Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - Sunny Afternoon]

The first section of this piece is really good. I love the warm bell tones and that little higher musical box melody paired with the repeating chiptune notes and chiptune percussion really set the scene. The choice of chords works as well, evoking that bright midday atmosphere.

I like that the repeating chiptune notes were an intuitive way to transition between the shift in tone from the A section to the B section (which I interpret to start at around the 1:10 mark). The second section's development, however, shifted from a bright to dark tone that felt like it turned into a different track entirely. I don't think the transitions were too sudden, and I like that there were some shifts from the cheery melody - to me, the elongated B section felt too far detached from the mood set by the first section and as a result, also felt detached from its connection to the art.

Like that buildup to the more intensive sections from 1:10 up until around the 1:40 mark could have worked as a way to build upon the musical scape. When that higher repeating loop started entering, it was really when the mood shifted entirely and building upon that made the piece feel like it had no satisfying resolution, which didn't seem to fit the art inspiration.

The first minute and a bit of this entry is fantastic and easily the highlight of the piece, but we spend so little time in it, which I think was a missed opportunity. If this piece had more of a satisfying resolution at the ending that built upon ideas from the A section, I think it would have really made this entry come together.

[AIM - Earliest Memories]

The introduction of this piece feels like a cutscene in a game that has the art inspiration as the backdrop as the two characters converse. As far as sound design goes, the choice of the bell-like instrument playing the upper arps with the lower, longer held strings evokes the idea of being in space really well.

I like how the arps take on a slower rhythm in the more intensive sections where the synths start entering at 1:20. The transition from the orchestral to the synths felt very fluid. The detuned synth occupying the left side in this section adds a sense of imbalance and made the repeating melodic ideas progress in an interesting way. As a result, hearing this slow-building section suddenly return back to the ideas repeated at the beginning of the piece at 2:08 was rather underwhelming. It's especially evident in the drastic change of the dynamics, which sharply contrasts with the slower building transition at the 1:20 section with the gradual entry of the bass note shortly before. I would have liked to hear this section with the synths built upon more - there was definitely a missed opportunity for additional development.

It is, however, neat the way the arp develops through the piece in a subtle way, starting fast, then with slower rhythms and an electronic instrument, then slower rhythms with the bell-like instrument at the end. I just feel like the overall composition felt like it was building up to something more than it did in the end.

DarkHorseOrchestra responds:

That's one of the areas I struggle with the most, extending my tracks with new ideas and chord changes etc, trying to take the track somewhere else. I've been trying to get into more "orchestral" production/compositions and the habits I picked up from making rap beats prove really hard to put down.

I agree with you 100% on the missed opportunity with the synth section, though the VST I was using is too much for my PC to handle and crashes FL every other min. I lowkey feel like I wouldn't have been able to expand on it anyhow :\

Thank you for hosting AIM, the review, and confirming for me the weak spots in my music(I really did need to hear it from someone else to really make me get on it).
I'll definitely try harder next year!

[AIM - A Joy in An Apple]

After multiple listens to this piece on separate occasions, the melody at the beginning is what stuck with me the most. It's very catchy and I also think it captures the warmth, innocence and excitement you're going for in essence. There's something very fun and playful about the way the intro melody is handled - I get the sense of a small being in a big world, which is fitting given the art inspiration.

Where the piece starts to lose me is when it starts going into sections that either aren't the hook or based around the hook. I get the sense that some elements of mystery and strangeness were trying to be evoked here. For me, unfortunately, a melody like the one that immediately follows the hook at 0:47 comes across more as incohesive and doesn't have the same charm as the previous sections. It's a shame because I think there's a great basis here with the chords and the choice for the lead, but the melody feels more like it grinds the piece to a halt than evoke a sense of progression.

Later sections such as the one starting at 1:32 were good, especially when the melody at the beginning is slightly referenced as it follows a similar contour and chord progression. I also like when the piece just kind of vibes here and doesn't have any melody. It's a nice blend of instruments, but again, leading to 2:03, the buildup to this section feels underwhelming as the seems like it doesn't really go anywhere.

Overall the main hook (the one starting at 0:15) is what holds this entry together for me and I'm glad to hear it pop up at the beginning, middle and end. I do like what this piece is going for, but when the melodies feel aimless in the middle sections, it causes the composition to feel incohesive. Consider this: how can you create sections that melodically evoke strangeness and excitement without feeling like they halt the forward momentum of the piece?

