TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Offline]

I like the crisp beats and rich texture at the beginning. The transition at :28 was a little abrupt, but I like the echo-y synth riff there and the injection of energy at :55. The melodies later in the piece have a nice, soulful quality that helps hit the piece home. The distorted synths and smooth pads blend really well together at the very end. This track is really short, yet has a strong narrative appeal, cool sound design, and solid production quality. Some of the compositional details could use some fine-tuning, like the odd sudden transition and somewhat dry mix, but overall this is really strong work, Deathincan! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

[Conspiracy]

I like the frantic percussion and quirky synths at the beginning. The piece is a tad slow to progress at first, but the bass at :30 and subsequent call-and-response action with the quirky percussion at :45 helps keep me engaged in the meantime. The rhythmic content at :56 is just awesome, and the squeaky effect that comes in every 2 bars made me laugh out loud. The sound design here is so unique and fun, and there’s a constant sense of evolution and variety. Towards the end, the arrangement seems to get a tad formulaic/repetitive, but within the part that repeats (up until 1:42), there’s so much variety that it’s hard to be mad at the later repetition. My only complaint with the mixing is that the percussion is distorting some of the background elements of the piece at 2:07 or so. Usually, my judging standards include things like “melodic content” and “structural contrast,” but honestly fuck my judging standards. This piece is delightful. Keep up the good work, DDI! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

DEATH-DANGER-INCOME responds:

Thank you very much! Appreciate it. <3
Had to use the heart one time, sorry.

[DatCat11 - Frozen Over]

I like the catchy riff at the beginning. The little fade-out at :10 threw me off a bit, but the synth guitar at :11 is cute, and plays a neat melody. I’m enjoying the sense of climax into :56 and the more prominent melodies that play there. I think the chord progression is a bit generic, though, and the drums fall a bit flat in the mix here. I’d suggest adding some compression to them to make them sound more punchy and sharp, especially the snare. At 2:51, the more stripped-down melodies were good for some structural contrast, and I enjoyed the transition back into the refrain at 4:05 too. I might’ve liked to see a little more variation on some of the main melodies later in the piece, but the piano outro was a good idea, and hits the piece home nicely. Overall, you clearly have a great sense of harmony, progression, and rhythm. Important next steps for you are tightening up the mix, especially with the rhythm section, and adding some more variety to the composition. Keep at it, DatCat11! :)

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

[Talking Tracy]

I like the quirky synth at the beginning and the rich atmosphere. The synth guitar at :18 sounds a tad cheesy, but I’m enjoying the sense of climax into :35 and the minimal beat that comes in thereafter. The harmonies blend well together, and I like the more staccato-y texture that starts at :52. That said, I would’ve liked to hear a bit more variety in the composition later on, with some more dynamic melodic content and a stronger overarching sense of ebb and flow. That said, the production quality was enjoyable, and despite a few questionable sound design choices (including the synth at 1:53), I enjoyed the progression and apprehensive mood. Keep at it, damnhurt! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
7/10

[Phase - Corruption Part II (Paradox LP)]

I like the ominous atmosphere at the beginning and the rather jazzy vibe I’m getting from the pads there. The drum samples at :35 sounded a tad dry and generic, but the pianos and atmospheric instruments continue to be enjoyable. By the 1-minute mark or so, the bass completely takes over the texture, with the heavy compression being a bit distracting and the mix starting to sound a little bottom-heavy. I’d suggest reining in the volume levels on the bass and giving a bit more space to the pads and other effects. I also think the last two thirds or so of the piece gets pretty repetitive, although the change in the instrumental palette at 2:20 was a nice touch. Overall, the composition falls a bit flat here despite a really strong intro and solid sound design. I also would’ve liked to hear a bit more of a creative ending than a fade-out. You’ve certainly won me over on the production quality, rhythmic elements, and atmosphere, though. Keep at it, CubiksPlus! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[rain.]

I like the piano riff at the beginning and the quirky textures in the background. The distorted saxophone riff at :16 is a nice touch, and the ocean sound effects complement the instrumental palette well. The production quality is strong here, with a booming sub-bass that sits perfectly in the mix to boot. I kinda wish the melodies at 1:07 were a bit more prominent in the texture, and in general I think some more prominent melodic content would’ve given this piece a more well-rounded character, but the rich piano at the end helped scratch a bit of that itch for me. I think the piece would make a great loop, too given the abrupt ending. Overall, this is strong work! The composition could’ve used a tad more fleshing out in my opinion, but other than that my complaints are all nitpicks. Keep at it, Crysstal712! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

Crysstal712 responds:

Thanks for the feedback :)

[Thistle]

I like the moody, pensive vibe at the beginning and the melancholy and dissonant harmonies. The rhythm is also rather compelling, although sometimes the progression here is a bit disorienting. Once the texture starts filling out at :48, you immediately start scaling it back and take the piece in an entirely different direction by 1:00. Your oscillation between moody and jazzy on the one hand, and blissful and orchestral on the other make it feel like part of a rich and complex narrative. The production quality is also fantastic, btw. And the more full-textured section at 3:00 helps hit the piece home. I think it’s rather ironic that you uploaded this in July, as there’s something distinctly wintery about the jazzy and ominous harmonies. The entire piece sounds like I’m watching an old man struggle to shovel his driveway on a snowy Sunday afternoon. Overall, this is a really unique piece - in terms of sound design, rhythm, and otherwise. Honestly, let me know if there’s somewhere I can download this. Keep up the good work, Cresince! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
9.5/10

Cresince responds:

Thank you so much for the thoughtful response! I love your wintery viewpoint on the song, it definitely has that vibe now that you point it out.

