TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Runner]

I like the dark atmosphere at the beginning and the dystopian voiceover. The groovy bass at :30 and the tense, apprehensive vibe are enjoyable, but the minimal texture and overuse of the spoken-word vocals are turn-offs for me. Right as the instrumentals seem like they’re picking up, the vocals often cut in abruptly. If the vocals are original, it’s certainly impressive voice acting, but frankly voice acting isn’t what I’m looking for in competitions like this. I think you could’ve done a lot more with the instrumental tracks in terms of variety, richness, and melodic content. The production quality is probably my favorite element of this piece - the mix is clean, if a bit bottom-heavy. The sound design is a close second, though. I especially love the gritty old-school techno synths. Still, the fact that the vocals are the main thing driving the narrative here is a bit concerning to me, and the vocal sections often don’t have much else going on simultaneously to keep me engaged. Overall, I’m not sure this functions well as a stand-alone track, but if you can team up with someone from the movie portal, it would make for a compelling short film. Keep at it, Ukatz! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

Ukatz responds:

Yea, everyone says like "IT'S DEFINITELY A GAME OST", "Maybe a film soundtrack?".
Just don't know how show myself to someone :c

About diversity in instrumental part, i think just not enough time, try my best for this deadline.
Just happy to participate in this competition, thanks :3

[FACUNDO GARDIOL - Slime Girl ( Future Bounce )]

I like the upbeat mood and flashy synths at the beginning. It’s a bit hard to follow the rhythm at first, at least until the beat comes in at :19. The mix is nice and punchy, and the progression is smooth. Aspects of the sound design and arrangement are pretty generic, and the composition could use a bit more variety, especially harmonically. I also thought the extended pause at 1:17 was a bit awkward. The melodic variations at 1:32 are nice, and you carry that energy into the final refrain well. Solid work overall! I really admire your mixing and mastering talents in particular. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.25/10

SPIRALi responds:

Thanks for your nice commentaries!!!

[The Morality of a Crayfish]

I like the crisp beat at the beginning. The intro could’ve been a tad more creative than a fade-in, but the quirky synths and rhythmic content at :12 are neat. The piece is a bit slow to progress, and many of the harmonies sound a bit muddy in the mix. The texture is missing some higher-pitched tones for much of the track, which may be part of the problem. Moving one of two of the riffs up the octave, especially during the first half of the piece, might help separate out the frequencies that the different harmonic instruments are sharing, which will in turn limit distortion in the mix. The transition at 1:29 was a bit sudden, but I like the spidery stringed instrument and more melodic flair the piece develops after that. The piece really comes together once you combine the two themes at 2:10 or so, although some of the new instruments you introduce later on - including the vocal sample at 2:16, the crashes at 2:20, and the ghostly lead synth at 2:33 - take up a tad too much space in the mix IMO. Overall, the sound design and rhythmic content are probably my favorite elements of this piece, but the harmonic content could’ve used a bit more variety at times, and the mix could be tighter. Still, I love the eerie mood and the wonky meter of the piece. With a couple of different sound design choices and some more prominent vocals, I could see this making a really good hip-hop track. Keep at it, SirSandman0! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.75/10

SirSandman0 responds:

thanks for the feedback! audio mixing has never been my strong suit, but I've been working on it over the years. Hopefully, my future tracks won't have these issues

[RyuiY - Pianystem (feat.花隈千冬)]

Woah, the intro is really cool. The robotic voice fits so well with the “pianystem” theme, and the glitches are timed so well with the vocals. I also like the more humanoid vocals at :22, although the mix sounds a bit distorted there, with the drums a bit soft and the bass/pads ducking in and out with the beat. The chord progression is a bit cliche, although I really like the arrangement of this piece - the transition at :52 is so cool, and you do a good job of varying the energy level and texture. The glitchy, experimental bridge at 1:26 is pretty cool. Definitely has a great rhythmic appeal, but sometimes the low-pitched piano rolls are a bit loud, and overwhelm the drums and harmonic elements. The melodic section at 2:22 hits the piece home well, and the blissful piano solo at the outro was a nice touch. Overall, my biggest problem with the piece is probably the production quality. The mix feels very bottom-heavy and muddy at times, and also off-balance between the glitchy effects and harmonic content. Still, I really appreciate how ambitious the composition is and how religiously you stuck to the “pianystem” theme. Neat track overall. Keep at it, RyuiY! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

RyuiY responds:

Wow...
Thanks for amazing review! :D I learned many things from your review.
I'm not good at mixing so I'll learn about it more.
Actually, I was sick when the knockout round started, so I couldn't make music then.
When I feel better, There were only three days left until the deadline.
so I rushed to make this and I haven't time to check mixing.

I was satisfied with the result of contest. Thanks for invite me and give me amazing experience! :)
Making music is really fun for me. I will continue to make music to make myself and everyone else fun.
(sorry for weird English. I'm from Japan and sometimes I using Google/DeepL Translate)

Thanks for listening! :D
-RyuiY-

[QWAZDYN - That Night]

I like the gritty texture at the beginning and how it gradually smoothes out into a coherent beat. The texture remains quite minimal for most of the piece, but I like the vocals at :29 and the rhythmic content. The eerie mood and chant-like vocals at :50 are enjoyable too. I think the piece could use a richer atmosphere, harmonic variety, and/or melodic content to add interest and variety. The breakdown at 1:40 with the drone-like pads was good for some structural variety, though, and I appreciate that you shook up the pattern of emphasis for the second drop at 2:09. The sound design and mood are probably my favorite aspects of the piece, although you overuse the “that night” vocals by the end, and the composition could’ve been a lot bolder here. Still, this is a catchy piece with an engrossing, apprehensive vibe. Keep at it, QWAZDYN! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.5/10

