TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Qshunt - The Wyvern Protocol]

I like the gritty atmosphere at the beginning and the ominous vocal samples. I’m also digging the crisp drums at :22 and the build-up into :33. The drop there is a bit minimal, but also catchy and well-balanced in the mix. The production quality is really strong here, even if there are a lot of mixing effects in the texture during the busy parts. The parrots sound really cool, too (I assume it’s the distant screeching sound at 1:50?). The breakdown at 2:01 was good for some structural variety, although the arrangement of the piece is a little generic and the drop/post-chorus sections drag on for a bit too long IMO. By 2:46, I’m loving the rhythmic syncopations in the bass, and the chopped-up vocal samples at 3:05 are also pretty neat. I would’ve liked to hear a stronger “point of arrival” and/or sense of development during the second half of the piece here, and I also think the ending comes on a bid suddenly. That said, you absolutely nailed the sound design, atmosphere, and mixing of this piece. Keep it up, Qshunt! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

Qshunt responds:

Thanks for listening and your detailed review!
That's the parrots @ ~1:50 :D

I've actually replaced the file with a better sounding remaster last night that I was hoping to submit before the comp, but regardless, I'm pleased I got through the auditions!

Now for the next round!
I'm up against some pretty stiff competition.
I've checked them out and they make some excellent music.

[Dreaming in Reverse - ft. SOLARIA Lite]

I like the guitar chords and the dreamy atmosphere at the beginning. The lead instrument at :12 also sounds really soothing and light. The vocals here sound incredibly realistic - maybe it’s just me, but the vibrato on them occasionally makes them sound slightly off-pitch, at least at the beginning.

I like the string melody at 2:13, but the density of the notes makes them sound a bit inauthentic (as a classically trained cellist, it always annoys me when string samples from plugins have a really weak attack, so that every single note sounds like you’re placing the bow on the string for the first time. In real life, the notes would be slurred together in one bow, or otherwise the musician would time it so that the main body of the sound is playing right as the note hits. It’s not your fault. I need to send an angry message to ImageLine or something. But I digress.)

The minimal breakdown at 2:32 was nice for some variety, and I like the re-entry of the vocals with the more mellow (“fantasy”) line at 2:55. The return of that first guitar melody at 3:12 was really nice, and I also really like the additional layers of harmony during the final refrain at 4:12. The production quality is also solid overall, but the drums do seem a bit weak between 4:12 and 5:00, as do the guitars during both refrain sections, actually. Still, I really enjoyed the pensive and mysterious outro.

Overall, the composition is quite impressive here. Despite my nitpicks regarding the sound design and mixing, you totally have me won over with the melodic content, progression, and amount of variety in the texture. Keep it up, Pixxlman! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
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

PixxlMan responds:

Thanks for the awesome, in depth review! Really glad you liked the song! :)

[Instability]

I like the creepy atmosphere at the beginning and the airy piano lines. The riff at :14 has a couple of nice, dissonant chords, too. The transition at :23 is a bit sudden, but the glitches at :30 are pretty cool, and the mix holds up well despite the busy texture. The frantic synth pattern at :48 was nice, and later the breakdown at 1:20 provided a bit of respite from the high-octane breaks on either side of it. There was a good sense of build into 1:54, although I wished you had varied the melody there a bit compared to the first time it appears. While the mix is impressively clear considering how much is going on, I would’ve liked the drums to “pop” a tad more during some parts, and 1:54 is one of them. Overall, though, this is a really catchy and intense piece with some neat sound design, strong mixing, and a good sense of atmosphere to boot. Keep at it, Nixonic! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

Nixonic responds:

*Skull*

[Mind Breakout]

I like the cute synth at the beginning. The frantic opening line is a little corny, and I think the airy pad at :11 is a bit too loud in the mix relative to the rest of the harmonies. I like the crisp beats at :22, and the variation in the harmonies at :57 offered a nice break in the repetition. Throughout the piece, the beat is a bit too loud relative to the harmonies, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear some more melodic content. The stop-start beat at 1:44 is a bit bizarre, although I like the glitchy breaks at 1:01. Most of the synths here are pretty cheesy and generic, but the drums sound good. In terms of production, I think the mix could’ve left a lot more space for the harmonic instruments, especially while the beat was playing. The composition is a bit bland after a while, and could use some more depth and variety in the harmonic framework. The piece also ends pretty suddenly. Overall, you clearly have a good sense of rhythm and progression, but aspects of the sound design, mixing, and compositional details could use some polishing up and fleshing out. Keep at it, NikoN1nja! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
5.5/10

NikoN1nja responds:

Thanks for review, I'll definitely try to improve all my weak points in the future :)

[Fall-Up]

I like the catchy synth riffs at the beginning and the minimal drums at :15. The harmonies at :30 also help fill out the texture nicely. I really like the injection of energy at 1:01, although the drums get a bit lost in the mix there. I’d suggest adding a compressor to them. The piece could also use some other mixing effects, just to create a stronger sense of atmosphere and more variety over the course of the piece. I’d suggest doing more with reverb and equalizers in particular. The sound design of the piece is fun, perhaps with the exception of the brass at 2:02, which sounds pretty inauthentic. The arrangement here sounds pretty formulaic - the texture shifts every 8 measures or so, but within those 8 measures, there’s not much of a sense of ebb and flow. You can use tools like filtering and automation to help address that - YouTube should have plenty of tutorials on how to do so in your software program if you don’t already know how. Still, this piece is catchy and cute, and has some neat synths and a good sense of rhythm and progression. Keep at it, NGE! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

NewGameExplorers responds:

Thanks for the feedback! I'll try to use what you suggested.

