TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Movin On]

Really cute sound palette and neat rhythmic elements. It's like I never know what kind of instrument is going to come in at the end of every 4-bar mini-phrase. :) The mix is really loud and clear, and I'm hearing some similarities in melodic contour and instrumentation to "Moon City" and some of your other tracks. The melodies and phrase structure feel a bit meandering and aimless after a while, but the cutesy percussion was a nice way to end the piece. Dorky track indeed, but it totally puts a smile on my face. Keep it up, Michael! ^^

Michael-Flaherty responds:

I really appreciate the review. Thanks a lot for listening!

[The Wait]

Hey, been a while since I heard from you. I like the crisp drums and variety in the tone of the vocals. The production quality is really good - all the instruments sit really well in the mix. I know it can be hard for the vocals and drums to come through with all the heavy guitars in there, but the entire texture is very well-balanced. The lyrics themselves are also strong. You're right that the chorus feels a tad generic, but something simple like adding a little variety to it the last time around might've helped negate that for me. I might've also liked to hear more of a proper outro, but that's another small detail. The instrumental riff at 2:32 was a nice touch, btw. I think my favorite part is still the soulful vocals, and I like how you threw in the more throaty vocal section at :37 as well. Keep it up, Bad-Man-Inc! ^^

Bad-Man-Incorporated responds:

Thanks man. Definitely been a spell!! I agree with everything you said. I try to keep my ideas simple, and honestly, the choruses were just copy and paste, for the idea. I know the choruses just scream melodies all over. I'll definitely switch them up live. The outro is definitely missed in my mind as well, but i write with the live element in my head. Just try to keep it simple. haha. I appreciate your thoughts and compliments very much! I really want to share all our other ones here, too. I love feeding the metal! \m/

[<{quan.tum.super.pos.ti.tion}>]

Ever since "Cranial," I've been looking forward to another collab from you two. The staticky atmosphere at the beginning and the slightly cryptic piano chords complement each other well. The eerie synths and minimal drums are great, too. Also, what the hell did you do to that organ at 1:25? Lol. I like how the piece resets itself at 1:50 before launching into an even glitchier section. My favorite part of the piece is the layering of the different chordal riffs at 2:55 - gives me goosebumps every time I replay it. The melodies at 3:20 or so totally hit the piece home, too. Even though the piece is really minimal at times, and also could use some more harmonic variety, the generous use of detuning and glitches totally makes up for that and then some. This piece is awesome and you should both feel awesome. I'm giving this a "just weird enough" out of 10. Happy 2022! ^_^

SkyeWint responds:

Happy 2022, friend!

This was a pretty quick smack together over about 8 hours on stream, sadly I didn't quite have enough time to play too much with harmony (that and the piano sample didn't have too many harmonies I could make cyclic chord progressions with!) or it would be a LOT crazier. I did definitely want to play with a lot of detuning and weird glitchiness though.

The 'organ' starting around 1:25 is actually two detuned sine waves (they actually detune in opposite directions too, making for some REALLY crazy dissonant harmonies even in the same note, while remaining vaguely identifiable as the same note. One also has some ring modulation and the other has some waveshaping to give it a bit of extra character. It was super fun to make lol

Interestingly, the chords starting at 0:55 or so are actually the piano that's been playing since the very start! But, it's run through a granular synthesis plugin controlled by midi data to make chords that... mostly have an automated rhythm? Makes for a really crazy texture as you can hear! The percussion is also absolute nuts, I have so many glitch plugins on it creating all the weird little alterations when it's mostly just straightforward rhythms at the basis. Great example of that is the high hat starting at 1:52, if you pay attention to it it's doing all kinds of crazy stupid stuff.

Thank you so much for the review, friend!

[What You Love]

I love the energy and breathy, chopped vocals at the beginning. The piece is full of variety, yet flows really well. I think my favorite part is the chorus that most prominently features the vocals at around the 1-minute mark. The compression is really heavy here, but it gives the synths such a great punchy vibe without sounding too harsh. The guitar solos at around 3:45 really hit the spot, too - it's a great example of a genre-shifting mid-song that works really well imo. The vocal interlude at 5:00 or so is beautiful, and it progresses really nicely into the last refrain section that re-introduces the electronic elements. Holy shit, what a masterpiece. This piece is so wonderfully, chaotically creative. Keep it up, Garlagan! ^_^

garlagan responds:

thank you TL!!

