TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[DestructiveCreation]

I like the upbeat mood at the beginning. It’s a bit difficult to follow the rhythm of the lead for a few measures at :03, but by the time the beat comes in at :16, it’s no longer an issue. The melodies at :16 are really nice, and I like the prominent hi-hats too. The strings sound a bit inauthentic, and the kick doesn’t always come through the mix super clearly. It might help to cut out more of the low-end frequencies in the harmonic instruments with an equalizer and/or give a boost to the kick’s mid-range frequencies.

I also like how you switch up the beat for the bridge at :56. The piece has a really triumphant vibe about it, and the downtempo outro at 1:28 is also really sweet. The sound design is a bit cheesy at times, and I would definitely recommend looking into some higher-quality orchestral VSTs. If you haven’t already, I would suggest joining the NG Audio Pub on Discord, whose “Resources” tab has all kinds of free software. PM me if you want an invite link.

Otherwise, the composition here is really strong, and you nailed the sentimental mood and melody writing. Keep at it, ExplosivePickaxe! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Hostage In A Daydream]

I like the quirky synth and jazzy piano chords at the beginning. It might’ve been nice to hear more of the piano in the mix, but that problem is resolved by :11. The heavily panned bells at :22 are also cool, although by :33 I think your knack for abrupt transitions is hurting this piece a bit. It’s just rather jarring as a listener to have the instrumental palette changed every 11 seconds. Some more gradual transitions would help, as would elements of the texture that are meant to foreshadow the changes - even a simple drum fill or riser would help.

Otherwise, the harmonic content feels a bit cyclical after a while, although I like the rhythmic appeal of the section at 1:19. By contrast, the section at 1:30 is just a bit too busy both harmonically and rhythmically. There are definitely some cool ways you create variety later on in the piece, like the syncopations at 2:38. But in general, I’d suggest consolidating some of your ideas and keeping the instrumental hierarchy a little more consistent. That should help cut down on the disjointed nature of the arrangement, which will in turn open up possibilities to create variety by switching up the harmonies rather than the instruments.

Overall, I like the sound design, rhythmic content, and a lot of the individual compositional ideas here. It’s a catchy piece with some cute melodies. But one of the hardest things to do in music composition is to find a balance between variety and coherence, and the arrangement here could use some more coherence and less variety. Keep at it, e-lee-za! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

[Glitchin' Fishin']

I like the quirky synth at the beginning, even though the harmonic progression is a bit hard to follow at first. The percussion at :10 really overpowers the lead synth, and the transition into :20 is a bit abrupt. After :20, it’s the percussion that’s struggling to pop through the mix, although the frequencies are pretty well-balanced.

The rhythmic syncopations and overlapping harmonies at 1:11 are really cool. Still, the extended pause at 1:31 didn’t work for me. It just sapped the energy and momentum of the previous section. I like the call-and-response action at 1:50 and the subsequent return to the “bridge melody” at 2:01, but it feels a bit strange that you never harken back to the main motif from the first 30 seconds of the piece. It might be helpful to consolidate some of your harmonic ideas, or otherwise aim for smoother and more gradual transitions than “unite” the motifs of this piece a bit more coherently. Otherwise, there are a lot of fairly abrupt transitions that make the arrangement of this piece feel really disjointed - :30, 2:01, etc.

Overall, the sound design, harmonies, and foreboding mood of this track are all very commendable. A bit of rebalancing in the mix and a smoother ebb and flow in the arrangement would both help take this piece to the next level. Keep at it, DoTeRqwe! ^_^

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

[Daybreak]

I like the frantic percussion at the beginning. The beat at :11 is a bit over-compressed - just takes up too much of the mix - and the squeaky hi-hats could’ve used some smoothing over after a while with some subtle reverb or slight cuts to the top end of the frequency range in an equalizer.

The string chords at :32 are neat, and they blend in well with the synths and other other harmonic elements of the texture. The drop at :52 is catchy, if a bit minimal, and I would’ve liked to hear more of the harmonic instruments in the mix. The sample at 1:14 sounds a bit out-of-place, and shortly thereafter I’m beginning to think you’re overusing the frantic drum patterns, which play even during otherwise downtempo sections of the piece.

This piece also has a fair number of sudden transitions, like 1:37. The pacing is pretty fast, but there could also stand to be more variety in some of the core riffs and motifs that make up the piece. The additional percussion at 1:58 is a nice touch, but by itself doesn’t do much to instill a sense of narrative development in this track.

Overall, the sound design, rhythmic content, and atmosphere of this piece are all nice, but the arrangement is a bit disjointed and there could be a bit more variety in the harmonies later in the piece. Crafting some more gradual transitions, even if that means making the piece slightly longer, would probably help. But by the end of the piece, I’d really like to hear some more memorable melodies. Still, this is a catchy track with a lot of strong individual compositional ideas. Keep at it, Deltahedr0n! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Memory of a Bygone Era (NGUAC Knockout 2025)]

I like the eerie riser at the beginning and the delay effect on the pads. The piece is a little slow to progress, and the mix is a bit bottom-heavy, but the rich atmosphere is compelling. I enjoyed the build-up into 1:20, but it ended up being a bit of an anticlimax. Not sure I like the relatively high-pitched kick and heavy sidechaining there, and the melody at 1:51 is just a tad too subtle after you already teased it during the build-up.

