TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Sanctuary (NGADM Entry)]

I like the hard-hitting ambiance at the beginning and the synth arpeggios in the background. There’s a nice sense of climax into :38, although the reverb in the texture is pretty excessive. The drop was nice, and the atonal chords at the end enhanced the quirky vibe of the piece. The snare has a lot of higher-end frequencies, especially during the more atmospheric parts, but overall the mix sounds clean and crisp. There are a couple of sudden mood shifts in this piece, like 1:58, that came across as a bit jarring to me, but overall I like how you use atonality and other “shock value” elements of the piece to enhance the thematic content. I would’ve liked to hear another climactic section towards the end to really hit this piece home, but even without that it’s a very engaging and creative piece. I love the pitch-bending on the bell-like pads at the end too. Overall, strong work with the production, mood, atmosphere, and sound design! Keep up the good work, KayozKun! ^_^

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

KayozKun responds:

Wow, thank you so much for reviewing my track! i really appreciate the constructive criticism and i will keep in mind what you said! :-)

[Titan]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning, although there’s a lot of reverb in the texture and I think the pads sound a little generic. The drums at :31 are a little weak, and some of the piano notes sound a tad indistinct. I think the mixing could use a bit of cleaning up here, starting with removal of the excess reverb and some tighter equalization. The melodies at :59 are nice, if a tad repetitive, and I’m enjoying the full, rich texture. The chord progression is a tad cliche, and I think the refrain lasts for a little too long. I liked the new harmonic riff you introduced during the bridge at 2:14, although overall there’s not much harmonic variety in this piece, including in the last refrain. I also thought you could’ve done more with the drums in this piece - especially during the busier sections, it’s a pretty generic kick-snare-kick-snare. The extra mid-range bass at 3:27 was a nice touch, and the atmospheric outro was pretty enjoyable as well. Overall, nice work with the atmosphere, harmonies, rhythmic content, and progression. Aspects of the mixing, originality, variety, and compositional details might need some work, though. Keep at it, HactasticBeast! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.75/10

Benji-G responds:

4 years ago now eh, time flies haha.

Thanks for the feedback!
/ HactasticBeast aka Benji-G 😂

[Glitch Gal]

I like the fun synths and crisp drums. The chord progression is a little generic, and the piece is slow to progress. The production quality is solid, although I think the composition could use more variety and dynamic melodic content, especially in the first half of the piece. By around 1:45, it becomes clear that the cute melodies are a mainstay of the piece, and I think the track is better for it. The composition comes together much more in the second half, although aspects of the harmonic progression, sound design, and arrangement still lack originality. I also would’ve liked to see more structural contrast in this piece, with a more distinct breakdown where the bass line gives way to more atmospheric or alternative content. That would help give the structure of the piece a little more shape. The strongest part of this piece is probably the production, although the atmosphere, rhythmic content, and flow are also enjoyable. Keep at it, ZtpRapheephat! :)

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

ZtpRapheephat responds:

Thanks for your feedback :3

[Stay with Me]

I like the chopped vocals at the beginning and the atmosphere. Elements of the sound design are a bit cliche, though (like the pads), and the vocals get a bit repetitive after a while. The lead vocals at :58 are nice, although the lyrics are pretty generic. I think you could have some smoother transitions in this piece, like at :57 and 1:36. I also think the piece gets rather repetitive after the second verse is simply a repeat of the first. That said, the production quality is strong, and I like the rhythmic components of the piece. The piece comes together well with the variations on the chopped vocal section at 3:52, although the ending was a bit sudden. I also would’ve liked to see you add a breakdown or bridge at some point to add some more shape to the composition. Overall, though, solid work with the mixing and mastering, melodies, and atmosphere. Keep at it, DoctorNoSense! :)

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
.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
8.5/10

DoctorNoSense responds:

Woooow thx for your feedback <3
I still have many problems writing lyrics, but I keep working on it :3

[Period Piece]

I like the relaxed atmosphere at the beginning and the creepy ambiance. Good sound design and use of mixing effects here. The mix is very quiet throughout, although the elements of the texture sound clear. The pace of progression is pretty slow, and at some point I would’ve loved to hear some more melodic content or textural depth. There’s a lot of empty space here without much development. I think you missed an opportunity to maximize the emotional appeal of the piece with some sort of big climax or escalation of the tension, despite the great sound design and atmosphere. Given the underwhelming composition, I think this piece would serve better as a soundtrack or background music rather than a stand-alone track. Still, nice job with the production, ambiance, instrumentation, and flow. Keep at it, Asserter! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
7/10

Asserter responds:

Thank you so much, I'm really glad to see a review laid out like this.

