TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[...And Then There Was Light]

I like the structural arc of the piece. Definitely a well-crafted climax. A lot of the orchestral samples sound really fake, though - especially towards the beginning - and some of them sound indistinct in the mix during the busier parts (e.x., :59). The harmonic framework of the piece is pretty simple, although I really like how crisp and prominent the drums sound in the texture. The choir chords later on are nice, and overall the piece comes together by the end. Perhaps I would’ve liked to hear a tad more structuring and harmonic variety, though. I think it could help you get the most out of the dramatic flair of the piece with a more fleshed-out composition and some more gradual transitions. Still, nice work with the mixing, progression, compositional details, and mood overall! Keep at it, CloakedSoup. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

CloakedSoup responds:

Hey, thanks for the review! The samples in the beginning sound fake, because they’re from an electric violin, which is both fake in the sense that it’s sampled, but also has a synthetic 'fake' kind of sound (along with an EQ filter to make the whole beginning sound like an older recording). I had the idea of going from a lo-fi sound with just the electric violin to a really high quality sound that was more organic when it first climaxed. I wish I could have written more, but I started this the night before it was due. lol

[Strange Bliss (NGADM)]

I like the quirky sound design, but the rhythm is a little hard to follow at the beginning and the progression is a bit slow-paced. I think you could’ve done a better job at transitioning into :44, and the pads there sound a bit generic and dry. I like when the texture comes together more at 1:23, but some of the instruments sound a little harsh in the upper register, and the harmonic progression remains pretty simple, despite the heavy use of ornamentations. The melodic content at the very end kinda felt like too little, too late in terms of giving this piece some stable, climactic content. I would’ve liked to see you flesh out the composition a bit more and add some complexity to the structure. Still, the quirky instrumentation and solid production quality definitely give this piece a lot of potential, and I’d encourage you to keep working on it. Keep at it, Pulvite! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

Pulvite responds:

I friggin love your feedback for whenever I do any NG contest, thanks a ton! :D

[Burning The Body (NGADM Group Stage Entry)]

I like the atmospheric intro and the heavy sub-bass. The cute synths that start fading in at :25 are nice, and the creative percussion here is another big plus. The texture doesn’t really fill out very much, especially in the mid-range, until about 1:05. Still, I liked that climactic section, and the production quality here is really sharp. I couple of the stop/start transitions are pretty jarring here, especially 1:20. I like the spacey breakdown at 1:47 and the more gradual transition back into the emotional height at 2:05. I think the arrangement of this piece is a little choppy, with a lot of sudden pauses that detract from the flow. The over-saturated texture at 2:43 also didn’t work well for me. I think the piece has a very fast pace of progression towards the end, and I wanted to see you hit the piece home with a more stable, prolonged climactic section. Still, I like the energy, sound design, mixing, and rhythmic content here. Keep at it, BurneMusic! :)

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

BurneMusic responds:

k cool

[Abendmusic - Wilderborn]

I like the majestic and tranquil mood at the beginning. The flute solo at :18 is really lovely, and the soft reverse crash at :32 was a nice way of transitioning into the more Celtic-sounding section thereafter. I think the melodies are pretty simple, but the variety in the sound design and texture of the piece keeps me engaged. The arrangement is a bit choppy during the middle minute of the piece; it felt like a battle for the soul of the piece for a while there. Eventually, I think the adventurer turns to a volatile life on the run to soothe his aching soul, but he doesn’t forget his regal, cloistered past. It says a lot that this piece can place such a vivid image in my head. You really told a story with this one. The composition, sound design, and production quality are all strong here. Well done! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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
9.5/10

Abendland responds:

Thank you a lot for sharing your thoughts and giving me such a thorough feedback! Your words mean a lot to me!
All the best, Chris

[Stellar]

I like the smooth pads at the beginning and the sense of tranquility that pervades the piece. There’s a good sense of build into :30, and I like the blissful mood there. The finger snap sample sounds cool, and I like the upbeat vibe and melodies a lot. The production quality is solid, too. My main problem with the piece is probably that it sounds pretty generic, between the synths that could easily be Nexus presets to the arrangement and chord progression. I also think you could’ve hit the piece home a little more with a bolder final refrain and a proper outro. Still, this piece has a nice sense of atmosphere, solid sound design and mixing, and catchy melodies. Keep at it, SnapskiMusic! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

SnapskiMusic responds:

Yo! Thank you for the surgical dive into this piece.
While there wasn't any instances of Nexus, I'd agree that some of the sounds had a generic feel. I'd also admit that the second phrase could have had much more energy, but there was this subconscious fear of ruining the serenity of the whole composition. Should've been bolder, you're right! All the more reason not to disappoint during the next round.

[endK - Resonance]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning and the catchy synth riffs. The injection of intensity at :22 is nice, and I like the bass-y snare sample tom-toms at the transitions. The melody line at :44 is also nice, and the piece is pretty downtempo for a track of yours. The piece doesn’t have a lot of structural variety, but rather a constant sense of energy. I also think the piece gets a bit repetitive after a while, especially with the tom-tom transitions, crashes, and lead synth riffs. I also think it would’ve helped create some more contrasting energy and dynamics levels if you had fleshed out the breakdown at 2:48 without re-introducing the other harmonies so quickly thereafter. Still, the production quality is crystal clear here, and the modulation at 3:49 really helps hit this piece home towards the end. I still feel like this piece sounds like a danceable piece trying to be a slow jam, but otherwise you nailed the mood, atmosphere, mixing, and melodies. Keep at it, EndK! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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
8.75/10

endKmusic responds:

Totally agree with every word you said, eventhough it's structured of four different parts in total that repeat with few changes now and then.

