TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[My Infinity]

Somehow, I forgot to post my review here earlier. I apologize.
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Love the Celtic-sounding instrument and loose phrasing at the beginning. The part at :36 has a very pensive quality, and the strings at :46 were a nice touch too. Something about the first minute of the piece sounds very transient and unstable, with the tremolos on the strings absolutely contributing to that. There’s a nice moment of resolution at 1:40, and I especially love the prominent low strings there. Sounds like the strings and piano are running away from home together. I’m glad you brought back the flute at 2:21, though - it provides for a nice, lighter texture that counterbalances the melancholic tone of the strings, even though the strings and flute never play at the same time (fan theory: the flute is the piano’s mother, and the piano is running away from home to be with the strings, a romantic interest who the flute disapproves of).

Anyway, the melancholic tone absolutely returns in full force at 2:44, and the way the strings slowly bleed back into the texture shortly thereafter is very elegant. The string melodies at 2:57 probably constitute my favorite part of the piece - very chaotic and dramatic, but certainly displaying the heights of passion between the lovers in a compelling light. The transition into the more tranquil tone at 4:06 is a tad abrupt at first listen, but you once again find a way of ratcheting up the emotion in short order for the final flourish at the end. The piece sounds rather triumphant and even peaceful during the last few chords - a marked contrast to the direction I thought you were going in as late as 4:35 or so.

Obviously, I’ve spent a lot of energy just unpacking the “plot” of this piece. The pacing is very fast at times, and it’s safe to say I find it hard to follow all of the twists and turns in the mood. There are a lot of individual motifs that tie the piece together over time, but in a way it still feels a bit disjointed between the prominent string sections and the flute/piano duets (over-protective mother/naive teen lovers analogy aside). One thing I really love about the piece is the production - the texture is airy, well-balanced, and full throughout, and the instruments all sound crystal clear in the mix. The sound design is beautiful, and I feel like I need to recalibrate my standards for the level of emotion and storytelling in a piece after listening to this. I still feel like you tried to cram 9 minutes worth of composition into 5, but at the end of the day that’s probably better than the reverse. You certainly accomplished your goal of transporting me to a different world, and I commend you for that. Keep it up, LSD! ^_^

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

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

No need to apologise, as I myself have been very slow to respond to review lately!
It's refreshing to re-read your review again now, as I quite like this piece. I love your fan theory ;)

Now that more than half a year has passed, I suppose I can reveal that this piece was quite inspired by a track from "Fumetsu no anata e" (To Your Eternity), called "Memory of the Flow". I just really enjoyed the energy the piece has and the emotion it evokes.

That said, this is very much its own composition, with its own "story" as well. Whilst I agree that it can aid a piece to follow a set structure or form, especially to work as a standalone piece, I also get bored of hearing the exact same patters again and again, which is why I like to throw in a twist or turn, here or there ^____^

I'm glad you feel like my production has improved, at least with regards to this piece, however!

Thanks again for taking the time to write such a thorough review; it's a really important part of what makes the NGADM so special :D

[This Corpse Can Still Dance]

Ah, I remember hearing the original! This one seems a bit more energetic. The E-piano at around the 1-minute mark really helps smooth over the texture - I especially like the low-register cadence at 1:38 or so. The gritty synth at 2:40 is really groovy, and it contrasts nicely with the higher-pitched synth that kinda sounds like a violin. The minimal percussion and airy pads at 3:10 wrap up the piece nicely. You've certainly captured the moody, jazzy vibe of the original. I think the one thing that's missing from the texture compared to the original is the echoey vocals. But perhaps I shouldn't compare it to the original too much. On its own, it's a really well-produced piece, full of variety, that threads the needle between catchy and chill really nicely. Keep it up, LLAAPPSSEE! Happy holidays. ^_^

LLAAPPSSEE responds:

Thanks for checking this out TL!

Y'know, I thought about adding vocals to this, but nothing came to me, haha. Lots of times, I just make these little offchute/side pieces/extensions to the original piece. They sorta turn into their own little things. Glad you likes it though. Always a pleasure seeing your reviews pop up.

[The Santa Detective]

Ah, a classic waltzy Everratic track for the holidays! Love all the mallets and other percussion. The melody writing is a bit more subdued than some of your other recent tracks, but the atmosphere, mixing, and sound design are fantastic as always. The big swell of emotion during the last 15 seconds puts a nice little bow on the piece (see what I did there?). Happy holidays, Everratic!

Everratic responds:

Thank you for the review!

