TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Instability]

I like the creepy atmosphere at the beginning and the airy piano lines. The riff at :14 has a couple of nice, dissonant chords, too. The transition at :23 is a bit sudden, but the glitches at :30 are pretty cool, and the mix holds up well despite the busy texture. The frantic synth pattern at :48 was nice, and later the breakdown at 1:20 provided a bit of respite from the high-octane breaks on either side of it. There was a good sense of build into 1:54, although I wished you had varied the melody there a bit compared to the first time it appears. While the mix is impressively clear considering how much is going on, I would’ve liked the drums to “pop” a tad more during some parts, and 1:54 is one of them. Overall, though, this is a really catchy and intense piece with some neat sound design, strong mixing, and a good sense of atmosphere to boot. Keep at it, Nixonic! ^_^

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
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

Nixonic responds:

*Skull*

[Mind Breakout]

I like the cute synth at the beginning. The frantic opening line is a little corny, and I think the airy pad at :11 is a bit too loud in the mix relative to the rest of the harmonies. I like the crisp beats at :22, and the variation in the harmonies at :57 offered a nice break in the repetition. Throughout the piece, the beat is a bit too loud relative to the harmonies, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear some more melodic content. The stop-start beat at 1:44 is a bit bizarre, although I like the glitchy breaks at 1:01. Most of the synths here are pretty cheesy and generic, but the drums sound good. In terms of production, I think the mix could’ve left a lot more space for the harmonic instruments, especially while the beat was playing. The composition is a bit bland after a while, and could use some more depth and variety in the harmonic framework. The piece also ends pretty suddenly. Overall, you clearly have a good sense of rhythm and progression, but aspects of the sound design, mixing, and compositional details could use some polishing up and fleshing out. Keep at it, NikoN1nja! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
5.5/10

NikoN1nja responds:

Thanks for review, I'll definitely try to improve all my weak points in the future :)

[Fall-Up]

I like the catchy synth riffs at the beginning and the minimal drums at :15. The harmonies at :30 also help fill out the texture nicely. I really like the injection of energy at 1:01, although the drums get a bit lost in the mix there. I’d suggest adding a compressor to them. The piece could also use some other mixing effects, just to create a stronger sense of atmosphere and more variety over the course of the piece. I’d suggest doing more with reverb and equalizers in particular. The sound design of the piece is fun, perhaps with the exception of the brass at 2:02, which sounds pretty inauthentic. The arrangement here sounds pretty formulaic - the texture shifts every 8 measures or so, but within those 8 measures, there’s not much of a sense of ebb and flow. You can use tools like filtering and automation to help address that - YouTube should have plenty of tutorials on how to do so in your software program if you don’t already know how. Still, this piece is catchy and cute, and has some neat synths and a good sense of rhythm and progression. Keep at it, NGE! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
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

NewGameExplorers responds:

Thanks for the feedback! I'll try to use what you suggested.

[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