TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[A.I.M. - Don't Look Down]

---Official AIM review---

I like the ghostly riff at the beginning. Good use of pacing and empty space during the first 30 seconds. The progression is a tad slow, but the piece has a good sense of climax into 1:01. The drums at 1:01 are okay, but I think there’s some sort of perc or hi-hat in the drum pattern that’s a bit out-of-place. It sounds like it has a lot of treble, which was a bit jarring given the tranquil mood of the rest of the piece. My main problem with the piece, however, is that the composition is simply quite weak. Minimalism characterizes the vast majority of the piece, and the distorted growls that start fading in at around the 2-minute mark don’t add much. The piece has little in the way of strong melodic content, and overall is quite repetitive and lacks engagement after a while. I don’t see any obvious problems with the mastering, though, besides the fact that the mix was pretty quiet. The piece’s slow descent into distorted chaos towards the end was pretty enjoyable, but it also didn’t really accompany any sort of meaningful conclusion to the thematic elements of the piece. Overall, nice work with the atmosphere, mood, and production quality. Composition is really something to focus on going forward for you. Keep at it, JAXXN!

5.5/10

JAXXN responds:

Thanks for leaving constructive criticism, I really appreciate it! It's sadly not that often that I get actual criticism from people like you, so I'm always glad when I get it. I am aware of the problems I had with the track and I had the same thoughts in my head while I was making it. I tried fixing the issues but I couldn't really think of what to do with it. But, there's always next year!

[AIM - Jagged]

---Official AIM review---

I like the minimalist beat at the beginning. The vocals are not a highlight for me. They sound like they weren’t really customized to fit the song very well. The rest of the sound design is quite fitting and provides a somewhat ominous atmosphere, which I appreciate. I also think the vocals don’t fit into the rhythmic framework of the piece very well. That said, I do like the way the intonation of the vocals fits the contour of the subtle melodic riff at 2:01. Overall, the composition does indeed give off an experimental vibe. I think you could’ve done more to vary the energy levels and dynamics a bit, though. The piece also gets a bit structurally repetitive after a while. Overall, the atmosphere and mood are my favorite elements of the piece. Composition was weak, and the vocals sound stale. Another highlight was the production quality, though. I have no complaints with the mixing and mastering. Keep at it, Kalviter!

7/10

Kalviter responds:

Thanks for your feedback! Definitely agree with the choppiness of the vocals, wasn't sure if cleaning it up too much would make it less "unsettling"? Either way, really helpful feedback, thanks very much

[XITI Album Preview]

Love the thick texture at the beginning and the crisp beats at :17. It's a little slow to develop, but I appreciated the change in energy levels at about :45. Really clean mix here. The busy synth riff that comes in at around the 1-minute mark is a nice touch too. I really like the gradual build into 1:48. I can tell where the breaks between the songs are, but overall this mix is pretty flowing and well-connected, which I appreciate. I especially like the sound design on the drum samples and rhythmic details around 3:15. The atmosphere in all of these tracks is amazing, btw. I've known you're an atmosphere wiz ever since "Scazon," but this is top-tier stuff. You also bring in the minimalist club stuff in due time, like at 4:30. Bass is rockin' at 4:45, and I love the pulsing vibe at 5:40. All in all, sounds like an amazing album with quite a diversity of sound, even if it hardly strays from your distinct style.

Where are you releasing the album? Bandcamp? I'll certainly check out the final product. Keep up the great work, man. ;)

SynchroSpectre responds:

Thanks dude! I wanted to do something that Sorrow did with his "The Twelve" EP Preview mix (it's about 4 mins long). I thought that was a pretty cool way to show off an album rather than playing with faders like in my old ENSC preview mix. I think I did pretty bad with this "mix" lmao, I was just using FL 20's new arrangement feature where I can rearrange the tracks in the same project file. I was just EQing some of the tracks to make the tracks sound like each other. The tracks here were just rearranged for this preview mix and won't sound like this in the final product. And yea, it'll be on Bandcamp.

I do have a taste for higher quality production (ironic because of my trash music back then); I have a bunch of other projects for this album or in general that was rejected just because they weren't up to standard. I always try to practice new things and try to get my mixing and mastering skills to pro standard. Though, I barely had time to do any of that; I'm always so busy with work and school.

[Kavez - Constant]

So sorry for the slow response, man! Read your PM on my phone then forgot about it once I got home.

The clap sounds less harsh, but still has a bit too much reverb. Instruments blend pretty well overall, but I think the clap sample itself doesn't vibe well with the rest of the piece. It's generic, and also plays at the downtempo parts where it sounds out-of-place with the relaxed texture overall. Piece is pretty well structured and smooth-flowing, though. I like the addition of the melodic content, but overall it was very mellow. You seem to only have it at the breakdown and outro. I think it would help add some emotion and variety to this piece if you had a climactic post-chorus or something featuring some of the same melodic ideas but with a more energetic context. Maybe I'm just being picky now, though. Overall, I think this piece is a lot better, and I'm sorry again that it took me so long to remember to review it.

Keep up the good work, man! ^^

SlyFrost responds:

No worries about the late response! Also, I really don't mind you being picky... it helps me out!

After listening to the track a few times I did notice that the clap was kinda out of place. I didn't really think the reverb was something that needed to be adjusted but it's probably just me. My melodies are generally trash. They always sound wrong and somewhat unoriginal. Once I get the full version (which should've been a few days ago but... wasn't) I'll be working on my melodies a bunch.

