TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Heroes (Original)]

I like the echo-y pads at the beginning and the bassy groove at :04. The mix is loud overall, but the vocals need a serious boost. They sound both over-processed and way too soft. Vocals and drums should be easily the loudest elements of the mix, and right now neither of them stand out. I also would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodic content and some more creative sound design - the drums especially were a little cliche here. That said, the vocal layering on the post-chorus is nice (like at 3:21), and I like the smooth, dreamy pads and bass.

The mixing is definitely my main concern with this piece. I would suggest scaling back the reverb/delay effects and getting a lot stricter with the equalizers on the instrumental tracks, before using some compression and filtering to make the vocals punchier and more up-front. The clap could also use some compression, but it might be more impactful to give it a boost in the upper-mid range where it has the most frequencies so that it “pops” more in the mix.

Overall, there’s a lot to like with the compositional details, rhythmic content, and progression here. It just needs a more crisp and well-balanced production, is all. Keep at it, Force64! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

Force64 responds:

Thanks for you review :D

[Woven Tapestry]

I like the acoustic guitar at the beginning and the pensive mood. The quantization is not perfect, and sometimes there are little pauses that briefly disrupt the flow of the piece (most noticeably at :37 and :48). That said, the rhythm of the strumming, even when it’s irregular, is really soothing, and the subtle mixing effects you added work well. I might’ve liked to see the piece have a stronger sense of structuring, especially towards the end. Instead, the sense of flow and direction in the texture gradually slips. You’re clearly a talented guitarist, but some additional layering and more of a dynamic composition (use more of the guitar’s pitch range, or record a more percussive accompaniment at some point, etc.) could’ve really taken this piece to the next level. Still, the title of this piece captures something really important about this track: a tapestry of riffs that you’ve woven together to tell a story. Evocative stuff! Keep at it, Flamadour. ^_^

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

Flamadour responds:

Thanks for the constructive comments and review. I was contemplating about adding additional layers and instrumentation such as a lead guitar part over the top. I might do that for future compositions.

[Sweet Night]

I like the mellow, jazzy vibe at the beginning. The character of the piece is full of whimsy and light-heartedness, and the sound design absolutely enhances that feeling. The organ melodies and rhythmic syncopations fit together like a glove, and the piece flows very smoothly from melodic section to tranquil breakdown back to more uptempo jam session. The stop-start transition at 2:10 is very gracefully done, and the soft, furtive tonic chord at the end is such a sweet and elegant way to end the piece. My goodness, this is the kind of piece that’s got me swooning over an imaginary love interest. If I had to complain about one thing, it might be that the drums sounded a tad soft in the mix at times, but in a way that fits the character of the piece well. I’m pretty sure the last time I gave a piece a perfect 10/10 in a competition was in 2017 - seriously. Congratulations, and keep up the good work! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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
10/10

[Finnsfolks - The Orbital Pt. 1]

I like the airy pads at the beginning and the dense, jazzy chords they’re playing. It’s a tad difficult to follow the rhythm in the first 25 seconds, but the dramatic hits at :26 and the gritty texture at :38 help keep me grounded. I like the build-up into 1:04 and the punchy breaks at 1:05. The sound design really shines during the drop, as does the clean and well-balanced mix. The string drone at 2:00 and the melodic content at 2:10 did a nice job of balancing the heavy drop with some emotional appeal and dynamic contrast. The breakdown transitions well back into the second build-up, although I wish you had done a bit more to make the second drop sound distinct from the first one. Overall, my biggest problem with the piece is how generic it is, especially regarding the arrangement. I could literally name dozens of EDM songs that go intro-buildup-drop-breakdown-buildup-drop-outro. That said, the sound design and mixing are especially good here, and I like how you end the piece with the ominous string riff. Reminds me of a T.S. Eliot poem (and I paraphrase): “the world ends not with a bang, but with a whimper.” Keep at it, Finnsfolks! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Hyper-Plasma]

I like the blissful mood at the beginning, but it’s a little hard to follow the rhythm, especially because the tempo is so frantic. It gets easier once the beat comes in at :33, though. Some of the synths here sound a bit cheesy and unpolished, especially the one at :43. Maybe a little reverb would help it blend in with the rest of the texture better? The production quality is strong, though - the mix is loud, clear, and well-balanced throughout the song. I like the upbeat melodies at 1:38, although they probably shouldn’t be more quiet than the clown horn-sounding synth at 2:02. The vocal samples at 2:22 were pretty cool, and that in turn transitions nicely into the heavier section at 2:33. I thought you probably could’ve done more with the drums in this piece, as the beat is not contributing much to the rhythmic content, and it’s also hard to make out anything besides the snare during the busier sections. The breakdown at 3:38 was a long time coming in my opinion - up to that point, the high energy level of the piece was constant, which ironically gave the piece a kind of drab sense of continuity. I like how you combined the heavy breaks from the earlier bridge with the blissful refrain at 4:35. Many of the instruments here still sound a bit cheesy and dry, and could probably use some mixing effects and automations to add interest during the final couple of minutes, especially since the piece is so long. I’ll also note that the harmonic framework and arrangement of the piece are both pretty generic at the end of the day. All of that said, clearly you have a good sense of harmony, rhythm, and progression, and your mixing and mastering skills are very strong overall as well. Keep at it, Ezzedo! ^_^

