TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Equilibria - Blood Moon (Infinite Realms)]

Yeah, I'm really behind on my reviews now, huh? So let's fix that!

First of all, I love the heavy, slow piano section at the beginning. The arpeggios at around :20 really helped you transition effectively into the more intense bits too. I think you probably could've used some more drums and bass in the first minute or so, though, just to add more substance in an otherwise relatively bare soundscape. I loved the energetic bass at 1:55, though. I think that the drums were not as strong as they could've been, especially around 2:30 where the bass has a monopoly on the mix. That said, your mastering is as good as ever. I love the little mini-guitar riffs that start popping in at around 3:20, but I thought you needed a smoother transition into them. I also thought the gradual fade-out of the guitar solo at around 4:30 was pretty anti-climactic and unnatural-sounding. My biggest complaint, though, is probably the balance. You really highlight certain elements of your mix more than others, but it seems a little out-of-place sometimes. For example, the guitar is clearly hi-jacking the mix throughout the last couple of minutes, most notably during the last minute. Yet around 6:30, as you're winding down the track, I feel like it should have a darker, quieter, more furtive feel about it, yet it's as loud and in-your-face as ever until the very last note. Overall, however, this is a cool track, and I'm glad you're expanding your horizons by using some different samples (i.e., the guitar). Until next time, DM. ;D

Dylnmatrix responds:

Thanks for the review, man!

A lot of the gripes you have with this track I do have to agree and disagree with. A lot of the odd things about the track, like the solo fade out and keeping it in your face throughout the whole track, were really just artistic choices that we preferred over others. Though the balance thing, totally agree with. It was really hard to find the balance in the track that would also translate well in the master, as it was a little more balanced before I started mastering and, with the handicap I had mastering the track (headphones only, no monitors), I ended up tipping the scales a little more than I wanted.

[Hiatus]

Hmm...ironic how I skipped this piece in my initial binge-review of your new tracks. I like the wet, spacious claps and the quirky synths at :26. It reminds me a bit of "Lucid" in that it's sort of minimalistic, yet super catchy, melodic, and moody. I love your hi-hat work here. I thought the transition at 1:17 could've been led up to a bit more effectively. That crash only superficially makes it flow better. The male vocals (like at 2:41) later on also added a lot to the piece. I thought you could've done a bit more with the rhythm of the melody at times, but overall it's a really cool track. I'm really impressed that this only took you 5 hours to make, albeit a little disappointed at the ending (or lack thereof). Overall, though, this is a really cool track. Keep up the good work, Lockyn! ^^

Lockyn responds:

I guess you took a...

Hiatus

on reviewing this one initially. :P Glad you saw the similar style, was going for it for sure. Ending needs work as always, but I was happy with it doing it in one session. Cheers mate :)

[happy WIP]

It's about time I catch up on the rest of your fall tracks. This is cool, catchy and upbeat. Definitely has some potential. I might challenge you to do a little more with your beats, though. Some hi-hats or other percussion would add a lot to this piece. You have a great sense of melody, and it shows here. ;)

Lockyn responds:

Yeah I'll see where this goes to. Might not be for a while though. Cheers!

[Skybound]

I liked the airy, bright synths and sense of climax at the beginning. It could've used a bit more rhythmic variation early on though. I'll also say that it progresses pretty slowly in general. I like the mood and instruments. The drop at 2:15 was cool, yet also a bit underwhelming IMO. In fact, I thought 3:15 might've even functioned better as an emotional height, but you didn't really seem to portray it that way given the scale of your various build-ups (if you catch my drift). The mixing and mastering here is top-notch, as is typical among your tracks. It's well-structured and smooth-flowing. You have an excellent relaxed and flowing aesthetic here, yet at the same time it's very energetic and engaging. You did a better job at winding down the ending this time, although there was this random heavy percussion hit at 7:00 that seemed a little out-of-place. Also, I think it was a great idea to make an album for your fans. That's great! I'll check it out right now. I remember when I first reviewed your WIP for "Sequence." It must've been years ago now, though...anyway, I'm looking forward to your future work! Enjoy your Thanksgiving. ;D

Lockyn responds:

Thank you as always for the lengthy reviews TL, always makes my day. :) Hope you enjoy the album! I do agree with your points, the track definitely was longer than it needed to be and some transitions were awkward but I hope the feels made up for it. Cheers!

