TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[-Steady Now-]

I like the rich atmosphere and otherworldly sound at the beginning. Again, a great use of vocals here, and the guitars are a sound design element I'm not used to hearing from you, but they fit well in the context of the piece. The transition at :54 was a tad sudden, but overall the progression here is really enjoyable. I like how you introduced the organ later on, and the guitar solo at 2:15 helps stitch the piece together well towards the end. This may be rock, but I can definitely hear the Waterflame influence in the rhythmic syncopations, elements of the sound design, and arrangement. Neat track! :)

[-Hyperspin-]

Wow! I have some catching up to do. I love the vocals and orchestral hits at the beginning. The mix is really crisp and well-balanced, and the melodic flair at :30 is great. I like how the vocals play such a prominent role in the piece, unlike a lot of your other tracks. The flutes and synths blend really well together at around the 2-minute mark, and you interchange that with the more rhythmic elements really well. The melodies at 2:40 or so are especially catchy, and the transposition of the main melody up an octave at 3:30 really sells the emotion. The overlay of the 3-beat vocal pattern at 4:45 with the four-on-the-floor beat is really nice, and later on has all of the energy, melodic prominence (especially at around 7:30), and dynamism of the first half. The rhythmic bridge at 6:15 was another highlight, and the mixing and mastering is top-notch here too. The piano outro at 8:15 caught me by surprise a bit, but added a more relaxed, cutesy vibe to the texture. Really great work, Waterflame! A highlight amongst your repertoire for sure. ^_^

[Natural Balance]

Interesting effects at the beginning. I like the bass line and crisp percussion, and the grainy effects blend in better once the beats and atmosphere come in. Another slow-burner of a piece, but the rich atmosphere and dreamy sound design work well together. I especially like the guitar riffs at around 1:40. The momentary break in the atmosphere at 2:00 was a nice touch, too - adds some structural interest without wrecking the flow of the piece. The shimmering/pulsing effect on the pad during the outro is another highlight for me. Strong work overall, KCJSDP! I use Logic Pro X too - LMK if you're available for a collab sometime this fall. I should have some time around the holidays at the very least. :)

[Altered States]

I like the relaxed guitar riffs at the beginning and the minimal drums. I think you're selling yourself short on the potential for vocals in this piece - from what I've heard of your soulful baritone, your voice would mesh nicely with the dark undertones here. The synth bass and atmospheric elements are probably my favorite elements of the piece. At some points, the sweeps are a little loud, but I like the slow-burning climax of this piece. Feels like it needs a soaring solo or more energetic section to hit it home after 2:42, but as it is it has this innate tension to it that's on the verge of boiling over. Really cool aural experience, my dude. Keep it up! ^_^

SensoryDecay responds:

Oof so this one was a really weird experience. I was trying to record acoustic guitar and felt like I did a pretty good job, especially the accompanying acoustic that comes after the rhythm and then I used an 808 bass and it kinda just took a road down a path that I lost the plot on this one, and sticking to my 3min musical end point I just finished without any real payoff or assessment. Thanks for listening though! =)

[Inner Circles]

I like the glitchy beats at the beginning and the echo-y sound design. I would've liked the drums to be a bit more prominent in the mix once the atmosphere fills out at :45 or so. The spacey breakdown at 1:20 was a nice touch as well. The piece seemed a bit lacking on melodic content, but I really like the more dynamic appeal of the synth riffs at 2:18 and beyond. Another piece where you really show off your atmospheric flair. Keep at it, KCJSDP! :)

SensoryDecay responds:

Yeah this was like the second track I played in Logic Pro X and I'm still feeling things out. My whole thing is atmosphere and soundscapes, but I haven't gotten the balance nor the musical integrity to make what I really want. Still learning always. Thanks man!

[Close Enough]

I like the smooth guitars at the beginning and the crisp drums. Your voice is really soothing, and the lyrics feel really pensive and vivid. I really like the richer atmosphere at 1:05, and the sound design aids the reflective mood of the piece nicely. I think a second verse would be a good way of adding a sense of progression to this piece. The harmonic framework gets a tad repetitive by the end of this piece, although I really like the string lines and thicker texture during the second half. Overall, really beautiful and evocative work, KCJSDP! Keep it up. ^_^

SensoryDecay responds:

Thank you! Yeah I was pretty much running on 3 minutes. Meaning I was doing anything to get to that which hindered the piece. It really means a lot that you sent such a great constructive review. Thank you.

[Through the Fog - Peaceful Stagnation (V1ZION Remix)]

Okay. Thanks for your patience, V1ZION!

I like the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning and the orchestral sound design. The way the strings fade in and out is especially nice. The cute melodies help keep things engaging, but aspects of the harmonic framework are a bit cliche. I also think the piece could've used some percussion or other stronger rhythmic elements to give it a stronger sense of drive. At 1:14, for example, I wanted those piano chords to be a bit more prominent in the mix. Overall, though, the production quality here is good, with well-balanced frequencies and a full and rich texture throughout. I also like the riser at 2:02 and how the piece comes full-circle at the end with the cute melodies and pensive chords. Solid work here, V1ZION! :)

[oh oh]

I like the distorted guitars at the beginning and the melancholy tone. The vocals fit the mood well, but sound a little too far back in the mix, especially once the beat comes in at :45. Otherwise, the instrumental tracks could use a bit more variety. But I'm enjoying the production quality and sound design overall. The piece comes together well by the 2-minute mark or so, but the vocals still sound a bit mumbled and unpolished. Still, you've captured the feeling of self-pity quite well here, and the sound design and progression are big pluses. Keep at it, man! ^_^

[Sasayaki V2]

Sorry for the slow response! I still really like the dreamy atmosphere and sound design here. You did a good job of toning down the reverb too. The mix is a lot sharper now, although still a bit quiet. If there's one section where you could still curb some more reverb, it might be around the 4-minute mark. The brass chord hits at 1:03 seem a bit incomplete, and there's some dissonance in the texture at around 2:30 when that string line comes in. The progression is a bit slow-paced at times, and I still feel like the arrangement has more of a meandering style than one centered around a strong narrative appeal. That makes the piece seem to drag a bit after 6 minutes. Still, there are a lot of great atmospheric riffs here - soothing bells, orchestral flourishes, etc. Great for a cinematic soundtrack or something. Impressive work overall, Tetrahedrix! Certainly much improved. ^_^

[Together]

I like the cute melodies at the beginning. A lot of the sound design is pretty generic here, like the pads at :24, but the beats are really crisp and the texture is full and well-balanced overall. The main melody at :34 is really refreshing and dynamic - I love the post-chorus variations at :58. The mellow breakdown at 1:30 was good for some structural contrast, and I enjoyed the transition into 2:17 as well. You find a lot of creative ways of adding melodic development and variety to the harmonic content in this piece, and the prominent synth pads at the last refrain gives the texture a more determined and cinematic feel. Overall, the composition is really great here, although the sound design and arrangement are a bit cliche. That said, I also really enjoyed the production quality - a lot of lush, loud and clear instruments in the mix. Keep at it, Zephpopli! :)

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.25/10