TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Legend]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning and the echo-y vocals. The texture is a bit bare at times, but I'm enjoying the build-up into :41 and the gritty mid-range bass at the drop. Elements of the sound design and arrangement are a bit generic, but the vocal details ("oh"s and "hey"s) are nice, and the sample at 1:25 also fits in well. Overall, my favorite element of the piece is probably the production - it's crisp and well-balanced, but also not over-compressed or artificial-sounding. The atmosphere and vocals are also big pluses here. Strong work, Annihilate! ^_^

[Lift]

I like the airy pads at the beginning, and the chord progression kinda reminds me of "Holy Night." :D The piece is a bit slow-paced at times, but I like the blissful mood and cutesy synths in the upper range. I wish the drums were a bit more prominent in the mix, especially the hats at 1:30 or so. You might even consider transposing them up an octave. By 2:45, the texture is really coming together well, although at some point I would've liked to hear some more dynamic melodic content. Still, nice job with the sound design, harmonies, and mixing. ^_^

Arctnu responds:

thanks a lot for the detailed review, it helps me a lot :) also the opening chord progression indeed sounds a bit like Silent Night because I started working on this song right before Christmas

[Merry Synthmas]

I like the cutesy synths and rich atmosphere of this one. Production quality is solid, and the crisp drums and luscious reverb give the texture a nice buoyant feel. The blissful mood and quirky sound design keep me engaged until the end, although the structuring of the piece seems pretty stream-of-consciousness at times. Overall, great work! Merry Synthmas to you too. ^_^

maximusmonk responds:

That seems like a spot-on description... especially the stream-of-consciousness part. :P Thank you!

[Girl's Night Score]

I like the gritty beat and airy pads at the beginning. The energetic part at :24 is a nice change-of-pace, and you re-integrate the ghostly pads well later on. The squeaky guitar at the end is a nice call-back to the first 20 seconds too. Pretty sweet stuff, Tera, and the production is really clean. Great work all around. I need to see the film now too... :D

[Celestial (Chiptune Arrangement)]

Love the chiptune instrumentation and bouncy, airy vocals. Really refreshing to hear something so danceable and energetic from you, Step! The drums might've been a little too far back in the mix at times for my tastes, but otherwise the production quality is stellar as always with you. The lyrics themselves are also great, although they were probably from the original. :) The solo at 2:1 or so is a killer - really fun and jumpy. The new melody in the background at 3:05 is also a nice touch, and the solos at 3:35 really help hit the piece home. Really compelling stuff, guys! Keep it up! ^_^

[Dream or Die]

Yeah, this is a piece I regret missing the first time around. Simultaneously melancholy and meditative, I love the smooth piano lines and clear, almost conversational vocals. The lyrics are kind of dark - despite the often ambiguous tone of the instrumental tracks, they seem to be describing an abusive relationship. Really evocative content, guys! Looking forward to seeing how you do in this contest (jk - I know it's already over lol). But congratulations on your success in the NGADM this year, and Happy New Year! ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

That certainly is an interesting interpretation :p
Thanks for returning to review this! I hope you had a Merry Xmas, and that you'll have a Happy New Year :D

[mind fog]

I like the wonky chords at the beginning. The string pads at :11 aren't my favorite, though - don't like how the attack is basically non-existent. The sing-songy vocals are neat. From what I can tell, the lyrics are good too. The beat could've been a bit more up-front in the mix, but otherwise the production quality here is really strong. The breakdown at 1:10 or so was a welcome switch-up to the texture, and I also enjoyed the transition back into the refrain later on. The section with the really drawn out "I can't say" line got a bit annoying, but I enjoyed the filtering phasing effects that become prominent at around the 3-minute mark. Overall, neat track! The experimental texture and blissful vocals give this a really dystopian vibe.

ihatecontortion responds:

thx also i was saying "is it you or myself i can't stand?"

[A Wish for Companionship]

Congrats again! This piano sounds great. Airy and well-balanced, with an especially resonant quality in the upper-mid range. As for the composition, the melodies are beautiful, the languid pace fits the character of the plugin well, and I like the details like the modulation at :58 and the ritardando at the end. Neat track, Everratic! Also, where is the picture in the description from?

Everratic responds:

Thank you! The picture is AI art from Midjourney.

[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!