TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Felix Zophar - Friday Mornings]

I like the blissful, smooth, dreamy vibe at the beginning. The bright pads at :10 and synth arpeggios are valuable additions to the texture. The chopped vocals at :19 are cool, and the production quality is strong here. I like the thicker texture at :40, too, and the fade-in of the melodic content at :50. There’s a lot of room for climax with this piece, but the intro feels a bit dragged out until things finally fall into a cathartic melodic phrase at 1:19. The reverb at 1:19 might’ve been a tad too heavy, which is especially noticeable after the additional layer of harmony is added at 1:30. Still, there isn’t a ton of harmonic variety in this piece, which is probably my main complaint. After 5 minutes, the harmonic paradigm you have here feels very repetitive, and despite the well-crafted ebb and flow of the texture via the cycle of build-ups, drops, and re-intros, I wanted to see you shake up the chord progression at some point, or at least use a modulation or two. Overall, solid work with the melodic content, production, mood, and sound design. There’s room for a bit more variety and originality in the composition, but the piece comes together well by the end with the powerful synth guitar. The mix can feel a bit strained during the busier sections of this piece, though - be careful about that. Keep at it, Zophar! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

FelixZophar responds:

I wanted to make this song sound like a song that would be on chill nation or something like that. That explains the repetitiveness. I appreciate your review and will take some of it into note.

[Butterflies]

I like the cute vocals at the beginning, but the synths are a little cheesy, but I like the telephone sound effects at :35. The lyrics are well-written, if a tad generic at times. Some of the jittery rhythmic synths sound a little harsh in my ears, like around :32. I also think the texture is pretty thin throughout. Some more mid-range instruments, like pads or back-up melodies, would help fill out the mix a little more. The melodic content at :49 is nice, although I think the drums at the 1-minute mark are a little quiet, especially the hi-hats. You have a good sense of rhythm and progression, and I like the frantic, distorted rap part at 1:38. The sound design can sound a bit unpolished at times, but the atmospheric section at 2:04 was much stronger. There’s still a jittery atmospheric instrument in the background there that sounds a little too strong in my headphones...it’s almost like some nature FX or something. Crickets, maybe? The pause at 2:41 was a little awkward, but the reverb helps bridge the gap there, and the fade-in of the melodic synths at 3:03 is well done. The piece comes together pretty well at the end, although the percussion is a little overwhelming. Overall, there are a lot of good ideas here, and you clearly have a good sense of rhythm, harmony, and melody, but the mix needs a little more balance and polish, and the instrumentation can be harsh sometimes. Keep at it, Kawaisprite! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

KawaiSprite responds:

I don’t really care about the technical stuff as long as the music incited some kind of emotional reaction. If someone listens to my music and feels nothing then I have failed. Everything else comes second, even I’m aware of how reckless that sounds. But alas that’s how art works at least for me. I don’t over analyze or overthink, so if that is applied to the detriment of my art then so be it. There is my process

[Aterr - Rain Legion]

I like the refreshing guitar riffs at the beginning and the pensive vibe by around :24. The progression is a tad slow-paced, but the strings at :41 were a nice addition to the texture. That said, I thought it would’ve contributed to the atmosphere more if they were a little more legato, as opposed to cutting off before the next note came in. The production quality here is also solid, with a well-balanced texture and clean mix. The choir at 1:20 is nice, although it sounds a tad indistinct at times, perhaps because of an excess of reverb. One of my main problems with the piece is that the structure seems very flat. I think you needed some sort of bridge or breakdown at some point to give this piece more shape. Otherwise, most of the variation in the piece comes from the addition and subtraction of instruments over time, which is not very advanced. That said, there is some nice harmonic variety at 2:55, and I like the addition of the bell-like synth to the texture at 3:35. The solo at 4:12 is awesome - it sounds like there’s finally a sense of resolve and catharsis in the texture. Overall, solid work with the sound design, mixing and mastering, and melodic content. Things to work on include giving the composition a stronger sense of ebb and flow and maximizing the emotional appeal of the track. Keep at it, Aterr! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
8.5/10

