TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[XCRIZ - Magic Walk]

I like the rich atmosphere and ominous mood at the beginning. The eerie synth at :13 is nice, and there’s a good sense of build-up into :41. The mix is a tad over-compressed for my tastes, and there’s also a lot of reverb in the texture which is pushing the volume levels up further. The rhythmic content here is great, though, and I like the vocal samples too. The ominous-sounding breakdown at 1:30 was good for some variety compared to the energetic breaks, although over the course of the piece you overuse the stop-start transitions a bit IMO. I like the lead at the bridge at 1:57 and the chopped vocals at 2:17. I would’ve liked to see you vary the second drop at 2:44 a bit compared to the first one, although the added “woops” at 3:00 help add interest. The arrangement and chord progression are a bit generic, but the sound design helps make up for that. The drums don’t always come through in the mix during the drops as much as I’d want them to, but otherwise the production quality holds up quite well. Overall, this is a really catchy piece with some killer sound design and a smooth flow.

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
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
8.25/10

[Shine Bright]

I like the bassy groove at the beginning. Really refreshing sound design throughout this piece, and the drums are nice and crisp in the mix, which is great to see. The melodies at :19 could use a serious boost, though - the bass and pads kinda overwhelm them right now. Otherwise, the piece could use a tad more structuring - a bit more ebb and flow over time to really sell the narrative aspect of the piece. I’d encourage you to keep working on this. You already have the instrumentation, atmosphere, and melodic content nailed. You could do a lot more with the composition, though. I want to hear those melodies take it to the dance floor at some point, not just hide in the back of the party by the punch bowl (or, to be more literal, I’d suggest using some more compression on them and push up the gain knob a bit). Still, you’ve already got a great sound brewing here. Keep at it, Xanaxo! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

xanxoepico responds:

Ayyyyy thank you very much for the detailed review! I'm still working on my composition aspects, trying to get better every time, hell this song in particular was a bit of a step forward compared to my previous stuff, but I still get too comfortable with repetition me thinks.


Also it's xanxo not xanaxo! XD

[чувства (feelings)]

I like the blissful synth pattern at the beginning. The clap at :08 sounds a bit dry, and could use some more reverb. The vocals at :13 are pretty far back in the mix, but by :23 I’m really feel their passion. The bass is a little loud relative to the lead synth at the refrain, but otherwise I have no complaints with the production. The rhythmic content is great throughout, and the effects on the vocals - distortion, chopped up at transitory moments, etc. - are really cool. I especially like the overlapping rhythmic patterns and distortion at 1:25. Overall, this piece is a bit short - I would love to see you flesh out the structure more - but also really enjoyable. I looked up a translation of the lyrics, too, and they seem pretty heavy and raw. Keep it up, Wushyx! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

[Drogarati]

I like the airy synths at the beginning and the somewhat spidery-sounding lead. The choir at :28 was a good idea, but I think there’s a bit too much reverb in the texture there, as many of the instruments sound a bit indistinct in the mix. The drop at :50 was a bit minimal and bottom-heavy, but certainly still has some creative sound design, including the vocals. The return of the melody at 1:46 is really nice - that section has some great overlapping rhythmic patterns, and I love the idea of slowing down the pace of the stereo clicks and bass at 2:08 before the choir comes back in. The breaks at 2:20 sound really creative too, albeit a bit harsh in the mix at times. Later on in the piece, I wish you had switched up some of the main harmonies for some variety, although when you start playing the main riff up the octave at 3:16, it helps scratch that itch to some extent. Overall, this is a really catchy and creative piece. I would’ve liked to hear a fuller texture with some more dynamic harmonic content, and the mix could be sharper at times, but the sound design, atmosphere, progression, melodies, and rhythmic content are all great. Keep at it, WontonSauce! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[WAR OF ART]

I like the breakbeat at the beginning and the synth pads that fade in over the first 15 seconds. The vocal samples are cool, but could use a bit more “pizzazz” - i.e., mixing effects like reverb, echo/delay, etc. The harmonic content is pretty bland, and after a minute or so I was itching for some additional instruments to be added to the texture, especially melodic ones. The breakdown at 1:28 was a good way of switching up the energy level, though. I like that you switched up the beat at 1:50, and the organ riff sounds cool, and also much more dynamic than the harmonic riffs that came before it. The transition at 2:34 came on fairly suddenly, though, and overall the texture throughout the piece is fairly minimal. The key change at 2:57 was a good idea, although by then the vocal samples got seriously repetitive. Overall, creating a stronger sense of ebb and flow in the texture, especially within each section of the piece (beginning to 1:50, 1:50 to 2:34, and 2:34 to the end) would really help take this piece to the next level. But as it is, I like the sound design, rhythmic content, production quality, and atmosphere here. Keep at it, Winkwing! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
7/10

[Ritualistic Alchemy]

I like the foreboding atmosphere at the beginning, the storm sound effects, and the percussion that sounds like a ticking clock. The demonic vocals at :35 and the cinematic flair of the rest of the sound design are really great together, and the sense of build into 1:07 is nice too. The drop itself is a bit minimal, though, and I might’ve filtered out some of the high-end frequencies on that atmospheric screeching. The majestic breakdown at 1:54 is absolutely gorgeous, and I like when you integrate the orchestral sound design with the energetic beats at 2:24. The string arpeggios at 3:00 are a good way of re-introducing the listener to the ominous overtones of the piece, and I like the way the drop at 3:30 leads with the bass this time, as opposed to the upper-register content. I really like the jittery vocals during the outro at 4:47.

