TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Eclipse [NGADM 2023]]

I like the foreboding mood and punchy breaks at the beginning. The production is super sharp and clean here, and the vocal samples at :49 really help accent an otherwise very bottom-heavy mix. The rich pads at 1:33 have a great victorious sort of feel, although the drums could’ve popped through the mix a tad clearer at 1:47. There’s a great sense of build into 2:31, although I would’ve liked to hear more variety on the refrain the second time around. Also, I know it’s a tiny detail, but the double “hey” at :47 and 2:31 kinda throws me off the pattern of emphasis. Still, you’ve absolutely achieved banger status with this one, Benji. Really cool track! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10

Benji-G responds:

Thank you for the amazing review TL!

[Terminal]

I like the ghostly pads at the beginning and the sub-bass and crisp beats at :24. Some of the synths are a bit cheesy, though, and I also found the long stretches of minimalism in this piece to be a bit off-putting. The chord progression is a bit cliche, and at some point the piece could’ve used some more melodic content, or at least some more dynamic harmonies. The breakdown at 1:52 is good for a little variety, and the creative beats and theremin there are pretty sweet. The mixing here could be a bit tighter. There’s a lot of reverb in the texture, and sometimes the low-mid pads get a tad buried underneath the arpeggios and drums. Still, I like how the creative drum patterns continue well into the second half. I actually really like the compositional choice to have the energy gradually die until all that’s left is the theremin and the eerie atmosphere towards the end. Despite the generic and repetitive harmonic content, you really made this piece your own by the end. That said, the mix still needs some cleaning up, but you get some credit for the cool sound design, atmospheric appeal, and compositional details here. Keep at it, ThePal! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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
7.75/10

[Not Like This Again]

I like the tranquil mood at the beginning and the light, airy percussion. The vocals are soothing, if a bit undecorated in the mix. They could use a tad more compression and reverb in my opinion, at least towards the beginning. I really like the dreamy instrumental section at 1:11, and the subtle phrasing elements are really nice, like how the lead guitar gets gradually louder at 1:16. The piece has a great sense of drone-like continuity about it, and the sound design and mixing both sound very retro to me. The piece could’ve used a stronger “point of arrival” towards the end to add a sense of closure. Otherwise, the energy level of the piece kinda flat-lines after a while, and the tension inherent in it (especially after 2:15) doesn’t quite feel resolved. Otherwise, I really like the instrumentation, mood, and mixing here. Very strong work, spoonman420! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

[NDXL - Last Time]

I like the heavy bass and ominous atmosphere at the beginning. The lead synth at :30 is really catchy, and despite the somewhat cliche chord progression, I’m really digging the build-up into 1:15. The drop there was a bit minimal, but catchy, although the drums probably needed a boost in the mix to stay on top of the gritty mid-range bass. The atmospheric breakdown at 2:00 was good for some variety, and I like the rhythmic synth riff at 2:15. The arrangement of the piece is pretty generic here, but you manage to keep things interesting between the catchy rhythmic content and the high-octane synth riffs. The second drop at 3:15 didn’t feel quite as dynamic and creative as it could’ve, though. The filtering at 4:00 leading into the final melodic section is really cool, and I like the chromatic chords you wove into the texture, like at 4:19. Overall, this is a neat piece with some punchy beats, groovy syncopations, fun harmonic content, and some well-used vocal samples. The mix could be a tad tighter at times - the piece is both over-compressed and over-saturated with reverb - and you’ve also used a lot of cliches here between the drum samples, the structural components, and the harmonic framework. Still, you definitely got my foot tapping here, and I can tell you put a ton of effort into the rich harmonies during the melodic sections. Keep at it, NDXL! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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

[Flight of the Drake]

I like the majestic melodies at the beginning and the injection of energy at :36. As always with you, the sound design is great. The melodies get a tad repetitive after a while, although you do a good job of switching up the instrumental hierarchy to keep things interesting. I like the transition at 1:36 and the key change at 1:52, although it feels like the composition isn’t quite as dynamic as I’m used to hearing from you, to be honest. The mix could also be a bit tighter, with a lot of percussion that sounds a bit indistinct during some of the busier sections of the piece. Still, the rich texture, sound design, melodies, and progression of this piece are all really enjoyable. Keep it up, CloakedSoup! ^_^

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
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

[Lets see that Exhaust! (NGADM)]

