TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[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!

[loosends]

I like the gritty, pulsing texture at the beginning, even if the wavering effect and kick drum were a bit heavy. The piece is pretty slow to progress, although the texture fills out a little more once the vocals come in. The vocals are pretty far back in the mix, and also don’t sync up very well between the man and woman’s parts. I like the lyrics themselves, though, and also the post-chorus/melodic phrase at 1:36. I think the drums, especially the snare, don’t come through in the mix quite clearly enough at this point, and also that the synths are a bit cheesy/generic. The melodic phrase drags on for a bit too long, but the contrasting breakdown section was a good idea. I like the emotional appeal of the piano solo at 3:15. The reverb is a bit excessive, and the pacing remains pretty slow, but the bridge at 4:01 works well to inject some energy back into the piece. I think the vocals sound pretty haunting overall, but also that the consonants could be enunciated a bit better. Overall, there are some really good harmonic and rhythmic ideas here, and I like the ghostly tone the piece has and the gritty synths. That said, a lot of the sound design is a bit cliche, and the arrangement of the piece is a bit too drawn-out. The mixing also needs some cleaning up, most urgently by cutting some reverb and getting stricter with the equalization. Still, this is a fun and strangely danceable piece. Keep at it, Spoonukem! :)

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
.5/1
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

Spoonerang responds:

I appreciate the feedback; and I've been dabbling with a few edits of the track, (after the critiques) cutting reverb and other sliders around a bit in different areas. Haha, the synth sounds were admittedly a bit generic especially if you compare the sounds here to my previous works - guess you could say I was trying to go back to basics, anyways~ I had a lot of fun with this one, if not for the contests I doubt this track would have even been created! Thanks for having me and taking the time to review this moderately long track! Better luck next year I suppose! :)

[Don't Mean a Thing]

I like the rich quality of the vocals at the beginning and the conversational tone inherent in the lyrics. The guitar sample sounds a bit cheesy, though, and I thought the kick was very heavy and sub-bassy for a piece like this. The content of the lyrics is really clever, and I like the cutesy mallet instrument at :50 during the more mellow refrain. I’m not sure to what extent this piece describes your real life (I’d imagine your Dad doesn’t have a union job, and I’m also not sure you have siblings either), but the down-to-earth tone of the piece and the passionate vocals makes the entire thing very believable. Almost sounds like you plucked this song out of a quirky off-broadway production. The refrain at 1:32 with the high-register pads and fuller texture is great, and there’s also a great comedic quality to the spoken work vocals at 2:00 and the teacher’s “advice for girls.” Once you get to the banjo line, I’m straight-up laughing my ass off. The production quality is excellent here, btw. Overall, this is a super fun and catchy piece with a great message. At the end of the day, my main concern is probably the lack of originality in aspects of the harmonic framework and arrangement, but that honestly doesn’t even actively bother me that much. Seriously, LunacyEcho, save some good pieces for the other competitors! :P

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.75/10

LunacyEcho responds:

you're definitely right that all the content in here was just made up haha, i don't have a brother and i just thought it had a nice campfire-y folksy vibe. and thanks for all the kind words <3 i'm 99% sure this song was a fluke so i'm hoping that i can pull off another fluke for this next round. cheers!

[XenoXenon - Magical Kingdom]

I like the spacey atmosphere at the beginning and the cute melodies at around :20. There’s a tad too much reverb in the texture, though, and I think the mix is rather quiet in general. The strings have a nice emotional quality, too. I think the progression could use a stronger sense of direction at times, but I like the shimmering pad at 1:10 and the gradual build into 1:36. I didn’t think the extra pause at 1:37 was quite necessary, and the percussion sounds a bit muddy in the mix later in the piece. The piece has a really uplifting vibe, but I think the production quality and generic harmonic content are my major concerns here. Still, nice work with the emotional appeal, melodies, and mood/atmosphere. Keep at it, XenoXenon! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7/10

XenoXenon responds:

thx for feedback

[Trapped in this Time Machine]

I like the gritty bass at the beginning and the cinematic strings. The Middle Eastern theme is a nice touch here. The sudden volume change at :27 was a bit jarring, and I wish the vocals were a bit more prominent in the mix. The burst of intensity at 1:04 works well, although it’s easy to get a little disoriented with the rhythmic syncopations going on at 1:11. The arrangement of the piece is a bit choppy here, although that does help emphasize the punchy, adventurous vibe of the piece to some extent. The piece was also missing some dynamic melodic content. Still, I think the vocals are very good, and the lyrics themselves are also rather enjoyable. Overall, nice work with the production, harmonies, energy, and sound design. The arrangement could be a bit more fluid, and the composition could be a tad bit more fleshed out, but otherwise I really like the thematic content of the piece and the storytelling here. Keep it up, LunyAlex! ^_^

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?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

LunyAlex responds:

Thanks a lot, as always, for the detailed review, critique and nice words!