Thanks! Once I get the full version I'll be working on stuff a lot more and will be sure to take your responses on board.

[AIM - Serenity of the Forest]

---Official AIM review---

I like the percussion at the beginning. I admit the cheery melody that followed it fooled me a bit. The sharp, militaristic nature of the percussion seemed foreboding, especially given the rhythmic string riff that fades in with it, and then the melody was a bit of a tight, right turn. I suppose that fits the thematic elements of the piece, but as a listener it’s still confusing. It’s also a small detail. The melodies are beautiful, and you have a really interesting harmonic progression in the first 20 seconds or so of the piece. The section at :23 also contrasts really nicely. Despite all the subtle (and not-so-subtle) mood shifts, the piece is really flowing. You’ve used dynamics and cadences very well to slowly mold the texture in an ever-evolving stew of music. One of the rougher transitions was at 1:43, in fact. I really like the structural variety and change-of-pace you introduced at 1:10, which I think was necessary even in such a short piece. Also, 2:16 was another moment of confusion between the mood of the build-up and the resultant phrase. I know you intended for it to be that way, but I still can’t shake the jarring nature of that transition. Clear, refreshing, and well-balanced mixing and mastering, though. The instrumentation is quite enjoyable too. After the second listen, I think the transition at 2:16 is the only thing that significantly bothers me about the piece. Great work overall! The composition is very creative, and the production is top-notch. Keep up the good work, BlueOceans!

9.5/10

[A.I.M 2018 - Land.]

---Official AIM review---

I like the dreamy synths at the beginning. The piece is a little slow to progress, and I think the transition at :29 was a bit lazy. The build-up into :48 was nice, and the melodies there are enjoyable. You might have overdone the reverb a tad there, though. I think the kick ducks under the mix a tad, and tightening up some of the reverb/delay effects might help it come through a bit more. I like the bridge section at 2:07 a lot, and the subsequent build-up into 2:33 felt really cathartic. Again, the mix could’ve been a lot tighter here, and that’s especially noticeable during the last refrain. The mix is loud, just not always as clean and sharp as it could be. You might need more compression on the drums and more careful equalizing in addition to the reverb concerns. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the instrumentation. A lot of the synths here are really cheesy, and you also could’ve done a lot more creative things with the drums in this piece. Overall, the piece is well-structured and smooth-flowing, but there are quite a few very repetitive elements. You’ve done a good job channeling the energy and selling the emotional aspects of the piece, but a lot of times your melodies/prominent riffs are heavily grounded in the chords and rely on a repetitive, cliche chord progression. The piece comes together so well in the end because you combine two of the main riffs you’re using within that framework, which is compositionally a very effective tool. That said, I’m not giving you many points for originality here. It’s a feel-good and melodic kind of piece, but the mixing issues and generic sound design and chord progression take away from it a bit. Overall solid work! You guys have a great sense of harmony, and you also know how to shape and structure a piece very well.

7.75/10

ClockbeatAdelony87 responds:

thanks! i'm mainly good at composing, but im not that great at sound design and mixing, but im still learning. thanks a lot for the advice, i'll try to apply it to my future songs. thanks ;)

[-Adventure Ahead-]

I love the energy, instrumentation, and progression. Piece has a great sense of direction and climax into :30, and some really cool rhythmic elements. Melodic content is great, and the heavy bass is a really nice touch later on. My only complaint is that sometimes the bass seems a bit too punchy and sharp, especially early on when it pops in at :08. The mix is loud and clear throughout, and the thick texture really catalyzes the sense of excitement and adventure the piece has. Overall, I really wish this were a full-length track. Keep up the good work, WF! ^^

Waterflame responds:

Thanks! Yeah my biggest challenge in this one was to make the bass and kick come out of the thick soundwall, I also feel like I could maybe have done the bass a bit better. I appreciate it!

[AtRysk - Ignition]

I like the chords at the beginning and the subtle climax into :17. The snare at :17 was a little in-your-face compared to the relaxed atmosphere of the track - that threw me off a bit. I liked the cut melodies at :32, but I would've liked to hear them a little more up-front in the mix. The drop at 1:02 has a really warm and full-textured sound. I would've appreciated it if the drop was varied a tad more the second time around, though. I think the vocals you mention in the description are a great idea. My complaints are all minor here. Song is very well-structured, catchy, and well-mastered. High production quality is a huge highlight, actually. Good use of sound design and overarching shape. Strong work overall. Keep up the good work!

AtRysk responds:

Thanks for the feedback! I agree I could have used a different snare sample in the chill part. I'll try to go back through and add a bit more texture.
Thanks again!

[The Void]

I like the instrumentation and beats, but I think the panning was a bit wonky, especially since the trumpet part was so melodic. Overall, I think the arrangement could use a lot more fleshing out. It gets really repetitive after a while, and it sounds like you didn't add much onto the original composition. The atmosphere at the end was nice, but I still would love to see you make a full-length track out of this. Could really use some vocals and maybe more fill in the texture. Solid start though. Keep at it, man!

Williamarch responds:

Thanks, buddy. I do struggle with musical diversity through my songs it seems. And I don't think I can add vocals since I'm no rapper and my mic is decent at best. Thanks for the tips though!

Thanks, and have fun!