ShepDeathWoods responds:

appreciated the critic, did had problems with this, the song could be goin calm but wasnt sure if it was getting too boring to hear over 3 minutes so did different sections that maybe could had been a problem and backlash on what i was trying to tell the mood of the image, had to learn from my mistakes =￣ω￣=

[AIM - At The End Of the Road]

There's a softness and smoothness to this track, where a lot of instruments feel like they all blend into one another that feels just right given the art inspiration. I feel the humid atmosphere and warmth really comes through and that bass entering really captures that feeling of driving down a road that works musically apart from the engine revving at the start.

I think the blend of instruments works well for the mid to high range, but at times, I find it compromises the lower layers and muddies up everything to the point where it's difficult to hear and/or feel the bass. I enjoy that rhythmic bass, but I do sense it getting lost in the rest of the mix once we get to the main sections. I would have loved to hear it come through more, especially given how integral it is to maintaining the sense of driving down the road.

As far as tying in a metaphorical journey to a roadtrip piece, I can definitely hear it coming through in your composition. You hold back the resolution to the tonic until about a third of the way into your piece, and that makes it extra satisfying to hear after the prior section's intensive parts that induce the tension of movement without resolution. It helps that the tonic chord is also a major 7th, which is perfect for the dawn setting in the art. The rising arps in this section are super pretty too.

Overall, this is a nice entry that reflects its art inspiration pretty well, just wish that bass really came through more.

Mikaiah responds:

Thanks! Despite everything, i'm glad you find enjoyment into it! I'll try to maybe keep that on mind x3

[AIM - Techacardia]

There's a lot of depth to the percussion that really shines through in this entry. Even at the beginning, I like how there's this metal clinking sort of sound that could also pass as being melodic while still adding to the percussive soundscape. Although this feels more like a piece where the drums are stronger, I do think the instruments evoke that wistful emotion you're going for and that combined with these techno drums work to effectively convey the finer details of the art.

I quite enjoyed the way in which the piece flows through its sections, but I found its conclusion to be rather unsatisfying. I think it was because the return of the A section, while presented differently, still had this sense of forward momentum that gave me this expectation it was going to a different section melodically and it feels like there could have been more time given to lead into other breakdown sections - perhaps even venturing away from the underlying chord progression. For me, personally, even though the removal of the percussion suggested an ending, I wasn't feeling it composition-wise.

That being said, I love how this entry caters to both the naturistic details in the art but still has an overall techno kind of vibe to it. The main sort of idea in the A section has this immersive, underwater atmosphere while still fitting in with the idea of cogs turning and machine work at play. You managed to capture the details and the overall picture - I would have loved to hear more.

Aterum responds:

Thank you for the thoughtful review. Like you pointed out there was a time where i was considering going into another section near the end but i was quickly burning out on the track and i opted to close out what I had to be sure i could submit in time. I really got into trying to evoke the elements i felt from the art piece so I'm glad you think they came through.

[AIM - Underwater flight]

There are two main types of sections to this piece, and both of these sections work so effectively to portray the facets of being in this underwater setting portrayed by the art. I was impressed with how well these two dynamically different sections flowed into one another and that they weren't too loud or too soft to the point where I had to keep adjusting my volume.

The viola sound at the beginning felt like every note it was hitting had this bowing sound to it, like there was a slight attack on all the notes and it felt like it could have been more humanized. At the very least, having some legato on certain notes (especially the faster ones) would have allowed the actual pitches to come through more audibly and give the piece a more flowing, immersive feeling the same way the piano and the ambience sounds at the beginning suggest. It was more noticeable at the beginning, when the viola had its own solo, but its entry later on as the piece developed didn't feel as noticeable. The piano also seemed a bit buried under the D&B parts sometimes, but it does have its own prominent sections so it wasn't as bothersome.

Overall, this entry really felt like a downward journey underwater and I think that was a great interpretation of the art. The D&B sections really felt like I was being pulled downward and thrust into a new depth within this underwater world.

[AIM - Pole Position]

I love the sound design - I think it complements the style of the art inspiration. The slap bass in particular has a lot of moments to shine, but I do like the additions of the leads, going from this trumpet-like synth to an electric guitar worked effectively timbre-wise. Plus the hand-off from the trumpet to the electric guitar was the chef's kiss. Having these two instruments harmonize at the end of the trumpet's phrase before going into the guitar's section was the highlight for me.

The only thing I found myself questioning about this entry was that it doesn't really come across like a racing track. I agree that I don't necessarily see the art as having to be about the race itself, but I did find it strange that the beginning of the entry sounds like an engine revving, suggesting the beginning of a race and that the title has something to do with being a fast racer. But the overall bulk of this track feels kind of chill and overly happy, with its laid back bassline and very even drum rhythms.

To me, this feels more like a theme you'd hear after winning the race. I can definitely see that working for the art; it's just that the intro to the piece seems like it's leading into a composition that feels more high-speed and fast paced, like you're zooming around the track sort of thing.