I had the same thought about 2:48 as you mentioned, maybe if I had few days more I would've made a proper breakdown or something like that.
'dancing piece trrying to be a slow jam' - This is so well described, maybe it could be kind of a trademark? ;D
Even if I try to stay within the boundaries of a genre there's always something that kinda 'betrays' me. I don't mean that as a bad thing. I GUESS.

Thanks for the amazing review as always TL. ^_^

[Inevitable]

I like the glitchy content at the beginning and the punchy drums. The synths at :19 are cute, and the production quality is really high here. The rhythmic content is nice, and I like the sound design as a whole too. The piece is very slow to progress, and probably needs more structuring and some more prominent melodic content in places. I love the airy choir chords at 1:05, although the string samples at 1:23 sound a bit cheesy. You really take this piece in a different direction by the end. I like the sense of climax going into the end, but I wanted a stronger point of resolve after you built up all that tension. There are a lot of good ideas here, but I think you could capitalize on the groovy intro and the cinematic flair alike with a more fleshed-out arrangement. Overall, though, your experimental composition definitely paid off. Really cool sound design and atmospheric elements here. Keep at it, Vocaloutburst! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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

vocaloutburst responds:

Thanks so much for the feedback and review!!

[Broken Souls]

I like the ascending scale pattern at the beginning and the vocals. The rimshots at :08 were a little too loud imo, but the texture comes together well by :13. I’m not a huge fan of the kick at :32 - it has a bit too much treble imo. At :50, the vocals don’t blend super well, and the drums are struggling to come through the mix a bit. I like the lyrics themselves, and I also think you both have nice voices, especially your friend. The composition could be a bit more dynamic in terms of energy level and harmonies, though. I would’ve liked to see some more structural changes in the piece before the breakdown at 2:19. I like the glitchy content there, and you transition pretty well back into the last refrain at 2:47. I think the recording quality of the vocals isn’t great, and I think the two vocal parts don’t always sync up so well, which is especially noticeable towards the end. I think the composition of the piece is really good, but you didn’t necessarily execute it very well between the recordings and production. Still, I like the mood, progression, harmonic content, and atmosphere of the piece. Keep at it, SirQuebi! Best of luck at college. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
6.5/10

Quebi responds:

Yeah, I noticed the things you mentioned, and it really is unfortunate I couldn't execute it all better. Perhaps with different circumstances it would've been a different story.

[Anthem For The Millenial]

I like the spacey pads at the beginning and the guitars. I think the vocals could be a little more prominent in the mix, including some more compression and other mixing effects. The lyrics are both vague and repetitive, but also relatable and down-to-earth. The transition at 1:12 could’ve been smoother, but I do like the echoy vocal harmonies. The guitar solo at 2:07 is nice, even if it’s just outlining the chord progression. I think the mixing/balance of the piece could use some cleaning up. The drums aren’t quite as punchy as I wanted them to be, especially during the lead guitar section, and the vocals don’t feel strong enough until the phrase at 3:03. I also think you could’ve enunciated the consonants a bit more. I like how the texture gradually gets stripped down towards the end, although the mic pop at 4:37 could’ve been edited out. Overall, despite all my nitty-gritty criticism, I think the harmonies, sound design, and rhythmic content are all really good here. The mix and vocal production might need a tad more cleaning up, and some more variety in the instrumental tracks would be nice later in the piece, but otherwise it’s a catchy and fun piece. Keep at it, RedSoul92! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
8.25/10

RedSoul92 responds:

Thanks for the review I will most definitely keep at it ^_^

[~SW~ Synaptic Surge]

I like the spacey vibe at the beginning and the smooth string pads. The little synth riff at :25 is cute, and the overall tone of the piece has a great sense of wonder about it. I like the percussion and the subtle crescendo into 1:08, too. The drums are really creative at 1:11, and the meandering melodies are really interesting. The texture really comes together well at 1:50, even if the snare samples sound a bit thin. Very creative rhythmic content here, and I like the prominent, gritty bass at 2:22. The section at the 3-minute mark offers a nice secondary melody to the content at the emotional height at 1:50. It’s hard to make the one-climax model work, but you’ve done a good job at creating a sense of dynamism in the composition even within a pretty parabolic structure. Strong work, Skye! I love how you juxtapose conflicting moods in this piece - tranquility and anger, introspection and impulsion. Keep it up. ^_^

P.S.: Is there anywhere I can download this?

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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
9.5/10

SkyeWint responds:

Hey there, TL!

First things first, I made it available for download. Still not 100% happy with this, though I think it's nailed things a bit more than I have before... so up for normal download it goes!

The synth riff becoming audible around 0:25 is a consistent pattern playing throughout almost the entire piece, actually! If you listen in the background, you should be able to hear it. ^^

I find it really interesting you feel the snares are thinner at 1:50 - they're actually a lot sharper at the high end and have just as much in the mids as the snare in the prior section.

The gritty bass around 2:22 is one of the parts I'm proudest of. Did you notice the pad in the background expanding a bit with each of the bits of extra distortion and modulation of the bass to accent it?

Gonna try to keep on pushing out music a bit faster than before now. Take care!