Overall, I think my favorite element of this piece is the production quality - everything sounds really loud, clean, and clear in the mix - although sometimes the harmonies could’ve used a bit more room to fill the atmosphere (the synth guitar at 3:54 comes to mind). The composition is enjoyable, despite the minimal drops, and the sound design is top-notch. The arrangement and harmonic framework are a tad generic, but otherwise you really made this piece your own with the apprehensive mood and instrumentation. Keep at it, WingsOfAsh! ^_^

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
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
8.25/10

ESHRR responds:

Thanks for the review! I’m excited to start the next round!

[[unfinished] behind us]

I like the soothing, mellow synth at the beginning. The bass at :10 is a bit too loud relative to the other elements of the texture, although maybe the distortion on it is what’s really bothering me. The drums at :19 are a bit dry, and could use some more mixing effects (especially reverb) to help them contribute more to the atmosphere of the piece. The quirky synths at :38 help fill that void, but at some point in this piece I would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodies. The reverb automations at 1:10 or so are pretty sweet, and I like the re-intro at 1:17 too. The spoken word vocals at 1:35 are also a tad loud, and don’t blend in with the instrumentals quite how I want them to. I also would’ve liked to hear some more variety during the refrain at 1:55 compared to the first time those riffs appeared. Still, overall I enjoyed the sound design and atmosphere of this piece a lot. Also, the mix is loud and clean, despite my complaints about certain elements of the texture being too loud at various times. Overall, I enjoyed this piece a lot - it’s spacey, catchy, and smooth-flowing. A good combination of attributes to have for a song about moving on. :) Keep at it, VirtuaLI! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

VirtuaLIkimono responds:

OH AH THANK YOU!!! I am very glad that you liked this track. I spent a lot of time on it. I'll take your comments into account. It was difficult for us to work on the sound, as we are not very experienced musicians yet.

[HTUOY]

I like the smooth pads at the beginning. The vocal samples and vinyl scratches fit into the texture nicely, as do the crisp drums with the sleigh bells. Christmas in July indeed. At first, it threw me off that there was a small gap between each note in the pads, but by the time the beat comes in the texture comes together smoothly regardless. The ascending saxophone line at :44 is nice, but I would’ve like to hear a full solo. Otherwise, this piece is seriously lacking in terms of harmonic content, and is overall pretty minimal throughout. You clearly have a good sense of rhythm and progression, and the occasional stab of the jazz piano is really nice, but the composition still could’ve had a lot more depth and a stronger sense of ebb and flow over time. I’m also not sure how to make sense of the piano riff echoes during the last 20 seconds here - was the piece originally supposed to be longer than this? Either way, my favorite elements of the piece are easily the sound design and mixing. The composition could’ve been a bit bolder here, but otherwise the progression and harmonic content that are here now are also enjoyable. Keep at it, Viraxor! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Tankmen's Hotrod]

I like the gritty texture at the beginning - sounds like the Devil is sharpening his pitchfork. The guitar riff at :08 is a bit muddy and indistinct - I can’t tell if the recording quality is bad, or you tried to add distortion or other mixing effects, but either way it could be a lot sharper. The orchestral sample at :23 feels a bit out-of-place, and then the distortion and indistinction on the second round of guitar riffs at :28 is even worse. Admittedly, I’m a little confused about what’s going on here. Which of the sounds I’m hearing are samples. Which were recorded. Which were manipulated in your DAW and which are fairly “raw.” Either way, it doesn’t really sound like a cohesive or structurally complete piece yet. Sorry. I think integrating the gritty synths at the beginning with the guitar riffs might make for a compelling grunge track, but first the guitars should definitely be re-recorded or otherwise polished up in your DAW. Seriously, please let me know how the different elements of this piece came together so I can offer you some more constructive advice. But for now, keep at it, VoV! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
3/10

VilestOfVile responds:

I think the same thing about it, actually. No need to apologize, criticism is what I'm always looking for :3
Yes, samples were used and I think this one could've been better. I'm currently in the middle of saving for FL studio because fuck Bandlab.

[song for ethan to rampage through the streets and slaughter people]

I like how the intro goes right into this climactic build-up. The synth guitar at :10 sounds a bit thin, and probably could’ve been given a bit more space in the mix. The rhythmic content and creepy atmosphere (especially with the strings at :53) are great, although the build-up into 1:14 ended up being a bit of an anti-climax, which was a little disappointing. The fat bass at 1:36 was a bit surprising, but in retrospect it fits in with the rest of the sound design here well. The way you made it sound like a door creaking open at 1:36 is so cool. Overall, the texture is pretty minimal and bottom-heavy here, but you nailed the creepy mood and you channel the cinematic energy of the piece very well. I still would’ve liked to hear a fuller soundscape and more melodic content at some point, but I won’t complain too much. Don’t want Ethan to rampage in my direction next. :) Keep at it, Vidu! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
8.5/10