TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[NeonFD - Illuminated Void]

I like the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning and the sense of build-up through the first 30 seconds or so. The drum samples at :21 aren’t my favorite - especially the snare, which sounded a bit flat and inauthentic. There’s also a ton of reverb in the texture in general, which is potentially compromising the quality of the mix, especially during the refrain at :44. The lead synth doesn’t quite pop in the mix enough there. That said, the melody itself is really nice, and I also enjoyed the cutesy synths at the breakdown at 1:36. I would’ve liked to see you vary the refrain melody a bit more the second time around (at 2:18) compared to the first one, just to give the piece a stronger sense of melodic development, although the post-chorus at 2:40 did feel refreshing in that regard. Overall, you’ve made a catchy, if a bit generic, track with memorable melodies and a strong atmospheric component. The mix could use a bit of tightening, but otherwise this is a fun and memorable piece. Keep at it, NeonFD! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[NDXL - The Jungle]

I like the nature sound effects and heavy percussion at the beginning. The rising synth bass at :08 is a nice touch, and I like the sense of build into 1:01. The drop has some catchy breaks, and the synth riff at 1:32 is really groovy. The drop does drag on for a bit long, and it also seems to go right into another build-up and drop cycle after that. At some point breaking up the texture a bit with a melodic bridge or atmospheric breakdown would’ve been nice. Eventually, that point comes at 3:03, and the melodies there are pretty sweet, but up until then the arrangement of the piece still lacked variety. Sometimes, when the entirety of your piece is this high-energy, it’s hard to keep the listener engaged. I also think you overused the “make way…” vocals towards the end. I also would’ve liked to see you make the drop at 4:13 a bit more distinct compared to the first one, just for some variety. Overall, the sound design, production quality, and rhythmic content here are all really strong, as are the melodic elements and atmosphere. A little more variety and some faster pacing in the composition at times would be welcome, and aspects of the arrangement and instrumentation are a bit generic here, but otherwise you nailed this track. Keep at it, NDXL! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

NDXLOfficial responds:

Insanely flattered man, thank you SO so much <3

[NASHqp & DiggyDog - Colorful VIP]

The distorted, happy-go-lucky vocal samples at the beginning are pretty neat. Have a strange, dystopian vibe about them. The watery melodies at :46 are sweet-sounding, but also a tad indistinct and mysterious. I really like the way the texture gradually swells into an upbeat and energetic track by 1:58 or so. Some drums might’ve helped add more of a sense of drive to the piece, and honestly this piece doesn’t quite sound structurally complete to me yet. The vocal part at 1:57 serves as a good “point of arrival” on the one hand, but on the other the texture still feels like it’s missing some rhythm section components and syncopations. Still, you’ve clearly demonstrated your skills at crafting a compelling progression here. The mix could’ve been a tad sharper, especially during the final vocal section, but otherwise it’s pretty well-balanced and clean. The sound design is probably my favorite element of the piece, together with the emotional quality of the dynamic contrast and gradual build-up you’ve crafted here. Flesh out the structure a bit more, and this could be a top-tier track. Keep at it, NASHqp! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8/10

[vertigo⅄sea]

I like the ominous, minimal atmosphere at the beginning and the pensive piano riff at :20. The piece is a little slow to progress, but you keep it somewhat interesting with the occasional jazzy chord Iike at :55) and the rhythmic content. I love the atmosphere and the sound design, but I still would’ve liked to see a more dynamic composition here. The added synth line at around 1:25 helps, and the change of meter at 2:00 was done smoothly. The descension into atmospheric haze during the last minute or so was gorgeous too. Overall, you helped make up for the minimalism and repetition early on with some really creative and majestic atmospheric content both in the very beginning and the end. The production quality is solid, too, despite the plethora of reverb in the texture during the atmospheric sections. Really unique piece here, Nascene. Keep up the good work! ^_^

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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Type Of Way]

