TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[NGUAC Final Round - Hopping Over Puddles]

I like the distinct and fast-paced chord progression at the beginning. The busy drums and somewhat dissonant harmonies are neat, and I’m also enjoying the string melodies at :31. There’s a nice waltzy meter at :45. The sound design and blissful mood combine to give this piece a showtunes vibe, and the mixing and mastering are really solid as well. Some of the transitions are a little abrupt, like at 2:03. I think the downtempo section at 2:18 is my favorite part of the piece, but harmonically the transition back into the refrain at 2:47 didn’t feel particularly smooth either. The piece is also missing some bass tones at times, leaving the texture sounding a bit thin in places. Overall, you certainly took some risks with the harmonic framework and arrangement, the former of which paid off better than the latter IMO. Otherwise, the production quality, sound design, atmosphere, and melodies are really enjoyable here. Congratulations on your success in the NGUAC this year, LordAndiso! ^_^

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

LordAndiso responds:

I did not expect to get this close to the top :o I woke up to the results and bam my day got a lot better! I did not expect my mixing to be this good as I haven't had anybody really tell me that before. relistening my previous year's Nguac submissions I can really see the growth :)
Thank you so much, TaintedLogic :3

[How To Make Friends In The Post Apocalypse]

I like the punchy guitars at the beginning and the suddenly more blissful vibe at :06. The melodies are enjoyable overall, but it’s also a bit difficult to follow the contour at times with all of the ornamentations. The drums also could’ve been a tad more prominent in the mix. That said, overall the frequencies are well-balanced and the sound design is really good. The piece could use a bit more structuring, as right now the same instrumental hierarchy is prevalent throughout and the energy level is pretty constant. The melodies at around the 2-minute mark do a good job of hitting the piece home, and the mellow, airy outro is also a nice addition to the narrative arc of the piece. Overall solid work, ko0x! Congratulations on your success in the competition this year. ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8/10

[Final [NGUAC]]

I like the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning and the soulful guitar that comes in shortly thereafter. The sound design reminds me almost of Latin pop at first. There’s a nice subtle build-up into 1:04, but I don’t think you fully capitalized on its momentum. The harmonic framework here is pretty generic, although the progression and mood are enjoyable. I also would’ve liked to hear some more ambitious melodic development later in the piece. Although I appreciated the variations at 2:46, I thought you could’ve been a tad bolder there to really resolve some of the pent-up tension in the piece. That said, the mixing is really strong here. Perhaps there’s a tad too much reverb in the texture at some points, but it complements the languid flow of the piece quite well. Overall, strong work here, Jotrocken! The sound design and progression in particular were highlights for me. :)

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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

Jotrocken responds:

Well... you can tell i struggled with this track. This is so much different of my last track, two weeks wasn't enough for me xD.
For full perfection i had to restart most of the track by week two. But it's good anyways so i stay tuned for next year.
Thanks again for detailed feedback and keep me updated for next time :)

[Tranquilize]

I like the sound design and eerie mood at the beginning. The mix is nice and punchy, and there’s a good sense of build into :49. The compression is very heavy during the drop, but perhaps a bigger problem is the minimal texture and generic beat. I like the variations at 1:46, but given the fast pacing of the middle section, it felt more like a bridge than an outro there. I’d like to see you flesh out the composition a bit more here - as it is now, the intro takes up 25% of the track length. That said, the flashy synths and vocal samples are really neat, and I enjoy the atmospheric elements of the middle section and the rhythmic pattern throughout. Keep at it, ImCold! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[lost tapes before death]

The atmosphere at the beginning has a really evocative mood, but the samples themselves sound a bit harsh and unpolished. The beat at :22 is a bit generic, and the snare at :30 is a tad overwhelming, although it blends in better once some of the other harmonies fill in around it. The reverb at 1:07 is pretty heavy on the bass, and at 1:35 it’s a bit tricky to follow the rhythms. The harmonic content is very repetitive here, although the sound design and atmosphere help keep me engaged. The compression is very heavy at times, but perhaps the mix wouldn’t sound so artificial if you toned down the reverb more. I think my favorite elements of the piece are the creepy mood and ambiance, but the production quality also holds up well at the end of the day. The composition could’ve been a bit more dynamic, especially regarding the harmonic framework, and your sound design choices struck me as a bit cliche at times. That said, the rhythmic content is solid, and I like how you gradually transition to a more rock influence by around 1:30. Keep at it, FlowerBoyDeMii! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

[Koi Brook]