QWAZDYN responds:

chur for the feedback

[To The End (NGUAC 2023 KO Round)]

I like the crisp string riffs at the beginning. The percussion sounds a bit muddy in the mix - it might need a little less wet reverb and a bit more compression. Also, it’s a small detail, but the weak attack on the crashes throughout sounds really unnatural to me. The piece has a great sense of underlying tension and drive to it, but some more percussion and a richer texture overall might’ve helped play up that tension even more. The choir sample at 1:40 isn’t my favorite - it’s a bit inauthentic and unpolished-sounding - but that section served as some good variety from the high-octane string lines on either side of it. Some more variation on the main riffs towards the end (i.e., 2:08 onwards) would’ve been welcome, but I love the little flourish at 2:43 that hits the piece home.

Overall, the progression, mood, and cinematic flair of the piece are very enjoyable. My main concern is the muddy mix - the texture is a bit over-saturated with reverb throughout, and some of the instruments need a little more room to breathe in the EQ to really make this piece sound as epic as it could. Still, I like the composition here a lot. Sounds like something from a war-themed flash game soundtrack. :D Keep at it, NativeNiles! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.5/10

NativeNiles responds:

Thx for the review

[Odyssey of Echoes - MsFluent]

I like the cutesy mood at the beginning. The low string plucks sound very muddy in the mix, though. I would suggest dialing back the reverb at the very least, and maybe giving them a tad more room in the mid-range frequencies with an equalizer if possible, just to add back some volume. You could even push the synth chords to the side a bit with some stereo widening to make more room for the drums, bass, and melodies. I’d also make sure that the harmonic instruments (i.e., not the bass or drums) have NONE of the frequencies at 200 Hertz or lower playing in the equalizer - so much of the distortion in the mix here is in the lower part of the frequency range, and I suspect a big reason why is that your melodies/pads/piano/etc. have too many overlapping tones with the strings, low-pitched chords, and kick.

The melodies here are nice, but the sound design is a bit cheesy at times, especially the high-pitched, flute-like synth (featured prominently at 1:14) and bouncy mid-range off-beat synth chords. As mentioned previously, the mix could use some tightening up too, although I do like the meandering piano arpeggios at 2:01. I still think you could’ve done a tad more to switch up the harmonic content later on in the piece, though. Still, the progression, rhythmic content, melodies, and atmosphere of this piece are all enjoyable. Keep at it, MsFluent! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

MsFluent responds:

Thanks Logic 🙂

[Sunshine]

I like the majestic atmosphere at the beginning and the furtive vocals. The mix is nice and loud and crisp, and I love the upbeat tone of the piece and the bouncy sound design. The piece is a little slow to progress at times, and I can’t help but feel like you could’ve done a bit more with the melodic content and vocal refrains in the piece, cathartic though they were. The mellow breakdown at 1:37 is good for some variety. The arrangement and sound design of this piece are a little generic, and later on in the piece the main riffs and harmonies could use some shaking up. The production quality, sound design, and atmosphere of this piece are top-notch. Some bolder compositional details and a less generic arrangement would help take it to the next level. Keep at it, Mauxus! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

Mauxus responds:

Thank you so much for this review! I'm amazed by your ability to leave such detailed info.

[Suddenly Came Brightness]

I like the bassy atmosphere at the beginning. I think it’s a little awkward how the bass keeps fading in and out over the first 25 seconds or so - kinda disrupts the flow IMO. The texture remains a bit thin for the rest of the first minute, and the extended pause at 1:04 was a bit long. The choir at 1:08 sounds a bit indistinct in the mix, and I’m not sure I like how it suddenly cuts out at 1:24. I like a lot of the spacey sound design in the middle of the piece, as well as the crisp string riff at 1:57. The piece could use a bit more harmonic variety at times, and I also think the piece needed a strong sense of overarching direction to it. The energy level waxes and wanes, but the arrangement feels a bit formulaic (regular changes to the texture every 8 bars but not a lot of motion in between) and lacking in narrative appeal. Overall, the atmosphere, mood, and instruments are my favorite aspects of the piece. The mix could be punchier at times, and the composition doesn’t quite live up to its potential here. Still, the instrumentation and chord progression give the piece a nice, melancholic feel, and certainly help you play up the cinematic flair. Keep at it, GeminiGemini! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
7/10

GeminiGemini responds:

Thanks for the review.:)

[Divide]

I like the bouncy piano chords and the quirky atmosphere around them. The vocals at :15 sound a tad over-processed - the reverb and delay effects are a bit overwhelming. The build-up into :45 is good, but the drop at :46 is a bit minimal and introduces a lot of new instruments at a rapid clip. The catchy rhythmic content is certainly a plus, and the mix at the drop sounds loud, clean, and well-balanced. I still think you could do a better job of integrating the spacey vocal sections and the drops - they don’t quite sound like part of the same narrative to me yet. I also would’ve liked to hear more variation on the main riffs of the piece the second time around, including more of a proper outro. The arrangement of this track is a bit generic, although the sound design overall is pretty neat. The production quality holds up well too. It’s mostly the compositional details that I think could use some more effort here - gradual transitions, fuller textures, more variety, etc. Still, I enjoyed the atmospheric and rhythmic elements and the build-ups. Keep at it, D4W1LL! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
6.75/10

D4W1LL13 responds:

duly noted! excuse the late reply, thanks for the contest!