Aterr responds:

Thank you for such detailed analysis and constructive criticism!
And also, I am very happy, that you and other people (here on NG) enjoyed this overall.
I am making now a checklist for the song, and will spend some time in future to improve it, based on the criticism I received here. :3

[The failed to qualify for the NGUAC blues]

I like the smooth guitars and melodic content. It really does sound quite bluesy. It's not perfectly quantized all the time, but I love the harmonic progression and production quality. Drums are nice and crisp. The higher register later in the piece (at around 1:40) really hits the track home. Solid work here, man! :)

Soundslave responds:

Pretty happy with this response this was made today in a few hours,,bit of a joke around peice to be honest but im glad you like it!!

[Jump Start]

I like the synth arpeggios at the beginning and the sub-bass that comes in shortly thereafter. The piece has a bouncy energy to it that I really like, and the slight atonality in the sub-bass is made really pleasant when it resolves to the tonic at the same time as the arpeggios (for example, at :16). I think some of the drum samples didn’t work for me, especially the percussion sample at :31 that sounded like an oversaturated hi-hat. The progression doesn’t have a strong sense of direction until around :55, when that soaring lead synth comes in. I think the lead synth is a tad too present in the mix, though - it’s hard to make out the drums after the 1-minute mark, and it was a little disorienting when most of the rest of the texture fell away at 1:05. There are a lot of cool melodic riffs in this piece, like at 1:15, but not a lot of melodic content that’s truly dynamic. The square rhythms of most of these synth patterns don’t really do the piece justice. The arrangement begins sounding pasted-together and formulaic. The saxophone at 1:56 was a refreshing addition to the texture, and also offers a nice sense of structural relief in its moment of strong atmosphere. Overall, though, the piece was missing a strong sense of ebb and flow over time. A full-length bridge or breakdown with a thinner texture might’ve helped give the piece some more shape. That said, I liked the minor chord at 2:41 in a second half of the piece that had very little novel content otherwise. I think this piece has a cool sound design, atmosphere, and harmonic structure, and the somewhat sudden ending actually works well for me here. That said, my structural concerns, along with the general lack of shape in the composition, probably constitute my main gripes with the piece. Keep at it, Zunixx! :)

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
.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
7.75/10

Zunixx responds:

Thanks for the feedback, I always appreciate some good constructive criticism. I do agree with most points, specifically the drums, Ive been meaning to go back to the song to try something different. but otherwise thank you for the feedback!

[Fire - Type Beat]

I like the eastern-sounding instruments at the beginning and the chord progression. The beat at :25 is really catchy, but I think the harmonies at the beginning should’ve been a little louder relative to the sub-bass and some elements of the drum beat. Other than that, I have no complaints about the mixing or balance. The melodic content in the eastern instruments was nice, but the rhythm of that instrument sounds very square overall, and lacked the dynamism I usually associate with melodies. Overall, I would’ve liked to see you fill out the texture more, especially with some more frequencies in the treble range. This piece feels structurally incomplete, and quite frankly the composition is underwhelming. Ideally, there should be a little more ebb and flow in the texture. An emotional bridge or atmospheric breakdown would’ve really helped give some structural contrast to this piece. Otherwise, the composition remains pretty bland and forgettable. That said, I do like the instruments, mood, and atmosphere here. You also scored well for the production quality and rhythmic content of the beat. Still, you simply needed to flesh out the arrangement of the piece more in order to make this a top-tier track. Keep at it, Young-Kingler! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
5.5/10

Young-Kingler responds:

Thanks for feedback! I appreciate this a lot, I'll keep this in mind going forward.