Overall, there were some great compositional elements at play - I just wasn't really sure if what I was hearing was intended to be more like in the moment of racing as the title and intro of the piece suggest. I think this entry sounds amazing, the instruments and drums are well balanced together. I'm in love with that drum roll at 0:29 culminating into the reverbed snare. Consider that the second chef's kiss for this piece.

TeffyD responds:

Thanks for reviewing my entry. The main element I was going for wan an 80s F1 tv theme vibe more than an actual race. A song that might play when someone wins or a race highlight etc. I added the F1 sounds just as a background thing and I liked the sound.

I appreciate the mentioning of the drum fills and guitar/synth harmonies, and the reverb sound is a group clap cause I couldn't get a good snare for that part

[AIM - Succubus]

The chorus in this is insanely catchy and the lead-in to the main phrase on "wicked little one" feels cathartic whenever it comes back in the song. The handoff, in particular, of the word "one" and the "ahh" vocals in the background was seamless. I also really enjoyed your vocal performance in this. From the tone of your voice and the enunciation of the verses, I got that sense of desperation and infatuation with the character depicted in the art. Part of what makes the chorus so impactful is the way your vocals get a little more breathy, which helps to shape the phrase instead of it having that growling undertone the whole way through.

I think the one issue that crossed my mind in multiple listens was that the chorus was super great, but the verses didn't quite feel up to snuff. Obviously the chorus should be where the song builds to, but it feels like the verses are sections where I feel like I'm waiting for the chorus rather than being led into the chorus. If I had to point to what makes the verses weaker to me, I think the accompanying synth in the first verse being basically all one note repeated in a quarter note rhythm made the momentum feel very stagnant. Although there are some moments where the electric guitars come in brief spurts, they felt like embellishments that weren't really working with the main synth bass note.

What also doesn't help is that there's very little time transitioning between the chorus and the verses and it kind of makes the song's sections bleed together. At 1:24, there's no break between the chorus and the second verse and it does feel too sudden as the song just gets off the high point of the chorus.

Overall, I think this interpretation of the character in the artwork was solid - loved the style of the music and the production was pretty good. With more attention to the transitions and verses, this would have really sucked me in. That chorus is absolutely killer, though.

Shifterhead responds:

Very helpful review, i am planning on working on it and release it soon taking into account your constructive review here, thank you!

[AIM - The Silence of Winter]

Out of all the AIM entries I've listened to so far, this is the one that strikes me as being a near perfect representation of its art inspiration. Everything from the wind sounds to that single chiptune instrument "calling" out through the ambience - it was just the right tone that suggests this scene down pat. I like to think of that mostly solo melody as the single detail of light in the picture.

I love the way the repeating melody starts to pick up tempo as it progresses and then it just leaves you in the cold (haha) with the ambience being the resolution to the desolate landscape. I think the one thing I would have elevated this piece more is if the starting notes of the melody were a lot slower and had less release to them. Like not minutes between each note but just a few more seconds slower than how they were introduced in this entry and allowing each note to fully conclude with brief pauses of the ambience filling in the "silence". That could more effectively portray this sense of being quiet, alone and cold.

Overall, this is a great entry that is able to say a lot with a conceptually simple composition.

Curruff responds:

Thank you for the advice! I'm really glad you liked the song.

[AIM - The Empty Universe]

This entry is good at capturing that feeling of loneliness with the strings, piano and the minor key melody, which are all emotive elements. The ambient noise in the background, especially prominent at the beginning, clearly draws a connection to the art it was inspired by. While I found the main lead synth to be overwhelming (it practically drowns out those gentle arps in the background), I like that the composition has that overwhelming sense of loneliness through this lingering sad melody even when other instruments like the strings take over at 2:14.

The biggest thing I found myself wondering about this piece was whether or not it was too surface level to its art inspiration. Like yes, it captures the feeling of loneliness and sadness because of the minor key and use of strings and piano, it has the rain elements because of the ambient rain sounds, but I think there was a missed opportunity to take a deeper inspiration from the art than just sadness and rain.

For instance, the art is titled "The Empty Universe", yet the entry doesn't really come across as conveying that emotion of emptiness on such a vast scale despite being named directly after the artwork. Also of note are the drawings in which lie in front of the person - how would they contribute to the emotions and atmosphere that the art brings? Without this sort of specific interpretation, this entry just seems like another sad piece with rain sounds.

Overall, this entry wasn't bad by any means - I just think the art inspiration offered more room to dive in that this entry didn't really explore musically. My favourite section is the outro, as it gave those lovely arps and the piano a chance to shine just as the piece concluded.