TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Plesiosaur to meet you]

I like the quirky synths and ominous piano riff at the beginning. The entrance of the piano doesn’t really line up with the downbeat for a while, but it becomes less noticeable when the beat comes in at :09. I’m enjoying the sense of climax into :35, and the quirky rhythmic content at :36 is really creative. I think you may have gone a tad overboard with the echo and reverb effects, as in several places the piano gets a bit drowned out in the mix, especially at 1:20. The texture also sounds pretty thin throughout, although the more frantic sections like 2:00 or so are slightly richer than others. The rhythm at 2:22 is a bit hard to follow, but I like the piano solos at 2:43 and how you transition back into the gritty percussive texture at 2:57. It seems like 3:32 is a good culmination of the various motifs in the piece, but I was a little disappointed to see this piece end in a fade-out - doesn’t really resolve the tension that’s present in the piece, nor does it feel very conclusive in general. Overall, I think the piece needed a bit more harmonic depth in places to keep me engaged, and the experimental texture of it was a bit overdone. Counterbalancing the creepy rhythmic and industrial ideas with something more atmospheric, melodic, or at least full-textured might’ve been more effective as a way of channeling the tension and energy of the piece into a more compelling narrative form. That said, this is one of the more unique sound designs I’ve heard so far in the contest, and you’ve definitely sold the ominous mood of this piece really well. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, dogsinmrimachines! It was a plesiosaur to meet you too. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
6/10

[overgrowth]

I like the percussion at the beginning. The monkey sound effects and claps are a bit loud in the mix, but I like the sound design and catchy synth riffs a lot. The chord progression is a bit cliche, but I’m enjoying the melodies, especially the one at 1:47, and the texture feels very full and well-balanced throughout. The minimal breakdown at 2:43 was also a nice touch - the secondary melodies and bongo rolls there really helped press the reset button on the piece. I would’ve liked to hear some more variation on the main melody the third time around at 3:40 or so, but I think the quirky sound design and rhythmic content help keep me engaged. Overall, solid work, Dimas25! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Dekiru - Shattered (NGUAC22)]

I like the blissful mood at the beginning and the nature sound effects. The mix is loud and pretty clean, and the cutesy melodies at :25 and rich bass complement each other well. I’m enjoying the build-up into 1:04, but there’s some dissonance in the texture at 1:07 with that chord change. Some of the drum sample choices at the refrain weren’t my favorite. The snaps at 1:20 don’t come through the mix very well, and the snare you layer on top at 1:28 sounds a bit flat, like you filtered too many of the treble tones out of it. The melodies at the breakdown at 1:40 are nice, although sometimes the harmonies there trip over each other a bit. I also would’ve liked to see you vary the main melody more in the last half of the piece. As it is now, the main melody is not very dynamic or memorable, and the modulation at 3:05 felt a bit abrupt. By the way, 3:15 is another spot where I think there’s a bit too much going on in the texture harmonically. I think the arrangement and sound design in this piece are also a bit generic, although they do complement and enhance the upbeat mood well. Overall, the composition is a bit rough around the edges, but I like the atmosphere, rhythmic content, progression, and a lot of the individual riffs. Keep at it, Dekiru! :)

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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.5/10

[VOID]

I like the heavy beats with the quirky stereo clicks, synth bass, and popcorn snare. The progression is a bit slow-paced, although I like the organ riff at :58. Most of the piece is a bit lacking in harmonic depth or dynamic elements that keep it engaging. The production quality is good, and the sound design is also interesting. That said, I think the bland composition and lack of variety hurt your score a bit. More structuring, melodic content, and/or changes to the sound palette would’ve been welcome here. Still, I appreciate the ominous, well-balanced atmosphere and quirky instrumentation. Keep at it, Deathincan! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
6/10

[Mortal]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning and the smooth synth bass. The build-up into :25 was enjoyable, and the rhythmic content at the drop was enjoyable. The texture at the drop was a bit thin, though, and I think it couldn’t hurt to take some treble off of some of the squeakier synths there. The harmonic content is a tad bland here, although the conga during the middle section, as well as the metallic-sounding snare and crisp hi-hats, added some level of interest to the texture. I also think the drop needed some more variety the second time around to contrast it with the previous one. Overall, the production quality is probably my favorite aspect of the piece. Elements of the sound design, rhythmic content, and progression are also enjoyable. The compositional details could’ve used a lot more fleshing out, though, and some more harmonic depth and variety later on would also have been welcome. Regardless, thanks for coming out to the NGUAC this year, DDI! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6/10

