TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Valliant]

I like the melody and progression. I wasn't a huge fan of the samples, but I think you already acknowledged that you're aware of their lack of quality. It sounds like it's peaking on those higher-pitched notes at :25. I might suggest using a diminuendo to soften up that melody line a bit. For a piano solo, it sounds a bit square. Have you tried humanizing it? For example, I think a ritardando from 1:26 to 1:31 would really add a nice spacey quality to the piece. I appreciated the modulation at 1:45, though. "Valiant" is certainly a fitting title for the piece. I appreciated that you experimented with dynamics a lot in this piece, but I think you could've made it more subtle at times. Overall, this is a textbook upbeat BlueOceans piece for your triumphant return to music-making (and my return to reviewing)! Keep it up, BO. :)

[Amethyst]

I like the busy beat at the beginning. It might've been nice to compress that percussion even more, though. I wasn't sure I was overly fond of the bass sample you used, but I enjoyed when it started developing a little more at around the 1-minute mark. The melodies you had there were a little dissonant, which is fine, but it was just a little jarring to connect the bass line in the beginning and the part at 1:02. I would suggest you use some chords or harmonies to really tie those themes together. I think the main factor there is that the baseline, which has been ingrained in my mind as the established theme of the piece by then, stops at 1:02, and this melody that feels a little out-of-place starts. The part at 2:17 was probably my favorite, especially after you launch into the modulation at 2:31. There's just so much tension in that part, and it leads back into the main melody at 2:47 really well. The melody instrument is quirky and wet, which is good. I should also mention that I think your mixing is great here. There's a lot of space in the mix, and I can hear everything clearly. I wish you had done something more with that final refrain at 2:47, though, just to offer some melodic development. Otherwise, the last 2 minutes or so of the piece kinda drag on a bit too long. Overall, this is an enjoyable piece. Sorry I haven't really been around to send too many reviews your way recently, but hopefully that will change after I'm between semesters in 2 weeks. Keep up the good work, TeraVex! ;)

[Abeyance [PV]]

Good to see you're still active around these parts! I had an intuition to check your page, and lo and behold, a new preview. Sounds new-wavey if you're still looking for a genre. :) Loving the atmospheric vibes and the chill beats. The instruments here blend really well together. It has a great sense of continuity about it, as a lot of your tracks do. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the final product!

SynchroSpectre responds:

Oh hey dude, its been awhile. It's a little rusty but i'm just getting back into the swing of things. The final product is on soundcloud and utoob lol. Nice to see you again m8!

[eating ice cream with a cute girl]

Sounds good to me (the eating ice cream with a cute girl part, not the song). But seriously, the song sounds really good too. I like the pizzicato-y approach you've taken to the melody this time, as you usually have more legato melodies, especially later in the piece. The staccato, echo-y harmonies also gave this piece a really frantic, fleeting character, like all my relationships with cute girls have been so far. :) ...eh, who am I kidding? What relationships. But enough about my depressing love life. This song is very upbeat and catchy. You used the panning effects really well around 2:00, and it has a good sense of climax into 2:45. The mixing and mastering are solid as usual. I love the melodic development here. The descending lines at 3:15 made me want to have a girlfriend so bad. I really am a sad little man. UGH...ANYWAY: the ending was a little rushed, but otherwise not entirely pitiful. ;) Keep up the good work, Johnfn! Maybe I'll review the rest of your new stuff around Thanksgiving. XD

johnfn responds:

best review ever TL will u b my girlf pls

[hope]

I was wondering when you were going to get back to making piano solos! I like this a lot. It sounds bright, cute, and...dare I say hopeful? If I have to be really picky, the low notes at :44 come in a little too heavily and abruptly after the very light, melodic opening, and they continue to dominate the melody a bit until around the 1-minute mark. Once the piece gets a little more full-sounding (~1:20) it sounds good with the low notes, but I'm going to defend my nitpicks here. Still, you really know how to bring out emotion well with these piano solos. My favorite is still "Snowy Night." Keep up the good work, man. ;)

[microcosm]

Microcosm is a very good name for a song. It's almost like some soon-to-be-famous Newgrounder did it back in 2013. Catchy melodies as usual. The bass was a little too loud IMO, but the mastering is good. I think you overdid the reverb on the crash at 1:49. Well-structured, smooth-flowing, the usual suspects. Your endings are becoming increasingly less cringe-worthy. Also, good to see you branching out from that one genre you always make (sorry; I'm in a snarky mood today). Still, I like how it's upbeat, and it has a great sense of structural ebb and flow. Keep it up, Johnfn. ;)

johnfn responds:

Thanks TL! Actually, I write tons of non chipstep songs all the time, but I just never release them.

lol jk

Also I completely agree, Microcosm is the best name for a song!

