TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Amber]

I like the contained, groovy sound at the beginning and the tape-shifting noises in between that and the cutesy beat at :15. The mix is really clean, and the sound design has a really funky and refreshing vibe. I like the melodic flair that comes later on (at around :45), and the post-chorus instrument that sounds like whistling (:55). The breakdown at 1:20 was also really cute, and the rhythmic variations at 1:45 work well to provide a bit of a burst of energy. The organic-sounding drums is a nice touch here in an otherwise very electronic-sounding piece. I think the texture often has a lot of staccato-y elements, but that doesn't bother me too much because the melodies are pretty smooth and the flow of the piece is still solid. Overall, not much to complain about here! Strong work, 8-bitheroes. ^^

8-bitheroes responds:

Thanks very much for taking the time to leave some excellent feedback :)

[Time In a Bottle (Cover, Jim Croce)]

Lovely to see you posting again, Ceevro! I like the smooth, soulful guitar at the beginning. The vocals are good, but sometimes they were a little weak in the mix relative to the guitars. The piece has a really nice flow, and I like how before every vocal entrance there's a slight anticipatory pause. The slightly darker, pensive vibe after the last verse is a nice touch too. The composition is fairly simple, and part of me wishes you tried to add more onto it vis-a-vis the original, but regardless you guys are clearly talented guitarists. Hope to see more of you around the Grounds soon! ^^

Ceevro responds:

Dude, if you had any idea how tricky this is to perform as a duet...I'm amazed at how well my brother did at this...his guitar skillz are amazing, but he does it for himself...no interest in performing or recording at all. Sometimes I wish I could be like him. He just gives zero fucks about the outside world. I was honoured that he recorded this, entirely because he knew I wanted to. I doubt he's ever even pulled the page to see how it sounded. There's something inspirational in that.

[Moonflower, I: Bloom]

I like the sense of wonder and majesty at the beginning. The reverb is really heavy, but that adds to the mystery and divinity of the piece. The delicate stringed instruments in the background at :45 sound amazing. I also like the slightly darker tone of the piece by 1:15 or so. The piece certainly comes full-circle by the end, but it still sounds a tad ambivalent, as if the flower shed its petals as quickly as they had once opened. Either way, haunting work here, Miyo. ^^

Miyolophone responds:

i'm really glad your takeaway was "haunting." a lot of people have told me that this one sounds peaceful or happy but i personally think it's quite sad & full of longing

thank you for the many perceptive reviews. they are all very kind and accurate and i appreciate them

[After Hours (2020 Remix)]

I like the filtering at the beginning, but the vocals could certainly blend a little better. It might help if there were some more compression/chorus effects to make them sound thicker. Still, I like the instrumental palette and sense of build into 1:05. The piece has a full texture throughout and a pleasing verse-refrain structure. The contained sound at the breakdown at 2:30 was a nice touch, and helped add some structural contrast to a piece that had a pretty consistent energy level otherwise. You definitely capitalized on that setup too with the additional backing vocals and flair of the last refrain at 3:00. Nice work overall, Time0ff! ^_^

Time0ff responds:

Thank you Tainted!

[LE - Overworld 2]

I like the minimal percussion at the beginning and the airy flutes that come in shortly after. The warm strings and chromatic motion in the harmonies at around :45 are both really nice. The texture is a bit thin for my tastes for a lot of the piece, and sometimes I wish the piece was a bit more flowing to match the tranquil mood. The transitions in this piece often seem a little rushed, especially 4:30. That said, the sound design is top-notch, and there's a lot of variety in the soundscape to keep things interesting. I especially like the haunting violins at 2:30-ish, and the soothing counterpoint from 3:00-4:30 or so probably constitutes my favorite part of the piece. You did a nice job of making the ending sound conclusive without overselling it - a fittingly mild-mannered conclusion to a very tranquil and lovely piece. Nice work, Samulis! I should really check out more of your recent stuff. ^_^

samulis responds:

Thanks TL! I'm glad you gave it a listen, and enjoyed it. :)

As game underscore, it was not possible to make it too active/full in texture or else it would wear the player's ears after a short time. I also tend towards smaller ensembles these days, just a consequence of growing up I guess, haha.