The production quality holds up well, and I like the sound design, even if none of the instrumentation choices felt particularly bold. The filtering work at 2:33 is nice, but that entire downtempo section in the middle was a missed opportunity for a big “counterpunch” to the atmospheric vibe of the rest of the piece - either a powerful melody or prominent rhythmic breaks would’ve been a nice structural change. The melody at 4:00 feels more up-front in the mix than before, but otherwise nothing in the second half of this piece seems very novel or dynamic.

Overall, it’s a well-produced track with solid mixing and a nice, rich atmosphere. The composition was just a tad too bland to stand out for me among the pool of competitors. Variation on the main melody, some slightly faster pacing at times, and a prominent “B” melody or bridge would all help take this piece to the next level. Keep at it, DefectiveSmile! ^_^

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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

DefectiveSmile responds:

Thanks for the feedback and for having me this time around :) I hope to participate again next year

[h e a r t l a k e.]

The intro was a little drawn-out, but I really like the smooth jazz piano riff at :12 and the crisp beats at :24. The rhythmic content and sound design are pleasant, but the piece is rather slow to progress, and the arrangement also feels rather formulaic. The piece only ever changes on multiples of 8 bars, giving the structure a dry, predictable feel. This track could also use some stronger melodic development and some more narrative appeal in general. The start-stop transitions (like at 2:36) also didn’t quite add anything to the piece in my opinion. Overall, there are some good compositional ideas here between the evocative piano riffs and sound design. But I would’ve liked to hear a looser, more dynamic composition with some more ebb and flow over time. I’d encourage you to keep working on this - with some vocals and/or melodies and some bolder compositional decisions, this could be a really nice downtempo track. Keep at it, davidlongman! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.75/10

davidlongman responds:

Hey Tainted! Thanks for the very well thought-out feedback. I'll take these into account and I'm going under a new alias. davidlongman isn't the right handle for me, so expect me to enter the next NGUAC, just not on this account :D

[Liftoff]

I like the cute synths at the beginning. The piece feels a bit underdeveloped before the drop, though. I would’ve liked to hear a more compelling build-up besides just the riser effect. Still, the drop at :17 is catchy, and the drums are nice and crisp. The cute synths during the post-chorus at :54 were a nice touch too. The breakdown at 1:27 was a bit minimal, but good for some structural variety. I also think you overused the glitchy effects at 1:50 - structurally, that section sounded more like a bridge than a major second “point of arrival” in the piece.

Overall, I like the mixing and sound design, but the composition could use a bit more fleshing out, with some slower pacing at times to really channel the energy more. It’s a catchy track with some neat compositional details, but also a bit generic in its arrangement and harmonic progressions. The intro and outro especially feel rushed. I’d encourage you to keep working on this. Adding some bolder compositional details and more gradual transitions could really take this piece to the next level. Keep at it, CommanderFrost! ^_^

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
.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

CommanderFrost responds:

You're right about a lot of these things. If I had a bit more time maybe it would've been more polished and I appreciate the thoughtful feedback. I think that making a VIP or something of this song is a good idea like you said.

[Walken (NGUAC knockout round)]

Woah. I love the funky sound design and catchy bass line. The bubbly percussion at :36 is especially nice, and the production quality is solid as well. The piece could use a bit of a stronger narrative appeal, including some more memorable harmonic content, but you’ve laid out the skeleton of a really compelling track here. I’d encourage you to keep working on this one - it has a lot of potential. I love the dark, foreboding mood and danceable vibe. Sounds like a smoky club brimming with aliens. :D Keep at it, CielOuvert!

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Top of Her Class]

I like the slap bass at the beginning. The “ay”s are a bit overused, though. The stringed instrument at :20 was nice, although I would’ve liked it to be a tad more prominent in the mix. The “B” riff at :48 with the glissando effect is really cool, and I also like the rich pads and melodies at 1:05ish. The drums could also use some more compression and space in the mix throughout.

I like the composition, even if not all of the sound design choices were my favorite. I think some more polish to the mixing could really take this piece to the next level - it should be punchier and louder to match Amelia’s confidence and swagger. It would also be nice to maximize the emotional appeal of some of the melodies with some more mixing effects - reverb on the lead at 1:02, for example. The hats and tambourines could really stand out more with a boost in the top end of the equalizer.

Overall, solid work here, ButterBees! Despite my critique of the production, this track is catchy, flows smoothly, and has some cool compositional details. Keep at it. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[$ ./run/staticthoughts.sh]

I like the mysterious mood at the beginning. The floaty, high-pitched lead is especially haunting given the bottom-heavy, percussive atmosphere. The piece is pretty slow to progress, and doesn’t have a ton of harmonic content to hang my hat on. The eerie flourish at 1:35 was a nice injection of moving notes, but also seems relatively isolated in the context of the rest of the piece. Overall, I love the sound design and ominous vibes. The piece could use a stronger narrative appeal and some more treble- and mid-range tones, but I think you’ve laid out the skeleton for a really compelling track here. I’d encourage you to keep working on this once you come back from vacation. Keep at it, bossimusic! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
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
6.25/10

bossimusic responds:

That's the plan! I do think if I didn't have vacation in the middle of this, it could've been better fleshed out and more to my liking. I'll let you know when I revisit and expand on it—there’s a version in my head with more movement and counterpoint that I’m excited to try out. Appreciate the thoughtful feedback and encouragement a ton!