[DatCat - Daunting Presence (NGUAC 2022 Knockout Round)]

I like the bass drone at the beginning and the echo-y synth at :13. The rhythm at :26 is a bit square, but I like the build-up into :53. The drums, especially the clap, and some of the synths (like the lead at 1:18) are a bit cheesy, but the mixing and mastering are really solid here. The melodies felt a tad stale at first, but by 1:40 they’re more dynamic and loose. The kick gets a little lost in the mix at around the 3-minute mark, although overall everything sits nicely in the mix, especially the lush synth bass. The chord progression is pretty cliche, and the arrangement of the piece also was a bit formulaic. I would’ve liked to see you vary the melodic content more for the second refrain at 3:17, although the transition leading up to that with the strings was a good idea. The outro winds down the piece nicely, giving a conclusive flourish to the piece. Overall, I’m impressed with the flow, rhythmic content, production quality, and sound design here. Some elements of the composition are a little generic and might benefit from some more automation, effects, and variety to loosen up the arrangement. Still, it’s going to be stuck in my head for a while. Keep at it, DatCat11! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Heuristic]

I like the quirky effects and percussion at the beginning. The atmosphere at :17 is nice and rich, and the heavy bass and brass help balance it out really well. I’m usually not a big fan of sudden shifts in the sound palette or energy level, but the abrupt transitions here fit the character of the piece rather well IMO. Ditto for the slow pacing. That said, I think the much more downtempo section at 2:08 could’ve been more well-integrated with the busier beat from earlier. The jazzy harmonies there help keep me engaged, and I like how you bring back a more mellow version of the quirky percussion and effects from the first half. The melancholy brass line was a great way of giving closure to a piece that, in retrospect, does seem rather reminiscent of a dying computer, both with the sound design and the mood. Evocative work here, Crescince! Keep it up. ^_^

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
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
9/10

Cresince responds:

Thank you as always for the detailed review, I am very glad you liked it!

[Critical Hypothesis]

I like the cute ascending piano line at the beginning and the rhythmic syncopations. The piece is a tad slow to progress at first, and I wish the drums took up a bit more space in the mix. Right now, they sound a bit thin and dry. The more melodic section at around the 1-minute mark is nice too, but I think the piano melodies could pop more with some reverb and other mixing effects. Also, some of the background synths here are a bit cheesy, like the main harmony line during the refrains. The melodies later on are also nice, although I think it would’ve made them feel that much more impactful emotionally if you had a stronger point of structural contrast somewhere in the middle (i.e., a longer breakdown where you strip away the rhythm section or at least switch up the instrumental palette more). That said, I’m enjoying the progression, rhythmic content, melodies, and mood of this piece, and despite the potential for more mixing effects, the mix is loud and clean as it is. Keep at it, ChaoticBou! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[dynamism]

I like the bassy atmosphere at the beginning and the chilly pads. The crisp hi-hats at :20 and ghostly lead shortly thereafter are great, and the texture really comes together at the frantic breaks at :40. The rhythmic content is top-notch here, and the mix is also really clean and well-balanced. Frankly, ⅓ of the way through this piece I’ve already put it onto my favorites list. The quirky melodies and atmospheric details sprinkled throughout really make the piece what it is for me, and I love the vocal samples at 2:32 too. If I had to complain about one thing, it’s that by 3:29 this piece is long overdue for a change-of-pace or breakdown in the texture. That said, I appreciate you subverting expectations by putting the breakdown/bridge towards the end of the piece. In a way, this piece really comes full-circle by descending into this pensive tranquility. Keep up the good work, Cade! :D

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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.5/10

[Dream, Run, Fly]

I like the quirky synth pads at the beginning and the cutesy arpeggios that fade in at around :12. The blissful melodies at :20 are really great, and the mixing is solid as well. Later on, the piece gets a tad repetitive, and also didn’t really feel structurally complete. That said, the guitar outro was a great idea, and the upbeat mood and rich atmosphere really won me over on this one. I’d encourage you to keep working on this one. It doesn’t quite scratch all of the itches (i.e., for melodic development, structural contrast, variety in the instrumental palette, etc.) that a full-length track probably would, but you already have me tapping my foot and bopping my head. Keep at it, BAOWZ-Tobass! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

BAOWZ-Tobass responds:

Thanks. I'm agreeing with you. This is repetitive but quite addictive imo. I'll finish it if ever i find some new ideas for it