4:30 isn't a transition, it's a 'response' to the 'question' posed in the previous horn phrase. The transition out of that section is at 4:46.

0:33, 3:06, and 4:48 are all the same material, just with more elaborate orchestrations each time, by the way. The material between those sections are the contrasting portions of the 'rondo'.

[XenoXenon - Time To Reflect]

I like the loud mix and cutesy synths. The kick has a tad too much treble for my tastes, but I like the drum samples otherwise. The vocals were a nice touch, and I like how you brought them back again towards the end. The quirky arpeggios at the breakdown at 1:14 are especially nice, and overall the flow and sound design of this piece are some of the strongest elements of it. This is more melodic than the last piece I reviewed, although I think the drum patterns could've been a tad more creative. Overall solid work again! I'm especially impressed with the mixing and atmosphere in the pieces I've reviewed today. :)

XenoXenon responds:

Thx !

[XenoXenon - Years Ago]

I like the airy texture and emotional appeal of the beginning. The rhythm of the chords feels a bit square and regular; I can tell it's not really being played live. Using more tempo automations and subtle dynamic/note length shifts will help "humanize" it a bit more. I like when there's a bit more energy in the texture at around :40, but I think you could've done a little more with that refrain before returning to the dreamy atmosphere at 1:00. There was a nice subtle sense of build into 1:50, but I think you could've done more with the refrain again, especially since it was the last one. This piece needs a little more melodic content to drive it home and complete the story arc you set up here. Still, nice work with the sound design, atmosphere, and phrasing with this one. The composition just needs a tad more depth imo. Keep it up! ^^

XenoXenon responds:

Thanks for the feedback :)

[Let's Go Bowling]

Fun piece! I like the cutesy synths and the cheesy bowling alley sound effects. Sounds like something out of an '80s movie montage. Rhythmic details and mixing are solid too. Just wish it was a bit longer/more varied. Happy 2020, Jacob! ^^

Jacob responds:

Thank you! The vibe seems to have translated well. I agree that it could use more variation, and I may add it later on - if the feeling strikes.
I appreciate the review, man!
And a happy new decade to you, too. I look forward to hearing the fruits our growth and change. :)

[-Encounter-]

I like the ominous church bells at the beginning and the 2008-ish techno synths thereafter. The texture is a bit minimal and perhaps missing some atmosphere for a while, but things start coming together more by around the 1-minute mark. Those cutesy melodies at :58 help give the piece a stronger sense of direction, and I love that growly mid-range bass synth at 1:15, especially combined with the vocal samples. The bridge at 2:15 or so was a little bland, but the melodic content at 2:40 was nice. I also like the thin, pizzicato-y synth at 3:25. I might've liked to hear a little more melodic development later in the piece as, at the end of the day, the arrangement is pretty straightforward. That said, I think the sound design and rhythmic details really make this piece what it is. Enjoyable track, PredatorMusic! Happy New Year. :)

Preds responds:

Thanks for the review! You are always welcome here, your constructive criticism is amazing!

[MrKoolTrix & Verplex - Fuzzy Land]

Hahaha. I like the vocals at the beginning and the cutesy synths immediately thereafter. It's a little slow to progress for the first minute, and sometimes I think there's a bit too much reverb in the texture, but everything comes together for the drop at 1:05. The post-chorus melody is really nice, too. I think the drums could've been a little stronger during the more climactic sections of the piece, but I certainly like the atmospheric bridge with the funky rhythmic variations at the 2-minute mark. The compression is a bit too heavy there, though - the pads are clearly getting distorted. You incorporated the vocal samples well into the second drop, and the piece comes together nicely by the end with the extended melodic section and evocative piano outro. Great work, guys! I look forward to hearing more fruitful collabs from you in the future. ^^

MrKoolTrix responds:

Thanks for the in-depth feedback! ^_^