TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Champions]

I like the synth arpeggios and synth guitar at the beginning. The drums sound a bit weak in the mix, especially the snare, but I like the melodies a lot, and the stop-start transition at :50 works quite well. At times, I felt like the energy level and/or instrumental hierarchy could use some shaking up, but the brief bridge at 1:56 helps scratch that itch a bit. The rich texture and sound design in this piece are probably my favorite elements of it, but the rhythmic content is also rather creative, and besides the subordinate drums, the mix holds up rather well. Solid effort all around, TheUnnamedPlayer! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

TheUnnamedPlayer responds:

how come i didn't get a notification for this review

[Another Alternative]

I like the crisp percussion and heavy pads at the beginning. The guitars contrast nicely with the warm strings, and the busy beat keeps a sense of energy and urgency in the texture. The melodies at :47 are nice and dynamic, and overall the production quality holds up really well. The mini-breakdown at 1:52 is good for some structural contrast, and I appreciate the variations on the melody during the second refrain. The outro with the string pads was a good idea harmonically. The sound design here blends well together and complements the mood of the piece rather well, but doesn’t always sound authentic, and the outro lays that idea bare. At times throughout the piece, I wanted a bit more ebb-and-flow in the harmonic instruments, especially outside of the main melodic sections, as I feel like the drums were the main source of engagement there. Also, during the melodic sections, the string pads could’ve sounded a bit more distinct in the mix. That said, the rhythmic content here is really creative, and the melodies, instrumentation, and atmosphere of the piece are also enjoyable. Congratulations on your success in the NGUAC this year, TheTrester! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
8.25/10

[Manentrix]

I like the ghostly melodies at the beginning and the pensive mid-range synth patterns beneath them. There’s a good sense of climax into :25, and the rhythmic content is really catchy at the drop. I like the frantic synth arpeggios at :52, although the reverb is a bit heavy in the texture there. Aspects of the arrangement and chord progression here are pretty generic, but I like how you keep things interesting by integrating the melodies and drops so well. I might’ve liked to hear more variety on the drops the second time around, though. That said, overall the sound design, rhythmic elements, mixing, and atmosphere of this piece are all really enjoyable. Congratulations on your success in the NGUAC this year, Skrillidm! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

Linearity responds:

Thanks Man!

[Sicra - Wanderers [NGUAC]]

Neat use of vocal samples at the beginning. I like the heavy synth riffs and percussion at :05 too, although the reverb is a bit heavy. There’s a nice sense of build into :23, and I’m enjoying the melodies there too. I think the melodic section at :45 is my favorite part of the piece - it has a great, rich atmosphere and offers a nice bout of structural contrast from the heavy drop preceding it. The breakdown at 1:22 is another strong section, and leads back into the drop/refrain well. The production quality is strong overall, but I still think the reverb is rather heavy. I also would’ve liked to hear more of a proper outro to the piece. As it is now, the ending cuts off rather abruptly. That said, the sound design, rhythmic content, melodies, and mastering are all really enjoyable here. Congratulations on your success in the NGUAC this year, Sicra! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[NGAC Final Round Submission]

I like the bright tone at the beginning and the vocal samples. The drum patterns are really nice, but might need a bit more space in the mix. The synth guitar melodies blend nicely with the string and piano riffs. The major issue here is that the composition could use a lot more fleshing out - the abrupt ending is a testament to that. I also wanted to hear some more dynamic melodic content, as the arrangement of this piece feels very formulaic after a time with major structural changes routinely occurring every 8 measures. That said, the production quality, sound design, atmosphere, and harmonic content are all really enjoyable here. Keep at it, RocketStart! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[We Come In Peace]

I like the filtering work towards the beginning and the catchy synth patterns, although the sound design is a tad cliche. The sweeps and atmospheric details are nice, and I’m enjoying the gradual climax into 1:00. The harmonic content is rather repetitive, but the mixing and mastering are solid and the progression is smooth. I think the lack of variety in the texture is a big problem after a while, though. The breakdown at 2:18 has some more atmospheric elements and different chord progression, but the instrumental hierarchy, rhythmic patterns, and beats remain constant throughout. The production quality is probably my favorite aspect of the piece, followed closely by the atmosphere and sound design. I also like the distorted radio noise at the end - adds an eerie flair to the buoyant and blissful tone of the rest of the piece. That said, the composition is a bit bland overall, and there are a lot of pretty abrupt transitions too. Still, it’s a catchy piece with some neat instrumentation and strong thematic content. Congratulations on your success in this competition, Raj! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7/10

rajbeatsofficial responds:

Solid analysis, thank you for the feedback!!

