TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Ecnelupo [NGUAC]]

I like the moody chords at the beginning and the mellow percussion. The mix is a bit quiet, and the drums in particular could use a tad more compression so that they cut through the texture during some of the busier sections. The atmosphere is great, though, and the structure feels really loose and fluid. There are some moments of dissonance, like at 1:38, but they also fit the off-the-cuff character of the piece really well. I’m generally skeptical of full-length tracks that rely on the same fairly repetitive harmonic framework all the way through, but you pull this off quite well with how variational the melodies and sound design are. The fade-out at the end felt like a bit of an underwhelming way to end the piece, though - this piece is full of tension, and at some point I wanted to see it resolved, even if it was in a brief cadence at the end. This track would also make a great loop IMO. Overall, really solid work here, Staintocton! Some people just use brass instruments and call it jazz, but you’re a true jazz musician’s jazz musician! Keep it up, and thanks for coming out to the NGUAC. ^_^

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?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

[Don't Be Afraid]

I like the tranquil mood at the beginning. The piece is a little slow to progress at first, but it definitely has some forward momentum by :34, and the drop at :45 has a nice, cathartic feel. The mix is clean and clear, but a tad over-compressed, and the snare sounds simultaneously very loud and a bit too thin. The breakdown at 1:29 was a good way of “resetting” the piece, and the piano echo of the main melody at 1:40 was a nice touch. The piano bridge feels a tad dragged-out, and could definitely use a countermelody or at least some more ebb and flow, but I like the mini-build-up into 2:25 and the transition back into the second refrain at 2:47. The second refrain could also use a bit more variety the second time around, but I do like the high-register tonic chord that plays right at 2:47. Sounds super cathartic.

Overall, I like the upbeat mood, melodies, and production quality of this piece. The arrangement and aspects of the sound design are a bit generic, and later on the composition could use some more variety. That said, it’s also really catchy, and the melody stuck in my head for a while after the first listen. :) Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, SpeedoRH! ^_^

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

EspyoNG responds:

Thanks for the review! I do agree that some of the elements are a little over-compressed, but I actually never noticed the snare's thinness before for some strange reason.

I also agree that the structure and sound design is definitely very simple: I'm going through a phase where rather than taking structural inspiration from other works, I make my own. Same with sound design. I'm not sure if you mean the word "generic" as in "simple" or "boring", but either way I agree that my sound design wasn't particularly complex, and I'll keep working on that! ;D

Huge thanks to you and everyone involved in NGUAC for the opportunity by the way! :)

[Bit My Finger :(]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning. There’s a nice rich atmosphere and some cute, airy synths. The piece is a tad slow to progress, and the drums are a tad soft at first. The refrain at :42 is catchy, if a tad cliche, and I think the main melody could use a bit of a boost in the mix vis a vis the pads and bass. The quirky texture of the post-chorus at 1:04 is nice, and you definitely return this piece to its atmospheric roots there. The more frantic arpeggios at 1:40 were a great way of transitioning the piece into the high-energy section at 1:47. The final minute of the piece sounds a bit dragged out, and could use some more “shape” to keep it interesting - filtering automations, or other small compositional details during transitory moments. The mix is probably my main concern here; it just could sound a lot more punchy and crisp with some more compression, especially on the drums and lead melodies. At times, the frequency ranges of the synths also feel a bit overly constrained, so maybe you could play with giving the lead instrument a boost in the upper-mid range, especially during the breakdown from 1:04 to 1:47. Still, I really like the sound design, melodies, progression, and atmosphere of this one. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, SpecialGuacs! Hope to see you back next year. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

[Equivocal]

I like the wave-like piano riff at the beginning and the bright, even tone of the piece at :21. At times, the piece could be a bit more expressive, and it especially sounds a bit understated during the first minute, but that begins changing at around :56. The softer tone at 1:26 is good for some variety, and the strumming effect of the more fast-paced arpeggios at 2:02 is really lovely. Combined with the slower pace of the chords, the strumming harmonies create a great call-and-response effect. The extended cadence at the end is a nice touch as well. I think the piece could use a more distinct “point of arrival” towards the end to add some closure. The melody line at 2:19 sounds pretty cathartic, but also a bit…again, the word that comes to mind is understated. Still, I really like how the piece is structured, the balance of frequencies, and a lot of the individual motifs. Really strong work overall, Solacitude! Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Solacitude responds:

I had a hard time to come up with something I deemed good enough to post for the final.
I produced a bunch of garbage during this period before getting to this piece.

I think I get what you mean by understated, it might lack a little bit of development of certain motives that I could've built more complexity over, instead of jumping to another motif too quickly. I could make it more thought out, it's quite simple themes that could evolve more in complexity, harmonizing better, adding voices to the part after 2:00. The end I also thought it felt a bit rushed.... Oh well it was rushed! :) I went for an improvisational ending that truly could be better. I went for modulations going into chords that are not heard anywhere else in the piece so it can easily sound off to some listeners I think.. After 2:00 it was all done the last day up until the last hours before deadline. In the end the reception is quite a lot better than what I anticipated though!

I continue to work on this one, and will maybe post the final result in here, but under another title, to keep this one intact so it always fits the comments and score related to the contest.

Thank you very much for the review and kind words! And even more for hosting the NGUAC and all it involves! It's surely a lot of time you dedicate to it, and I feel like it has to be said, thank you for giving musicians this opportunity to test our ability to compose!