[Chipy]

I like the catchy synths at the beginning and the crisp drums. The more relaxed, atmospheric section at :23 is nice too. There’s a great energy and blissful vibe at :43. You have a good sense of harmony and progression, although it still seems that 1:28 is the only prominent example of melodic content in the piece. The production quality is solid, and the piece comes together well by the end. You could’ve had a more creative ending than the fade-out, although overall the arrangement of the piece is really nice too. Not much to complain about here! Keep up the good work, BasiatordeCoronatus! ^_^

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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Basiator responds:

Cool and Thanks for review, i appreciate it very much.

[The Unexpected (NGADM AUDITION)]

I like the groovy guitar part, although the string pads sound a little inauthentic and cheesy. The piece is a little slow to progress, and has a bit of a choppy arrangement. I think the transition at :58 works well, but I was a little confused when the piece was absent of harmonic content for so long, and the harmonic content only comes back after another fade-out and re-introduction of the drums at 1:32. At 1:40, the panning is a little excessive, and the drums don’t come through the mix so well. The extended pause at 2:40 is awkward, and overall my main problem with the piece is the disjointed structuring. The piece has a lot of great harmonic ideas and funky riffs, but not a great sense of connectivity and flow over time. Still, you’re clearly a talented guitarist, and the rhythmic content and melodies here are enjoyable. Keep at it, ambivalentinquire! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

Soundslave responds:

Thanks I agree with everything you have said here, was trying something a little different with the tuning I wasn't used to and it was rushed, probably should have went with something that wouldn't have been a challenge for the Audition but live and learn, Thank you for taking the time to review respect!

[Expurgation]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning and the energy. The synths sound a bit gritty and unpolished, and some of the drum samples are a little cliche too. The piece is also a little slow to progress at the beginning, but I like the more legato elements of the texture by around 1:30. I think the mixing effects on the drums, especially the reverb, is a little excessive, and negatively affects the clarity of the texture. There’s a good sense of climax into 2:22, and overall I like the indistinct synth riffs and foreboding mood here. That said, I would’ve liked to hear some more structural variety, melodic content, and gradual transitions. Right now, there’s a lot of high-impact rhythmic material and angry synths in the texture. The composition might have a bit more shape if you had a couple of extended atmospheric sections or something. The piece is also long enough that it’s hard to stay grounded in any structural repetition after a while. You also overuse the echo-y effect at 7:09 (and plenty of other places). I appreciated the extended moment of thinner texture at 7:25, and also the somewhat sleepier end to the piece, even if I typically regard fade-out endings as pretty lazy. It seems like the thrill of the great battle scene you’re portraying has subsided in the midst of all the cries of the injured and dying. Overall, solid work with the sound design, mood and atmosphere, and harmonic content. The compositional details and mixing could both use some tightening, though. Keep at it, Cheshyre! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7/10

cheshyre responds:

Thank you so much for taking the time to write out a solid review. This is constructive and I can and will learn from these critiques. Again, thank you so much for listening and for your time!

[DJN4T - Vortex]

I like the funky synth riffs at the beginning and the reverb on the lead. The progression is pretty slow-paced here, though, and the mix is very quiet. The sound design can be a bit cheesy, and the composition needs a stronger sense of development over time, especially during the first 2 minutes. I like the beat at 1:54, and the texture does come together well at these more energetic sections, although I would’ve liked to see more harmonic variety in this piece. The arrangement and instrumentation are pretty cliche, and I also think you need some more compression to enhance the richness of the texture, especially in the verses. That said, you clearly have a good sense of harmony, rhythm, and progression. Keep at it, Nactl23! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

Natcl23 responds:

Such an elaborate comment, thanks a lot ^^