[Pop Rocket]

I like the quirky mood at the beginning and the warm pads. The synths at :13 are cute, and I like the arpeggios you have in the post-chorus at :27. The rhythm of the melody is a bit too square, though, and some of the transitions in this piece were a bit abrupt, like :54. The production quality is pretty strong, though, and I can hear the instruments clearly throughout. The piece might’ve been missing some more melodic development or climax towards the end, though. The two halves of this piece (divided by the solo at :55) sound very similar. At times, I also thought you could’ve done more with the drums too. Still, this is a really cute piece with some fun sound design and an engrossing mood. It almost sounds like a retro-futuristic vibe - a robot falling in love with a peppy 50’s girl, only to have his heart broken. Any piece that can plant an image like that in my mind is a strong one in my book. :) Keep up the good work, Xehao! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.5/10

Xehao responds:

I see why you are a judge, this review was incredibly useful, thank you for the feedback!

[Ola gyro gyrizoun]

I like the chill guitars at the beginning and the melodic content. The lyrics at :36 don’t have the best recording quality, but I really like the vocals themselves. They sound soulful and expressive. I’d love a translation of the lyrics if you get the chance, too. The dreamy, higher-pitched line in the guitars at 1:11 was nice for giving the piece a greater sense of progression despite the minimal texture. At around 1:27, there’s a little distortion in the mix. I’d be careful not to overwhelm the stereo when you’re recording. It couldn’t hurt to turn down the volume knobs a bit before recording, and then use compression or other mastering tools to make them sound louder as needed. The bridge at 1:50 is really soothing, and serves as an emotional high point for the entire the piece. At 2:30, there are a couple of blips, which is probably the guitar strings vibrating against the body of the instrument, but either way it sounded like a bit of a mistake that should’ve been re-recorded or edited out. The instrumental section at the end dragged on for a bit long, especially given that it’s mostly a repetition of the same few chords. I think the part at 2:23 mostly serves as an outro, structurally-speaking. I would suggest either fading it out after around 2:50 or at least launching some new melodic material to accompany the chord progression later on. You also probably could’ve edited out the last minute or so of relative silence, during which I can hear the metronome you used during recording as well. Still, this piece is quite strong overall. Despite the slight recording mistakes and my detail-oriented structural gripes, you’re clearly a talented guitarist and vocalist, with a good sense of melody and progression to boot. Keep up the good work, Thetakis! ^_^

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
.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
8.5/10

Thetakis responds:

Thank you very much for the Details:)
at 0:46 barfood i run at this beach, here the people have camped at night they make fires and sing 1:10 "Stoped clocks in tha sand, and time have no matter, at this world exist no losers ,cause Earth we all dance around the some "fire".....

[Time Paradox]

I like the peaceful mood at the beginning, even if the string samples sound a bit inauthentic given the uniform vibrato and such. I like the addition of the bass at :27; it really helps fill out the texture. There’s a good sense of build starting at :51, too. The drum samples, especially the snare, are a little generic, and the piece is pretty over-compressed. The climax at 1:18 sounds really full and rich, but not quite as energetic as I was anticipating given the build-up. The mid-range bass at 1:42 is a nice touch, and I like the emotional appeal of the strings here overall. The breakdown at 2:08 is nice, and the piano arpeggios in the background add a somber tone to the string drone. The build-up at 2:33 sounds very similar to the other one, and I think the punchy pads at 2:59 clash a bit with the overall relaxed vibe of the strings. I think the string melodies are also due for a little more variety towards the end of this piece. The emotional appeal of the outro was a nice touch, although I think the transition into it was pretty abrupt. Overall, I think the composition and atmosphere are really strong, but there’s room for a little more balance and blending in the mix and originality in the arrangement and progression. Keep at it, Serfab! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

Serfab responds:

Well thanks for the support.
I make it the most melodical as possible, i am more inclinated more to the chillstep or ambient music than Melodic Dubstep.
The sounds are pretty simples, making unique music in mobile is so hard and i need to experiment with it to found my own style,
Normaly It takes a lot of time.
Anyways, thanks for your support and for tell me what i should to be better:)