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7/10

[ELIMINATE (NGADM)]

I like the distorted atmosphere at the beginning. The rhythmic content is neat, especially at the drop at 1:18. The texture is very minimal, though, and I wasn’t a fan of all of your sound design choices (like the lo-fi kick at :52). I would’ve liked to hear the piece either stay grounded in some more harmonic content, or otherwise have gone in a more atmospheric direction. Otherwise, the gritty, minimalist beats don’t really hold my attention well for 4+ minutes. Frankly, I’m not sure you’ve even begun to satisfy my scoring rubric’s criteria regarding variety, melody and tonality, or structuring and phrasing. I can tell you’re a talented producer with a strong sense of rhythm and progression, but I just wanted to see you put a lot more effort into the composition here. For what it’s worth, though, I’m actually really impressed that you made this in an hour and a half. Sometimes, it takes me an hour and a half just to select and modify instruments from my sample library for a piece. XD Keep at it, Exdrumi!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
4/10

[Holiday]

I like the relaxed guitars at the beginning and the mellow beat at :14. The electric piano (?) at :26 is also really cutesy and upbeat, while contributing to the rhythmic density of the piece as well. The mix is pretty quiet, but clear, although there’s not too much to mix here since the texture is fairly minimal. I would’ve liked to see you flesh out the composition a bit more - give the piece a stronger sense of ebb and flow over time, with more dynamic melodies and distinct sections, etc. I’d encourage you to keep working on this, although you’ve already got a great start with the sound design, rhythmic content, mood, and atmosphere. Keep at it, eTsundere! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

[Vs. Eve The Heart of Blasphemy (Remastered)]

I like the eerie atmosphere at the beginning and the melancholy chords. The vocals are really nice, although I might’ve liked to see them be a bit more up-front in the mix, with some more reverb and other effects to help them blend in with the atmosphere. There’s a good sense of build into :55, although otherwise the progression here is a tad slow-paced. The delay effects at 1:22 are a bit too heavy for my tastes - I’d suggest either reducing the delay time or reducing the volume on the delay itself. I love the occasionally dissonant chords and the cinematic flair of the piece, though. The texture is a bit thin sometimes, but the minimal drums help keep up the energy level in between vocal phrases. Sometimes, it’s also pretty easy to tell that the vocals are inauthentic. The string solo at 4:20 was also nice, but otherwise I felt like the piece was missing the kind of high-octane solo or climax that I expect of cinematic tracks with this much pent-up tension. Right as the piece felt like it was getting there at 5:56, the energy level dies down a ton and the piece launches right into the outro. Still, I enjoyed the sound design, production quality, rhythmic content, and progression of this one. Keep at it, ET16! ^_^

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
.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
7.5/10

[Eternal Sky]

I like the apprehensive mood at the beginning and the rich atmosphere. The crisp drums at :16 are great, as are the sassy string riffs and other acoustic elements. The transition at :30 is a tad abrupt, and the first third of the piece in general is a bit slow to progress. I like the heavier pads at 1:55, although I think they’re burying the snare in the mix a tad by around 2:15. The extended bridge at 2:35 was probably my favorite part of the piece - both dreamy and dynamic. You are overusing the transition with the airy crash (like at 3:16) a bit, though. That said, the final refrain hits the piece home nicely, and I really like the brass flourish during the final phrase. Overall, my favorite elements of this piece are probably the sound design and atmosphere. The production quality is quite solid, though, and despite my nitpicks it’s a catchy and well-structured composition with a strong narrative appeal. Keep up the good work, Erik! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Cosmic Speed]

I like the frantic beats and distorted vocal samples at the beginning. I’m not sure they quite blend in well with the bouncy VGM synths at :12, though, especially with the way the piece is mastered to really highlight the vocals and beats over the synths. Otherwise, the piece is pretty repetitive, and also doesn’t have much in the way of dynamic melodies for the first couple of minutes. I do like the dreamy breakdown at 1:30, although once the beat comes back in at 1:53 the vocals get a bit lost in the mix. The gritty, rhythmic bridge at 2:16 was also a good idea, as was the organ solo at 3:30. I still think the mix is a bit too dominated by the beats and vocals from the intro, but you hit the piece home nicely with the tonic landing at 3:46. The fade-out at the very end could’ve been a bit more creative, though.

In general, my favorite aspect of the piece is probably the sound design. The mix needed a bit more blending and balance, but was pretty clean overall. Still, you nailed the upbeat mood, energy, and rhythmic content. Keep at it, Eptheus! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.25/10

Eptheus responds:

That's a perfect review for me. There's so much here that I can take into improving my sound and mixing/mastering. Thank you very much!