TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[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!

[Embyeee - white space]

I like the haunting ambiance at the beginning. Sounds like you took a vocal sample and then heavily manipulated the tempo. It’s actually a bit hard to get a sense of flow to the piece since the pulsing synths oscillate in tempo so much. The beats are cool, and I like the sound design a lot, but the progression is pretty slow-paced and the texture is minimal enough that I get a bit restless after a while listening to this. I know you’re a really talented producer, Embyeee, but the composition and arrangement just needed a bit more fleshing out here. For what it’s worth, I think this would be great background music for a horror-themed game or something, especially if you doubled down on the mixing effects and atmosphere. Still, really creative instrumentation and engrossing mood here. Keep at it, man! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
6.5/10

Embyeee responds:

Hey, thanks for your feedback!

[Catfishin']

I like the heavy guitars and twangy vocals at the beginning. The rhythmic content and production quality are great, and the lyrics have a great narrative element. The vocal phrases get a tad repetitive after a while, as to the instrumental tracks, actually. I know you have the brief bridge at 2:35, but I think an introspective breakdown or high-energy solo could’ve really taken the composition to the next level. Still, you’ve got a lot of character and soul in this piece, and the clean mix and smooth vocals totally win me over. Keep it up, ELEVENT! ^_^

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

[AIM 2023 - World Code Destruction]

I like the crisp beats at the beginning and the eerie atmosphere. The heavy bass and twittering synths work well, although the mix sounds a bit strained once the heavy guitars and added harmonies come in at :41. Easing back the reverb might help, but you also might need to get stricter with the equalizers and give the drums a boost in the mid-range frequencies. Otherwise, I like the mood and sound design, but I also think the piece could use a bit more ebb-and-flow in the structure at times. The piece has a near-constant energy level, with the exception of 4 bars or so at 2:30, and it was a missed opportunity to really sell the drama with a big build-up from a minimal breakdown or atmospheric bridge to a final refrain. Instead, you’ve got this call-and-response action among a number of different leads, and no one melody line in particular stands out. The result is that it doesn’t really feel like your piece is leading anywhere, despite some cool individual riffs and catchy rhythmic content. Overall, you did a good job with the instrumentation, atmosphere, and intensity, but the mix could’ve been a lot sharper and the composition lacks an overarching sense of narrative. Still, I admire this piece’s cinematic flair and the variety in the harmonic content. Keep at it, EldritchAutopsy! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7/10

[AIM23 - Forgotten Civilization]

I like the pensive synth arpeggios at the beginning and the spacey pads. The mix is pretty well-balanced, but there’s a lot of reverb in the texture, and the drums are a tad quiet, especially once the texture gets busier. The guitar synth at :44 is pretty cool, and I like the rhythmic syncopations during that section. The breakdown at 1:28 was good for some structural variety, although the arrangement of this piece is a bit generic, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodies, changing across phrases and really leading somewhere, not just repeating a 4-bar riff within the chorus/refrain of the piece. There are a lot of other cliche aspects of the sound design and composition, in fact - like the descending arpeggios and drum samples. That said, I like the pace of the arpeggios increased during the final refrain at 2:34. Overall, you clearly have a good sense of harmony, progression, and rhythm, but the structuring here is a tad formulaic, and aspects of the composition could’ve had more variety. Still, you’ve made a catchy and smooth-flowing track with some quirky synths and a strong sense of atmosphere. Keep at it, Dynamic0! :)

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

Dynamic0 responds:

Thanks for the review!

[BASCUTI - L.I.M.R.]

