TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Roaring Call of the Dark Ones | AlphaStorm]

I like the relaxed guitar riff at the beginning. The heavier chords definitely help up the energy level, and I like the more melodic lead at :23 too. The vocals were a good idea, although I think they could’ve used a bit more power behind them at times. They sound a tad thin and hollow. Part of the problem might be that you don’t draw out the note length at the ends of phrases, nor are your vowels particularly tall or resonant. In terms of composition, I like the breakdown at 2:30 and the solos at 3:15, which both help break up the verse-chorus structure of the rest of the piece rather effectively. The harmonic framework is a bit generic, although I do like the added harmonies during the final refrain at 4:45. My favorite element of the piece is probably the production quality - everything sounds so clear and crisp in the mix, although occasionally the drums struggle to stay out front. Overall, I really like the composition and the mixing and mastering. Some of the sound design details and vocal editing could use some polishing up, but you’ve put together a catchy track with some compelling lyrics here, AlphaStorm. Keep it up! ^_^

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

AlphaStormMusic responds:

Thank you for the feedback! For what it's worth, I'm not primarily a vocalist. This song was the second time I've released something with vocals and done so proudly in years, and I'm still trying to find my voice (planning on taking private vocal lessons for this kind of music soon). As well, this was a song I've had for so long that I wanted to get it out into the world and thought it might work as my submission. But I'll be honest, I forgot I submitted at all xD

I'll definitely take your feedback into mind for the future! And thank you for taking the time to review it!

[Where I am]

I like the catchy piano riffs at the beginning, although the piano itself sounds a little bare in the mix - some more reverb and other mixing effects might’ve helped jazz it up a bit. It also sounds like it was sampled from a DAW with relatively little “humanziation” - automating the volume levels and note lengths might help make it feel more authentic, and you could also use a MIDI keyboard to record it yourself if you have one. That said, I like the string chords at :40 a lot, as well as the creative drum patterns. Again, the drum pattern itself might need a bit more “pop” in the mix, including some more compression and reverb.

I like the breaks at 1:25, although the mix gets a bit distorted once those eerie synths come in at 1:45. I might try to soften up the sidechaining and try to make the EQs a little tighter. By around 2:30, the synth line feels like it’s falling behind the beat a bit - can’t if something either wasn’t quantized or misaligned in the piano roll, or otherwise the delay effects are a bit too heavy. I like the re-intro at 2:50, although that section could’ve been a tad more dynamic and led into the final refrain at 3:55 more organically. I found the extended pause at 3:45 to be a bit disorienting. I’m glad you added the sweeping pads and mallets at 4:30 for some extra pizzazz, although this is another spot where the mix could be a bit tighter. You tied up the piece well with the militaristic percussion and reverb automations.

Overall, I’ve lobbed a lot of nitpicky criticism at you here, but this piece is catchy, well-structured, and has a number of neat compositional details, from the rhythmic syncopations to the filtering effects during transitions. Keep at it, AlienSumo! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7/10

AlienSumo1 responds:

well first off thank you for leaving such a well constructed critique even if it is "nitpicky", second i agree on a lot of the critiques/ points made it does sound a bit robotic and messy, and the synth does kind of just lag behind and or disappear, the drums feel quite dry and do need to pop out a bit side chaining is a bit aggressive at times.

I'll try in the future to mitigate these kinks, and i once again thank you for leaving a critique and i appreciate the compliments and i hope to get around to joining NGADM when ever it arrives again. <3

[Ascendancy]

I like the rhythmic content at the beginning, although the percussion instruments themselves sounded a tad grating. The vocals are really nice - rich and soothing, in contrast to the percs. Did you record them yourself? The echo-y atmosphere and sound design of the harmonic instruments are probably my favorite elements of the piece, and I like the subtle clock ticking sample during the breakdown at 2:13. The harmonic content here gets a tad repetitive after a while, especially once the vocal refrain comes in for a third time at 3:17. I do like the slightly dissonant transitory moment at 2:50, although the chopped vocals at 2:58 sounded a tad unpolished. I also think the vocals get a bit lost in the mix during the final refrain, when there’s a lot more going on in the texture than in the first two vocal passages. Overall, I think the composition could’ve been a tad more dynamic here, but the sound design and mixing are really strong overall. Keep at it, ALG! ^_^

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
.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
8.25/10

[Safe in Sound]

I like the eerie pads at the beginning. They seem to oscillate between ominous and tranquil with the chord changes. The pace of the progression is a bit slow, but the atmosphere is really rich and bright-sounding. I also like the added rolled notes in the chords starting at :50 or so. The mix is indeed a bit quiet, but also fairly well-balanced and clear. I like the mini-build-up into 2:37 before that haunting piano bridge. The way the echo/delay effects are layered starting at 3:00 make the rhythm mimic a slow gallop, despite the fact that the underlying rhythm is fairly square and even - that’s a REALLY subtle detail of the composition that I like a lot. The synth lead that slowly fades in at 4:00 or so was a nice way of wrapping up the piece with an evocative and dynamic solo. Overall, I really like the mood, atmosphere, and sound design here. I can’t help but feel that the composition could’ve been a tad more ambitious, but the mixing is not as bad as you seem to think it is. At first, I thought the title of the piece was a typo, but now I understand what it means: sound itself can be as comforting as any locked door or warm embrace. Keep it up, AlbeGian! ^_^

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
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

[Existential Melancholy]