I like the jazzy chords and white noise at the beginning. The sound design is really smooth and neat, especially the fat bass and E-piano. The harmonies are a tad dissonant at times, but I love the guitar solos at the 1-minute mark and how they interlock with the rhythmic syncopations in the pads and harmonies. The breakdown of the rhythmic framework at 1:45 was also well done, with some really evocative shimmering textures leading nicely into the sighing brass solos at 2:18. The drums are a bit soft in the mix during the latter half of the piece, but the plucked string solos at the 3-minute mark and shimmering guitar textures really shine in their place. This is probably some of the best sound design I’ve heard so far in this competition, and the reverb is at the perfect amount where it helps fill out the atmosphere without being overwhelming. Structurally, the piece has this great slow-burn type of climax into 4:15, although the transition into the outro feels a tad abrupt. That said, the level of variety here is really impressive. You took some risks with this one - the experimental texture and dissonant harmonies, for example - but at the end of the day, they really pay off IMO. You’ve painted a clear picture in my head of some very sexy fish. Congratulations on your success in the NGUAC, Cresince! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
9.25/10

Cresince responds:

I am very glad you enjoyed it, and your song analysis really helps me and others to get some perspective on our work! Thank you for putting on a really fun competition, I think my followers have almost doubled and I am finding a lot of great composers because of it. <3

[The Mystical Forest]

I like the nature sound effects at the beginning and the dreamy piano shortly thereafter. The texture feels rich and well-balanced, and the mallet melodies and soaring string chords have all the lusciousness of a forest itself. The piano melodies at 1:33 are also beautiful, and I’m enjoying the heightened energy at 1:51. The production quality here is rather fantastic, and the sound design and atmosphere are quite evocative. If I had to complain about something, it might be that the piece could’ve felt more dynamic at times, especially towards the beginning. The one climax that’s here is short-lived and doesn’t quite feed my appetite for cinematic drama that you’ve so wonderfully set up in the first 2 minutes of the piece. Still, that is a very nitpicky complaint. This piece shows some top-notch composition and production value, Celestial-Sticker. Congratulations on your success in this competition! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.5/10

anthonyragus responds:

Thanks so much Andrew. I agree with your dynamics and form assessments. There's a sense of natural progression, and tention-release balance, that's missing here. I wrote myself into a bit of a corner and didn't get out till the final day, so I felt the pressure this round, hehe. All things considered, I'm happy the "visuals" of the music came through, and I will aim to integrate all these helpful suggestions into future works.

[Four Roots Above Still Water]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning and the eerie spoken word vocals. The reverb is a bit heavy, especially on the bass, but the minimal texture ensures it doesn’t compromise the mix too much. That said, I wish the drums were a bit punchier - they don’t quite pop through the pads as much as I would’ve liked. The piano solos and rhythmic syncopations at 1:40 or so are really nice, and I like the glitchy elements at 2:05 as well. The time signature changes are rather well done, and the sound design is a highlight of the piece for sure. I enjoyed the transition back into the spoken word refrain at 3:25, although I might’ve liked to see a bit more variety on some of the main harmonic riffs towards the end. At some point, a stronger contrast in the energy or volume levels might’ve helped give the piece a stronger sense of dynamism. That said, the engrossing atmosphere, neat ‘80s synths, quirky meter, and smooth progression are all very well-executed here. Congratulations on your success in this competition, Aardvark04! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Pulled into the]

I like the waltzy meter and sound design at the beginning. The transition into :41 could’ve been a tad smoother, but I like the bright mood and quirky instruments like the pulsing mid-range bass at 1:08. Some of the harmonic elements could’ve been a bit more prominent in the mix at 1:08, though, as I think the mid-range bass takes up a lot of space. The piano solos at 1:52 are nice, although a bit more post-production might’ve helped give the piano a fuller, richer sound. The fairly abrupt transition at 2:15 and subsequent frantic bass riffs weren’t my favorite - the grating texture doesn’t fit very well into the broader context of the piece IMO. I also think you could’ve done a better job of integrating the harsh, bass-y section with the mellow, cutesy outro. Overall, there are a lot of good individual ideas here - catchy harmonic riffs, (mostly) solid sound design, and decent production. The big problem in my mind is that the arrangement is very disjointed. It feels like the piece is being pulled in a couple of different directions thematically, and the result is a bit jarring. That said, I always appreciate the use of 3/4 time signatures and orchestral-electronic hybrid instrumentation. Thanks for your participation in the NGUAC this year, 314leafcutterant! Hope to see you back next year. :)

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