[Great Asset (Lethal Company Original Song) By Feisty Fennekin]

Sorry for the slow response, Feisty! Busy times.

I like the eerie bell-like synths at the beginning. The glitchy vocals at :06 also work well, and I like the sense of build into :38. The pacing is a bit slow, and the texture is a bit minimal at first. The blissful lead synth line at :39 could use a boost in the mix - the distorted vocals and acid synth overwhelm it a bit. Speaking of the mix, the drums are also a bit weak at times and could use some more compression and maybe even looser EQ'ing. There's also a lot of harmonic dissonance in the texture. A little bit of dissonance is fine when the piece is supposed to sound creepy, but once the vocals come back in at :51 it's a bit much IMO.

The rhythmic content here is good throughout. I really like the gritty riff at 1:13. Some of the transitions are a bit abrupt - there's not much of an overarching sense of direction to the piece, but rather a bunch of short-lived riffs that come and go suddenly. The filtering work sounds really good, like at 4:01-4:05 for example. It would be cool if you used that as a basis for more of your transitions.

You also do a good job of keeping the piece well-balanced frequency wise. For example, the bass-y breakdown at 3:12 still has these nice, prominent hi-hats to keep it from being too bottom-heavy. Otherwise, a lot of the piece sounds a bit choppy. You've squeezed a lot of different riffs and synth patterns in here, but most of the variety is created by adding and subtracting instruments rather than creating a sense of evolution from the riffs you start with. It might be good for you to consolidate some of your ideas and focus on doing more with those few ideas. For example, the vocal riff at :06 could have a different rhythm or pace later in the piece, or the synth pattern at :39 could use slightly different pitches, or even be transposed up or down an octave. Instead, right now all of these riffs sound very copy-and-pasted whenever they appear in the piece.

Still, I think the sound design, atmosphere, and rhythmic content of the piece are really neat. Most of my complaints are about the arrangement and mixing details. Keep at it, man! ^_^

music69012 responds:

thanks for the comment! even though it the final version, there is nothing wrong with editing it for future vip or final master edit. it will be worth while and i will be creative with ideas again!

[Youth Television Cathode Ray Tube Supervision]

Love the upbeat vibe at the beginning. The vocals sound a bit strained at times, and also could be just a tad further up-front in the mix. I really like the processed vocals at 2:12, as well as the ones with the alternative filtering at spots like 1:20 and 2:20. The lyrics are really good, if a little hard-to-follow in real time. The guitar work here is really nice. The drums could've been more powerful at times, especially during the busier sections, but there's some great vocal layering towards the end that keeps up the energy regardless. Overall, really cool track, AjSkull! Happy holidays. ^_^

AjSkull responds:

Awe thanks so much for the review! We just finished this one in the studio. Interesting note about the vocals. I actually had to record it with a cold that just wouldn't quit, but we had the time booked so I went for it.

Happy holidays!

[Catch My Breath]

Love the airy pads at the beginning and the glitchy beats at :22. The frantic arpeggios at :46 add a nice, lighter flavor, and the breaks at 1:10 are really nice too. Some of the percussion at 1:15 gets a little too loud and harsh-sounding for my tastes, but the compositional details (like the little woop-woop at 1:53) are great. The piano breakdown and nature sound effects at 2:13 were some tasteful sound design choices, and at 3:01 I'm really digging the quirky lead with the pitch automations. The piece doesn't quite get back to the same energy level it had during the first half, but the soothing atmosphere and creative sound design helps keep me engaged. Solid work, LN! Enjoy the holiday season. ^_^

larrynachos responds:

I might have to update the song and fix that buildup, the drum levels do kinda jump up accidentally.

Thanks for the listen and thorough review TL!

[Eonian Sweven]

I like the theremin and waltzy meter towards the beginning. The texture sounds a tad watery, but the mix is still pretty clear. In fact, it’s almost jarring when the watery atmosphere fades away by around :30. The cadence at 1:05 or so sounds a bit melancholic, as does much of the piece, actually. There are a couple of places where I would’ve liked to hear a shift in the balance between a couple of the instruments. For example, the violin melodies at 1:35 don’t pop through the mix quite enough, nor do the strings at 3:23, and there are a couple of places where I do think the murky texture got a tad overwhelming (like at 1:25 or so).