[Escape From the Grave]

Intriguing title. I love the dark organ chords at the beginning and the frantic riffs at :19. The percussion here is really nice and dynamic, and the heavy use of the ride cymbal gives it a somewhat jazzy feel. At times, I felt like the balance in the texture was a bit off - there's a big emphasis on the frantic harmonic elements, whereas for example, I think elements like the brass solo at :57 should probably take precedence, even though it's short-lived. The organ chords toward the middle make for a cool bridge, although perhaps that section could've been integrated a bit more cleanly with the final orchestral section at 2:04. That said, I really like the additional mallets and string harmonies during the final minute. The piece never quite relieves the sense of tension it creates throughout, but otherwise it's a great example of how you're so good at creating these cinematic masterpieces. Cheers, Ale! ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Hey! Nice to hear from you. I hope you're doing well :)

This is not my favourite of my own compositions, since indeed there are quite a few things that could be improved in it. I still like the general idea, but I just didn't have enough time to spend on it to really make it shine. I'm glad that you still found some enjoyment in it, and thank you for taking the time to leave such a solid review!

[The Newgrounds Composer]

I like the furtive beginning and the gradually more energetic and upbeat feel by around the 1-minute mark. The string at 1:30 or so are a nice touch, and the brass at 1:50 really helps thicken up the texture. Something about the timing of the harmonies/syncopations at 2:22 doesn't quite line up. Maybe it's that the string samples aren't quite reaching their peak volume on the down beat? The piano line at 3:11 was a welcome return to a more mellow vibe, but the transition there was also a tad abrupt. You really tripped me out with the couple short encores at the end, haha. Feels like they're the seeds of two entirely different pieces, but I especially liked the dreamy guitar at the very end. :) Keep at it, LSD! ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thanks for leaving another review!

You're right about 2:22. It's always difficult to balance orchestral instruments around the piano, even if I would've recorded with a metronome, as the playing is quite dynamic. I feel like the mix could also use some improvement in a few areas. Other than that, I'm quite happy with the arrangement. The ending is indeed a bit unorthodox, but it makes sense in the context of the inspiration for the music! I recommend watching the animation, as the piece is partially based on that ^ ^

[Hopea]

I like the dreamy intro and the evocative sound design. The harsh elements of the texture at :38 are a nice touch, and I like how the progression starts to take on a darker tone until the piano comes in at :51. While the piece is a bit slow-paced at times, the sound design remains interesting, especially with the vocals at 1:30. The brass solo at 1:40 is great, but I think it would've been more impactful if there were some more substantive harmonies built around it. The percussion in this piece is great, though, especially later on when complementing the brass and woodwind melodies. I also like the cliffhanger ending. I think it fits a piece this whimsical and mysterious rather well. Great job, Ale, and happy 2022! ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Happy 2022!

I agree that the piece is a bit slow-paced, but I think that's in the nature of a composition like this, also combined with the artwork. I still wanted to find a way to let it progress, which is why I completely change the genre/instruments at the halfway point. I was trying not to let it move too far away in energy, however. I'm thinking that maybe this song should've actually been made into a loop, but I also like the ending as it is :/

Thanks for listening to some of my later stuff! I've been composing lots for projects, but I haven't yet been able to release any of it online. At some point, though, it should appear :)

[Aurora Beam]

Ooo, I like this. The dynamic piano melodies and crisp beats really hit the spot, and the airy pads and ghostly leads (like at 1:05) smooth over the texture nicely. The glissando at 2:15 makes for a neat transition, and the production quality here is super tight despite the busy texture. Mood is a great mix of relaxing and energetic. I kinda felt like the ending cam on a bit abruptly, but I'm sure it's meant to loop in-game. I've got to get more in touch with the gaming scene on NG. Good for you for landing all these tracks in games. Happy 2022, TV! ^^

TeraVex responds:

Ayyyy TL! Long time no see! It's great to hear from you, I'm glad you like the track! I still revisit this from time to time, I look back on it fondly.

[The Magical Forest]

Top-notch instrumentation here. I love the whimsical tone and variety in the texture throughout. The heavier section at :53 works really well, too, and I like how it's immediately contrasted with the more subdued tone at 1:10. The little filler mini-solos at the end of each phrase are great - I especially like the harpsichord at 1:50. The increased prominence of the vocal pads at 2:06 is a great way of ending the piece too. I think this is my favorite track of yours of 2021. Cheers, Everratic! ^_^

Everratic responds:

Thank you!