TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Chompy]

Ahh, I missed this one? No way! I love that jungle-y groove at the beginning, and the climax into :43 is awesome. It's a very fun and jazzy piece. I liked how you faded out the screeching monkey FX at 1:06, even if it sounded a bit unnatural. It definitely seems appropriate for a videogame as well - it's fast-paced and fun, yet the theme is very succinct. Once again, I didn't even notice that it looped the first time it did! :O I swear I can just perfectly picture a bunch of jungle animals doing jazz hands all the way to the river to get a drink of water. XD All the solos in the middle of the piece are awesome as well. All of these talented musicians did an excellent job, and you mastered it into a final product really well, Step. Your music is simultaneously feel-good, relatable and epic! Well, I'm off to go make other people feel good about their music for a while...but you keep producing! I'll be back, haha! ;D

Step responds:

Oh sure write me another review because YOU WEREN'T AWESOME ENOUGH ALREADY.

Really glad you liked this one. The fading monkey FX would've been without the delay, but I thought it was a bit abrupt, and adding a bunch of reverb gave a lot of unfitting space/largeness to the track, so I opted for a minor delay effect.

Yup, I'm very grateful to the musicians who played in this track. Some of them have played in multiple pieces of mine and while I haven't met any of them (everything is done through camoshark) I hope they know that some random guy in Malta is super thankful. c:

Thanks for ANOTHER review, seriously.

[Jazzimprov]

Ooooo...so jazzy! :D This piece really displays your excellent sense of rhythm. I love the variety - sometimes it's emotional and light, at other times it's dark, energetic and heavy. I'm usually a fan of using clashing chords to channel emotion, but I think you almost went a little too far this time. Improvised jazz can seem random if not carefully structured. That said, there was a good sense of direction throughout the piece. I thought it was all pretty smooth-flowing, and I especially love the transition into 4:45. Very groovy around that part. It then quickly evolves into a lighter, emotional piece around 5:10, though - I love all the ups and downs! I also really liked the part at 6:50. There's no doubt that you're incredibly skilled at playing the piano. I would suggest that you try this improv again with some of the same themes/ideas, now that you've had an initial chance to flesh them out. I understand that you used only a few chords throughout, and it's all in the same key, but to the casual listener it comes off as a little arbitrary at times. Oh, and I know the recording got cut off while you were playing, but please at least reverb your way out next time (yes, I just used "reverb" as a verb). Electronic manipulation would do you some good at the end of this piece in order to properly wrap it up. Sorry I'm being so critical. Overall, I was very impressed, of course. Keep up the great work! I love your piano improvs, LSD! :D

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Hahha, jazzy indeed. I don't know.. My sense of rhythm is actually not that good, considering I'm a musician. It is improving though!
Variety is a pretty common thing in my compositions and improvisations. That said, I personally think this is a quite repetitive improv. The only thing that really changes some is the melody, and it's in the same key all the time :)

"Improvised jazz can seem random if not carefully structured"

=> Oh, I assure you, this is very random and not carefully structured XD

4:45 was really a total accident, and I lost grasp of the jazziness for a while. Mistakes though, don't have to be bad! I always find that the most interesting of results and sounds show up because of them ;)

Ups and downs ey? I pretty much unconsciously play around the whole piano, using softer and harsher tones without even thinking about it. I guess it's just the flow, when you're living through the music (or something else that is as cheesy).

You know, I probably will try working with the same theme again sometime in the future!

Yeah. There's nothing initially wrong with playing everything using the same chords and the same key. As long as it sounds good and keeps the listener listening, everything is fine :)

That ending was quite rushed indeed...

Wait... Critical? I must have missed something XD

Thanks for another long review! I owe you a good one in one of your future songs ;)

[Skyless]

Ah...very bassy and catchy and cool. I love that crisp and snare as well as the structure. The vocals really add a lot to it. I can tell you've grown a lot throughout this competition! You have an amazing voice. I love the breaks at 2:14. I like the dreamy bit at 2:40. It really helps create some dynamic contrast. The ending was a bit sudden. I think you should've at least let the reverb do the work for you there. Overall great work, though! ;D Also, may I ask what the lyrics are?

garlagan responds:

Thanks a lot for all the reviews Andrew! I really appreciate it!
Here's the lyrics: soundcloud.com/garlagan/skyless

[Doopliss Theme(Techno Remix)]

I like the frantic synths and circus-like mood. Your mastering is improving, I'd say! Nice use of reverb, and this is pretty well-structured and smooth-flowing. I understand it isn't your most original work, but still pretty catchy and cool. I thought you could've done a bit more with it, i.e. it's not exactly complete structurally, but still a solid effort in the end. Keep working on improving your mastering - it's always worth it...trust me. Overall, nice job. ;)

[Resolve]

Simple and short, yet the emotional quality of it is still very meaningful. The title is fitting: the piece itself is a transitory moment marking the arrival at a conclusion...a revelation! It also loops fairly well. Well done again, Step. Well done.

Step responds:

Aw thanks! That means a lot. Even though it's a small little thing, the fact that it fits its intended role fills me with relief since I'm still a relatively inexperienced composer.

Also WOW you reviewed my latest five tracks! You da bomb.