I made a private link so you or anyone can download the wav file here:
https://soundcloud.com/user-132925677/thistle/s-fgVV76fM00G?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

I'll be trying my best for this contest! Thanks again for hosting a great event. <3

[Gorgeous Fantasy]

I like the upbeat mood and airy piano riffs at the beginning. When the beat comes in at :23, it seems to really distort the melodies, though. The mix seems a bit more well-balanced during the climactic section at :45, and I appreciate the variations in the beat and the instrumental palette at 1:30. That said, the harmonic content feels pretty stagnant after a while. I think the breakdown at 1:51 was a missed opportunity to do something different in that regard, although I do like the addition of the strings at 2:15. In that same vein, some more variation on the main melody later on in the piece would’ve been welcome. Even a modulation of transposition up the octave would’ve helped keep things sounding fresh towards the end. That said, I think you nailed the atmosphere, sound design, and progression of this one, and my complaints with the mixing are minor. Adding some more memorable and dynamic melodic content, as well as variety in the composition later on, are important steps for turning this into a top-tier piece. Keep at it, CrazyKryz13! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.75/10

CrazyKryz13 responds:

Thank you for your review! I'll try and learn more to make my music better! Next year of NGUAC I'll try to remember to come back to show off ;)
Thank you.

[Restless]

I like the eerie vocals and gritty bass at the beginning. The synth riff at :25 shifted the mood a bit into a more blissful direction, and I was again thrown off by the change in the synth pattern at :40. The synths and beat are both catchy and neat, and I like the minimal breakdown at 1:15 too. That said, the structure of this piece feels a bit disjointed and directionless. There are a lot of sudden transitions, and each section seems to rehash a similar motif without contributing much to an overarching sense of direction. I like how you brought back the creepy vocals at 2:12, and before I forget I also want to compliment you on the mixing here. All of the instruments sound crisp and well-balanced in the texture.

That said, I think you could’ve done a lot more with the composition here. The rhythm of the moving notes is pretty square, and I think you missed a big opportunity to create a sense of climax and “arrival” at some point in order to tell a story. In this light, the fade-out ending seems like a reiteration of the stagnant nature of the progression here. Basically, I think you need to write your melodies with a “goal” in mind in the context of your piece. In other words, you’re using the melody to lead somewhere other than where you started - it could be a particular note later in the melody, a specific feeling, or even a different section of your piece. That thing you’re leading towards - the point of arrival - is what makes the piece worth listening to again. In a lot of pop songs, it’s the chorus or refrain. In others, it could be a particularly energetic or climactic part, where the tension in the piece comes to a head and/or gets released. That sort of section of music is what I think is missing from this piece.

Right now, the atmosphere of your piece encapsulates restlessness really well, but how does that tension get resolved? Does the protagonist stay restless forever? Or does that restlessness morph into resentment and anger at people around him? Or does he learn to appreciate what he has, despite wanting more? Somehow, I want the music to tell me this.

That said, I really like a lot of the individual ideas in the piece, from the haunting vocals to the minimal beats to the sound design. I’m really seeing the potential here, but I’m not quite sold yet. Complete the story for me next time.

Keep at it, Cookie-group! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
6.75/10

[The Goblin Slayer]

I like the ominous atmosphere at the beginning. The kick at :12 helps to add some sense of drive to the texture, but I’d suggest toning down the reverb on it. It’s taking up a bit too much space in the mix that way. The synths at :36 are nice, and complement the ominous mood of the piece well. I think the reverb on them is a bit too heavy too, though - with all the reverb in the texture, the piece sounds very murky and indistinct. At the very least, I’d suggest turning down the wet reverb and turning up the dry reverb to give the synths more of a concrete attack. Composition-wise, I like the piece a lot better. You have a lot of catchy and creepy synth riffs that sell the mood of the piece really well, and this track is also pretty well-structured to ebb and flow between a more energetic sound and something less urgent but still apprehensive. Your choices for synths to use are pretty good, but I think the sound design would be more enjoyable here without all the reverb overwhelming the mix. Sorry to keep going back to that, but the reverb really does detract from my enjoyment of the piece. The good news is that it’s a pretty easy fix. Generally speaking, a more effective way of filling out the texture of a piece is to add more harmonies, not more mixing effects. Still, I’m thoroughly enjoying the eerie vibe and frantic synth riffs here. Keep at it, CheesyChan! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
5.5/10