[Sicra - Orbital [NGUAC]]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning and the cool synth guitar lead at :17. The distorted vocal samples at :38 are a nice touch, and there’s a good sense of build-up into 1:07. The pacing of the middle section of the piece is a bit bizarre - there are a lot of different ideas, but none of them feel very “stable,” so it’s hard to follow the direction of the piece, if that makes sense. Also, the mix is very bottom-heavy. By the time the guitar comes in at 1:58, I was itching for some more harmonic content. That said, the ghostly melodies at 2:14 hit the piece home nicely, and the rich atmosphere and plethora of reverb there truly give that section an otherworldly feel. Maybe the astronauts have crashed on a strange planet and encountered an alien race?

Either way, the production quality is top-notch here, and I can tell you spent a lot of effort crafting some of these transitions. The arrangement is indeed very experimental, but overall you pull it off quite well. The composition could use a tad bit of fleshing out in a way - you move on from one idea to the next very quickly for a lot of this piece, and the final refrain in particular felt a bit short-lived. Still, there’s a very strong sense of storytelling with this one. Really evocative work. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, Sicra! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

SicraMusic responds:

Appreciate the long review! The drop in the middle is by far the most experimental part of the song, but I somehow got used to it though while producing. It's this trap I frequently fall into where rhythmic and melodic patterns start sounding familiar when you listen to them a lot, but they still sounds weird on the first listen, you just no longer realize it.

[Rise of the Ancient Empire]

I like the somewhat somber mood at the beginning. The dynamics pattern in the low brass is a bit strange - there’s a huge emphasis on the very first note, and the next 3 notes are rather muffled before the tonic comes in again. The brass instruments you’re using here in general sound pretty inauthentic, although I like the composition. The melodies are memorable and blend well with the atmosphere. The mixing could also use some help, though. I can barely hear the strings when the brass is playing. On the plus side production-wise, the drums sound nice and crisp in the mix. The airy bridge at 1:45 was good for some variety, and had some neat percussive effects early on. The choir at 2:40 was a nice touch, although the way the choir chords duck under the mix right after the note ends (as opposed to gradually fading away with reverb) makes them sound a bit unnatural. Overall, the composition is solid here, but the sound design and the mixing could both use a bit more polish. That said, thanks for coming out for the NGUAC, satanicpotatoe! Hope to see you back next year. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Finite]

I like the haunting synth pads at the beginning and the thunder sound effects. The piano and strings also channel the emotion of the piece well. Blending the piano and pads together at :39 was a good idea, as was the wider spacing of the notes later on. There’s a lot of feeling packed into such a short piece, as others have said.

Wish I could give you a hug, quintivium. You have my deepest sympathy.

[Whisky and a Saxophone (NGUAC Finals 2024)]

I like the bouncy piano riffs towards the beginning and the refreshing sound design between the flute, brass, and bass. The melodies are really nice, and so many of the melodic riffs are really catchy and memorable too. The one brass instrument that first appears at :23 sounds a bit inauthentic, but otherwise the instruments don’t strike me as overtly fake. The “reset” at 1:32 was a nice compositional idea, just to break up the frantic energy of most of the rest of the piece. The mixing could be a bit more polished here. Overall, the mix is pretty quiet, and the drums in particular sound very flat. I’d recommend using a little more compression on the drums and turning the ratio up to at least 4:1.

Also, the composition sounds a bit repetitive after 1:32 until around 3:12. Some subtle variations in the largely repeated section in between (or even an extended breakdown/bridge) would’ve been welcome. I like the more minimal outro where you start with a drum solo at 3:37 and then gradually add back the other instruments for the final cadence. The composition here in general is really good - just be careful not to get too formulaic with the arrangement. Otherwise, the mixing could use a bit more help, but the sound design and melodies make this a fun and engaging piece regardless.

Keep at it, PaintedPenguin! Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC. ^_^

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[FRACTURED]

I like the glitchy reverse piano and glass breaking effects at the beginning. The texture comes together nicely by :32, although the piece is still pretty slow to progress. The bass-y breaks at 1:22 are catchy, if a bit minimal, and add some variety to the texture after 80 seconds of the rhythmic emphasis being based around the piano/glass breaking. I like the acoustic drum kit at 1:54 and the cool panning effects on the synth that comes in at 2:36. The climactic section at 2:36 hits the piece home nicely. I think this piece could be stronger with a bit more variety in the harmonic content, and especially some more dynamic melodies. Right now, the sound design is engaging, and the production quality is solid, but the piece also doesn’t feel like it’s leading anywhere. That said, I commend you for taking such an experimental approach with the texture and instrumentation here. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, Octaneuro! Hope to see you back next year. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

octaneuro responds:

I've never thought about progression while making my songs, it usually hinders me.
But honestly, hearing about this tells me that I should focus on that more from now on.

Thank you for the kind words, TaintedLogic! :D

[Satisfaction]

I like the glitchy pads at the beginning. The beat is nice too, although the clap could use a bit more “decoration” in the mix IMO - maybe some reverb at the very least. The piece is pretty minimal and slow to progress, especially for the minute or so following 1:07. The entry of the pads at 2:17 helps add some interest, but the piece still could use some more harmonic variety - a countermelody, or different chord progression, etc. The mixing is solid, and I like the sound design and progression. It just needs a fuller texture and more variety, is all. That said, thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, Nxes! Hope to see you back next year. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
7.25/10

Nxes responds:

ima cook next year trust