I like the frantic piano riff at the beginning and the crisp drums. I might’ve liked to hear a more proper introduction that didn’t throw the listener right into the middle of the action, though. The arrangement also feels a bit formulaic, with a fairly repetitive series of riffs, and then a major shake-up to the texture every 30 seconds or so. I also would’ve liked to see you scale back the energy at some point, just to create some more variety in the texture. The production quality is probably my favorite aspect of the piece, with loud, clear, and well-balanced frequencies throughout. The rhythmic work with the drums is also really nice. I appreciate the added layer of synths at 2:58, which made the piece feel more dynamic and conclusive than it otherwise would have. Still, a bit more ebb and flow in the composition would be welcome, especially in the midst of phrases. Overall, you’ve made a punchy, catchy, and energetic track with some cool sound design and a full, rich texture. Keep at it, DWAAAN! :)

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

[AIM - ACID RAIN]

I like the groovy guitar at the beginning and the smooth bass and crisp drums that come in shortly thereafter. The lead guitar at :10 has a really great ‘70s vibe. The progression is a bit slow-paced here, but in a way that fits the relaxed mood of the piece. I think you could’ve done a tad more with the texture at times - vocals would fit in really well, or just a switch-up in the instrumental hierarchy at some point. Otherwise, the energy level is pretty much constant for the entire piece, which makes the arrangement feel bland and stagnant. That said, I really like the sound design, rhythmic content, mood, and (especially) the generous use of that open hat. Keep it up, Dry! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
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
7.5/10

[Eternal Locrian]

I like the moody synth at the beginning. The mix is very quiet, but I like the use of reverb. I think you tried to do a tad too much with the harmonies at :31 - it’s hard to get a sense of the underlying chords there. I like the ambiguity in the mood, as I’m not sure whether the piece sounds blissful, tranquil, or creepy. The rhythmic elements of the piece are nice, too. The texture is a bit bare-bones, though, and the piece cuts off rather suddenly at the end. It might help give the piece a stronger sense of energy and drive if you had added some drums or something. I would like to see the composition fleshed out more in general, actually - it has a lot of potential, but it doesn’t quite feel like it’s hit that “moment of arrival” yet. Still, this is a good start - a really great, moody pad and a number of catchy riffs and cool harmonic ideas. Keep at it, DonDonPan! You’ve earned a scout. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6/10

[Toy Upload | おもちゃのアップロード]

I like the tempo automations and cutesy melodies, although the lead synth at the very beginning is a bit harsh-sounding. The crisp beats at :17 are nice, and the breakdown at :43 with the eerie pad is good for some variety. That said, the piece is still pretty repetitive here, and is also missing some mid-range frequencies in the texture. I’m not a huge fan of the sound design, which is both tinny and grating in places, including in small details like the sweep at :17. That said, the rhythmic content is good, and the syncopations between the bass, beat, and lead synth work really well. The composition could use more fleshing out, but I think you’ve got a good sense of progression and harmony based on these 98 seconds of music. Overall solid effort, especially on the mixing, drums, and atmosphere. Keep at it, Doffu! ^_^

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
.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

[Miss Out On You]

I like the bright pads and floaty piano at the beginning. The chord progression is pretty generic, but I like how the vocals fade in at :13. The vocals themselves are really smooth and expressive, though. The mix feels very crowded, and there are certainly some elements of it that I wish had shone through a bit more, like the piano chords at :47. The drums seriously duck under the mix when the vocals re-appear for the post-chorus at 1:40. Part of the problem might be that you have a LOT of reverb and echo/delay effects in here.

The re-intro at 1:54 is a nice touch, although overall the arrangement of the piece is also rather generic. I would’ve liked to see you switch up the harmonic framework at some point here, especially since the chord progression is so cliche. I also wanted to hear some more variety in the main melody/refrain during the second half of the piece, but instead you really started to overuse the vocals there in a way that made the entire piece feel rather dragged-out.

Overall, I admire your sense of harmony and progression, but some of the arrangement details of this piece could use an injection of creativity, and the mix simply needs to be a lot tighter. I’d suggest getting stricter with your use of equalizers and cutting a lot of the reverb, especially in instruments that have a lot of low-mid tones. Still, you’ve made a catchy piece with some memorable melodies and sound design that fits well with the upbeat mood. Keep at it, DJWitherhead! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.5/10

Raylectro responds:

Quite good feedback, I know I've lost but at least I got some feedback to do better next year