TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[coolssh3 - Eternal Night]

I like the mellow beginning of the piece with the minimal riser and piano melody. The piano instrument itself at :05 sounds a bit dry and generic, though - pretty sure that’s a not-too-modified FL Keys. :) Either way, by :33 the texture starts coming together well, and I like the frantic percussion at :57 and the sense of build into 1:05. The arrangement is a bit all-over-the-place, with a lot of frantic solos on cheesy synths strung together in a pretty dragged-out melodic section between 1:04 and 2:09. It might be a good idea to consolidate some of the sound design a bit, instead of having the most prominent instrument in the texture be a completely new one every 30 seconds. It was also a little hard to follow the melodies after a while, as so many of them are very jumpy and have pretty complex contours. In fact, I’m going to say that the sound design isn’t the only thing that should be consolidated here - melodies and structuring too. There’s some repetition in this track, but the arrangement is pretty choppy between all the stop-start transitions and sudden instrument changes. I think you tried to do way too much with the composition of the track, and it comes across as a bit overwhelming and lacking in direction, to be frank. On the plus side, the production quality is pretty good, and you clearly have a strong sense of harmony, rhythm, and atmosphere. The individual melodies are also rather good, but taken together they don’t seem part of the same cohesive narrative. Keep at it, Coolssh3! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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
6.25/10

coolssh3 responds:

Thanks for your feedback! While I'm a tad disappointed that I didn't make the cut, I'm also proud that I at least made it to Round 2. In any case, in an attempt to give my song's instrumentation more variety, it would seem that I made it a bit all-over-the-place. I for one am quite proud of it, but I see your complaints and will keep them in mind for the future. Thanks for this opportunity!

[Cruncha]

I like the quirky texture at the beginning and the upbeat brass synth melodies at :11. That pad in the background with the phasing effects is nice, too. The texture might benefit from some more atmosphere, as the drums sound a tad thin at times and many of the lead synths sound a bit dry. The solo at the bridge at 1:15 is great, though, and leads really nicely back into the brass synth melody at 1:37. The sound design, mixing, rhythmic content, melodies, and progression are all really solid here. The composition maybe could’ve used a tad more fleshing out, though, and the instruments could also probably blend together better with some more reverb and compression in choice places, especially in the first minute or so. Still, the experimental vibe and melodies here are super memorable and unique. Keep it up, ChaytonMan! :)

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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

ChaytonMan responds:

Sorry for only just now seeing this, but thank you! The criticism you gave is awesome, but the fact that you explained how to fix some of it is super helpful. I greatly appreciate how in-depth this was and hopefully I can iron out some of the wrinkles I had in this song and others in general.

[crawlspace of doom]

Neat distortion, indeed! I like the quirky mood and sound design at the beginning. The beats at around :23 are a bit grating - I think the main culprit is the crash that’s so prominent in the right ear there. The texture here is full, rich, and well-balanced, and the progression is smooth enough, but I would’ve liked to see you create a stronger sense of dynamism both within the distinct sections of this piece and across the whole piece. Right now, the intensity level waxes and wanes, but I don’t feel like the piece is leading anywhere. I think you began to accomplish that sense of direction with the guitar solo at 2:29, but its riff in turn wasn’t very dynamic. In the end, I really admire the experimental texture and the way you used the mixing effects in this piece. The composition might need a tad more variety and shape to it to really keep me invested, though. Keep at it, Aweror! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Uprising]

I like the high drama at the beginning and the orchestral sound design. The notes of the lead riff at :05 don’t sound quite as distinct as they could, although the more languid style to the notes fits the melody at :13 better IMO. The piece flows quite nicely, and the key and meter changes are very smooth. Overall, the mastering quality here is very good, although I wish I had heard a bit more of the flutes at :45 or so - they could’ve popped at the treble end just a tad more. The distinctive hierarchy to the texture at :57 (more strings, different rhythmic emphases than before) does a really nice job of resolving the tension present in the piece earlier. Overall, this is really impressive work, Arram! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
9/10

[Melting Core - NGUAC 2022 R1]

I like the ominous atmosphere at the beginning and the quirky percussion. The beats at :24 are a little loud and grating, especially when contrasted with the chill instrumentals in the background. After a while, you start overusing the bass slides a bit, although I like it when the texture becomes richer at around 1:43 and there are multiple basses competing with each other, even though they each sit rather well in the mix. The acoustic drum kit at 2:30 was a nice touch too. Overall, you nailed the mastering quality, rhythmic content, and sound design here. The piece could’ve had a bit more harmonic depth and structural coherence, though. For what it’s worth, I think you’re a really talented producer with a knack for stitching together some neat experimental textures. Keep at it, Arbelamram! :)

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

[melomaniacAngels]

I like the twittery synth at the beginning and the subtle tempo automations shortly thereafter. There’s a great sense of energy and drive to the texture by around :30, and the texture is really well-balanced between the bass and lead synths. By 1:06, though, the rhythms and sound palette are starting to feel a bit stale, so I’m glad the beat came in at 1:19 to switch things up a bit. The modulation at around 1:55 was another good idea, and the melodies shortly thereafter fit nicely. I’m not a huge fan of the clap sample at 2:14 - it felt a tad sharp and treble-heavy. The more minimal melodies at the breakdown at 2:45 are a nice touch, and I like how the piece ends how it begins (with a tempo automation, that is). The dreamy outro seemed fitting, and overall I really like the composition and sound design of this one. The mixing is solid, too, although the compression on the drums is very heavy in places. Still, you have a memorable track here. Keep at it, Answare! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

[Comforted]

I like the eerie atmosphere and solemn synth bass at the beginning. The mix is loud and clean, and the vocals at :34 were a pleasant surprise. Is that your voice? It sounds really rich and mature for a 17-year-old. The texture is mellow and minimal for a lot of the first quarter of the piece or so, but I like the prominent hi-hat at 1:26 and dreamy mood. At some point, it would’ve been nice to hear some more variety in the harmonic content, or maybe a more prominent instrumental solo or something. The structure feels a bit dragged-out after a while, especially since the most melodic part (the vocals) are so repetitive. The subtle bass drop at 3:26 was a good change in the texture, and the production holds up pretty well. The little riser at 4:35 seems to be the most exciting thing going on towards the end, though - I think that was a missed opportunity to make this piece feel more dynamic. Overall, you have the sound design, rhythmic content, flow, and harmonies down, but you need to find a way to create more variety and mess with the pacing/arrangement to keep the listener engaged. It’s catchy and well-mastered, but the composition felt a little bland after a while. Still, the instrumentation, atmosphere, and mixing were highlights here. Keep at it, ALG! :)

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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[We Take Flight]

I just remembered that you asked for a review on your NGUAC piece, and it seems like there aren't any judges biting yet, so here I am!

The cutesy sound design at the beginning is really nice, although it might've needed more of a proper intro. Throwing the listener right into the middle of the action with the frantic mallet riffs was a bold choice. There are a couple of moments where the instruments cut off pretty suddenly, like at :07, 2:32, and :55, that make the arrangement sound a tad choppy. The rich harmonies and orchestral textures in between sound really lovely, but the mix might sound more full with some reverb or other effects that round out the sound. Otherwise, the production quality is really good - well-balanced and clean mix, etc. I like the sense of build into 2:09, but I also think that section needed more of a dynamic melody to really sell it as an "emotional height." The melodies at 3:20 or so are especially lovely, but the multiple swells at around 3:45 felt a tad artificial and drawn-out. That might be another section that could benefit from some reverb to smooth things out. The piece comes together with the triumphant-sounding melodies at 4:25, although the sudden cut-off at 4:45 is again a bit of a turn-off for me. Overall, you took on a really ambitious compositional project here, and it's executed rather well. The sound design is good, although it's really hard to make high-pitched brass samples sound good "in box" (piano roll or midi or whatever). My main gripes are the somewhat missed opportunity for more atmosphere to shape the piece, as well as the abrupt transitions and choppy arrangement. Still, your melody-writing and production skills are clearly well-developed. Keep at it, SomeGuyMusic! ^_^

[Distortion]

I just remembered that you asked for a review on your NGUAC piece, and it seems like there aren't any judges biting yet, so here I am!

I like the gritty synth pattern at the beginning. Kinda reminds me of Darude. :D The crisp drums and sense of build into :30 help drive the energy of the piece too, and I like how the tone of the lead synth softens a tad by :31 or so too. The production quality is really good here, Stargame - loud, crisp, and clean mix, but also not over-compressed or too artificial-sounding. I like the build-up at around 1:20 too, but overall the texture is pretty minimal and bottom-heavy for a lot of this piece. The section with the atmospheric pads at 1:52 was a nice change-of-pace, and I like the catchy bass riff at 2:03 too. That said, at some point I wanted to hear some more dynamic melodic content. The glitches at 3:08 are a nice touch, and I'm enjoying the more blissful tone the piece is taking by this point. The piece's ability to maintain engagement over its duration is pretty dependent on the rhythmic content, though, and I would've liked to see more of a proper outro, as the piece ends pretty suddenly. That said, I think you nailed the sound design, mixing, atmosphere, progression, and rhythmic elements here. Congrats on a strong and catchy piece, Stargame, and good luck in the Knockout Round. ^_^