TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[NewGrounds : Demo]

I like the progression and dramatic percussion. Sound quality is a bit muddy - try to use less reverb on those low-end drums. That said, the composition is great. Really lively and climactic. Excellent use of sound design, especially with the subtle electronic elements at :36. Sounds like the end of a chase scene. Strong work!

Junebuggo responds:

Thanks for your criticism! Some of the muddy quality is due to Newground's bad MP3 compression. Also funny thing... those "electronic elements" at 0:36 are actually trumpets on a flutter and fast half step trill XD

[Lucid]

I love the tranquil atmosphere at the beginning and the swells (like at :33). The sound design and mixing are fantastic as usual with you, and I especially enjoy the mix of orchestral and more synthetic/ambient elements. There's a lot of musical variety here, and I especially like the contrast you draw between the brass solo at 3:40 and the preceding downtempo section. The coda was haunting, a fitting echo of the charisma and cinematic flair of the more energetic sections earlier. Well done, Step! The narrative form of this one is truly engrossing. ^^

Step responds:

I still love your reviews. Thanks so much for leaving a comment, Andrew!

The contrast at the end is something I'm very happy with too. In general, this piece is all about driving a narrative, and if someone were listening to it and couldn't form any kind of story in their head based on what they're hearing, then the song didn't do its job as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks again!

[Dreams]

Bit of a brighter tone to this one than usual for you. I like the creative hi-hat rolls in the background. The kick is pretty heavy, and the attack on those pads at 1:09 is a little too sharp for my tastes. The synths need a little more body here to feel well-balanced against the drums sometimes. Can you send me a screencap of the equalizers on your synths, too? Otherwise, I like the bouncy tone of this one. Attack on the pads is the only thing that actively bothers me.

djRemedy responds:

Thanks dude. Fixed the kick.. tweaked a few things.. still not perfect but I will keep on it. Lol sorry it took so long.

[I'm not a simp]

I like the quirky beats and loud, crisp mix. The synths are a little cheesy, but the vocals are neat. It's a little hard to make out the lyrics at times, but that might be more due to the layering and mixing effects more so than the mastering quality. Catchy and fun piece overall! Keep at it, man. ^^

RealMrSnuggles responds:

Hey, thanks, I forgot to include the lyrics in the description, gonna do it now.

[Midflight Skysprite]

I like the cutesy synth riff at the beginning and the gradual additional layering. The nature effects are a nice atmospheric touch, and overall the piece has a great sense of build over the first minute. The distorted breaks at :58 were a tad bizarre and tinny, but they provide an evocative element of contrast when juxtaposed with the easy-going melodies at 1:20. The texture of the piece certainly has an experimental vibe overall, but the level of variety and high quality of the mix and sound design are engaging and fun. It was really interesting to read the narrative description here because it doesn't really match what I pictured at all. :) For me, there's clearly an element of conflict here between the fluttery, distorted textures and the flowing melodic parts. Either way, really cool piece at the end of the day! Keep it up, guys. ^^

tailspun responds:

thank you for the review, TL! it's interesting how you had a different interpretation of the emotions this song carries; now that you've mentioned it, though, i can see what you mean.

[Woodfire]

I love the tranquil piano riffs at the beginning and the quirky synths shortly thereafter. It's really nice when the atmosphere opens up at around :35, but overall the pacing is still pretty slow toward the beginning. The rhythmic variations at 1:35 are neat, and I like the quaint melodic synths at around 2:10. Overall, the piece is a bit less melodic than most of your work, but the clean mix, atmosphere, and sound design definitely still have me sold. The tranquil coda (and the transition into it at 3:35) were really well done. Keep up the good work, guys! Looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. ^^

Onefin responds:

wow tl you are fast

thank you!

[Chiptune Spooky Loop]

Another cutesy and atmospheric adventure! I like how the dreamy arpeggios are interspersed with the eerie sections, like at :35. The piece gets a tad repetitive after a while, but the bass-heavy section at 1:30 is a welcome dose of variety. I'm not sure the loop is as smooth as it could be - seems like a bit of a strange harmonic shift - but part of that could just be NG's weird pause again. Otherwise, the atmosphere and melodies are definitely the major highlights for me here. It's a very trance-like and strangely tranquil piece at the end of the day. Keep it up, man! ^^

Possibly responds:

Thanks again - yeah the added delay in the player certainly doesn't help anything :D

[Arbitrary Violence]

I like the murky, dramatic flair at the beginning and the staccato-y vocals at :15 or so. There might be a tad too much reverb in the texture, as during the busier sections the percussion doesn't sound super distinct in the mix, but it certainly helps fill the gaps during the thinner sections. The energy and drive that the piece had towards the beginning dies off a bit by the end, but I like the mysterious horn riff at the end. Makes me think that the enemy got away, but the battle is far from over. Compelling work! Keep at it, Possibly. :)

Possibly responds:

Thanks again for another review - appreciate it again. Yeah, this actually loops, but I didn't put it up as a loop for some reason.

[Chiptune Action Loop]

Definitely perfect for a fast-paced video game. The bass is a little heavy imo, but I love the whimsical melodies at :14 and the organ synth at :10. The little breakdown at 1:02 is also a nice touch, and I'm sure the loop would be a lot smoother without NG's characteristic slight pause. :) Other highlights for me include the little flourish at :24 (and other places) and the call-and response action between the cutesy synth at :41 and the foreboding riff at :45. Perhaps the drum line could've been a little more inventive at times, but other than that there's not much to complain about here. Keep at it, Possibly! ^_^

Possibly responds:

Thanks for the review, much appreciated :)