece. Overall, I think the drama, fun brass riffs, and your occasionally contrapuntal approach to the harmony sell this piece pretty well. Keep at it, JacksonTime!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8/10

[Corkscrew - Infinity]

Cute synth riff at the beginning. Pretty generic drums, although they do sit nicely in the mix. I’m loving the blissful mood and climax into :30. Mastering is really strong here - clean, clear, and loud mix, yet not overly-compressed. The melodies at 1:00 are really nice. Well-balanced frequencies and full texture here, too. The transitions are smooth, and the structure is pleasant. That said, my main complaint with the piece is actually the lack of originality. The chord progression, arrangement, and instruments all seem pretty generic to me, tbh. I also would’ve liked to see a bit more variety on that final refrain at 2:30. The modulation at 2:46 does help, but it’s also a bit of a generic step-up kind of modulation. Overall, the blissful mood, cute instruments, and strong production quality really helped sell this piece for me, though, and the sweep at the end was a nice touch. Keep up the great work, guys!

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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10

ItzCorkscrew responds:

Omg this is actually the BEST review I got on a song, you absolutely should review my next songs too! Thank you for listening :D

[[FGS] A nebula beyond reality]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. Some of the higher-pitched effects sound really harsh, though. I’d think about being stricter with the equalizer in the treble range. The progression of this piece is really slow, but the mood is pretty sweet. I like the booming percussion, too. It felt like there was a huge climax into 1:04, which was a bit disorienting with the minimalism on the other side, but I see the real drop is at 1:16. That said, the piece never quite achieves the level of catharsis it sets the listener up for, imo. The section at 2:04 with the phasing pads was also interesting in taking the piece in a different direction, but I personally think you needed some melodic content or other memorable moving notes to sell the piece towards the end. That said, the experimental texture, creepy mood, and glitchy effects pay off well for you here. Full credit for originality, sound design, and atmosphere for sure. The mix sounds full and crisp, but not overly compressed. Not particularly loud either, though. My main complaints are with the composition, especially with the highly transitory nature of the piece and the pacing. That said, strong work overall. Keep at it, IIIFoggySundayIII!

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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[[IV]Suns of Carcosa]

I like the dramatic choir sample at the beginning. The sudden cut-off at :07 wasn’t that smooth, though. Same thing with :17, although at the very least the energy kept up on the other side of the transition. The mix is a tad quiet, but also pretty clean. There’s a lot of suspense in the mood, and the string swells starting at around :50 are a nice touch. The dramatic brass hits at 1:18 really help sell the drama. There’s not a lot of melodic content in this piece, but the atmosphere is well-preserved by the near-constant choir and string chords. The descending brass line towards the end seems like a fitting B-theme. The afterthought at 2:27, probably portraying the slain sojourner on this foreign planet, is also a nice addition. The sense of suspense is great, but I can’t help but feel that you didn’t quite capitalize on the emotional qualities of the piece here. The composition might need some more ebb and flow over time to achieve that. Dynamic contrast, more dramatic phrasing, etc. Still, strong work with the sound design, progression, and mood. Keep at it, IglicaV!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

[Spinning]

Very loud mixing throughout. Usually that’s a good thing, although I think it distorted some of your other instruments at times because the compression’s so heavy. The drums also sound a tad generic, although a lot of the synth riffs here are super catchy. The change-of-pace at :51 wasn’t foreshadowed very well in my opinion, but you did a good job leading into the drop at 1:16. The drop itself is a little minimalistic, and overuses ascending lines that don’t really add to the sense of direction of the piece. The re-intro at 2:05 is nice, and the riff at 2:21 is probably my favorite of the piece. It’s also probably the closest you get to offering some strong melodic content up to that point, and I wanted to hear more melodic content early on in general. I also think the second build-up of the piece is very similar to the first one, and I would’ve liked to see some more variation in that regard. The part at 3:24 was a pleasant surprise. You really took the piece in a different direction towards the end, which was a risk that paid off in my opinion. The piece sounds conclusive by the end, and the thematic elements of the piece come together nicely. Overall, this is strong work. My main complaints are probably with the generic sound design and arrangement elements, the overuse of minimalism at different points, and maybe even the over-compression. Other than that, strong work with the structuring, mastering, mood, and harmonies. Keep at it, Hippokopter!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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
7.75/10

Hippokopter responds:

That's a schmancy system you got there. xD

Thanks for the insightful review, too! By the way, when you say, "too much compression," that doesn't really register in my dubstep infected mind as a bad thing... xD

As I write this review, I see that I've been eliminated... At least I can get back to my one-song-per-week-ish pace. On the bright side, if I got this close to getting past this round, and I haven't been producing for more than a year, get ready for me to wallup this comp next time around. xD

[Antrax - Haboob (Original Mix)]

I like the grubby bass on those downbeats and the ethnic vibe. The instruments are really nice, regardless of the cliche-sounding percussion. The drop at :45 is cool, but I think the bass there was a bit much. Fun melodic riff at :58. The breakdown at 1:15 was a nice touch, too. Takes the piece in a bit of a different direction, even though it’s short-lived. The build-up at 1:40 was also really nice. Even though this piece is pretty short, it has a pleasing structure, solid production quality, and even a sufficient amount of variety. That said, I would’ve liked to see you do a tad more with that final refrain, and also maybe put in a proper outro. The mixing is loud and clear, but not overly compressed. Very impressive piece overall. Keep it up, Gvdclubber!

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

[Dark Secrets (NGUAC 2018)]

I like the dark mood at the beginning. The strings sound a tad muddy in the bass range, and the (piano?) at around :20 sounds a tad harsh in my ears. Great suspense, though. It’s really nice for an ambient loop in a video game or something, but it also doesn’t really sound like a structurally complete stand-alone piece. The progression just seemed to be getting started when you launched into that ritardando on the main riff at the end. Overall, it’s a good start, though. Please PM me if you ever flesh this out more. I’ll leave you another review. As for now, I can’t give you much credit for structuring or composition, but the content you do have here is pretty good. Keep at it, GearWax!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.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?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.25/10

Iosun responds:

Thanks, yeah, this actually is supposed to be a loop in a video game. It’s for a project as well.

Don’t really plan to pull it past this cause of that reason

[Firestride]

I like the majestic orchestral sound at the beginning and the sense of climax into :22. The melody at :22 is nice, and the mix is strong and clear without being overly-compressed. The oscillation between relaxed and energetic sections in the piece is great, but occasionally the transitions between them are a bit abrupt (2:12 and 3:01, for example). Well-balanced texture and frequencies overall. The super quiet and emotional breakdown at 3:01 is something I didn’t really see coming, but it really helped you maximize the dynamic contrast in this piece. I think occasionally the instrumentation here is a bit cheesy, especially with the synths, but overall I don’t really have many complaints with the sound design either. The pacing of the piece can be a bit slow, relying on big changes every certain length of time instead of gradual ebbs and flows within the phrase. Overall, though, the piece comes together really well with the extended climactic section towards the end. The transitions and shape of the piece are the two elements I think need the most work. Strong effort overall, though! Keep at it, EverReverb. :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

AED4 responds:

Thanks for immensively detailed review once again :) And thank you for hosting and arranging NGUAC for the fifth (?) time!

Cheesiness was indeed something that i was afraid of, but in the end I just had to embrace it :P