I like the cutesy synths at the beginning. The chord progression is a bit cliche, but the vocals help me keep me engaged. I like the contrast between the provocative lyrics and the tranquil, almost blissful synth lines. The progression reminds me of “Where is the Love?” by The Black Eyed Peas. :D The harmonic content here is very repetitive here, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear a “point of arrival,” like a killer synth solo or vocal bridge that resolves the tension inherent in the lyrics. Despite the somewhat underwhelming composition, the production quality here is top-notch. The instruments are loud, clear, and well-balanced with each other throughout the piece. Overall, you’ve put together a catchy and well-produced track with some fun sound design. Keep at it, Sashik! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

MusicSashik responds:

Such a thorough review, thank you very much! I am still a beginner in many aspects, so I will continue to grow. I appreciate your time for reviewing my track. Cheers!

[Daring Daylight - MusicianNrd]

I like the blissful, cutesy mood at the beginning. The two melodic lines at the very beginning trip over each other a bit - it might’ve helped “warm the listener up” to them if you had introduced them separately. That said, I like the isolated melody at :29 and the sense of build into :44. Up until that point, the bass was very quiet in the mix, but after the first chorus it got more prominent. The transition at :59 was a bit sudden - maybe a crash or sweep would help smooth it over. For the next minute or so after that, the harmonic content is pretty repetitive, I would’ve liked to hear a shake-up to the main harmonic framework both earlier and longer-lasting than the brief bridge at 1:58. It might’ve helped if you had varied the main melody more during the final refrain at 2:15. Overall, this piece is catchy and well-mastered, but the composition could’ve been a bit bolder and less repetitive. The sound design is a bit cheesy, and the arrangement is pretty generic, but otherwise the piece flows smoothly and has some solid mixing. Keep at it, MusicianNrd! ^_^

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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

[Digitallis]

I like the quirky synths towards the beginning, especially the one that first comes in at :07. The attack at :13 is a bit harsh-sounding, though. The build-up into :27 was nice, and I like the harmonies there a lot. That said, the mix is a bit soft here. It’s hard to hear the drums and bass in particular. I’d suggest scaling back some of the reverb here - I think it’s distorting some of the instruments. The breakdown at 1:22 is nice for some variety, and you transition well back into the “verse” at 1:48. During the second half of the piece, I would’ve liked to see you create more variations on the main melodies and give the piece an overarching sense of dynamism. Instead, the arrangement here feels a tad formulaic. That said, I’m enjoying the harmonies, atmosphere, and rhythmic content of this piece a lot. Some of the instruments were really cute and fit in with the “outer space” theme quite well, despite being a tad cheesy. Overall, the composition is solid, and my biggest concern is the muddy mix. Shave off some of the reverb, add some equalizers onto the melodic instruments, and create some melodic variations in the final verse, and this piece would easily be an 8-range track. Keep at it, MusicBySpektral! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

MusicBySpektral responds:

Thanks for the review! This is my first time submitting into any contest on Newgrounds, and I am glad to have gotten a 7/10 on my first try. I definitely see the problems and will work on them on future works and keep on trying to get into the next round someday (maybe)!

[D.E.A.F]

Dude! What an inspiring story! You’re a legend.

I really like the idea of spelling out “deaf” in notes for your piece. I will say that the synths at the very beginning sound a tad harsh in the treble range, though. You might want to filter out some of those frequencies with an equalizer. The texture starts coming together well by :25, and I like how the synth arpeggios get increasingly more frantic until :40. The eerie atmosphere at :51 threw me off of the flow a bit at first, but it creates a good “blank slate” environment for the build-up into 1:42. The lead at 2:08 is a bit overpowering, but the descending vocal line at 2:32 is a really neat detail.

I’m not sure I like the long sections of creepy minimalism, like at 2:33. It certainly provides a certain amount of variety, but could use a fuller texture and more harmonic content. After a while, the riff at 3:50 also gets a tad repetitive. I’d like to see you vary it a bit more if you’re going to bring that riff back so often. I understand that’s the part that spells out “deaf,” but I can’t help but feel like you’re limiting yourself too much - it’s really hard to write a piece with only four notes.