[Till ett träd]

I like the rhythmic patterns at the beginning and the introspective tone. The lighter material at :27 is nice, too. The recording quality is great here, and the texture is full and well-balanced despite this being a solo instrument track. The floaty line at 1:22 comes in a bit suddenly, but otherwise I have to complaints with the flow of the piece. The composition might’ve benefitted from a more extended climactic section towards the end to tie things together a bit more, but you did a job offering some cohesion here overall between the recognizable main theme at 3:01 (and other places). Nice job with the gradual ritardando into that last section too. Overall, excellent work, LSD! I’m looking forward to hearing more from you soon. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Apologies for the delayed response!

1:22 repeats the theme from 1:10, but in a cooler way, so I wanted it to come in quite powerfully. But perhaps the velocity of the first hit is ever so slightly too high!

The whole song is definitely based around the rhythmic patterns from the intro. That's also what I came up with first, so it's the seed that grew into the tree that is the composition, if I may (play on the title).

I felt that after the climax starting at 2:11, the piece needed something unexpected and not too melody heavy, before letting it breathe for a bit, until it finally got into the ending.

Thank you for the very generous score, as well as for the dedicated reviewing as always ^__^!

[Life of Pain]

I like the echoy string instruments at the beginning and the relaxed mood. The strings at :21 are beautiful, although the piece is a bit slow to progress thereafter. I like the more intricate syncopations at 1:01 and the graceful woodwind solo. The percussion could’ve been a tad crisper in the mix, and the mix is a tad quiet for a lot of the piece, but overall the texture is well-balanced and full for a satisfying duration of the piece. The melodies here are beautiful, and I especially like the rich string harmonies at 2:40. The structure is pretty intricate, and some of the transitions are pretty sudden (like at 3:11), but overall I like the smooth flow of the piece, and you gave it a soothing sense of ebb and flow over time that keeps things interesting despite the sense of continuity. The texture comes together really well by around 3:30, but I think the ending could’ve been a bit stronger than a gradual fade-out. Overall, beautiful work though. Very evocative piece with some great sound design (especially the percussion) and mixing. Keep it up, Syamori! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
9.25/10

Baumarius responds:

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I think I know how to fix the issues you described, so I'll probably be using your review later to add some finishing touches. Thanks for the review, TL!

[Cicade]

I like the glitchy content at the beginning and the cute synth riff at :14. The mix is really tight and well-balanced, and there’s a nice sense of climax into :54. The drop is strangely atmospheric, but I like the gritty underlying bass and smooth synth riffs. The melodic content here is nice, but I think it would’ve helped maximize the emotional impact of it to make something more legato and dynamic. I like how you varied the drop the second time the refrain came around (at 2:04) and, despite the relatively cliche arrangement, I think you have a really unique, refreshing sound design and mood to this piece. It sounds both blissful and somewhat ominous, and I really like that ambiguity. Keep up the good work, Zanzlanz! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9/10

Zanzlanz responds:

First of all, congratulations on 3000 audio reviews. A bit arbitrary of a milestone to congratulate maybe, but it's no less amazing to me!

I'm interested about your review because track was partially inspired by your criteria and previous feedback (I do wish more judges could do what you do; it's so helpful).

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised about this, but you totally caught me having the typical arrangement! Though it did really help me piece things together, so the tradeoff was probably beneficial in the end. It may have helped sell the intentionality of the more risky choices too. :) But yes, it was comfortable for me and maybe I should be more bold in a competitive situation.

I'm super surprised people like the mix! I struggled with it a lot, so it's a big relief to have direct thumbs up there.

I really love and appreciate the description of "both blissful and somewhat ominous." Perhaps making things "more legato" would have reduced this aspect, but I can see that you're pointing out there are ways to consolidate some of the ideas better.

Also, varied drops: there's no other way man! It's a waste of music to do the same thing twice! :D Thanks for acknowledging that.

And again, thank you for the thoughtful review! Good luck with the next rounds, and do enjoy your couple weeks off!

[Afeared]

I like the gritty texture at the beginning and the catchy strummed riffs at :28. The melodic content might’ve sounded a bit more impactful during the first minute if all of the notes weren’t so short and staccato, though. The production quality and harmonies are both enjoyable here. I still think transitions are what you need some more work on. The changes in the texture at 1:07 comes on a little suddenly, although I like what you did with the shifts in the rhythmic emphasis at 1:22 and again at 1:40. The ominous top line at 2:35 added a nice sense of variety after a while, and I appreciated how you broke up the intensity of the piece with the breakdown at 2:51. I think the composition feels pretty drawn-out at times, especially with the added repetitions of the riff at 3:27. Still, I liked the new melodic material at 4:03, and overall I thought you did a good job of hitting this piece home. I don’t think the piece is nearly as bad as you think it is. It has a good sense of shape, and the sound design and mixing are both really strong. Keep at it, JDawg00100! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.75/10

JDawg00100 responds:

Thank ya for the review! :)