TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Different Shapes (NGUAC 2023)]

I like the tranquil, dreamy synth pattern at the beginning and the rhythmic content. The texture is a bit thin for a while, but it helps when you introduce the bass at :32. The production is clean and loud, and I love the prominent hi-hat in the drum kit. The piece is a little slow to progress at times, but the transitions are smooth and the sound design is great. The composition could’ve been a tad more ambitious at times - not much melodic content here. The breakdown at 1:56 has a great atmospheric appeal, though, and I like the guitars and vocals you introduce there as well. You balance creating variety with structural cohesion really nicely here - I love when the dreamy pads come back in at 3:28, and the energetic section towards the end hits the piece home nicely. Overall, strong work, ALG! It’s been a pleasure to have you in the NGUAC again this year. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10

[Jules O - Who Will Protect (The Mox)]

Sweet track, Jules! Love the edgy guitars and Lizzie Borden lyrical theme. The vocals are powerful and sit really nicely in the mix, but also seem a tad off-key at times, like at :28. I also thought the drums could've been more punchy in some places. I think my favorite part of the piece is the "if you care at all" bridge at 2:06 - much more conversational and defeatist tone. I also enjoyed the spoken-word "PSA" vocals and the eerie compositional details (like the distorted guitar riff at the very end). Really nice work overall! It's getting me in a Halloween mood 6 weeks early. :D

dude2312 responds:

Hey TaintedLogic! Thank you so much for the review, this is pretty cool. I need to get more active on here for sure. Been a while since I posted something.

[Because We Miss You]

Alex, I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I’ve heard from both you and Everratic that she was a rather special person. You’ve indeed done her a great honor by writing this beautiful piece.

—

I really like the heartfelt piano riff at the beginning and how the “body” of the sound gradually gets lower in pitch and stronger in conviction until 1:20. The bridge at 1:20 sounds a bit heavy but also strangely celebratory, a sharp contrast to the graceful and thin-sounding lines of earlier. The subtle ritardando into the shimmering line at 2:27 is haunting, although the very end doesn’t feel quite as conclusive as it could’ve been. You’ve packed a ton of emotion into this piece, though - it’s incredibly well-phrased and well-paced. Not to be cheesy, but your piece has all of the narrative appeal of life itself - the blissful glow of childhood, the difficult but fulfilling work of adulthood, and the dignified contentment of retirement. Fantastic work, Alex. I feel truly inspired to extend more kindness and patience to the older people in my life now.

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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.5/10

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you. She was very special indeed, so I tried to make this song special, for her. It actually has a sister (husband?) -piece I wrote a couple of years ago when my grandpa passed. That one is "Villavslutning". I didn't mention anything in the description, since I didn't feel like it at the time. But I like to see them both as belonging together.

There is actually a reason that the end isn't necessarily very conclusive! Before the very end, the section points back to the beginning of the piece; like you said, almost going from childhood to retirement. There's a hint that there is not long left, and then, it suddenly ends, on an ambiguous tone. That's often how it is and feels, I suppose! It's sad, but it's not all bad either. She was old, and definitely had her fair share of pains. I think in a way, it was also nice to be able to let go.

Thank you again!

[Tear Through The Sky (NGADM 2023)]

I like the high-octane guitar riffs at the beginning and the punchy drums that come in shortly thereafter. The drone-like vocals at :22 are nice, although at times (:32, 1:10, 1:58, etc.) the lyrical vocals sound a tad over-processed. That may have been intentional, but it comes across as a bit cheesy. That said, I like the outer space theme and compositional details, like the way the guitar mimics the melodic contour of the vocals at 1:51. The piece might’ve used some more structural variety at some point to break up the constantly frantic and energetic texture, but the rhythmic bridge at 2:41 at least gets you part of the way there with a relatively thin texture. The extended countdown at 3:02 was a little bit drawn-out, but the guitar solo at 3:15 absolutely shreds. It’s a great way of hitting the piece home, although the drums get a tad buried during the last minute or so when the guitar is really dominating the texture. Still, I love the melodies, sound design, progression, and rhythmic content here. Keep it up, CrossCarrasco! ^_^

Also, really sorry to hear about your uncle passing. Hope he had a long and happy life.

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
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
8.75/10

CrossCarrasco responds:

Thank you for the feedback!

[moonlighting]

First of all, I’m so sorry to hear all that you’ve been through in the last couple of weeks, Trois. Can’t even begin to express how glad I am that those two people were there that day. You have some incredible grit to be able to channel all these experiences into such a beautiful work of art. Wow.

—

I like the relaxed mood at the beginning, the smooth lead guitar, and the heartfelt vocals. The way the “more than I” line fades out at 1:34 strikes me as a bit awkward, and there are other times where your voice sounds a bit strained towards the ends of phrases. I understand that’s part of the emotional quality you intended to put behind the song, but for me it doesn’t quite land.

I love the vocal layering and added instrumental tracks during the refrain, though. The guitar solo at 2:58 is really nice, although the vocals could’ve used a bit of a boost in the mix there. I like the soulful bridge at 3:22 too, though I felt the vocals could’ve blended better between each of your parts. The dramatic breakdown at 3:55 was absolutely chill-inducing, and that section in turn leads well into the outro with the heavy guitars at 4:10. From 4:34 on is another example of the vocals getting a bit overwhelmed in the mix, but was also a really resolute and fitting way of concluding the piece.