The tranquil pads at 4:16 were nice, especially with the prominent hi-hats layered on top, and the rhythmic content during the last couple of minutes or so of this piece is especially nice. The outro at 5:22 sounded pretty cute, but also didn’t seem very well-integrated with the ominous synths and gritty beats that came before it.

Overall, I’m really impressed with your sense of rhythm and production. In fact, the best thing about this track IMO is probably the mixing. Besides that one harsh-sounding synth, everything sounds very clean, polished, and well-balanced in the mix. The harmonic content here could use a bit more depth and variety, and the arrangement of the piece is pretty disjointed. But overall, this is a catchy piece with some neat sound design and a strong sense of atmosphere. By all means, keep it up! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
7/10

music69012 responds:

Damn, I didn't make it through. Thank you for the opportunity and next time I will up my games to show you that I am capable of doing it again, I'm glad that you had a chance to comment and show good criticism and what I need to improve on. It is a real shame that there were people who were slightly better than me, but that isn't going to put me down. I will try to do midi, own a sample, find a better plugin and create new ideas. Could I keep in contact for any future competition because I would love to do this again and show my talent? Perhaps I will come back stronger when I learn a new technique as I improve everytime.

Hope to keep in touch and will show you my improvement and ideas of my creativity soon!
Feisty (The Deaf DJ) Fennekin aka music69012

[Aquatic Machinery]

I like the haunting atmosphere at the beginning - it’s very tranquil and full of a sense of wonder. The reverb on the drums at :50 is very heavy - it’s almost like the drums are contributing more to the atmosphere than the synths. Also, the mix is rather quiet. Perhaps a bit more compression would be advisable.

The piece is a little slow to progress for the first couple of minutes, but I like the tempo automations going into 1:50. The hard-hitting mid-range bass offers a nice contrast to the earlier atmospheric content, although the mixing could be a bit better balanced here. I wanted to hear more of the ghostly pads and maybe a tad less of the drums. The filtering at 2:56 is pretty cool, and the minimal breakdown at 3:04 is good for some variety.

Overall, the arrangement here feels a little formulaic, though, with regular changes in the texture every 8 or 16 bars, but not a lot of ebb and flow with the phrases themselves. Still, I like the grouchy bridge at 3:50 and the return to the regal-sounding atmosphere at 4:35. Really makes the piece come full-circle. That said, the very end could’ve been a tad more creative than a fade-out.

Overall, there are a lot of great ideas here, from bookending the gritty beats with atmospheric beauty to the rhythmic content of the beats themselves. That said, the entire piece feels a bit slow-paced and repetitive, with a pretty generic harmonic framework, arrangement, and sound design. A richer texture and a bit of a clean-up of the mix in some places would really take this piece to the next level. Still, as it is I’m enjoying the melodies, atmospheric elements, and progression a lot. Keep at it, MrSpud! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

MrSpud8 responds:

Thanks for the review, I’ll work on the things you mentioned

[Mr.Must3rd-Purple Orb]

I like the eerie atmosphere at the beginning and the dynamic synth pads at :11. The 8-bit drums are a bit cheesy in this context for me - not sure they fit well with the eerie atmosphere. The sidechaining is also very heavy for my tastes. That said, the gritty breaks at :48 sounded pretty sweet, if a little minimal. Love the rolled hats here too, like at 1:16. At times, the texture could use some more fill, especially in the upper-mid range, and I would’ve liked to hear some more melodic development too, as the harmonic content gets pretty after a while here. That said, I’m really digging the experimental texture and foreboding tone of this. You might also consider working to play up the sense of atmosphere by adding some reverb and other mixing effects to the synth lead during the middle couple of minutes of the piece. Overall, I really like the rhythmic elements, crisp mixing, and ominous thematic content here. The compositional details could use a bit of fleshing out, but this is a solid effort nonetheless. Keep at it, Mr. Musterd! ^_^

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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10