TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Headphone Heaven - Please (Won't You Help Me)]

I like the relaxed intro and instruments. The synth at :13 sounds especially tranquil and smooth. The progression here is really slow, though. I don't think the transition at :41 helped much, either. The glissando there kinda just wrecked the flow without leading into anything climactic. The drums are nice, but the first really meaningful addition to the texture after :41 is definitely that wobbly synth at 1:23. Nice work with the automations there. The rest of the piece is quite repetitive, though. Overall, I think you nailed the atmosphere and mood, but the composition is a bit lacking. The way you add and subtract instruments every 4 measures feels a bit formulaic after a time, and overall the progression just gets a little stale. I think you need some dynamic changes within phrases, more automation, and one really climactic section to hit the piece home. Overall, though, nice piece for some easy listening. :)

[ELEPS - CONTROL (BIG ROOM)]

Intro is catchy, and I like the build-up into :32. There's a ton of reverb in the texture. A lot of the synths are pretty generic, and the claps at :54 seem to get crowded out by the compression. The mix is very loud and pretty clear at the low end. I guess my main problem with it is that it's really generic and transitory. Feels like there are a lot of build-ups for not a lot of rich harmonic content. The melodies at 2:02 were really good, though. I also appreciated how you varied the drop the second time around. All in all, solid work. I totally encourage you to keep experimenting with different genres. You've certainly got all the makings of a Martin Garrix track. It's just that Martin Garrix tracks are not exactly the pinnacle of EDM imo, for the reasons I stated above. Keep at it, man. ;)

[Sinister Joy (Contest Entry)]

---Official AIM review---

I like the quirky riff at the beginning, even if it is a bit distorted. The bit at :15 is catchy, but I think the kick could’ve come through a bit clearer in the mix. The piece is also harmonically quite repetitive until the sudden change at 1:01. You have a lot of cool riffs here, though. I also liked the re-intro section at 1:32, but I think it dragged on for a bit too long. Overall, you’ve also done a good job of channeling the energy here through the filtering, build-ups, and changes in dynamics. The main problem in this piece, as I’ve already alluded to, is the lack of harmonic depth. There are only a couple of main riffs that form the harmonic framework of this piece and, despite some notable variations (~3:00), it’s not enough to keep the content engaging for 4.5 minutes imo. You clearly have a great sense of harmony and progression, but I’d like to see you try to fill out the texture with a bit more than gritty bass riffs, drums, and flashy pads. Let me cut to the chase: melodic content will serve you well, my friend. There are a lot of top-end frequencies that are missing for a lot of the piece, and structuring your piece around melodies might help give the piece an overarching sense of climax and resolve too. Also, it seems that you have some reverb on your bass instruments at some points in the piece. You should be careful about that - it has the potential to tax the production quality a bit when you put reverb on basses. One element of the piece I actually liked a lot was the instrumentation. The distorted mid-range basses and whatnot blend together pretty well, and have a pretty unique sound overall. Clean up the mix a tad and add some top end (preferably melodic) content, and this piece would really come together well. Keep at it, man!

7.25/10

J-XVII responds:

Thank you for the feedback, I ain’t done with this contest though fam, so keep watch for numero dos, and it’s a special one indeed, as always, thanks for the feedback.
-J17 ;)

[Repurposed Souls - A.I.M. 2018]

---Official AIM review---

I liked the dreamy, pensive beginning. The drums are also a strong addition to the texture. The progression was a little slow at first, but definitely goes in a different direction by around the 1-minute mark. The track certainly has a unique structure. The glissando at 1:40 didn’t quite work for me. I think you needed to prime the listener more for a change that sudden. The section at the end with the echoy guitar ambience was absolutely haunting. That said, I think you could’ve done a lot more with the textural fill of this piece. It’s quite minimalistic the majority of the time, and lacks an emotional height or refrain to tie it all together. The result is that it feels both experimental and in a way incomplete. I think you nailed the mood and atmosphere. I also enjoyed your creative rhythmic work with the drums, especially around :47. I think that the reverb may have been a tad excessive at times, largely in the interest of making the drums sound as crisp and clear as possible. Another problem I see with the mixing is that the bass could’ve come through a lot stronger. More bass is certainly a potential solution to the lack of fill in the texture as I see it now. Overall, though, chilling piece that absolutely stays true to its thematic purpose. Instrumentation was also a highlight. Keep it up, man!

