TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[There's a Battle in the Owl Forest]

I love the foreboding atmosphere at the beginning and the faint vocals. The mix sounds a bit quiet and contained, but by :41 I’m really enjoying the Celtic groove, and also how it’s interspersed with more legato sections like at :51. The percussion and (are those Rhodes?) at 1:19 sound really cool, and I like how the texture of this piece gradually gets fuller and richer as it goes on. There are a lot of twists and turns in the mood, with 1:59 sounding pretty melancholic. The composition could’ve been a bit more cohesive overall, and there were definitely some transitions that caught me off guard - like 2:41. It’s always nice to hear your vocals, although during the final climax at 2:55 or so they don’t quite punch through the mix like I want them to. The percussion could also be a bit more crisp in the mix in places, like at 1:50. The outro is absolutely beautiful, though - not to be trite, but it truly does sound ethereal. Overall, I love the melodies and sound design here. Strong sense of storytelling with this one. Keep at it, Jordi! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
9.25/10

[Ultimatum (NGUAC Finalists 2024)]

I like the ominous atmosphere at the beginning. The ascending line and filtering into :28 are just haunting, and the production quality is solid here too. The transition at :50 is a tad abrupt, and the mood seems much lighter and more tranquil thereafter. The minimal section at 1:15 was a good segue back into the more energetic content at 1:35. The echo/delay effects at 1:57 are just beautiful, and the refrain at 2:03 sounds very somber and rueful. This piece is a bit of a slow burner, and I think the composition could’ve been a tad bolder in places, especially towards the end. I also think you overuse the sudden transitions a bit, and that the harmonic content is a tad repetitive. That said, the sound design is top-notch, and I love the creepy, sinister undertone of the piece. You could even play that up a bit more with some more mixing effects - subtle pitch shifts, reverb automations, etc. Still, really evocative stuff here, DefectiveSmile! Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC. ^_^

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?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10

[Eye of Evolution]

I like the dreamy pads at the beginning. The piece is a little slow to progress at first, but I like the gentle woodwind instruments at :30. The transition into :58 could’ve been a tad smoother, and the kick sounds a bit heavy for a piece like this with fairly light and airy harmonies. Maybe some more mixing effects on the harmonies could help fill out the atmosphere a bit more. The bass at 1:27 also takes up a bit too much space in the mix. The texture comes together well at 1:58 - very upbeat and much more full-sounding. The rest of the piece has a solid progression of melodic and harmonic ideas, but they often sound a bit disjointed. Some more variety in the energy level, and perhaps a consolidation in the number of distinct synth patterns, could help keep this piece sounding both more cohesive and appropriately varied. Overall, I like the energy, sound design, and rhythmic aspects of this piece. The choppy arrangement is my main concern here. The transitions could be a lot smoother and more gradual, and I’d like to see you integrate some of the main melodic motifs across sections (as opposed to just having one idea after another in succession). The drum fill at 1:55 would help smooth transitions over in a couple more places, but sweeps, risers, or melodic transitions would also be appropriate. Still, I love the upbeat mood here and the instrumentation! Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, CosmoSynth, and hope to see you back next year. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Way Back Home (NGUAC 2024 Version)]

I like the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning and the nostalgic tone of the vocals. The vocal delivery is great - conversational in tone, but also captures the introspective lyrics well. I like the crisp drums and airy pads too, although the drums could’ve been a tad stronger in the mix at times. Writing-wise, the instrumentals here could’ve been a tad bolder at times - the solo at 2:06 is catchy and blends in with the atmosphere well, but it also could’ve had a bit more range to really sell the emotional appeal of this piece. The chord progression and aspects of the arrangement are a tad cliche, and I would’ve liked to see you create a more climactic section in the second half of the piece. Despite these nitpicks, I still really like the sound design, vocals, and atmosphere of this one. I think “the embers might not glow” is my favorite lyric in the piece. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, AveragePhoe! ^_^

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

[AndrewCR × Upcoda - Glee]

I like the cute synth pattern at the beginning and the subtle build-up into :18. The production quality is solid, although the first minute already feels pretty repetitive. I like the melodies at :54 - very upbeat and dynamic. The breakdown at 1:31 was a nice change-of-pace, and the tense atmosphere at 1:50 created a good backdrop for the build-up into 2:26, although the build-up itself felt a bit dragged-out. The mix sounds a bit strained at 2:26, with the snare in particular struggling to pop through at times. The glitchy outro at 2:45 was a nice touch, but also a bit overly repetitive. Overall, I really like the sound design, melodies, and progression of this one. The composition could be a bit bolder at times, especially later in the piece, and at times the pacing feels a bit slow too. That said, the triumphant mood and bouncy synths are still very strong elements of this piece. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, fellas! ^_^

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

upcoda responds:

thanks for the review taintedlogic! believe me we will really take the comments into account!