[Volt]

Yeah. I remember listening to this one for the first time several months ago. It got my foot tapping immediately, and it still does. You usually master your tracks very loudly, but I think this one is especially crisp and clear. Well-structured, catchy and melodic. I thought you began to overuse the crashes at 1:15, but the drop at 1:45 was well worth the wait. I think my favorite part of the piece is actually 2:45, when the dichotomous characters (edgy and bass-heavy; blissful and melodic) both come through simultaneously. This piece has one of my favorite endings of any of your tracks, btw. It almost sounds sneaky, yet in a conclusive sort of way, as if the police finally show up and everyone at the party disperses and heads back to campus. XD Really admirable work. Keep it up, Kyle! :D

Lockyn responds:

Really glad you like the 2:45 section, 3:00 and onwards was definitely really really cool to construct. Ending was nice in my eyes too, loved using those light bell arp sounds! Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed :)

[EEK! + Lockyn - Glacier Galaxy]

Cool! You guys are the kings of quirky instruments. I especially like the vocal-sounding sample at :02. The frantic synth lines and build-ups are really enjoyable, and the drops were cool if a little overly intricate times (especially, for example, some of the little riff-breaks at 1:48 and other places). The mood changes very rapidly in this piece, and some of the transitions, such as 2:33 and 3:56, were somewhat jarring. That said, all of the instruments come through the mix very clearly. I suppose I would've liked to see you vary the build-up the 2nd time around. My main problem with the piece is that it's a little over-stimulating, given the several different prominent melodies in the track. Otherwise, I can tell a huge amount of effort went into this thing, and I think the title fits really well. Keep up the good work, both of you! ^^

Lockyn responds:

Thanks TL! Appreciate the comments and love. Agree on the second track, could be too much.

[Vapor]

When the bass at :15 comes through even my sh**ty laptop speakers, you know it packs some punch! I love the quirky instruments and atmosphere. The drop at 1:03 reminds me a lot of "Hiatus." I suppose I would've liked to hear the hi-hats more up-front in the mix, especially around 1:40. Still, I love how you implemented the piano bridge section at 2:20 or so. Well-structured, flowing, melodic, upbeat, and extremely catchy. You've definitely indulged the desires of the bass addicts, too! Production quality is superb. The ending was a little bizarre. It sounds to me like it ended on the iv chord, which is pretty unconventional (though I may be wrong). Regardless of my knowledge of music theory, nice track! ;)

Lockyn responds:

I'm glad you liked the piano, I was really happy with how most of it turned out this time around! It ended on vi, so I can see why it would sound a bit unfulfilled, yes definitely unconventional in terms of traditional music theory. I liked the open-sounding finish, so I went with it. Cheers :)

[Cs - 'Smash the Night']

The loop is smooth and the mood here is very bright and fun. I can tell it's mastered very loudly, and I can hear all of the instruments clearly. However, I think the snare is a little weak throughout the piece. I would've liked to hear a stronger off-beat (generally, the snare and/or clap should be the loudest sound in the mix). The melody is also a little all-over-the-place tonally. You display a good sense of harmony for the first half of the piece, and while there aren't any clashing notes or dissonances later on, the melody is a bit too frantic and involved for the casual listener to grasp onto it. It's just a little over-stimulating. I'd suggest repeating a couple of pitch patterns within the melodic section from :29 to the end, and simplifying the rhythm. That way, your melodies will be more memorable and catchy. Overall good work! Keep at it, Csucskos! ^^

Csucskos responds:

Yes. I've realised long time ago that I can't make catchy music. The reason is: I don't want to make too simple music. So I change the melody here and there, put some bonus instruments in, add a different melody to the bass than the main melody, twist the rhytm a bit and so on. After this I find that the whole song is a mess and there's no real melody. But for me everything is clear (or nearly ;D) because I've heard it many times during the making. This is the problem I guess... Simple but still valuable music making. It is hard. (I don't want to be cocky. I know that sometimes only the piano plays and the notes are all eighths. Hey, I'm lazy! I really don't feel the balance.)

Simplifying the rhythm... Last time you complained about the monotone rhythm, and now... ;) I'll look for the good balance anyways.

All in all I'm really grateful for your comments and I'm sure they will help me. Thank you.