TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[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!

[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! ^_^