[Finale]

I like the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning and the funky rhythmic elements of this. The melodies at :45 are really majestic, and the strings blend in really well with the synth harmonies. The piece flows really smoothly into the breakdown at 1:09, and the vocals at 1:52 were a pleasant surprise. The piece comes together nicely with the second climactic section at 2:14, although the mix there sounds a bit thin in the middle and the repeated vocal verse at 2:37 already felt a tad stale. Overall, the production quality and sound design here are really good, though. Love the rich bass at :45 and the crisp percussion throughout. The first half of the piece in particular sounds very refreshing and unique. Overall, strong work here, ALGO! ^_^

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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

[one80 - dubble-bubble (NGUAC 2024 Knockout Round)]

I like the flashy beats and cute synths at the beginning. There’s a nice subtle build-up into :30. The drop is catchy, but the mix sounds like it’s missing some mid-range tones. Maybe some more prominent pads or something would help fill it out a bit more. The atmospheric bridge at 1:17 is really nice, as is the transition into 2:02. At some point, I would’ve liked to hear some more depth in the harmonies. That said, the production quality is really strong, and the rhythmic content here is top-notch. Some of the synths sound a bit thin in the texture, and that’s especially noticeable when most of the instruments playing during some of the busier sections of the piece sound like that. That said, overall the sound design blends together well and has a nice, light and airy flair. Really evocative piece here, and fitting of your username! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

whymsical responds:

thanks for rating! i admit that mixing mids are kinda rushed, and the synths arent layered.

[The Wave]

I like the eerie texture at the beginning and the smooth descending guitar line at :09. The distorted vocals at :20 sound a bit bizarre in context, although the drop at :33 is catchy. The texture is still pretty minimal, although the shimmering pads at 1:16 and the mixing effects help keep things interesting. The “underwater” effect at 1:27 sounds really cool, if a tad goofy given that there’s not much going on in the texture there. The reverse percussion at 1:23 is pretty cool, too. Overall, I would’ve liked to see some more depth and variety in the harmonies here, but the experimental texture of this is definitely really engaging and unique. You have a real knack for creating a rich and dynamic atmosphere with relatively few sounds. Keep at it, Walpang! ^_^

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
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
8/10

Walpang responds:

Thanks as always for the specific and incredibly constructive feedback!! Comments like these really help with dialing in the exact feeling that I'm after.

[loss of consciousness [NGUAC24]]

I like the glitchy meter at the beginning, but the lead synth sounds a bit harsh in the mix. I’d suggest softening it with a tad more wet reverb and other mixing effects. The drums towards the beginning could also use a boost with some more compression. The bass line at :25 is cool, but sounds a bit overly contained in the mix. I might suggest moving it up an octave and then playing with the filtering and equalizer to keep some of the original contained effect, but just make it more dynamic-sounding. The piece really comes together well at 1:05, with a richer texture and better balance of frequencies. The composition could still use a bit more fleshing out here, though, and you also overuse the glitchy stop-start effects after a while. I’d encourage you to keep working on this. I’d love to hear a full-length version of this piece that has a bit more depth and variety in the harmonies. Really cool sound design and progression here, though. Keep at it, VirtuaLIkimono! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

[Red Thirst [NGUAC24]]

I like the waltzy meter and eerie harpsichord harmonies at the beginning. Whether intentionally or not, the slight stumbling of the notes at :14 only contributes to the ominous mood, and there’s a nice gradual build-up into 1:10. The evil laugh at :45 and screaming at 1:09 add to the thematic content nicely. The drop at 1:10 is nice, if a tad bottom-heavy. I would’ve liked to hear more of the backing pads in the mix there. The melody at 1:38 is catchy, but also could’ve been a bit more dynamic. There are a lot of repeated contours in it. The chord progression at 2:07 is nice, and I really like the echo-y upper-mid pad at 2:47. Overall, the sound design, flow, and rhythmic content here are all great, and the production quality is also solid. The composition could use a bit more depth later on, with a thicker texture and more of an ebb-and-flow in the phrasing. Still, I love the foreboding mood and progression of this one. Keep at it, TotallyPorff! ^_^

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
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

TotallyPorff responds:

Thank you so much for the advice! I look forward to next time!