The sound design of this piece is fantastic, though. I love the bells right at 2:00, the aforementioned theremin, the ambient textures, the flute at 3:10, and the rich strings later on. As always, your compositional details are scrumptious, like the tremelos at 2:30. The section at 3:50 feels like a big moment of triumph and arrival later on in the piece, although the descent back into the melancholy is swift (4:16 or so). I also thought the transition at 4:22 was a bit sudden. Even a pause for dramatic effect may have helped foreshadow the lightening of the mood there. The chord progression at 4:56 is a great way of concluding the piece, though. It felt simultaneously climactic and humorous, almost like our beloved protagonist is finally realizing it was just a dream after all. :)

Powerful stuff here, Alex. You’ve clearly shown your versatility as a composer, both in this piece and throughout the NGADM this year. Heartfelt congratulations on your success in this competition. It’s been an absolute pleasure listening to so much of your work over the past 5 months, which reminds me of old times to boot. :’D

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

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Finally, I've got myself a free evening, and happen to be browsing Newgrounds. There's really no excuse for replying this late, but let's just say life has been hectic, and is starting to calm down a bit :'D

I definitely wish I would've had more time to get the production even more balanced on this piece in particular! At times, I tend to work on the content of the compositions for so long that I'm not left with enough time for the final polishing. I was definitely suffering a bit from ear-fatigue when mixing this!

I am glad you like the sound design, however, as a lot of thought and time did go into those aspects. I will do my best again this year, so we'll see how that goes! The NGADM is definitely nostalgic, so even though times are busy, I try to squeeze some in here and there where I can :D

[Lordant - A Star Like Me]

The Celtic flute at the beginning is absolutely haunting, and the reverberant atmosphere and warm strings help give this an adventuresome and profound aura. I love the string swells, like at :47. The mix is perhaps a tad quiet, but very well-balanced and clean. The contour of the flute melody gets a tad repetitive at around 1:20, so I’m glad you decided to break it up a bit with the piano bridge at 1:33. The texture is pretty minimal for most of the piece, but the reverb and well-balanced frequencies help keep me engaged. The energetic, ascending string line at 2:26 is really nice, and captures the tension of the piece well going into 2:54 nicely. The vocals and the way the piano rejoins there makes for a fairly subtle yet very effective final climax. The callback to the flute and strings works nicely too. The emotional appeal of the string solo during the outro is top-notch. Overall, what can I say? You did it again, Lordant. Despite my nitpicks, this is a fantastic piece all around. Congratulations on your success in this competition. It’s been an absolute pleasure hearing so much of your work these past 5 months. ^_^

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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Lordant responds:

It's kinda ironic that every entry of mine that you've favorited got 4.5 stars, and the ones that you didn't, on the contrary, received 5 stars from you :)
Thanks for feedback, as always!

[Anywhere Else]

I like the hip-hop inspired beats and dreamy guitar at the beginning. Love the rich bass and atmosphere too. Similar progression and sound design as the last piece I reviewed, but that's fine. This one sounds much more fleshed-out with the beat and well-balanced frequencies. Could use some vocals or a lead melody to give it a stronger sense of drive, but otherwise I really like it. Cheers, man! ^_^

SensoryDecay responds:

Haha yeah this and Nethermind were made in the same session, didn't really feel like figuring out a way to mesh them together so I just SLICED them apart like a savage. I've been overcoming this darker feeling lately and I've not been in a very good headspace most days and this song kinda reflected that. I would sing on it, but this is one that I just wanted to let meander in my headspace

I've really been trying to work on my drums, I never practiced drums and my rhythm is pretty god awful so anytime I can hone drums is pretty cool. My personal trick is to layer a lot of different styles and find a cool melody between them. I will always default to hip hop sounding beats though, I don't find acoustic drums too satisfying. When played right they are amazing, but usually they sound way too pedestrian to be interesting. I also sound like a total ass using words like pedestrian with a straight face.

*Edit - Deantoni Parks and Jon Theodore come to mind as far as modern great drummers (there are WAY more I know OH John Stanier is another mONster drummer.)

[Nethermind]

I like the relaxed guitar at the beginning and the dreamy organ drone at :16. The piano that came in every 4 beats for 2 notes was a bit loud in the mix, but once the rest of the atmosphere falls together it blends in nicely. Solid work overall! Sounds (fittingly) very pensive and introspective. ^_^

SensoryDecay responds:

Dude, I had no idea what to do with this. It started off as a cool idea and then I was like...EH? I stumped my head on where to go with it, and then Anywhere Else happened. And I was like...well I should marry these two...and then I didn't. Also, everything is too loud haha, not mixed well.