Step's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Tenebrarius]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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You two are a real dream team. This is a prime example of good teamwork and collaboration. More often than not, collabs can come out disjointed or, perhaps, it might be obvious that the track was made by two people with different ideas, but in this case there's a very clear direction and a certain amount of cohesiveness that I have to commend you on. I love the general mood and atmosphere of the track, the badass intro and outro with the music box, and the overall production quality. This is excellent stuff.

In the composition department, I have a similar complaint to what stunkel said. I feel like the melodic content isn't nearly as creative or well-executed as the other aspects of the track, such as instrumentation and mood. While I got a kick out of listening to the action-packed, intense nature of the track, when it was over it left me with almost nothing to remember it by. This is precisely the kind of track which I think can benefit greatly from more significant usage of motif . On two smaller notes, I also agree that the drums, especially the bass drums/taikos could be louder, and I think the transition at 3:24 is slightly abrupt (might want to increase the length of the tail of that choir note, and perhaps fade it out a little. Could smoothen it up!).

Anyhow, congrats on getting one of the highest scores this round. It is absolutely well-deserved. And sorry for the late review!

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SCORE:
9.2/10

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

No worries for being late! We already had two judge reviews, but it's almost an even greater pleasure to receive one you didn't expect :D

Working as a team has definitely been great for the both of us. Dem0lecule and I happen to be good at rather different things, so when we bring our ideas together, they tend to not clash with each other too much, but rather melt together into a whole instead (I like to imagine it as two colored pieces of glass, which when put on top of each other, simply create a new color :3).

That said, working in a team can definitely be difficult too. We were both very busy for the round after this, so we didn't have time to discuss much, and as I already had a pretty well worked out idea, it was difficult to leave enough room for dem0lecule and his ideas, which is why I unfortunately ended up going solo (for better or for worse) in that particular round. That, and the fact that dem0lecule especially was having an insane lack of time due to his job those two weeks :)
In the future when we collab (if all goes well, in the coming round), I think it's better if one of us doesn't plan too much ahead, which will allow us both to enter with all of our ideas together once again.

Then again, as you mentioned, doing things his way requires an extra amount of effort to achieve enough consistency. But compared to our last collab, this is way better in that regard, so I'd like to imagine we're well on our way to figuring out how to do this :D
I definitely agree with all three judges on this point, so we'll do our best to improve it in our next track, whenever we get to make it ;)

Same goes for the percussion, of course XD
As for 3:24, I actually thought about that before publishing the track, and I'm of the same opinion as you are. It was even more abrupt earlier, but I had dem0 re-render it twice already, with more reverb on the effect and a longer choir, and I found that the final result was good enough, so to say, even though I still feel it could be a bit more smooth (rendering this track had to be done in 5 separate takes, I think he said, and I didn't want to put him through it again when we were basically finished).

Thanks a lot for the review, Step! We're stoked to hear that you enjoyed most aspects of the track, and we'll try our best to improve on the other aspects in the future :D

We were super surprised to learn that we had the 2nd highest score of the round, as there were so many great tracks overall, but it allowed us to become very motivated for sure, and we still are!

[Breathe]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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For the record, this has amazing composition. There's something about your melodies and atmospheres that speaks to me. Parts like 1:20-ish and the outro have this wonderful ethereal texture that I can't get enough of, and your string-driven sections have strong composition and compelling emotion. This got you a lot of points in my books, along with the excellent variety and structure you've brought to the table. Like other competitors in the same genre as you during that round, you very effectively told a story.

I'm afraid that what doesn't work for me in this track is the general mixing and MIDI programming. Your samples might not be that bad, but your execution thereof needs work. The orchestra sounded flat and occasionally dry, the solo instruments sounded unrealistic (but I'll concede it's hard to make a solo instrument sound realistic without super expensive samples) and I would've liked a more masterful command over the mix in general. I want to feel the low/mid warmth of the strings, the brightness/airiness of the woodwinds, and so on. Right now everything feels held back and unrealistic.

That said, I can't stress how well-composed this is. That's great, especially for this genre. And hey, your mixing needs work but it'll improve over time! Just keep at it, and keep making use of those killer composition skills. Oh, and sorry for the late review!

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SCORE: 9.3/10

[Oak - Mobius (NGADM'15)]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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I feel like there are very few people on Newgrounds who can pull off this style of club/dance music like you can. You really have an aptitude for this stuff. You nail the buildup each time, have crystal clear mixes, and overall do a solid job with nearly every aspect. I also like that, unlike lots of dance music nowadays, this actually has a great, memorable melody, that isn't some stupid 1-bar hook that repeats for the whole track. Seriously, you have a wonderful hook here, and introduce it so well at 0:38 with that awesome percussion syncing.

If I had to mention any quirks, it would be that, firstly, the vocals didn't do it for me I'm afraid. Even with the heavy autotune and effects, the vocals felt more like a rushed last-minute addition than something that truly belongs in this track, mostly because they feel kinda held back and underwhelming. On an unrelated note, I think that beyond 0:38's melody (and of course your awesome synth work), you don't offer enough cool content to give this track any replay value. Once the hype of the buildup is over and you milk that melody enough times, I was hoping for some kind of awesome breakdown with a synth solo, glitching/sound design, a change in mood, or anything to catch the ear, but instead we got a relatively uninteresting and repetitive section that loops back to the beginning.

