TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Mermaid's Singing]

I like the soothing, dreamy pads. You have a pretty good sense of harmony. The synth that starts fading in at :43 didn’t really fit the mood of the piece as I see it. I also don’t really understand the progression of this piece very much. A lot of instruments are added and subtracted frequently, but it doesn’t seem like it has an overarching sense of direction. The higher-pitched riff at 1:59 sounds like you were trying to make a it sound climactic, which is good. I just think you’re not entirely capitalizing on your ability to do that here. I’d encourage you to diversify the ways you create variety in your piece beyond just adding and subtracting instruments over time. Think about changing volume levels across phrases, finding subtle ways of changing up overused riffs, and using drum fills, sweeps, or crashes to smooth over transitions. The mix sounds pretty clean, although also dry. I’d suggest looking into mixing tools like reverb and compression that can make your instruments blend together better. But my main problem with the piece is that the composition is pretty underwhelming. In a sense, it feels like there’s a lot of variety, but the piece also doesn’t have a lot of shape, climactic moments, emotional heights, etc. Overall, I’d say that you have a solid foundation in harmony and instrumentation. You just need to work on creating progressions that are meaningful for the listener. Playing around with velocity settings is probably a good place to start. Part of it may also be that the harmonic elements of the piece are both minimalistic and repetitive. Hope this helped! Keep at it, man. I enjoyed your cute, quirky sound design and catchy beats. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6/10

[Arachnid - Battle of Old and New]

I like the energetic synths at the beginning. A bit of harshness in the treble range there - some more careful equalization could help solve that. The mix is quite loud, though. I like the build-up into :37, although I think the pads at :38 took it over a bit too much. The other harmonic instruments don’t come through nearly as much. The secondary emotional height at :55 was a pleasant surprise. I think the transition at 1:14 could’ve been smoother, as well as the one at 1:32. For a short piece it’s got a nice amount of variety while also feeling pretty cohesive. The ending was a bit sudden, and the squeaky final note doesn’t help. I think the drums could’ve been a lot stronger in the mix in general, and they also sound a bit generic to me. Overall, though, it’s a really captivating piece given the flurry of melodic content, enjoyable structuring, and adventurous mood. Keep at it, ArachnidPlaysMusic!

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

[Loud and lazy]

Simple, short intro. I think you could’ve done a better job at leading into the part at :03 a little more. That said, the sound design and bassy texture are huge pluses. Sound design is so smooth and calming, and the rhythmic elements of the piece are quite strong as well. I thought the bell-like high-pitched synth (:19 and other places) might’ve needed a bit more polish to reign in some of the high-pitched tones. The transition at :52 could’ve been stronger, especially since the piece changes quite a bit harmonically at that point. The minimalism drags on for a bit too long before developing much, and then you return right back to the soothing, atmospheric texture of before. I’m a little confused about the directionality of this piece, and I also would’ve liked to hear some more prominent melodic content at some point. There also seems to be one peculiar note at 2:03 (high-pitched, staccato) that seems a bit out-of-place. It happens again at 2:22. I guess I’d say that I want to see a little more shape in your piece. The sound design, texture, and atmosphere are all great here, but the composition feels very stale and directionless. I’d encourage you to use more automations across phrases, create some dynamic contrast, and craft your transitions a little more carefully. Spots like 2:24 can feel quite jarring when you suddenly change from one mood to the other. I also noticed that the open hats at 2:40 (and other places) seemed to have an oscillating cycle of velocities, which I thought was a creative and rather unconventional choice that comes across quite well overall. In general, the mix is pretty well-balanced and clear. Most of my complaints here are grounded in the underwhelming composition, but most other parameters of the piece are quite strong. I love the smooth bass in particular. Keep at it, Alyctro!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
7.25/10

[Comfort Zone]

I like the bright synths and upbeat vibe of the piece. The chord progression is a little cliche, and I think you overdid the panning on the synth at :31. That said, I enjoyed the build-up into :41 and the melodic content at :42. A big complaint I have is that the mix is too loud. Clear, yes, but the panning sounded harsh in my ears after a while, and there’s blatant clipping for much of the first minute. Overall, it’s a really well-structured and smooth-flowing piece. I also really appreciate the variations on the melody during the final refrain. The transition at 1:57 was the only abrupt one. My other main complaint is that the piece is pretty generic, mostly because of the chord progression and arrangement. Still, I’d say the main fix should be the volume levels. I’d highly recommend that you do some research on clipping (basically, stereo distortion that results from shoving a loud signal through a small threshold) and monitor the peak flow meter in your DAW more carefully. PM me if you have more questions. Overall solid work, though! You clearly have a good sense of harmony, and the blissful mood of the piece is quite contagious. :) Keep at it, Alphysans!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

[The Squad]

I like the somewhat ominous beginning and the riser thing at :07. The beat is pretty cool. I especially like the hi-hats at :25. Loud, crisp mix too. The transition at :38 was a little sudden, and I thought the clap there was a bit generic. Nice work with the sub-bass. Overall, my main complaint is that the harmonic depth of the piece is seriously lacking. The piece is well-structured and smooth-flowing overall, but the track doesn’t feel very dynamic or interesting after a while. The second half is almost a mirror version of the first, and there’s a serious lack of melodic content. Perhaps it would help if you had added some vocals or a more prominent, legato lead synth. Right now, the composition is just underwhelming and lacks a strong sense of direction and conclusivity. That said, the mix is loud and tight, and the sound design is really cool. Keep at it, Akaruhime!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
6.75/10

