TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Savage]

I like the ominous and vaguely Middle Eastern-sounding riff at the beginning. There was a nice subtle build-up into :14, and the drop at :14 is catchy, if rather minimal. The mixing effects are tasteful and add some flavor to the piece, but I still think the texture could use some more fill here, and the harmonic content could use more variety. Rap vocals would certainly do the trick. Some of the transitions are also abrupt, like at 1:50. Otherwise, the compositional details are pleasant here - I especially like the build-up at 2:38, and the vocals and glitchy elements at around 3:00. It just needs more variety and maybe a more original arrangement. Still, this is a seriously catchy track with some creative sound design. Keep at it, JoeStasi! Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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?)
1/1
Composite score
7.5/10

JoeStasi responds:

Thank you Andrew for organising this comp and for your extremely detailed feedback it's much appreciated!

[Petrichor - NGUAC]

I like the majestic chords at the beginning. The rhythm is a bit square, but I like how the higher-pitched tones of the chords soften in the lead-up to :31. The string pads are beautiful, although admittedly the fade-out of the piano/bell chords wasn’t quite gradual enough for my ears to adjust in time. The part at 1:16 sounds really whimsical. The pacing is much slower during this section of the piece, but I like how you brought it full-circle with the initial chords at 2:14. Overall, this is a really cute piece. I think you overused the stop-start transitions a bit early on, but otherwise the composition is pleasant, if not particularly bold. No complaints with the mixing or sound design. Keep at it, Irish-Soul! Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC. ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

Payton-Petkus responds:

Thanks for the review and thorough feedback! It's always such a pleasure to participate in NGUAC :)

[Crystallis Ultima]

I like the downtempo piano riffs at the beginning. The string pads help round out the atmosphere nicely, and the flute solo at :50 sounds lovely. The string melodies at 1:02 seem to contribute to a quickening of the pace going into the climax at 1:27 - that’s a smart compositional choice. The mix is a bit quiet for most of the piece, but the dynamics are generally well-shaped within the phrases here. The arrangement feels a tad disjointed at times, with a lot of stop-start transitions. The piano breakdown at 3:26 serves as a nice re-intro, and the pacing of that transition serves as a nice and subtle attention-grabber. The next climactic section at 4:08 might’ve benefitted from a more gradual build-up, especially since it’s the main “point of arrival” towards the end of the piece. That said, the melodic content is beautiful, and in general the orchestration is both well-varied and channels the mood of the piece quite well. The emotional appeal of the coda at 5:24 is a nice touch as well. Overall, strong work, Holland! This piece is majestic, melodious, and well-structured. It could be a tad more smooth-flowing in places, but in general all of my complaints here are minor. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

HollandAlbright responds:

Thank you for the detailed breakdown, and especially thank you for hosting the contest! It gave me some motivation to write some new music and was fun to participate in something like that. ♫

[Untinted]

I love the evocative chords at the beginning and the jazzy flair. The strings at :28 are beautiful, and the piece flows really nicely into the clarinet and sax solos at :40. The texture is a bit minimal, and part of me thinks it could use some more prominent percussion to give it a sense of drive. The tuba and “oom-pah” rhythmic emphasis at 1:38 are great, and also provide some variety in the mood of the piece compared to the more upbeat tone earlier. The second string section at 2:22 hits the piece home nicely. I still think this piece would be a tad stronger with a richer texture and atmosphere at times, but the melodies, sound design, and progression are all rather enjoyable as they are. Keep at it, Everratic! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Everratic responds:

Thank you for the feedback! I agree that the piece is a bit too minimal at times. I could have added more lines and doublings throughout different sections. I do like a minimal approach for a track like this for a cute, lighthearted vibe, so I wouldn't have added that much more though.

For most of the submission period I worked on a totally different track, and it wasn't working as well as I had hoped, so I made a difficult decision shortly before the deadline to start fresh. I got lucky because this track was extremely easy to compose, but I still didn't have enough time to fully develop it. The version I submitted had a few big mistakes that I didn't think I should mention :p I updated it after the results were released.

[AndrewCR × Upcoda - Glee]

I like the cute synth pattern at the beginning and the subtle build-up into :18. The production quality is solid, although the first minute already feels pretty repetitive. I like the melodies at :54 - very upbeat and dynamic. The breakdown at 1:31 was a nice change-of-pace, and the tense atmosphere at 1:50 created a good backdrop for the build-up into 2:26, although the build-up itself felt a bit dragged-out. The mix sounds a bit strained at 2:26, with the snare in particular struggling to pop through at times. The glitchy outro at 2:45 was a nice touch, but also a bit overly repetitive. Overall, I really like the sound design, melodies, and progression of this one. The composition could be a bit bolder at times, especially later in the piece, and at times the pacing feels a bit slow too. That said, the triumphant mood and bouncy synths are still very strong elements of this piece. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC, fellas! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
8.5/10

upcoda responds:

thanks for the review taintedlogic! believe me we will really take the comments into account!