[Wonderful Things]

Okay, so I just up and decided "well, crap...I've gotten really behind on all my reviews. I'm going to binge-review every single damn track LunacyEcho has posted in the last 3 months." And then it's just kinda this one, super-short track. Guess they don't call it #JuniorYear for nuthin'. Anyway, I like the cute mood and synths. It's well-balanced frequency-wise, and has a pleasant, uplifting tone to it. I think your mixing has improved a lot since early in the summer or so btw. Obviously, the piece is structurally a little underwhelming, but it could've made a great loop if you had gone the extra mile (i.e., 2 minutes of work). It is in fact quite fitting for a videogame, so please don't feel so self-conscious about "stuffing" your songs into that category. Also, I somehow have some time this weekend if you want to hang on Cockatrice (Thanksgiving is good; I like Thanksgiving), so shoot me a PM if you get the chance. I hope to see some more work from you soon, LE, but if not I hope your studies are at least going well. ;D

LunacyEcho responds:

Welp >< Guess I underestimated how busy I would be this year :D

=> mixing =>

Thanks so much! It's definitely an area that I'm proud of improving in :P

=> structurally =>

I would argue that the piece isn't *that* loopable because it begins with a filtered intro? But I can definitely see what you mean. :P Looping would also help it fit more into the video game genre! Duly noted.

=> Cockatrice =>

Ah man, I'm real sorry for not responding to this earlier. I remember seeing it after quickly checking Newgrounds, making a mental note to re-read it later. Next thing you know, a month went by >< Sorry about that! But school is now all but over for the rest of the year, so at least there's that! :D

Thanks for the review! And thanks a lot for staying with me all this time :P

[A Noisy Sundae]

During the first split second, there was this distorted, frantic, and almost arrhythmic bass that I thought was a bit out-of-place. After that, though, the lighter tone it had until around :27 was super cool. While this obviously isn't a structurally complete piece, I can appreciate the darker direction you started to take it in towards the end. The loop isn't perfect again (or maybe it's my computer?) but the end of the loop at least partially justifies that distorted bass riff I was talking about at the beginning. I also think the track would've been more engaging if the drums were stronger. After all, that's theoretically half of what makes it a drum and bass track, no? However, I am glad you're exploring different genres a bit. Looking forward to reviewing (most of) the rest of your new-ish tracks later this week! ;)

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Once again, this isn't an original of mine, as it's part of the NGDIC2 :p
And unfortunately, my sound design and mix on this one is rushed too. The percussion should definitely be louder, and I'd switch some intruments out. But I couldn't thouch the melodies or structure.

As for the loop, I don't even recall if this is perfect or not, as Newgrounds (at least on my system) has started messing loops up for me, by placing a short cut/silence before a restart. I'll need to check on another computer before I'll know if the fault lies with Newgrounds, or with my system.

I'll look forward to your reviews! I'll review your track eventually too (whatever that means), but first, I owe johnfn some reviews, as well as a long and super delayed response. I really have too many projects and left over stuff that I'm slacking behind on, to even be able to properly keep up with it XD
Next year, I think I'll stay a lot calmer than this year, but we'll see. Thanks again dude!

[Ambiotica]

Well, this review is long overdue. I love the dark themes and sound palette. I wish it was a little more dynamic, but at the same time it would be very fitting for a videogame. It doesn't make a great loop, but I'm sure with some slight adjustments that could be easily fixed. I love how it's really hard to get any sense of meter from this track, which just adds to the creepiness. Keep up the good work and/or do more with this sometime! :D

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Oh my, so it begins... And I haven't even gotten around to reviewing Blueshift and Vulpini yet :p
You'll stress me out :I

To being with, this isn't an original track of mine, but more of a remix, so I definitely won't make more of it XD But I think we can all rest assured I'll make some more ambient stuff in the future, heh.
I think I put the intruments here in approx an hour. The rules stated we're not allowed to change that much, so I couldn't really make it more dynamic either. I am aware about the clipping too :p
This track is in 11/4, so it's definitely hard to grip it, as was it for me. Thanks!

[Waiting]

Hmm...it's a little hard for me to follow the rhythm at the beginning, but it helps when the beat comes in at :19. I love the mood and instruments, though. That drop at :31 is awesome! <3 It's extremely blissful and catchy - the perfect combo in my book. The piano part at around the 2-minute mark adds a nice change-of-texture. The mixing and mastering is superb as always, btw, and this track in particular is quite reverbalicious. The slide-y treble-range synths at 3:16 are awesome, and I like how you transposed them up an octave at 3:31 to channel the energy. You conveyed the feels well indeed, Lockyn. You're quickly climbing the ladder on my all-time most insta-faved artist list. Keep up the great work! ^^

Lockyn responds:

I'm very happy you enjoyed that slide lead synth, I loved playing around with that one :) Cheers mate! I'm glad you think so highly of me, please expect lots more to come! Thanks for reviewing TL <3