Overall, downright inspiring work here, you two. I also want to say that it’s rather refreshing to hear a song that has such a consistent rhyme scheme throughout, although that’s a pretty small detail in the grand scheme of things. Rock on, Troisnyx and DisOmikron! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Troisnyx responds:

Thank you for the review.

Unfortunately there's been enough going on on Newgrounds and elsewhere to show that that grit doesn't matter, my intentions and emotions and musicality don't matter, and this song was needlessly prescient with a certain very popular Newgrounder's gaslighting of his victim and the entire Newgrounds community.

So yeah, frankly, I'm done. I stayed on because of my modship, because people needed to process recent happenings, but I feel like I could disappear tomorrow and the sordid things behind this song would go on with absolute impunity because nobody gives a shit.

[cloud reverie]

I like the tranquil guitar and nature sound effects at the beginning. The tempo feels very loose towards the beginning, and the panning is a little too heavy for my tastes. The sound design is really good, including the glitchy electronic elements that really bleed into the texture by 1:04. Sounds like an edgier version of “Every Photon, 100 Times a Second” by @SleepFacingWest. The melodic content in this piece is also good, but a bit understated at times, like the smooth synth melody at 1:50. I also think the arrangement is a tad choppy, with some sudden transitions and a compositional approach that’s taking you in a few different directions at once. The atmosphere, instrumentation, and production are probably my favorite elements of the piece, although the experimental texture and rhythmic content are not far behind. Really evocative work, LordAndiso! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
9/10

LordAndiso responds:

Thank you so much for the review! I will learn a lot from this! This is amazing that there are competitions like this, really brings the artists self-improvement :D

[We Are Free [NGADM 2023]]

I like the atmospheric intro. The vocals sound nice and confident, but are also a tad over-processed at times, and the lyrics themselves are a bit cheesy. The mix is loud and punchy, but during the drop at 1:05 the drums get a bit lost. I like the sound design, especially at the breakdown at 1:43. The crisp strings, choir pads, and later the return of the prominent bass at 2:08 all really hit the spot. The rhythmic content and filtering work at 2:34 are especially nice, although the heavy breaks there also bury the vocals once they come back in at 2:47, and the vocals also get a tad repetitive towards the end of the piece. Overall, I enjoy the upbeat and triumphant mood, synth melodies, and progression of this piece a lot. I think the production could use some tightening up, and the composition could use a tad more variety later on. Still, you struck a great balance between atmospheric and danceable here. Keep at it, Benji!

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

Benji-G responds:

Thank you so much for the review TaintedLogic!

[Be That As It May]

I like the prominent hats and rich guitar chords at the beginning. The snare at :19 sounds a bit distorted and heavy for an otherwise tranquil piece like this. The vocals are great, and seem much more up-front in the mix than the last time, which I appreciate. I also really like the variations in the instrumental tracks at around 2:00. The high-pitched vocals at the bridge at 2:51 are also a highlight, as is the doodling at 3:29. The outro is a bit dragged-out, but otherwise I really like the languid pacing of this piece. Overall, I think you nailed this, Spoonman! Such a peaceful and heartfelt track. Keep it up! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

SpoonMix responds:

Thank you, TaintedLogic for the review! I did want to do something about the snare, the gated reverb is very noticeable in the beginning... Thank goodness my vocals are a bit better for you. I am aware, also, and wanted, the fade out to be shorter, but I enjoyed that I was able to produce the instrumental and wanted to preserve it... mainly for myself. I'd definitely shorten it if ever this song becomes part of an album...

[Go the limit (NGADM)]

I like the glitchy intro and the upbeat synth brass towards the beginning. The drums could be a bit more prominent in the mix, but I like the rhythmic content otherwise. The melodies at :44 are cute, but the counter-melody at :52 also needs a boost in the mix. Part of the problem might be an excess of reverb at times (especially with the percussion at around 1:20), but I suspect you just need stricter equalization across the board. The progression here is nice, especially when it culminates in the higher-pitched melody at 2:38 (and other places). The melodies at 3:18 serve as a nice dose of variety, and I also appreciate the variations on the main melody at 3:37. The arrangement sounds a bit formulaic here at times, and to be honest I’m torn on whether the sound design is whimsical and charming or overly cheesy. Still, I like the melodic content, atmosphere, and upbeat mood of this one a lot. Tighten up the mix a tad and make the progression feel a bit looser, and this would be a top-notch track. Keep at it, Riskster! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Praia Apaixonada]

I love the smooth guitars and strings at the beginning. The cute melodies, relaxed atmosphere, and sound design really make this piece what it is. Aspects of the composition could’ve been a bit more dynamic and ambitious, as the solos all seem like echoes of each other after a while. The harmonies also trip over each other sometimes, especially at 1:14. Still, you get full credit for mixing, instrumentation, and atmosphere here. This piece makes me regret not getting to the beach this summer! Keep at it, FJOB. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10