While I do have a few qualms with this track, I still think you executed it very well, and it was a fun listen overall. Thanks for taking part!

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SCORE: 8.6/10

[Majestic They Are]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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I feel like such an ass for having you matched up with such hard-hitters again for this contest, especially after hearing this stellar piece of music. There's a real sense of emotion and progression behind your melodies, to the point that once we finally hit the end, it feels like I was sucked into a world and went on a journey, not unlike the feeling you get after watching a good movie. That definitely racks you a lot of points in my books, because orchestral is such a good storytelling genre, and you definitely nailed it in that respect.

I'm afraid that while I truly enjoyed the first half of your piece, the second half of the piece just... didn't do it for me. I mean, it was still great compositionally, but the drums are sorely lacking. I had high expectations for the drums since for pretty much the entire duration of the first half, you had this really fitting and intricate cymbal beat, but once the climax hit, the drums just devolved into a cheesy, MIDI-sounding, dry pop kit that didn't add nearly as much power as they should have.

I think the idea for the track is all there. The first half was gripping and well-composed, and the whole idea of building a huge amount of tension and then releasing it works really well for this style, but you could've executed it better, I feel, and the first step towards that better execution is having a more powerful and influential percussive section. Either way, thanks for the beautiful piece of music!

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SCORE: 8.9/10

papkee responds:

You can certainly tell which parts I spent plenty of time on and which parts were rather...rushed.

Being wrapped up in the mixing, arranging, and EQing of everything else, the drums just blended into the background to me and I never really gave them enough attention. That's probably one of the reasons why my score was lower.

Every time I listen to it now I hear nothing but how out of place those drums sound and it bugs me to no end.

Either way, what's done is done. I'm not in NGADM for the end prize, I'm in it for the competition and the good music.

Cheers!

[[IV]Voyage]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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Another atmospheric and emotional masterpiece from one of the inarguable underdogs of the contest! Solid composition with tons of emotion poured into it and masterfully captivating mood are just two of the many wonderful things this piece has to offer. On top of that, I very much enjoyed the somewhat Celtic vibes you've got going during certain sections, and would have liked you to push them even further with some woodwinds (as a reviewer below mentioned), but that's just me and my soft spot for anything Celtic! This is masterfully composed.

My main issue with this track is actually a mixing nitpick. I don't usually put much importance in mixing quirks that could easily be fixed, but I feel like this particular one detracted quite significantly from the listening experience; the drums are too quiet. I can feel a slight thump from the bassier drums, but for the most part the percussion sits too far back in the mix, even, unfortunately, during sections where a stronger rhythmic force could really add to the overall experience. On another note, I personally would have preferred more dynamic sections. After the comparatively low-key intro, the track remains mostly at a single dynamic, and I would've loved to hear some emotional, soft solo sections, or maybe even a busier/climactic section. The ending in particular could have benefited from a stronger buildup, for example. This is more of a personal complaint than one that I believe is untouched by bias though, haha. I do love me some dynamics.

You've got a really wonderful track here, despite the few issues I mentioned. The realism, composition, instrumentation, flow, structure... it's all there. Brilliant work.

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SCORE: 9.1/10

[Arcadia]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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I don't usually comment specifically on intros but I'll make an exception for this. DAMN that intro is one of my favourites of the round. You really nailed the atmosphere there. Another thing I was definitely impressed with was the amount of experimentation in this track. There are all sorts of sounds, from deep pads to dance drums to chill synths to saxophones. This is a truly unforgettable listening experience, packaged with a truckload of neat ideas and sounds. Somehow, despite the general haphazardness of your instrument choices, they still synergise well with each other to create this super interesting musical concoction that's unlike anything I've ever heard before.

My main issue with this is the apparent lack of structure. You've got a really experimental set of instruments and an unconventional melodic style, so I feel like you should've put in more effort bringing it all together. What started off as a really neat intro eventually just devolved into a series of riffs from different synths with varying rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment. There weren't really any repeating motifs and the transitions weren't anything special, which made the track ultimately sound loosely/carelessly tied-together. I feel like while you showed a ton of creativity with all these cool ideas and instrument choices, you didn't convince me enough that this whole setup can work to creative one cohesive song, if that makes sense.

Having said that, I can't help but give you a solid score because of the truly unique listening experience you've offered. Great work, and thank you for taking part!

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SCORE: 8.2/10

adieuwinter responds:

Hey Step! I'll take into consideration the issues with structure when I'm revising this (already have been doing so for a week or so now). Thanks for the kind words and for judging the contest!

[Pressing On]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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I can't stress how beautiful your melodies and harmonies are. You have some of the most impressive compositional talents I've heard from anyone on Newgrounds. The melodies you compose are always so sensible and structurally sound, and yet they're chock full of emotion and memorability. There's absolutely no exception to this fact in this track. Your piano flows beautifully and the bassline melds really well with it, to the point that this doesn't feel entirely like a standard piano solo with accompaniment, but a conversation between multiple instruments. In this light, you really impressed me, and got a lot of points for it.