I like the crisp drums and the quirky pads at the beginning. Early on, the vocals feel a bit naked, and might’ve used some more mixing effects (at least reverb), to better blend with the instrumental tracks. The lyrics themselves are really good, and the rhythm/delivery of the vocals is also really great. I love the guitar solos at :53, and I also think the production quality here is really good overall - crisp, clear instruments throughout, and well-balanced frequencies to boot. The glitchy bridge at 2:16 was a nice touch, and you once again show off your great sense of rhythm at 2:32. The final refrain at 2:50 ties the piece together nicely. Overall, you did a great job here marrying the experimental texture with a fairly familiar-sounding arrangement and harmonic framework. The result is that this piece feels unique and creative, but also well-grounded. Thoroughly enjoyable stuff here, AkioDaku! Keep it up! ^_^

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?)
1/1
Composite score
9.75/10

[Eyes]

I like the smooth guitar at the beginning and the harmonies that come in shortly thereafter. The drums are a bit soft in the mix, though. I think they could benefit from some more compression. The vocal layering is really nice here, and your voice has a really classic ‘90s coffee shop sort of feel. The mixing on the vocals could be a bit stronger, though - they get a tad buried during the refrain. I really like the solos at 2:20 and the transition back into the final refrain at 3:06. The ending comes on a little suddenly here, and aspects of the arrangement are a little generic, but my main complaint here is still the mixing. The drums need to be punchier, and the vocals more up-front. Compression should get you 70% of the way there, but level automations and equalizers are probably also necessary to really emphasize the frequencies of the vocals that they share with other instruments. That said, the composition and sound design here are fantastic. Keep it up, Ajtastic! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
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
8.5/10

Ajtastic responds:

Thanks so much for the in depth feedback, I really appreciate it!

[Celestial Bliss]

I like the eerie sound effects at the beginning. There’s a good sense of build into :45, although the pace of the progression is a bit slow. The texture is a bit minimal, and the mix is missing a lot of mid-range tones that otherwise would’ve rounded it out nicely. Some of the synths also sound pretty grating in the treble range, like the one at 2:34. I enjoy the rhythmic content, though, and the production quality is rather good - crisp, loud, and clear-sounding instruments, although the balance of frequencies could use some work, as I mentioned earlier. I would’ve liked to hear some stronger melodic content at some point, but the atmospheric breakdown at 3:00 does add some variety to the texture. Overall, nice job with the sound design, mood and atmosphere, and progression. Some of the compositional details could use some more dynamism, especially regarding the harmonic depth of the piece early on. That said, you’ve put together a catchy, suspenseful, and cinematic-sounding track here, Adjeye. Keep at it! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7/10

[Richard III]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The snare is a bit generic, but I really like how the style evolves from hip-hop to metal over the course of the first verse over the course of the eerie spoken-word lyrics. The throaty/husky vocals thereafter contrast with the somewhat tranquil atmosphere really well, although the instrumental track did have a pretty generic chord progression and sound design elements. Overall, I’m impressed with the vocal work, progression, and production quality of this piece. You packed a lot of emotion into 2.5 minutes, and wrapped it in a bow of pensive and moody synths. Keep it up, ADarkerBreed! ^_^

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
.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
8.25/10

[Can't Stop Me Now]

Hahaha, I remember this piece from last year’s NGUAC! :D I like the dark tone and apprehension at the beginning. The mix is a lot cleaner than I recall, and there’s a good sense of build into the drop at :45. The rhythmic content is nice, and the vocal samples add a nice punch to the texture without being overused. The re-intro at 1:45 was a good decision, and I like the furtive piano solo at 2:00 too. The melodies at 2:15 feel almost blissful compared to the dark undertones of the piece earlier, and the drop at 2:45 with the prominent pads is especially crisp. The harmonies at 3:30 or so are killer, and the extended breakdown starting at 3:45 also contributed to the variety and narrative form of the piece. The very ending of the piece (4:30 onwards) felt a bit superfluous, like it was trying to take this fairly minimal, clubbish track in a more atmospheric direction, but by itself it was pretty evocative and enjoyable as well. Overall, I’m really impressed with your work here, Ackee. You’ve built on your past successes and improved immensely on the shortcomings of your previous work. You should feel really proud of yourself, whether you make it into the group stage of the NGADM or not. Keep it up! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

Ackee39 responds:

Thanks for taking the time to write this incredibly detailed review!
Yeah, I do remember making the first drop of this for NGUAC about a year ago… gives me nostalgia thinking about it almost haha. I’m really glad I was able to improve on the mixing in a way that was noticeable, sometimes when you make too many fine adjustments you feel like its either worthless or sometimes just making it worse (which was amplified by my on and off nature of producing this) so hearing that the mixing improvements were as noticeable as they were is super re-assuring. It’s also nice to know that the many new parts i introduced worked out for the most part, as I was extreeeemely worried it might come across as messy lol

Once again, thank you for the incredibly positive review, it’s very much appreciated! Still can’t believe I managed to get to group stage, but I will do my best now that I got there :>

[I Fly So High | NGADM | Wave | Royalty Free + MIDI |]

I like the mellow pads and crisp drums. The editing on the vocals isn’t perfect, and sometimes your tone is a little uneven. It changes very quickly from being furtive-sounding to throaty and husky to full of confidence and expression. I think it might’ve helped smooth over the uneven tone if you had held out the notes for a little longer - working on your breath control might be a good next step for you. The added rhythmic elements at 1:55 are nice, and I like how you brought the piece full-circle with the “moonlight touches the sky” refrain towards the end. Overall, the composition could’ve been a tad more ambitious here, and the vocals could’ve been more polished. But I do like the instrumental tracks, mood, and production. Keep at it, Aalasteir!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
6/10