TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Meltzer]

Woah...this is really groovy! I love the stuttery effect on that guitar with the descending line. The drums should've been a bit louder IMO, but otherwise the balance is good. A lot of bass! May I ask why "Philadelphia" is in the tags? Either way, I'll have it stuck in my head for a while. ;)

LunacyEcho responds:

=> groovy =>

Yay! That's all I was going for, really.

=> drums =>

Mixing :'(

=> Philadelphia =>

Gotta have those silent Ps! ...Okay, yes Philadelphia isn't actually a silent P. But I was too lazy to think of one and reverted instead to the examples that the Thompson twins would use when describing the difference between their names. Tintin!

[Greatest Moment]

It's very bright and upbeat and melodic. It sounds improvisational in a way, but I think you need to let yourself loose rhythmically if you really want to bring out a jazzier quality. I'd say it's more like pop than jazz at this point. You might also try using fewer major chords. If we shied away from dissonance, there would be no innovation in music! The chord progression during the refrain (1:56 - 2:10, as well as other places) is way too cliche to be jazzy enough. Also, this song has some pacing issues. I felt like you were trying to change the chords way too much in order to compensate for the improvisational nature of your melody, i.e. from 1:13 - 1:25 or so. Overall, it's a step in the right direction towards expanding your "genre toolkit," but you have some authenticating to do IMO. Keep at it, BO! ;D

Everratic responds:

I agree with all your criticisms. I don't like the major scale as much as I used to, so maybe when I begin composing again I will use more interesting chords. Thank you!

[a memory]

Cool melody. I liked the instruments a lot. I hope you have the chance to do more with this someday. It sounds like it would make a good breakdown for an otherwise faster-paced song. As it is, it's almost sad in a way, but a slight change in the contour of the melody would make it a lot cheerier, which could help create some contrasting moods in the song this will (hopefully) become. Also, the very last bar of the melody felt a little too square, but that is a tiny detail. Keep at it, man! ;)

[final song for a long time]

I really like the contrasting moods here. The sample you used for the melody had a circus-like vibe about it, and then the beat is a bit exotic and you have these tranquil bell-like pads. The progression starts getting really bizarre around 1:04, but I liked the jazzy influence it had. I initially thought it was happy, but the descending melodic lines and progression told me otherwise. I wish you had the chance to do more with this, as it stands out from many of your other harmonious and upbeat pieces in a way. Strong mixing and mastering as always. It doesn't make that bad of a loop either. I hope you start producing again sooner rather than later! ^_^

[Looking for the Stars]

I love the dark mood and pitch shifting effects. I think your mixing has improved a lot recently, and this isn't even close to your most recent piece! The transition at 1:22 was really abrupt, but I'm sure you meant for it to be that way. Especially since the next section was such a jarring change-of-pace, I might've tried to at least make it seem more climactic into 1:22. It also didn't necessarily seem conclusive enough for my tastes at the end. The first half of the piece is very energetic and rushed, while the latter half is more fleshed out. I think you could've had a lot more direction to the piece during the second half, which would ultimately add more conclusiveness. Overall, though, I like it a lot. It's very moody and cinematic, and the instrumentation is fantastic. Keep up the good work, Ale! ;)

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Even though you think my mixing has improved a lot, there are a ton of things I'd probably go back and fix here at this point. Especially in the very beginning, where everything sounds way too silent, compared to the rest of the track. I do like the second part though, with the strings and the percussion.
Timewise, it's actually the second part of the piece which is rushed! I made that in a super short time. It was just easy to do, as it's standard symphonic arrangement, I suppose. The lack of time I had for this, is what limits the piece's potential, unfortunately. The transition is way too abrupt, but in order for the story to make sense, I needed there to be that second part as well.

I don't have a problem with the conclusion from a compositional standpoint though! I mean, it's a bit generic, but it puts a nice little dot at the end of the story, imo.
Thank you for listening :3

[UNHOLY CACE]

Very catchy, well-mixed and loudly mastered, harmonious and reverbalicious as usual! The silence at 1:10 was so sudden I thought I had accidentally pressed F10. I'm still not totally convinced that Newgrounds didn't just buffer right over the music between 1:11 and 1:20. Either way, I'm sure LunacyEcho loved it. *scrolls down* Yep, this is confirmed. Nothing says Johnfn like a little chipstep in the morning (err...10:00 at night). ;) Keep at it, man!

johnfn responds:

You must be referring to my amazingly perfect ending? Which is perfect in every way?

[Wanna hear me sing?]

I love the atmospheric vibe. It's great that each mini-phrase starts very harmonic and then descends into dissonance. You should definitely do more with this! Letting go of your inhibitions about how your voice sounds will only quicken your improvement. ;)

trunotfals responds:

It has been put into a song actually I just am not quite satisfied with it yet and im trying to collaborate with an artist to sing for me. I should finish it though i loved it more and more as I listened to it

[[Future Bass] Never After (Original Mix)]

I like the quirky instruments and drop at :24. I thought the kick could've been a little stronger, but I enjoyed the retro-game-style effects. The melody at :46 is cool. The breakdown section was a welcome change-of-pace, but I thought you may have dragged out the build-up into 2:05 a little too much. It just seemed that the progression was a lot slower than the rest of the piece when you extended that build-up the extra four measures IMO. Maybe it's not that big of a deal though. Overall, I liked it, but it's pretty mellow. I thought you could've done more with this piece. That said, I recognize that you've got finals and stuff. ;) Keep up the good work!

trunotfals responds:

I agree with you on the kick. After having this out for quite a while and coming back to listen to it here and there, this really needs a re-master. I should do that soon I love this song haha.

[EnV - The #IcePack Rises]

It's about time I review this. I think the chord progression is a little cliche, although I do like the build-up into :30. Your melodies were good as always, Envy. I also enjoyed the subtle Far Eastern theme that emerged in some of the post-chorus instrumentation, most notably at 1:13. It's a well-structured and smooth-flowing piece. Your songs generally have very similar instruments and structural elements, though. I'd love to see you take some more risks and shake it up once in a while. That said, your mixing and mastering is fantastic, and I liked the simply yet cute way you ended the piece. Keep up the good work, man. ;)

[The Clairvoyant OST]

I love the still beauty encapsulated by the beginning. The somewhat abrupt transition at :31 actually worked well for me, like the protagonist turned a corner and was thrown into the midst of a celtic market. I thought it was really cool how the acoustic guitar sort of interrupts the rest of the piece at 1:22. I thought you needed a smoother transition at 1:51, though that section in and of itself is probably my favorite of the entire piece. It's just so calming and majestic. The ending was also a bit abrupt, but I'm getting the sense that it was designed that way in order to fit with the film (?). Either way, this is hauntingly beautiful. Two years is a long time, but I'll be listening to this song obsessively for longer. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! ;D

Step responds:

Thanks for another review!

Man, transitions are so difficult in scores! I agree that the transition at 1:51 needs work.

Glad you enjoyed this one too. c: