TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Onward Refresh]

Ooo...very different from a lot of your other tracks. Glad to see you're branching out a bit. I like the ambiance and the sense of climax into :40. Pretty melodies, although I think some of the melody instruments didn't sound quite as soulful as the rest of the texture. If you were going for maximum impact here emotion-wise, maybe that would involve some different sound design choices. Also feels like you overused the build-ups after a while. Still, the melodies themselves are really nice, and I like the arpeggiated synths that come in in the background at 2:45 (and other places). I think 3:15 was probably my favorite part - now THAT'S a maximum-impact synth right there. Fitting that you saved the best for last. ;) Keep it up, MKT!

MrKoolTrix responds:

Thanks for the constructive review, TL! :)

[Toony Joys]

I like the cheesy orchestral theme and the "oom-pah" bass. The progression is nice - especially the build-up to :41 - and the refrain thereafter has some refreshing rhythmic aspects. I like the subtle vocal samples earlier in the piece and the cute melody at 1:15. Nice job of adding some variety with the cool breaks at 2:36. Mastering is strong as usual. The vocals at the end (4:00 or so) were also a nice touch as a relaxing coda. Fun piece overall! It gets a tad repetitive and predictable, but in a way that fits the character of it. Keep up the good work, MrKoolTrix!

MrKoolTrix responds:

Thanks for the review. :D

[Psybot - the dome]

Ah, must've missed this one! Catchy breaks at the beginning. The texture is really spacious, and I like the ominous mood. Has a vaguely industrial vibe, with a subtle hip-hop influence. Amazing how your style has evolved so much over the years. I understand this isn't really a full-length track, but I would've liked to hear some more melody content. I really hope you finish this someday! Keep at it, Psybot. ^_^

Psybot responds:

Yeah this was a period where i was trying to finance my music WITH my music. But it really is a hardworking business and I don't have the knowledge, experience or time to focus on promoting myself.
So I'm just keeping it simple by making as many songs as I can :)
This might never become a fullenght track, we'll see :)
Thanks for taking your time:D

/Psybot\

[Psybot - Heaven cries 2018 (vocals mix)]

I like the tranquil mood at the beginning. Vocals sound really nice - charged with emotion, if a little overdone at times. The progression is pretty slow-paced, and the mood change at 1:07 was pretty out-of-the-blue. I like the build-up into 1:24 and the subsequent instrumental section. I think the strongest aspect of the piece is probably the mix. Sounds really clear and strong throughout. I also like how the vocals come back during the breakdown. You should make vocal tracks more often! Keep up the good work, Psybot. ^^

Psybot responds:

Thanks alot man! I appreciate that you compliment my singing. I feel like I should have given it some more time and attempts to make it as perfect as I could. I just get so eager to release the song. XD
I will make more vocal tracks and I feel more confident about it now.
Thanks for the review! :D

/Psybot\

[endK - In the Hall of the Pumpkin King]

Congrats on the win, EndK! I like the gritty bass and the twittering string-like instruments laid over the top of the mix at the beginning. The brass synths also help add a lot of character to the piece. I liked the breakdown at the 1-minute mark too. This isn't as energetic or full-textured as some of your other recent tracks, but it still sounds really suspenseful and apprehensive (as Halloween pieces should!). The chord progression was a little cliche, and the refrain at 1:55 (and other places) seemed rooted in the chord progression a bit too heavily. Otherwise, I think the rich atmosphere, cool sound design, and thematic content really helped sell this piece. The subtle vocal samples (evil laughter, I believe) were a nice touch, and helped keep the texture interesting despite a good deal of repetition. The outro sounded a tad incomplete, but I envision it looping in a videogame or something. Keep up the good work, EndK! Fun track. ^_^

endKmusic responds:

Didn't want to mess around that much with rhythm and 'random' fx as I do in other songs - wanted to focus on melody, structure and flow.
Agree with you on chord progression, but at the same time it was intentional. Wanted to keep it simple at the verse and chorus - both have different progressions but the root is emphasized, as you said.
Also that bridge part around 1 min mark provides some rest from that 'safe root feel'.
Thanks for the review, as always! <3
Will keep those things in mind for sure. :)

[Från ett frö]

Cute piece! Sounds like a lullaby. I think you may have overused the grace notes/rolled chords a tad for my tastes close to the beginning, but the progression of the piece is really soothing thereafter. I also like the way the piece is structured. The transition at 1:14 was enjoyable, and there's a nice ebb and flow of energy throughout. The piece has a sufficient amount of variety without being too loose in its arrangement. Overall really strong work, Ale! May I ask what the title means? ^^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

The title means "From a Seed", and it's about having achieved much since one was born, but still having so much more ahead, in life. The title could have alternate connotations in English though, and it's was made for an event at a Swedish university, so it's only apt that the title is in Swedish too :)

Thank you for the review!
I'm glad you liked the listen :3

[Truest Lies feat. Karra (VIP Mix)]

I like the synths at the beginning and the punchy drums. I like the climax into :45, too, and also how it resets itself before the vocals come in. Vocals sound hella clean - where did you get them from? The production sounds especially clear with this one - what DAW do you use? I would've liked to hear the drop at 3:30 varied a bit vis-a-vis the first one, and the arrangement of the piece is a tad cliche. Otherwise, really strong work yet again. Keep it up!

FarOutOfficial responds:

Original vocals from Karra for our song. We use FL studio for everything, all sounds are original as well.

[Above All Chaos]

I like the synth arpeggios at the beginning and the crackly ambient noises. I like the vocal samples (props to Ian and Helena) and the pulsing pads at around :30 on. The bass sounds really groovy and smooth, but I think the drums were a bit too soft for my tastes for much of the piece. Nice job with the melodic content at 1:45, but I think they were a bit too up-front in the mix. I wanted to hear more of the atmosphere to complement the melodies. The breakdown at 2:52 was really relaxing - nice job there. The percussion at 3:55 or so was a good touch, and overall the dreamy atmosphere of the piece is great. I've been enjoying your forays into synthwave. Keep up the good work, Colin!

ColinMuir responds:

Heck yeah, i'm really enjoying the genre.

[Mountain Forecast]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning and the spacious atmosphere of the piece. Might even need a bit more reverb or something to fill out the texture. There's a great sense of suspense, but overall the pacing was a tad slow for my tastes. Given the thin texture, it's the details that really make this piece what it is. I really like the subtle delay effect at 1:35. It just sounded really haunting. While clearly not a stand-alone piece, you set the mood really well here. The sound design is great, too. Keep up the good work, Possibly!

Possibly responds:

Thanks very much for the review. Yeah, you might be right about the reverb, I'll take another look at it when I get a chance. Thanks again :D