TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Existential Melancholy]

I like the crisp drums and the quirky pads at the beginning. Early on, the vocals feel a bit naked, and might’ve used some more mixing effects (at least reverb), to better blend with the instrumental tracks. The lyrics themselves are really good, and the rhythm/delivery of the vocals is also really great. I love the guitar solos at :53, and I also think the production quality here is really good overall - crisp, clear instruments throughout, and well-balanced frequencies to boot. The glitchy bridge at 2:16 was a nice touch, and you once again show off your great sense of rhythm at 2:32. The final refrain at 2:50 ties the piece together nicely. Overall, you did a great job here marrying the experimental texture with a fairly familiar-sounding arrangement and harmonic framework. The result is that this piece feels unique and creative, but also well-grounded. Thoroughly enjoyable stuff here, AkioDaku! Keep it up! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
9.75/10

[Eyes]

I like the smooth guitar at the beginning and the harmonies that come in shortly thereafter. The drums are a bit soft in the mix, though. I think they could benefit from some more compression. The vocal layering is really nice here, and your voice has a really classic ‘90s coffee shop sort of feel. The mixing on the vocals could be a bit stronger, though - they get a tad buried during the refrain. I really like the solos at 2:20 and the transition back into the final refrain at 3:06. The ending comes on a little suddenly here, and aspects of the arrangement are a little generic, but my main complaint here is still the mixing. The drums need to be punchier, and the vocals more up-front. Compression should get you 70% of the way there, but level automations and equalizers are probably also necessary to really emphasize the frequencies of the vocals that they share with other instruments. That said, the composition and sound design here are fantastic. Keep it up, Ajtastic! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

Ajtastic responds:

Thanks so much for the in depth feedback, I really appreciate it!

[Celestial Bliss]

I like the eerie sound effects at the beginning. There’s a good sense of build into :45, although the pace of the progression is a bit slow. The texture is a bit minimal, and the mix is missing a lot of mid-range tones that otherwise would’ve rounded it out nicely. Some of the synths also sound pretty grating in the treble range, like the one at 2:34. I enjoy the rhythmic content, though, and the production quality is rather good - crisp, loud, and clear-sounding instruments, although the balance of frequencies could use some work, as I mentioned earlier. I would’ve liked to hear some stronger melodic content at some point, but the atmospheric breakdown at 3:00 does add some variety to the texture. Overall, nice job with the sound design, mood and atmosphere, and progression. Some of the compositional details could use some more dynamism, especially regarding the harmonic depth of the piece early on. That said, you’ve put together a catchy, suspenseful, and cinematic-sounding track here, Adjeye. Keep at it! ^_^

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

[Richard III]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The snare is a bit generic, but I really like how the style evolves from hip-hop to metal over the course of the first verse over the course of the eerie spoken-word lyrics. The throaty/husky vocals thereafter contrast with the somewhat tranquil atmosphere really well, although the instrumental track did have a pretty generic chord progression and sound design elements. Overall, I’m impressed with the vocal work, progression, and production quality of this piece. You packed a lot of emotion into 2.5 minutes, and wrapped it in a bow of pensive and moody synths. Keep it up, ADarkerBreed! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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?)
1/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Can't Stop Me Now]

Hahaha, I remember this piece from last year’s NGUAC! :D I like the dark tone and apprehension at the beginning. The mix is a lot cleaner than I recall, and there’s a good sense of build into the drop at :45. The rhythmic content is nice, and the vocal samples add a nice punch to the texture without being overused. The re-intro at 1:45 was a good decision, and I like the furtive piano solo at 2:00 too. The melodies at 2:15 feel almost blissful compared to the dark undertones of the piece earlier, and the drop at 2:45 with the prominent pads is especially crisp. The harmonies at 3:30 or so are killer, and the extended breakdown starting at 3:45 also contributed to the variety and narrative form of the piece. The very ending of the piece (4:30 onwards) felt a bit superfluous, like it was trying to take this fairly minimal, clubbish track in a more atmospheric direction, but by itself it was pretty evocative and enjoyable as well. Overall, I’m really impressed with your work here, Ackee. You’ve built on your past successes and improved immensely on the shortcomings of your previous work. You should feel really proud of yourself, whether you make it into the group stage of the NGADM or not. Keep it up! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