I'm afraid what really didn't do it for me this time is the mixing. The bass felt very detached from the rest of the mix for some reason, and the piano felt held back/drowned out. In addition to that, I don't really enjoy your bass sample. I also feel like the track overall could do with some more reverb, the piano in particular. Finally, as stunkel mentioned, the drums could've popped a bit more. Those are all my complaints about the mixing/sound quality. As for composition, my only issue is the fadeout ending. I can appreciate that kind of ending as a stylistic choice to imply a sense of continuity, but over here it felt less like that and more like a cop-out to a proper ending. I'd have gone for a piano solo ending which dies down gradually in dynamic and ends on some really neat chord.

Complaints aside, this is a wonderful piece of music that I truly did enjoy. It has a sense of drive and forward motion that resonates well with what you wrote in your author's comments. I hope you enjoyed taking part in the contest, and it's been a pleasure as always!

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SCORE: 9.0/10

[Acceptance & Commitment]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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Oh geez. I've come to just give up trying to guess what you're going to make for an NGADM round, because you've been jumping from pop songs with modest instrumentation, to chiptune with vocals, and now to this. This is hands down my favourite track this round. For a whole seven minutes, you really manage to make it interesting till the end. The mixing is immaculate, with tasteful use of heavy compression and excellent clarity, and the composition is memorable and enjoyable. Really fantastic.

I'm just going to hop aboard the "this is repetitive" train that the other reviewers started, because I really think there's a lot of truth there. This track has a habit of repeating certain motifs a tad too much after introducing them, which may be characteristic to the genre but isn't really doing your overall listening experience any favours. Despite the repetitiveness, this still remains interesting throughout, no doubt thanks to your crazy awesome sound design, which is why I don't think it's a huge deal, but at the same time, I did get a slight "get on with it already" feeling here and there in the track after hearing the same melody repeated for the umpteenth time.

Anyhow, enjoy my highest score for this round. You've certainly earned it.

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SCORE: 9.5/10

[Caliginous Newcomer]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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You know, I think it's an incredible shame that you ended up in a group with one of the highest-scoring participants this round. This is super high quality stuff. The ever-present, dark, ominous feeling melds so well with the thrilling drum and bass and triplet time, creating an incredible memorable style and captivating experience. You fill that up with a suitable amount of variety, but still always remain true to your compositional style, so despite the relatively long nature of this track, it feels like one cohesive experience throughout. There are some really cool things in here like the glock or piano solos. Very good stuff.

I'm afraid I absolutely agree with TaintedLogic that I was hoping for more tension releases in this track. I always feel like your track is accumulating huge amounts of tension during parts like 1:30, but that tension is kept lingering, due to the unfortunately anticlimactic buildups and transitions you employ throughout the track. You'd have created a much more satisfying experience with more effective control of tension, in my opinion. From a mixing standpoint, this is crystal clear and well-produced, but I was hoping for a bit more low end from the drums. I also feel like some synths stick out in the mix rather unnaturally, namely 0:22's synth and its reappearance at 2:58. I get that you use it to play one of the track's underlying motifs, but the way it stands out so much compared to everything else throws the listener off a tad too much.

I consider this one of the best tracks this round. It's not a track without its flaws, but most every aspect of this track is executed so well. Brilliant job, and it's a shame we're not seeing you in Round 2.

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SCORE: 9.0/10

Adjeye responds:

Yeah I see what you and tainted meant, 1:50 was meant as an anticlimax as contrast to the climax at 2:14, but that climax didn't really get through the way I wanted it to. I will try to apply the feedback you all gave me in my coming tracks and you will definitely see me next year!

[Ersatz]

This is an NGADM Round 1 Review

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Props for making such a cinematic ambient piece! This feels like something that would be right at home in a sci-fi movie or game, and that's in no small part thanks to the phenomenal atmosphere you've crafted. There's a certain sense of peace for most of the track, with a small hint of tension from the distorted bass, that morphs wonderfully into a very serious, tense, and relatively climactic experience from around 1:45. You've made some pretty unconventional stylistic choices here (which explains the experimental nature of the track), but they're choices I support and commend you on!

Now for the bad news. It will be no surprise to you that, like the other reviewers, I feel like the melodic development here is lacking. I think this is fine for the section at 1:45 which is more about mood than melody, but I was hoping that at some point in the track you'd expand on the melody you started with, especially somewhere during its reintroduction later on. The track just doesn't have enough elements for it to remain interesting without some more melodic development, which unfortunately leads to it getting a little boring as a standalone experience. I'm also not sure why 2:51's transition is so abrupt. Was there a reason behind that? I'm a fan of abrupt transitions if they're pulled off correctly but in that particular case I felt like it was more arbitrary than abrupt.

Anyway, overall: awesome cinematic experience, great atmosphere, neat ideas. I feel like this song's potential remains locked, though! Either way, thanks for taking part.

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SCORE: 7.9/10