TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[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

[Fireflies]

I like the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning and the crisp drums at :14. The punchy breaks at :27 are catchy and well-balanced, but also a bit over-compressed. I like the dynamic contrast and melodic flair provided by the breakdown between :55 and 1:20 or so, and the shimmering synth at 1:23 was an especially neat sound design choice. The airy, sighing synth at 1:37 has a nice melancholy and wistful quality to it, which contrasts nicely with the energetic and blissful refrain. I might've liked to hear a bit more variety in the refrain the second time around, but the piano outro was a nice sentimental touch. Overall, solid work here, VFG! The arrangement is a tad generic, but I love the atmosphere, sound design, and melodies. ^_^

[Village Fest - NGADM Round 2]

I like the bright tone of the piano riff at the beginning. The syncopations are really nice, and the melodies at :30 have a whimsical and cutesy quality to them. The Irish flute is a great addition to the sound design, and between percussion and mallets this piece has a really lush texture in the top end of the frequency range, which is fairly uncommon on Newgrounds IMO. The change-of-pace for the outro at 2:31 was another great compositional idea, and the dreamy, shimmering strings and waltzy rhythms throughout this piece truly make it what it is. Strong work across the board, Elias! Good luck in the ADM. ^_^

Santi-Montali responds:

Thank you so much TL! Always appreciate your reviews :)

[The Infinite Monkey Ball]

I like the distorted texture at the beginning and the frantic beats at :09. The rhythmic content here is really creative, and the grating sound design and minimalism complement each other well. Some of your drum samples sound a tad generic, like the snare at 1:01, and I also think the lead synth at 1:26 could've sounded a bit more polished. The return of the frantic beats at 1:52 was nice, and you kept finding ways to add dynamism to the texture. The dreamy outro at 2:55 was a pleasant surprise too. Part of me wanted to see you integrate some of the atmospheric elements of the last 30 seconds into the section with the busy beat a bit more, just to make the arrangement of this piece a little less choppy. But overall, this is really compelling work, LN! Good luck in the ADM. ^_^

[All That I Am]

I like the emotional appeal of the beginning. The piano progression reminds me a lot of the soundtrack of Interstellar (which is a good thing), and the warm strings and harpsichord blend nicely into the texture as well. The synth riff at :46 complements the cinematic flair well, and the breakdown at 1:05 helps add some structural contrast before the final climactic section at 1:24. The percussion here could've been a bit more up-front in the mix at times, and I also would've liked to hear some more prominent melodic content at some point. The strings cut off a bit abruptly at 2:02, although ending with the percussion was a good idea. Overall, solid work here, AceMantra! I really like the sound design and progression in particular. Good luck in the ADM! ^^

[GET IN LOSERS, WE'RE DOING SQUATS]

I like the creative beats at the beginning and the groovy synths shortly thereafter, especially the riff at :20. The mix is nice and punchy, and you balance the rhythmic appeal and melodic elements well throughout. The transition at 1:52 was a bit sudden, but you hit the piece home nicely at the end. Strong production quality, sound design, and progression here, CG! Good luck in the ADM. ^_^

[Garance's Theme]

I love your waltzes, Everratic. :D This sounds elegant, determined, and light-hearted. Once the strings come in at :39, you've really encapsulated a sense of wonder and majesty, like a child wading through a landscape made of candy. The oom-pah brass and oboe melodies at 1:18 add a nice sense of mystery and furtiveness for contrast, and the modulation at 1:58 helps brighten the tone for the last melodic section of the piece. Really lovely work overall! Good luck in the ADM. ^_^

Everratic responds:

Thank you!