Ackee39 responds:

Thanks for taking the time to write this incredibly detailed review!
Yeah, I do remember making the first drop of this for NGUAC about a year ago… gives me nostalgia thinking about it almost haha. I’m really glad I was able to improve on the mixing in a way that was noticeable, sometimes when you make too many fine adjustments you feel like its either worthless or sometimes just making it worse (which was amplified by my on and off nature of producing this) so hearing that the mixing improvements were as noticeable as they were is super re-assuring. It’s also nice to know that the many new parts i introduced worked out for the most part, as I was extreeeemely worried it might come across as messy lol

Once again, thank you for the incredibly positive review, it’s very much appreciated! Still can’t believe I managed to get to group stage, but I will do my best now that I got there :>

[I Fly So High | NGADM | Wave | Royalty Free + MIDI |]

I like the mellow pads and crisp drums. The editing on the vocals isn’t perfect, and sometimes your tone is a little uneven. It changes very quickly from being furtive-sounding to throaty and husky to full of confidence and expression. I think it might’ve helped smooth over the uneven tone if you had held out the notes for a little longer - working on your breath control might be a good next step for you. The added rhythmic elements at 1:55 are nice, and I like how you brought the piece full-circle with the “moonlight touches the sky” refrain towards the end. Overall, the composition could’ve been a tad more ambitious here, and the vocals could’ve been more polished. But I do like the instrumental tracks, mood, and production. Keep at it, Aalasteir!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
6/10

[A Newborn Spirit]

I really like the emotional appeal of the beginning melodies and the sound design. The plucked strings are a particularly nice touch, and the brief dissonance at :47 serves as a great transition into the section with the swelling string chords. The melodies at 1:15 felt like a true moment of triumph - like a kid recovering from cancer is performing in a ballet recital. If I had to complain about one thing here, it might be that the ending came on a bit suddenly. But otherwise, the sound design, production quality, composition, and atmosphere are all top-notch here. By all means, keep it up, A145! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
9.75/10

[I'm So Happy I Could Die]

I like the bouncy mood and crisp beats at the beginning. The kick has a little too much bass in it for my tastes - some more mid-tones might help it pop in the mix more - but that’s a nitpicky thing. In general, I think the drums could be a bit louder too. The cutesy vocals starting at around :30 are great, although it’s pretty difficult to make out the lyrics. The harmonic content gets a tad repetitive after a while. Especially with the frantic tempo, it might’ve been nice to have an extended breakdown earlier in the piece (like at 2:46). I think my favorite element of this piece is the transitions - the one with the dissonant piano chords at 2:57 stands out, but there’s also a neat one at 1:54 that fits with the energy of the piece really well. Overall, solid effort all around, 3xBlastMx! Despite my minor complaint with the drums, the production is really strong here, and the triumphant-sounding synths, energy, and blissful vocals make this track irresistible. Keep it up! ^_^

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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[3manon - Brainstorm (Mindscapes EP)]

I like the moody pads at the beginning. The woodwinds and brass sound pretty inauthentic - iit might be advisable to replace them with instruments that are meant to sound synthetic. The mix could be a tad crisper - the strings at :40 or so don’t come through particularly well, although you’ve balanced things out much better at :56. I like the busy beat at 1:38 and the burst of intensity at 1:49, although that’s another spot where the harmonies are ducking under the mix a bit. You might need to get a little stricter with the equalizers here, and also scale back the reverb on the pads and strings at some points. The extended pause at 3:20 threw me off a bit, and I thought the transition back into the refrain with the gradual fade-in could’ve been more creative. The key change at 3:44 was a good idea, although the new harmonies at 4:05 clash with the main melody a bit. I like the transition at 4:25, especially compared to some of the risers earlier, and the vocal sample you incorporated during the last minute of the piece was a welcome change. That little sitar riff towards the end is another element that probably needed a boost in the mix, but I like how you wound down the piece with the smooth-sounding guitar. Overall, there’s a lot to like here between the catchy rhythmic content, memorable melodies, and variety in the sound design. I still think the mixing needs more attention, as well as some of the arrangement details, but overall you’ve put a solid effort into this track, with a solid result. Keep at it, 3manon! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.75/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

3manonMusic responds:

Thank you for your constructive criticism ^-^ will definitely work on these points in the future