I like the scoop-up with the strings and the quirky atmosphere at the beginning. The mix is a tad quiet, and feels pretty off-balance, with the drums being too quiet and the brass stabs being a bit too loud. The melodies at :58 are awesome, and most of the rest of the sound design is really good too, but in the upper frequency range it’s pretty easy to tell the brass stabs are inauthentic. It might help if you had humanized the instruments a bit more - i.e., vary the note lengths, velocity, etc. to mimic the little variations that a real musician would produce by accident. Still, the synth melody at 1:55 is another highlight. The saxophone melody at 2:36 is really sweet too, but also sounds especially loud in the mix relative to the drums and harmonies. There continue to be pleasant surprises in the sound design until the very end, with the guitar solo at 3:31 hitting the piece home nicely. Overall, I really like the composition here. The mix could use a bit more tightening up. It might help if you intentionally lower the volume on the instruments when you first start composing, and then add it back in the form of compression after you’re done. This is likely going to be a particularly effective strategy with the drums here. Either way, you got my foot thoroughly tapping here, Riskster! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
9/10

TheRiskster responds:

thanks for the feedback!

[Qshunt - Floating Pointless [NGADM23]]

I like the spacey atmosphere at the beginning. The mix is really loud and punchy throughout the piece. There’s a great sense of build-up into :44, and I like the rhythmic content at :45. The texture is a bit minimal for most of the next minute or so, and the upper-mid-range of the frequency spectrum in particular is rather bare. The atmospheric breakdown at 2:12 was good for some variety, and you transition well back into the gritty breaks at 2:55. The last couple of minutes of the piece are very dragged-out, with a near constant energy level and some overused transition patterns (like the baby riser at 3:39). I would’ve liked to hear some bolder melodic elements and/or richer harmonies to really hit the piece home. Overall, though, you nailed the sound design, mixing, and rhythmic content here. Keep at it, Qshunt! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
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

[shattered. [NGADM 2023]]

I like the blissful mood at the beginning. The synth arpeggios at :07 are a bit cheesy, but the waltzy meter and chiptune lead at :28 certainly have their charms. The mix seems to be missing some low-mid-range tones for a lot of the piece, but otherwise the production quality is solid. I love the melodies, and the sound design grows on me over the course of the piece as well. The string solo at 1:05 was a pleasant surprise, although it struggles to stay on top of the mix once the synth guitar comes in at 1:23. The arrangement of the piece feels a tad choppy at times, with a lot of fairly sudden transitions. The final refrain at 2:16 in particular could’ve benefited from a more gradual lead-up. Aspects of the harmonic framework and arrangement here are also a bit generic. Overall, I really like the rich harmonies, frantic melodies, atmosphere, and rhythmic content here. The mixing and sound design are a bit of a mixed bag for me, and my only major complaint is probably with the choppy transitions and lack of phrasing. Still, this is a catchy and upbeat piece with some killer melodies and cutesy instrumentation. Keep at it, MetaHumanBoi! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Sourire d'espoir]

OMG, I’ve never been to France, but this…this piece is exactly what France is like, I just know it. Really evocative sound design, and a nice relaxed mood aided by the sweet percussion groove and accordion melodies. The revolving cadre of solos here is great, although occasionally during the busier sections (like 1:15ish), the percussion gets a tad buried in the mix. My only major complaint here is that the energy level is pretty much constant throughout, which is not entirely conducive to maintaining listener engagement. That said, the melodic content, progression, instrumentation, and atmosphere of this piece are simply top-notch. You just straight-up nailed it. Happy belated birthday, and by all means, 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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.5/10

[Sunsets on My Mind]

I like the E-pianos at the beginning and the nature sound effects. The jazzy chords and woodwinds at :28 are really sweet, although the pacing of the piece is a tad slow, and the drums could’ve used a more prominent space in the mix at times. The sax solo at 1:05 is especially nice - it’s just sitting in a range there where it blends super well with the E-piano. The transition at 1:37 was a bit unexpected - almost sounds like a different movement in a symphony. The synth at 2:08 blends into the texture quite well too, and then the quirky harmonies at 2:24 really help it stand out (in a good way!). After that, the energy level of the piece kinda peters out, but the sound design and atmosphere of this piece are top-notch all the way through. Other than the mixing of the drums and the slightly disjointed arrangement between the two “movements,” my complaints here are slim to none. Keep it up, Cresince! ^_^

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

Cresince responds:

Thank you so much for your detailed reviews, as always.

I definitely need to figure out my drums; I've gotten more feedback about those than anything else, and I really want to get them right. You bring up a good point about the movements too; they could have had a more legible transition. I wanted to capture the feeling of the sun just disappearing over the horizon, hence the two parts: sunset and dusk/night.

As a composer always looking to improve, I am always grateful for yours and the other judges insights!