TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Robot Bebop]

This is a jazzy and fun one! I might have liked the percussion to be a bit more prominent in the mix, but the piano and synths blend together so well, and the rhythmic content is great as well. The circus-like vibe at 1:19 is just the cherry on top. Really creative work, Ben! Sounds like it could make a decent loop too. Keep it up! ^_^

BenTibbetts responds:

Thank you! I agree about the percussion. I'll work on it. I appreciate your attentive listening and helpful comments!

[Changing Tides]

Wow. I love the rich atmosphere at the beginning and the mysterious mood. The mallets/bells that come in during the first minute help create a sense of motion, while the brass melodies at :55 solidify the sense of tranquility and majesty that pervades the piece. The different elements of the texture blend together quite nicely, and as the atmosphere fades starting at around 1:50 I'm reminded of the long exhale of a large sea create, perhaps a whale. The minimal outro also fits the piece well. Really strong work here, Ben! Happy holidays. ^_^

BenTibbetts responds:

Hey, thank you for the lovely description and kind words! Happy holidays to you as well. :)

[-Field of Memories 2-]

I remember this one! Soundtrack to Stick War. How I discovered your music in the first place, a long time ago now. :'D The cutesy synths and soothing woodwind flourishes blend in so nicely with the rich string lines and crisp percussion here. Your production skills have truly attained a professional quality since the original was released, and the slower pacing of the piece helps flesh out the emotional elements more. I like how you kept the basic structure and instrumentation of the piece from the original, too. The key change at 2:43 came on a bit suddenly, and for a while after that the rhythm of the piece was a bit hard to follow. Once the melody comes in at 2:57, things are back on track, though, and the full texture and syncopations towards the end really help give the track some more narrative appeal. The drums are a bit far back in the mix for my tastes during the busier sections, but otherwise I have no complaints there either. Great way to close out the year! Merry Christmas and happy holidays, WF. ^_^

[SPEED OF LIGHT]

Love the rich pads at the beginning and the frantic drum riff that comes in shortly thereafter. The mix is really tight and full, but also not too loud. The lyrics are evocative and creative, although I'm not sure I liked how artificial and robotic you made the vocals sound post-production. The more mellow section between the first chorus and the second verse is a nice "break in the action," and the dreamy outro with the bell-like synths is also really good. At times, I wanted the bass to come through in the mix just a tad more, but otherwise this piece has it all - energetic/atmospheric/melodic sections, really neat transitions, emotional appeal, danceability, strong production quality, and killer sound design. Keep it up, Lance! ^_^

[Hot Pink Cotton Candy (Vernias Outro)]

I like the catchy beats and flashy synths at the beginning. The mini build-up into :15 was a nice touch, and the more melodic content at :30 helps fill out the texture nicely. The production quality is also really strong here - crisp, clean, and well-balanced mixing with a full texture throughout. The atmospheric bridge was also pretty sweet, and transitions well back into the more involved build-up at 1:28. By the end, the piece feels really blissful, triumphant, and energetic. Love the more frantic melodies during the last 30 seconds and the more frequent use of the echo-y shimmering effect towards the end. Awesome work, dude! ^_^

[Last Morning]

I like the pensive piano riff at the beginning. The mix is really quiet and muddy here, though. The murky pads at :15 don't sound very polished, and the synth at :32 sounds a bit harsh on my speakers. Have you tried downloading higher-quality sample packs from the internet? That said, I like the brighter tone the piece has by the end. Cheers!

Melon4ikpro1772 responds:

Thx <3
I made this music in FLMobile out of boredom in literally 10 minutes. I'm not much of a musician :)

[The Reindeer of Light]

I like the instrumentation here a lot. Very soothing and melodic track. The shimmering strings and percussive elements add a strong sense of atmosphere, and the whispered vocals help further cement the mood later on. The texture is pretty minimal for most of the piece, and the mix is pretty quiet, albeit clean. I think my favorite part is the melody at 1:38 - it has a lot of emotional appeal. That said, the tempo seemed like it was just a tad too fast for a piece like this, and I would've liked to see the track develop more - seems like it's missing a climactic section or refrain. Either way, really evocative work, 3MP! ^_^

[gummy worms]

The rhythmic content here is really strong. Sound design is unique and quirky, which is not a bad thing at all. The arrangement is a bit choppy, though - there are sudden transitions at :27, :45, and 1:03. The mix is clean and loud, with some well-balanced frequencies and a full texture. Neat track. Could use some more fleshing out and structuring, but there are some creative ideas in here. Cheers!

[Find The Party]

Good to see a post from you again. I like the bouncy, upbeat vibe at the beginning. The texture is a little bare at times, but the lyrics are fun, if a little generic. At some point, I would've appreciated a break from the repetitive instrumental tracks and 4-pronged phrase structures - I guess you do that briefly at 3:17, but it was pretty short-lived, and the pace of the piece was slow enough that it wasn't quite enough. Overall, there are some good ideas here - I like the mood and sound design the best - but the composition feels a bit uninspired at times. Keep at it, Sloan!