7.75/10

[AIM-The Creepy Doll]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The melody at :12 is beautiful and haunting. The progression is a little slow after a while, though, and the texture remains pretty thin despite the reverb for the first minute. Once you add some of the lower frequencies at 1:03, the texture becomes much fuller and well-balanced. I liked the ritardando into 1:28, although I thought the decision to change up the instrumentation so significantly at 1:32 was a pretty risky decision compositionally. On the one hand, you’ve created a kind of variety in the texture that’s quite welcome, but you also haven’t done much in the second half to expand the harmonic themes of the piece imo. There is some additional counterpoint, of course, but overall I’m a little bit confused about the role of the sound design overhaul that occurs halfway through the piece. Excellent use of melodic content and progression within the two halves, though. I also didn’t notice any major problems with the mixing. Some of your orchestral samples during the latter half of the piece sound pretty inauthentic, notably the choir and the stringed instrument at 2:10. Overall, pretty solid work. I’m looking forward to seeing what else you come up with.

7.5/10

[Ji4H3 - Some Lights (Original Mix)[Free Download]]

I like the hushed, cutesy vibe of the beginning. That kick has a LOT of treble, though. Might need a little more filtering work there. The emotional appeal of the piano at :30 is great, and there's a good sense of climax into 1:15. The mix is loud and clear here. The refrain has a really victorious and upbeat feel, and you contrast it well with the re-intro at 2:01. One of my main complaints here is that the second half of the piece doesn't add a ton of content that wasn't in the first half. I wanted to see you vary the main melody a bit to give the piece a stronger sense of direction. That said, I like how the bass is really exposed at 3:45. Overall really solid work here. All of my complaints are minor. Keep up the good work! ^_^

bow1255 responds:

Thanks for the review. That's helpful ^^

[Fopcin1]

I like the smooth, dreamy guitar at the beginning. Progression is pretty nice, too. I like it when the hi-hats roll in at :39, but be careful not to overuse that effect - it feels really transitory (as opposed to being a once-every-4-beats kind of thing). The solo at 1:28 helped give the texture some variety, yet wasn't a very dynamic solo in and of itself. My one main concern with the piece is that it doesn't have a lot of shape or phrasing to it. Kinda sounds like a demo track in that way. The sound design, mixing, and atmosphere are all great. It just needs a little more ebb and flow in the composition. Still, solid work. Really relaxing vibe here.

1zin1 responds:

Thanks for the detailed input. Much appreciated.. as i didn't spend to much time on this but from an outside look at it i do agree with what you've said and will build upon the track when i have time. Thanks again. :)

[Cell of Tut]

The stop-start rhythm of the piano at the beginning is really quirky, and the rest of the sound design really enhances an ominous kind of vibe. Has a bit of an experimental texture. The pause at 1:01 works okay as a transition, but it might've been smoother if you had added some more reverb or something. I wasn't a fan of how you started spamming the hi-hats at around 1:04. The harmonies get a little dissonant at around 1:40, and the piece starts to lack a clear sense of direction towards the end. I'd suggest finding other ways of creating variety and shape to the piece besides adding and subtracting instruments. Some automation, filtering, phrasing, and dynamic contrast would help give this piece a little more ebb and flow, instead of the drone-like quality it has right now. I also would've liked to see you add some more melodic content here. The rhythm of the piece can be hard to follow at times, and some more moving notes might help keep the listener grounded. Overall, I appreciate the compositional risks you took with this one, even if I think you could've done more with it harmonically. Keep at it, man! Definitely a piece worth revisiting imo.

Celudoc responds:

Thanks for the listen! I definitely see what your saying. I was going for a more despondent 'losing your sanity' kinda droney vibe, since I was trying to think of the mindset of wasting away in a cell, but i will definitely consider trying out a form of harmonic dissonance when i revisit this and try out more reverb. Maybe I can try humanizing the percussion a little more when i revisit it. I was also playing with the idea of adding dripping water, but I haven't gotten sampling down yet, so that'll be later. I sincerely appreciate the constructive criticism!