[Imminence]

I love the ominous beginning, aided especially by those lounge vibes and how they combine with those synths and pianos. Is there nothing you can't do? I love those synths that fade in and out and oscillate between two notes...they really add to the mood. Lai's Theme was excellent, and this was a slam dunk as well! The sense of climax into 2:27 is excellent. Almost makes me think of a murder mystery or something...it's fast-paced, yet contemplative and intelligent, like Sherlock Holmes is quickly uncovering the evil schemes of the antagonist! I didn't even notice that it looped the first time it did, it was so clean! Excellent work, my friend. Structure, transitions, mood/atmosphere, instruments, production quality, etc. are all superb! Keep it up, for the love of God! ;D

Step responds:

That oscillating synth thingamabob was just me trying to find a way to add tension to the track haha. I do quite enjoy it as well myself. 2:27's climax... I just had to put it there. I know this is background music and all but I am really really bad at making ambient, soft tracks. I tried to restrain myself as much as possible in that climax. I don't think it'll sound too out of place in a visual novel though.

You're right, it DOES sound like a mystery theme. Totally unintentional haha.

Thanks a million, this review is so encouraging.

[Impulse]

I love the intro, especially with that subtle portamento at :17. Nice job with the melody and instruments. It's certainly very catchy. Those pads take up a lot of space in the mix, and you've got some arpeggios with a really high, light synth after about 1:00, but other than that, there's not a lot going on between 1:00 and 1:30. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. I love your ability to create fill from the instruments you use rather than the notes themselves. That way, it makes the piece engaging and energetic, but also easy to listen to. I also love the bassy breaks at 2:15. I love how you used reverb as a transition into 2:40. I loved the subtle vocals that popped in occasionally through the breakdown at 2:40, and the strings helped make that climax into 3:56 epic too. I love the variety you started incorporating around 4:23. It made for an interesting coda to a very interesting piece. Great job yet again, Garlagan! :D

[Glass Sky]

Yay, I love the instruments and melodies. The bass at :40 is also quite catchy. It somehow combos well with that quirky, bright piano. Nice use of synths. Structurally, there isn't much variety, but it is very short. I also liked the instrument you used for the snare. Anyway, I think you could do more with this. It has a lot of potential, even though you wrote it above the ocean. ;) As for the chord changes, I think the bass indicates those more than any other instrument. Especially pay attention to the notes the bass plays at the beginning of every measure, and you could use those to make some pads or something in order to expand upon the ideas you have in this piece. Still, you did a nice job with this one! :D Keep it up. ;) Also, have you been getting my PMs?

LunacyEcho responds:

=> bass at :40 =>

I think this is one of my best basslines. It's got a great melody and I think it's a pretty cool instrument I've never used before. The melody was actually based on a simplified version of the main melody, since (in my earphones) it somehow takes precedence as an instrument even though there's also a piano playing as well. Weird.

=> snare =>

That was a drum machine's snare. Again, experimental. I'm glad you liked it! I actually think this drum machine has the most potential out of all the elements I used here. You'll probably be hearing more of it later!

=> chord changes =>

The bass is pretty dissonant, especially in that part where the second synth lead plays. I sort of spammed notes while playing that without particular regard to what the chords were, which makes it sound pretty horrible. :P Pads are also pretty important, and I worked a while on those (the outro strings) because I felt it would sound a lot worse if those were wrong than if the bass was (and is) wrong.

Thanks a lot for the review! Don't worry, I've been getting your PMs. :D

[To Zanarkand (Piano Cover)]

This is another piece I deeply regret neglecting to review when it was first released. I love the emotion and mood. It has a great sense of direction, too. Nice job with the dynamics and phrasing. I can't exactly give you points for originality (compositionally), but I still applaud you on a well-performed piece. The ups and downs of the piece really tug at my emotions. Nice job keeping up the mood! I'm not very familiar with Final Fantasy X, but this piece really puts an image in my head, which I love. Nice job, LSD! Keep up the inspiring work, and good luck in your final days in the army! ;D

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Whoah, 4 new reviews from you while I was gone o.O
Thank you!
The only originality of mine in this piece is indeed the arrangement, so I forgive you for not giving me points for that XD
Final Fantasy X is a great game in my opinion, and I think in order to really understand the piece one needs to play it. Even better if one has played it during early youth, as nostalgia is (at least to me) what the piece delivers.
It's a beautiful piece to most any listener though, as far as I'm concerned :)

P.S. ONLY 10 DAYS LEFT!

[Jungle Swing]

Hmm...I love the tribal theme. I can see why both "donkey" and "kong" are tagged. ;) The monkey FX helps establish the mood. This is an excellent arrangement, friends. Obviously, the original is a classic, but the amount of creativity and originality you bring to the table is superb. I especially love the guitar solo around 2:15. The heavy use of drums really adds a lot to the theme of the piece, and the structural relief provided by 3:10 helps create some much-needed contrast. I like this style of music...somehow it fits Donkey Kong. :) I definitely think it was appropriate to bring back the main theme as you did at 4:35. That said, I didn't think the bit at 5:00 was quite necessary. It's a little misleading to have a soft ending after an apparently grand conclusion at 4:59. I know a lot of your pieces have quiet endings, Step, but it doesn't quite seem appropriate here to me...Anyway, marvelous work overall! I greatly admire people who can play real instruments this well! :D Nice job, everyone!

Step responds:

There are two things I strive for when making an arrangement. I want it to be enjoyable (surprise surprise), and I want it to provide an experience that's WORTH listening to, even with the original in place. I mean, what's the point of an arrangement if it sounds similar to the original? So I always try and add new things that weren't in the original, and basically create a listening experience that differs from the source material. Therefore, it's great to hear that you think it's creative :3.

You know, regarding that fluff at the very end... I initially didn't have anything there. I added it afterwards to add more references to the Stickerbrush Symphony theme, and because I intended it to transition into Rush of the Rainforest by Buoy (in the official track order of the album). With an ending like that it would transition beautifully into that track. It ended up not being before Rush of the Rainforest in the final album order though, and by then it was too late to remove it haha.

But yeah, I agree it isn't entirely fitting. Thanks for the review!