[Abstrack - Meteor Impact]

I like the thematic content and the dark mood. The bass bomb at the beginning is a bit excessive, but I like the gradual fade-in with the filtering on that bouncy synth (:18). I think you overdid the harshness at :17, and I think the drums could be a bit more creative in general. Once the progression starts taking shape at :28, things are looking up. I like the build-up into :46, and the melodic content at :46 is pretty sweet. The harsh, high-pitched synth at :46 was pretty unnecessary, though. I also like the glitch-y, distorted content at around 1:10. The transition at 1:24 was pretty sudden. The pace of the track just changes quite abruptly there. The part at 1:52 serves as a nice counter-theme, and you certainly keep me engaged with all of these build-ups and intense riffs. I thought the middle section (1:52-2:57) drags on for a bit long, though. You also seem to be a big fan of these booming walls of sound that serve as transitions (2:57, for example). I think that’s okay to do 1 or 2 times in a piece, but you overused it here. I think the mix could be quite a bit tighter. It’s mostly the high-pitched punctures (like :17), but some of the distortion (like 1:24) could stand to be reigned in a bit. The other big thing is transitions. You use a lot of filtering and risers to smooth things over, but at the end of the day there’s little on the other side of these transitions to complete the process (take a listen to 2:01, for example). Even the occasional crash would go a long way. Generally the instrumentation is good, but I thought the drums could’ve been a bit more polished at times (like 1:53). Overall, this is still strong work. You’ve clearly put a lot of effort into the automation, arrangement, and sound design. Keep at it, Abstrack!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Chaos Snakes - 8LayneTech8]

I like the catchy pizzicato-y synth riff at the beginning and the energetic texture. I thought the fade-in at the beginning was a bit lazy, and I also thought the piece has a very fast pace that made it hard to follow all the changes. I think there are quite a few moments of dissonance, like :23 for example. Whatever instrument you have sidechained at :33 (almost sounds like a bass that’s out-of-range) came across as a bit harsh. Overall, the mix is both clear and loud. It just needs a bit of tweaking to facilitate blending and eliminate some excessive high-frequency tones. I thought your instrumentation was pretty good overall, too. My main area of concern is the composition. Like I said, the pace of progression is jarringly quick. It also doesn’t feel structurally complete by the end. I’d suggest thinking more carefully about the arrangement of your track. As a listener, it’s hard to discern where your piece is going at any given time. There was some nice filtering work and some sweeps, but I don’t think you fleshed out the structure enough to give the piece an overarching sense of directionality, shape, or conclusiveness. Overall, I’d say that you’re totally on the right track along most parameters, but you really undersold the composition here. Keep at it, 8LayneTech8!

5.75/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
5.75/10

[Jewels & Sweat]

I like the hard-hitting guitar riffs at the beginning. The progression is very slow for a while, but I enjoyed all the distortion and gritty texture. I like how the guitars find a new niche in the back of the mix as the vocals come in. The injection of passion at 1:32 was really nice, too. The vocal editing isn’t perfect. Don’t be afraid to use pitch correction, even if you’re going for a more organic vibe. Talented producers can mask autotune effects pretty well with slow correction times and more humanized pitch tweaks. I think my main complaint with this piece is that it has very little harmonic variety. I think the track needs some kind of breakdown or other dynamism in the refrain to keep it engaging. The solo at 2:03 was definitely a great start towards that goal, but I can’t help but feel that you really beat the listener over the head with that main riff at :04. In general, the mix is pretty clear and loud, but it also felt like there was some sort of panning effect that made it feel a little too wide. It just sounded harsh at times, regardless of the edgy texture. Still, overall this is strong work. There’s a lot of intensity in both the vocals and in the guitars. It’s catchy and engaging throughout. Well done!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[The Elvenking’s Prayer]

I love the bassy intro and ambiance. The Middle Eastern flavor is really cool, and the dissonant layering at 1:16 really considerably to the texture. I love the lyrics, too. Your description of "haunting" fits this piece in many respects. The drone-like quality of the piece limits the ebb and flow of the composition, but you did a good job of incorporating melodic content between the vocal phrases that filled in the texture. Nice job with the production, too. What exactly is the language you're using, btw? Google Translate tells me it's Kurdish, but I don't trust Google Translate. XD Anyway, keep up the great work and good luck in the ADM!

etherealwinds responds:

Thanks for your review TL! It's in Sindarin, a language created by Tolkien used in the world of Lord of the Rings. :)

[Memento]

Absolutely haunting beauty. The emotional appeal of the strings and piano at the beginning is amazing, and the melodic content is really good. The sense of climax as the piece goes on is subtle but quite powerful. Then the first real cathartic moment of the track at 1:25 really capitalizes on the emotional set-up at the beginning. I also really like the solo at 2:05 - sounds like it was some sort of Celtic instrument too. The rhythm of the percussion at 2:45 is a little hard-to-follow, but I really like the injection of energy at 2:48. It ties the piece together really nicely. This track really puts an image in my head - of cameras panning through a gorgeous mountain expanse to find a lonely rural home and a young heart that is just as lonely. By the end, I think the protagonist learns to balance the humbleness instilled in him by an isolated youth with the confidence of having the world open up to him for the first time. The piece really did put all those images in my head, guys. Utterly fantastic work. I will be rooting for you in future rounds. By all means, keep it up! :')