[PRGX - Data]

I like the blissful and cutesy mood at the beginning. I might’ve softened the synth at the beginning in the upper range a tad more, but once the other textural details fill in it doesn’t sound particularly harsh. I love the energy and sound design of this one, and I really like the climax into :52. The rhythmic content is great, and the drop sounds really dynamic and refreshing. The mixing is strong, although you give a lot of room to the kick in the bass range for my tastes. The vocal samples might’ve been a tad overused after a while, and I also don’t think the second drop really pulls its weight in terms of energy, dynamism, and flair compared to the first one. It might’ve given the piece a stronger narrative arc if you had put the first drop second and vice versa. That said, I still really like the sound design, production quality, rhythmic content, and rich textures here. Congratulations on your success in the NGUAC this year, PRGX! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

[ODYSSEA - Grief and Ashes]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning with the rich piano chords and warm strings. The percussion is a bit soft at first, but gradually gets more prominent as the piece goes on. I like the injection of energy at :50 and the gradual climax into 1:17. The choir is really nice there, but also overwhelms the strings and percussion in the mix a bit. The bridge at 2:17 does a nice job of transitioning into the final melodic section, and the victorious mood towards the end hits the piece home nicely, although the end cuts off a tad suddenly regardless. Overall, this is another strong cinematic piece with compelling sound design and a strong narrative appeal. The production details might need a bit of cleaning up, but this is still a solid effort all around. Congratulations on your success in this competition this year, Omson! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
8.75/10

[Realm Between Heaven and Earth]

I like the cutesy synths at :11 and the staticky harmonies around it. The melodies at :34 are really nice, although a bit too loud relative to the beats and harmonies. I like the airy breaks at the 1-minute mark and the tempo automations going into the bridge at 1:30. The piano melodies and church bells at 1:55 complement each other quite well, and the loud, punchy mix really shines at 2:17. The drop at 2:54 has a really blissful feel, and the rhythmic syncopations there are super nice. It was quite the point of contrast between the drop and the majestic orchestral section at 3:45. The strings there sound a bit artificial, though - they consistently come in slightly after the downbeat, but I can’t tell if that’s because of the sample or the sidechaining. Either way, this is compositionally a really ambitious piece that, overall, you pulled off really well. At times, the arrangement sounds a tad disjointed, perhaps because the pacing is so fast. Feels like the piece should be more like 6 minutes given how many different ideas you squeezed into here. That said, the sound design, melodies, production quality, and atmosphere are all huge pluses here. Congratulations on your success in this competition, NebulaTrax! ^_^

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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

RiSUKU responds:

WOW! Thank you so very much! I didn't expect this at all haha!
Thank you, this piece does mean quite a bit to me as it's one of those tracks where I went above and beyond. Your feedback as well as all of the other judges are really helpful and did help open my eyes so some tips production-wise.
The strings definitely were cause of the sampling, I don't know if there's any way to really adjust the attack on it.

Thank you very much for hosting and inviting us to NGUAC 2022! Looking forward to next year's. Cheers Tainted!

[Lordant - Tilion]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning and the somber cello riff shortly thereafter. The progression is a little slow-paced, but the string swells help add some sense of anticipation and drama. I really like the violin melodies at :56 and the chord progressions at around 1:10. The injection of energy at 1:24 was a welcome change to the texture, and the piece then transitions well back into a mellow and minimal section after the 2-minute mark. The clarinet solo there is particularly lovely, and I also like how you incorporated some non-Western instruments at around 3:10. During this lengthy middle section, it might’ve been nice to find ways of filling out the texture a bit more - a richer atmosphere, or perhaps percussion, would’ve kept things engaging despite the series of slow-paced and tranquil motifs. That said, you transition quite effectively back into the energetic string section at 4:17, and I like the added percussion and dense orchestration at the end. Overall, I’m particularly impressed with the production quality and sound design here. Congratulations on your success in the NGUAC this year, Lordant! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Lordant responds:

Thanks for the feedback! :]