[one80 - dubble-bubble (NGUAC 2024 Knockout Round)]

I like the flashy beats and cute synths at the beginning. There’s a nice subtle build-up into :30. The drop is catchy, but the mix sounds like it’s missing some mid-range tones. Maybe some more prominent pads or something would help fill it out a bit more. The atmospheric bridge at 1:17 is really nice, as is the transition into 2:02. At some point, I would’ve liked to hear some more depth in the harmonies. That said, the production quality is really strong, and the rhythmic content here is top-notch. Some of the synths sound a bit thin in the texture, and that’s especially noticeable when most of the instruments playing during some of the busier sections of the piece sound like that. That said, overall the sound design blends together well and has a nice, light and airy flair. Really evocative piece here, and fitting of your username! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

whymsical responds:

thanks for rating! i admit that mixing mids are kinda rushed, and the synths arent layered.

[The Wave]

I like the eerie texture at the beginning and the smooth descending guitar line at :09. The distorted vocals at :20 sound a bit bizarre in context, although the drop at :33 is catchy. The texture is still pretty minimal, although the shimmering pads at 1:16 and the mixing effects help keep things interesting. The “underwater” effect at 1:27 sounds really cool, if a tad goofy given that there’s not much going on in the texture there. The reverse percussion at 1:23 is pretty cool, too. Overall, I would’ve liked to see some more depth and variety in the harmonies here, but the experimental texture of this is definitely really engaging and unique. You have a real knack for creating a rich and dynamic atmosphere with relatively few sounds. Keep at it, Walpang! ^_^

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
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
8/10

Walpang responds:

Thanks as always for the specific and incredibly constructive feedback!! Comments like these really help with dialing in the exact feeling that I'm after.

[Red Thirst [NGUAC24]]

I like the waltzy meter and eerie harpsichord harmonies at the beginning. Whether intentionally or not, the slight stumbling of the notes at :14 only contributes to the ominous mood, and there’s a nice gradual build-up into 1:10. The evil laugh at :45 and screaming at 1:09 add to the thematic content nicely. The drop at 1:10 is nice, if a tad bottom-heavy. I would’ve liked to hear more of the backing pads in the mix there. The melody at 1:38 is catchy, but also could’ve been a bit more dynamic. There are a lot of repeated contours in it. The chord progression at 2:07 is nice, and I really like the echo-y upper-mid pad at 2:47. Overall, the sound design, flow, and rhythmic content here are all great, and the production quality is also solid. The composition could use a bit more depth later on, with a thicker texture and more of an ebb-and-flow in the phrasing. Still, I love the foreboding mood and progression of this one. Keep at it, TotallyPorff! ^_^

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
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

TotallyPorff responds:

Thank you so much for the advice! I look forward to next time!

[He's Into Lolicon]

I like the classic early 2000s rock feel at the beginning. The vocals are delivered well - nice conversational tone and articulation - and the lyrics have a good comedic value. The vocals could’ve been mixed a little further up-front, though. It’s hard to make out the lyrics at times, largely because the vocals aren’t staying on top of the texture too well. A little compression and some stricter equalization on the instrumental track might help make them stand out more, but admittedly my own experience with mixing live-recorded guitars is limited, so just be careful not to cut into their frequency range too much. That said, the composition here is really strong. The melodies are dynamic, your guitar skills are excellent, and the entire arrangement flows really nicely. The bridge at 2:01 is really hilarious and self-aware. The vocal layering during the last 20 seconds or so isn’t perfect - it just doesn’t blend very well, and might need to be re-recorded. Otherwise, this is a very well-executed composition. You remind me of @UlfusNG, who made a bunch of similar comedy songs back in the day. Keep at it, TofuTehSurvivor! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

TofuTehSurvivor responds:

Noted! Still learning mixing 🤣 thank you for the feedback!

[From Afar]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning and the strong sense of ebb-and-flow in the texture during the first 20 seconds or so. The vocaloid at :33 sounds rather realistic, but I can’t decide if the introspective lyrics are deep or just a bit cheesy. The whispered tone to the vocals at 1:20 was haunting, and the growing intensity at 2:12 is especially nice. It’s really impressive how much variety you have in the sound design here. The piece could’ve used a big moment of arrival at the end of the piece, but it never quite gets there. I’m impressed with how flowing and well-varied this track is, but at some point I also wanted to see a climactic section that relieves some of the pent-up tension here. The melodic content and mixing are also good, although at times the snare and kick are a bit soft, like at 1:05. Overall, really solid work here, Pixxlman! Love the atmosphere, sound design, progression, and melodies here. Keep it up! ^_^

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?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.75/10

PixxlMan responds:

Thanks for the thorough review!