[NDXL - The Jungle]

I like the nature sound effects and heavy percussion at the beginning. The rising synth bass at :08 is a nice touch, and I like the sense of build into 1:01. The drop has some catchy breaks, and the synth riff at 1:32 is really groovy. The drop does drag on for a bit long, and it also seems to go right into another build-up and drop cycle after that. At some point breaking up the texture a bit with a melodic bridge or atmospheric breakdown would’ve been nice. Eventually, that point comes at 3:03, and the melodies there are pretty sweet, but up until then the arrangement of the piece still lacked variety. Sometimes, when the entirety of your piece is this high-energy, it’s hard to keep the listener engaged. I also think you overused the “make way…” vocals towards the end. I also would’ve liked to see you make the drop at 4:13 a bit more distinct compared to the first one, just for some variety. Overall, the sound design, production quality, and rhythmic content here are all really strong, as are the melodic elements and atmosphere. A little more variety and some faster pacing in the composition at times would be welcome, and aspects of the arrangement and instrumentation are a bit generic here, but otherwise you nailed this track. Keep at it, NDXL! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

NDXLOfficial responds:

Insanely flattered man, thank you SO so much <3

[Type Of Way]

I like the cutesy synths at the beginning. The chord progression is a bit cliche, but the vocals help me keep me engaged. I like the contrast between the provocative lyrics and the tranquil, almost blissful synth lines. The progression reminds me of “Where is the Love?” by The Black Eyed Peas. :D The harmonic content here is very repetitive here, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear a “point of arrival,” like a killer synth solo or vocal bridge that resolves the tension inherent in the lyrics. Despite the somewhat underwhelming composition, the production quality here is top-notch. The instruments are loud, clear, and well-balanced with each other throughout the piece. Overall, you’ve put together a catchy and well-produced track with some fun sound design. Keep at it, Sashik! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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
7.5/10

MusicSashik responds:

Such a thorough review, thank you very much! I am still a beginner in many aspects, so I will continue to grow. I appreciate your time for reviewing my track. Cheers!

[Digitallis]

I like the quirky synths towards the beginning, especially the one that first comes in at :07. The attack at :13 is a bit harsh-sounding, though. The build-up into :27 was nice, and I like the harmonies there a lot. That said, the mix is a bit soft here. It’s hard to hear the drums and bass in particular. I’d suggest scaling back some of the reverb here - I think it’s distorting some of the instruments. The breakdown at 1:22 is nice for some variety, and you transition well back into the “verse” at 1:48. During the second half of the piece, I would’ve liked to see you create more variations on the main melodies and give the piece an overarching sense of dynamism. Instead, the arrangement here feels a tad formulaic. That said, I’m enjoying the harmonies, atmosphere, and rhythmic content of this piece a lot. Some of the instruments were really cute and fit in with the “outer space” theme quite well, despite being a tad cheesy. Overall, the composition is solid, and my biggest concern is the muddy mix. Shave off some of the reverb, add some equalizers onto the melodic instruments, and create some melodic variations in the final verse, and this piece would easily be an 8-range track. Keep at it, MusicBySpektral! ^_^

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?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

MusicBySpektral responds:

Thanks for the review! This is my first time submitting into any contest on Newgrounds, and I am glad to have gotten a 7/10 on my first try. I definitely see the problems and will work on them on future works and keep on trying to get into the next round someday (maybe)!

[D.E.A.F]

Dude! What an inspiring story! You’re a legend.

I really like the idea of spelling out “deaf” in notes for your piece. I will say that the synths at the very beginning sound a tad harsh in the treble range, though. You might want to filter out some of those frequencies with an equalizer. The texture starts coming together well by :25, and I like how the synth arpeggios get increasingly more frantic until :40. The eerie atmosphere at :51 threw me off of the flow a bit at first, but it creates a good “blank slate” environment for the build-up into 1:42. The lead at 2:08 is a bit overpowering, but the descending vocal line at 2:32 is a really neat detail.

I’m not sure I like the long sections of creepy minimalism, like at 2:33. It certainly provides a certain amount of variety, but could use a fuller texture and more harmonic content. After a while, the riff at 3:50 also gets a tad repetitive. I’d like to see you vary it a bit more if you’re going to bring that riff back so often. I understand that’s the part that spells out “deaf,” but I can’t help but feel like you’re limiting yourself too much - it’s really hard to write a piece with only four notes.

The tranquil pads at 4:16 were nice, especially with the prominent hi-hats layered on top, and the rhythmic content during the last couple of minutes or so of this piece is especially nice. The outro at 5:22 sounded pretty cute, but also didn’t seem very well-integrated with the ominous synths and gritty beats that came before it.

Overall, I’m really impressed with your sense of rhythm and production. In fact, the best thing about this track IMO is probably the mixing. Besides that one harsh-sounding synth, everything sounds very clean, polished, and well-balanced in the mix. The harmonic content here could use a bit more depth and variety, and the arrangement of the piece is pretty disjointed. But overall, this is a catchy piece with some neat sound design and a strong sense of atmosphere. By all means, keep it up! ^_^

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7/10

music69012 responds:

Damn, I didn't make it through. Thank you for the opportunity and next time I will up my games to show you that I am capable of doing it again, I'm glad that you had a chance to comment and show good criticism and what I need to improve on. It is a real shame that there were people who were slightly better than me, but that isn't going to put me down. I will try to do midi, own a sample, find a better plugin and create new ideas. Could I keep in contact for any future competition because I would love to do this again and show my talent? Perhaps I will come back stronger when I learn a new technique as I improve everytime.

Hope to keep in touch and will show you my improvement and ideas of my creativity soon!
Feisty (The Deaf DJ) Fennekin aka music69012