TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Desertion - Japillow]

I'm so glad I found this! A remix of this has been in my iTunes library for years. The main riff is so catchy, and I love the progression and filtering work, which gives the piece a really smooth flow. The part at 1:28 is probably my favorite. Nice job with the production, too, but I think it's really the sound design that sells this piece. That organ-like main melody synth is just so captivating. My only complaint is that the piece doesn't quite get back to the same energy level in the second half of the piece as was present during the first half. Relatedly, I'm not a huge fan of fade-out endings in general. Still, impressive work overall. :)

[[Dubstep] Falkuma]

I like the distorted atmospheric part at the beginning. The percussive thing that plays on every off beat starting at :13 was a little much. It basically functions like a snare, yet sounds more like a transitory effect. The build-up wasn't bad, but the drop at :53 sounds really distorted. You may have used a bit too much reverb there. Despite all the reverb, the drop is also quite minimal from a harmonic standpoint. I like the mechanical sound effects at 1:54, though. I appreciate the variations on the second drop, but in general this piece has very little in the way of harmonic depth, which is probably my main complaint. It's a well-structured and smooth-flowing piece with some unique sound design, but I think you need more moving notes in there to offer the listener a more memorable harmonic framework. Keep at it, man!

Delerium responds:

Thank you! I appreciate the feedback. The snare sound you talked about was a risk i was taking for some interesting percussion. In general my music is minimal melodically and harmonically, and I think I could improve that. However, I feel like the lack of harmonic depth is what draws people to the focal point of this piece, which is the drop.
Did you notice that some of the percussion and foley pan? I was hoping that would add some effect.
:)

[Tranquil Cove]

The counterpoint is pretty nice, although I wasn't a huge fan of your instruments. They sound really fake, but also rather dry. Some reverb might help give the piece a little more flavor. The progression is pretty slow here, and has a rambling feel. You might want to use more phrasing and dynamics to create more of a sense of overarching structure. Another thing that bothers me about the piece is that it's really quiet. You might want to look into some compression techniques - or perhaps simply raising the volume levels - in order to make the mix feel a little more full. The rhythm also seems a little stumbly at times. Some percussion might help keep the rhythm grounded. I've been tough on you in this review, but this piece still demonstrates a great sense of harmony and flow. Keep at it, man. ;)

[Game Intro Loop]

The intro isn't bad, but I think you need a stronger transition into :18. Cute melodies at around :30, but I wish they were a little more up-front in the mix vis a vis the arpeggios. Also, that synth you used for the arps sounds a bit harsh in my ears, and could benefit from some filtering work. I'm not sure what the project is, but it sounds like some menu music or something. Cutesy and vaguely adventurous, yet not structurally complete. My favorite parts of the piece were the sound design and melodic content. Keep at it, man!

verjamon responds:

Yes it was a menu music!
Thanks for the critic!

[With you (Dubstep)]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning and the chord progression. The drop is pretty hard-hitting, yet very catchy. I guess I would've liked the drums to shine through the mix a little more at the drop, though. The secondary drop at :59 was a bit of a surprise. The pace of the piece is pretty fast, although I really like the chordal section at 1:20. While very loud and full-textured, I think the mix could be tightened a tad. You seem to have an excess of reverb in there, especially some of the busier sections, and the hats seem to be fighting for attention at 3:06. Overall, though, this is really strong work compositionally. I really like the 2-drop paradigm, although I wish you had varied the drops a bit more the second time around. It's engaging throughout and generally smooth-flowing and well-structured. Keep up the good work!

lukiaffe responds:

Thanks for the well written response. I agree with you. All things considered, I made this when I was like 15 so I didin't know much about mixing back then ;) Cheers!

[You Were My Friend]

I like the progression at the beginning and the phasing. The beat, while minimal, is pretty catchy and really drives the piece forward. Excellent job with the production on this one. Everything comes through the mix very clear and well-balanced. The underlying harmonic structure of the piece is very repetitive, and I wish you had highlighted the added details like that descending line at 2:24 a little more. Still, really cool atmosphere and sound design, and great use of reverb and automation, too.

I support you, Pr0tagonist.

larrynachos responds:

I found out that I wasn't following you a few weeks ago, and refollowed you, but today it says it again! They're breaking NG lol.

This was a really great piece to work on. I'm really glad I hit the monotonous nail on the head with this one. I can still listen to it on a loop and not get bored, which is something I want in all of my music really.

Thanks for the review!

[Elizabeth (The Refix)]

Strong work here yet again. What I especially like about this one is all the dynamic contrast. You really turned the drop into an emotional height, unlike the last piece I reviewed where it wasn't even as busy as the build-up. I really like your style, man. It's definitely dubstep, but still has a huge emphasis on melodic content and phrasing. If I had to complain about one thing, it might be that the ending came on a bit suddenly with this one. Still, very impressive work. Keep it up, dude! ^_^

ItsAlmagestFR responds:

Thanks m8, Yes, this is not the extended version of it. it's still the Radio version. i'm working on the extended version and hoping could release it sooner :)

[Unravel]

I like the frantic synths at the beginning. The instrumentation is also quite good. The quirky pads at :27 are really refreshing, as are the chopped vocals that appear shortly after. The mixing and mastering is great, btw. Really loud and clear mix here. The drop at 1:10 was a nice point of structural contrast too after the busy section before that. The build-up at 2:35 is great, and I really appreciate how you varied the drop the second time around. The little melodic theme at 3:06 was a huge highlight too, and the warm pads at the end are great. Really strong work here, my friend. Downloaded.

ItsAlmagestFR responds:

Thanks A lot! Appreciate it man!