TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[PRGX - Potato]

I like the injection of energy at the beginning and the rushed build-up at :10. The flashy synths, loud and crisp mix, and catchy beats make this piece really fun and danceable. The vocal samples may have been overused after a while, but you do a good job of adding some structural contrast between frantic drops and more mellow sections into the texture. The production quality is also really good - heavy on the compression, but still has the volume levels under control in the output. Some more variety on the main melodies later on would’ve been welcome, and you also use a lot of stop-start transitions for my tastes in this piece, but overall this piece is super catchy, upbeat, and snazzy. The melodies during the outro at 3:05 were a nice touch too. Keep at it, PRGX! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
9.25/10

PRGX responds:

Thank you very much for the review, didn't expected to be classified :D, I would continue trying to improve (sorry if my english was bad)

[|32| Rave Rave Rave!]

I like the quirky synth at the beginning. The beat and harmonic patterns are a bit cliche, and the progression is pretty slow-paced. I like the vocal samples at around 1:20, and the arpeggios at 1:23 are pretty soothing. I would’ve liked to see you come up with more advanced ways of creating variety in this piece besides adding and subtracting instruments over time, such as automation, filtering, dynamic contrast, and the like. The vocal samples start becoming a bit overused at the 2-minute mark or so, and the second half of the piece adds little novel harmonic content to keep me engaged. Overall, you clearly have a good sense of rhythm, harmony, and atmosphere, and the production quality is pretty good as well, but the composition here is rather bland and underwhelming. Still, there are some neat sound design choices and some catchy beats scattered throughout. Keep at it, PartyBalloof! :)

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
0/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
5/10

[The Great Dictator]

The stereo crackles and moody piano riff at the beginning are really effective with the Charlie Chaplin vocals. I would’ve liked to hear a more gradual/smooth transition into :25, though - I wasn’t really expecting the electric guitar after the old-timey vibe of the first 24 seconds. The guitar solos at :50 are really neat, although I think you overuse the piano flourishes a bit. The mixing is pretty good, although at times I wanted the drums to be crisper, and the bass to be more distinct. After the great emotional appeal of the vocals at the beginning, the rest of the structure of the piece feels a tad formulaic, and the near-constant energy level and instrumental palette had me craving some structural contrast after a while. You also use the vocals well at 3:30, and I can tell you sped them up to add to the drama. That last vocal stretch felt a tad dragged-out, though - I think it lost momentum after a while. I like that the instrumental tracks fall away before the final vocal line “...to all men’s happiness.” But I also think you could’ve done a more effective job of shaping the narrative arc of the piece beyond the vocals. Cutting down on the vocals at the end might be a necessary part of that, but perhaps you could recycle them into a more atmospheric role in the body of the piece. Overall, really strong harmonic content, sound design, atmosphere, and emotional appeal here. The mixing could be a bit sharper, though, and the arrangement could’ve been more compelling. Still, it’s good to see Charlie Chaplin’s work is still admired after nearly a century. Keep at it, PaddyDavis! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
7.5/10

PaddyDavis responds:

🙏 thank you. The feedback is very helpful!

[ODYSSEA - Part 1]

I like the foreboding mood at the beginning and the sassy string riffs at around :10. The reverb is very heavy in the texture, but the mastering quality is still rather good. The frantic orchestral lines at :30 or so really help sell the drama, and I’m enjoying the sense of climax into :58. The moody breakdown at 1:12 was great for some structural contrast, and the ominous vocals at 1:12 help get me back into the apprehensive mood of earlier. I think the percussion doesn’t quite come through the mix as sharply as I’d like at 2:10 or so, but otherwise the composition here is compelling, the production quality is crisp, and the sound design and atmosphere are top-notch. Impressive work, Omson! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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
9.25/10

[untitled song for nguac]

I like the quirky atmosphere at the beginning. Can’t tell if it’s a bunch of reverse pianos or just some very heavy echo/delay effects. I would’ve liked the drums and bass to be a bit more prominent in the mix towards the beginning, but the crisp beats at :42 help scratch that itch. Other than that, the composition could’ve been a bit more dynamic here, especially harmonically, and some of the transitions are pretty abrupt. I like the more melodic content at 1:26, but by then the mix sounds rather strained. I’d suggest toning down the reverb and getting stricter with the equalizers. The mid-range pads get especially lost at 1:26. I think my favorite aspects of the piece were the sound design and atmosphere. The mastering, progression, and compositional details could all be a bit more polished here. That said, I appreciate your knack for stitching together some experimental textures with neat rhythmic content. Keep at it, NNmusic! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
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
6.5/10

[Sunshine]

I like the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning. The reverb is a bit heavy here, but the mix holds up pretty well. There’s a good sense of build into :48, and the blissful melodies and quirky sound design at the refrain are great. The chord progression and arrangement of this piece are a bit cliche, and the mix is a bit bottom-heavy during the busier sections. I like the synth arpeggios at 2:05, and you lead back into the refrain at 2:42 effectively too. I might’ve liked to hear some more variation on the main melodies during the second refrain, but otherwise the progression is strong here. Overall, solid work with the mood, instrumentation, production quality, and atmosphere. Keep at it, MarquinRobes! :)

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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[RetroMania - Main Theme]

I like the bright tone at the beginning and the crisp percussion. Some of the drum patterns seem a bit square and cheesy (with some overused tom rolls and crashes at times), though the classic rock organ and spacey pads give the piece a strong sense of atmosphere. The melodies at :52 are nice too, and the upbeat mood and sound design help me stay engaged. I think the piece could use a bit more structuring, though, as the energy level and most of the instrumental palette stay pretty constant throughout. There are also some abrupt transitions in places, like at 3:20. The ending came on a tad suddenly; I’d suggest either a full-volume flourish or a more gradual fade-out. That said, I really like the instrumentation, production quality, atmosphere, and harmonic content of this piece overall. Keep at it, Manvineo! :)

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

Manvineo responds:

Thank you so much for the review, Tainted <3. I am so honored to be judged by a professional like you. Reading your review gave me the determination to hone my craft in composing so that by the next NGUAC, I might create a piece that you and the other future judges might find satisfactory.

[Rose Mirror - Lunziestella]

I like the eerie atmosphere at the beginning, but some of the tinny synths in the treble range sound a bit harsh in my headphones. You might consider taking some of the treble off of them, or at the very least softening the echo effects. The grating atmospheric details and dreamy harmonies blend quite nicely together here, and the drum patterns are quite creative too. The dissonance at :53 seems fitting too, and the modulations at 1:06 really doubles down on the experimental texture. I think at some point the composition needed a stronger sense of direction about it, though. There are a lot of creative ideas here that I would’ve liked to see you flesh out more, but - much like a ghost that can walk through walls - this piece doesn’t seem to know which room it wants to be in. I’m really torn about this piece overall. You’re getting top marks for originality, sound design, and atmosphere, but the mixing could be a tad more polished, and the composition seems a bit choppy and jarring at times. If you ever revisit this piece, though, send me a PM. It has a lot of potential. Keep at it, Lunziestella! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10