TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Winter Solstice]

Really majestic and atmospheric! I like all the bells and mallets, and the strings in the background help provide a pitter-patter sort of texture that reminds me of rain. Perhaps the piece could've used a stronger sense of climax at one point. I feel like it's more ambient than narrative-driven as a cinematic track, but the sound design and production are both fantastic here. Strong work, guys! ^_^

[-Color Blockade-]

I like the jazzy sound design and quirky melodies of this one. The chopped vocals that come in at around the 1-minute mark are super neat, and the pitch-shifting "woo"s at 1:30 or so are also a nice touch. The triumphant solos during the middle section really hit the spot, and the mixing and mastering is top-notch here. The bass line is really dynamic and refreshing, and I can totally hear the big band influence in some of the more jumpy rhythmic riffs, like at 3:40. The last hurrah at 4:15 really ties the piece together well. Probably my favorite track of yours of 2021. Keep it up, WF! ^_^

[ClockWorks Pt.2]

Ooo...I like how much you switched up the instrumentation for this new version. It sounds really dreamy and pensive, and your mixing and mastering skills have improved a lot in the last 7 years. The piece is a little slow to progress, and at some points I think you overdid the reverb a bit, but otherwise it's super catchy, and I like the call-and-response action between the bass and mid-range riffs between :40 and 1:59. The variations on that riff at 2:21 are really nice, and the melody that plays in the background there is so cathartic. The drums get a tad buried starting at the 3-minute mark - it might be the excessive reverb that's the main culprit there. I like the darker tone to the track that begins at around 3:45 and the build-up into 4:18. The ending felt like a bit of a cliffhanger, but perhaps that's fitting for a piece with such mystique. Cheers, Teckmo-X, and happy new year! ^_^

[The Magical Forest]

Top-notch instrumentation here. I love the whimsical tone and variety in the texture throughout. The heavier section at :53 works really well, too, and I like how it's immediately contrasted with the more subdued tone at 1:10. The little filler mini-solos at the end of each phrase are great - I especially like the harpsichord at 1:50. The increased prominence of the vocal pads at 2:06 is a great way of ending the piece too. I think this is my favorite track of yours of 2021. Cheers, Everratic! ^_^

[Longing]

Oh, man, the feels with this one are strong. I love the rich piano at the beginning and the entrance of the strings later on. I think the first pause works better than the second one, perhaps because the texture is thicker when it stops at :57. But the piano sounds really organic. Are you playing one, or is that just an extremely well-humanized VST? Either way, lovely work, Everratic. ^_^

Everratic responds:

Thanks for the review! This is not live playing, I put a lot of work into humanization.

[Return of the Undead Princess]

Ah, yes. I've missed your waltzy orchestral music. :) The percussion here is especially nice, and I like the growing emotional appeal over the course of the first 40 seconds or so. The ritardando at :57 was a nice touch, although the ending felt a tad rushed. That said, you nailed the sound design and mixing as always. I'm sure Moon Jelly will be quite pleased. ^^

[Existential Anxiety Simulator (ALBUM)]

Really neat stuff, guys! Equal parts dreamy and creepy. I like the experimental texture and spacey sound design. I think "Bad Trip" is my favorite track - the combination of smooth pads and glitchy portamentos is super cool. The whole album also flows together really well, perhaps with the exception of 19:54. "Melancholic Memory" is another favorite of mine - really pensive and relaxing, with some delicious reverb on that guitar. Keep it up, LN and CX! Happy holidays. ^_^

[We R Venom]

I really like this! The rhythmic elements of the initial couple of riffs really capture my attention, and the vocals are top-notch as usual. Your mixing and mastering is really strong, too, although occasionally the drums struggle to come through a tad. The structure felt a little formulaic after a time, with a repetitive chorus and some abrupt transitions to boot. A more dynamic solo or extended bridge section might've helped with that. Still, the track has a great, punchy tone and some cool drum fills. Strong work overall, dude2312! ^_^

dude2312 responds:

TaintedLogic!

Been a while! Thank you so much for your input. I am really glad you liked it! I will try to cool it down with the exclamation points but I really like it that you like it! lol

[Mother Machine 8 : The Fallen - Full Project]

Really neat stuff! The sound design here is great, and the mixing and mastering is top-notch. The texture is a little bottom-heavy for my tastes, and within a given movement/track the composition isn't super dynamic, but across the entire thing there's a lot of musical variety. I think my favorite part is around the 10-minute mark or so. That entire section is really catchy, with some cool filtering and a clever use of minimalism. Solid work! ^_^

[JUMBO HEART XL (FULL ALBUM)]

Awesome, man! I've had this playing in the background while I clean out my home office, and I'm really impressed with the musical variety - equal parts danceable, edgy/dramatic, soulful, and mellow. I think Volty's Quest is still my favorite, but the track at 19:26 was also quite easy to hum along to. Part of me wanted the transitions between the tracks to be a bit smoother, but I know that most of them were made to loop in-game. I also like the (purposeful?) choice to put the beautiful, dreamy piece at 33:00 smack dab in the middle of the album. It really feels like a grand intermission of sorts. :) Anyway, looking forward to hearing more from you in 2022 and 2023! Cheers. ^^

ConnorGrail responds:

Thanks for listening! Funny thing, that track at 19:26 is also Volty's Quest, just the second track I made for it. So you might just have a favourite game haha. I'm also glad you enjoyed the quiet little intermission, no better place for a little break than halfway if you ask me 🙂

(Edit: just realized 19:26 is the first track of Volty, the one directly after is the second)