Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM 2021 - System Error]

Initially, this track was quite underwhelming for me, but I did grow to appreciate it the more I listened to it. One aspect I found particularly fascinating is how the track develops from an atmosphere-building first section to a more melodic but still minimal second section. While the first section does have a melody to it, it feels more like it's wandering with its much slower chord changes and more sparse rhythms. The second section, in contrast, goes through more of a progression per phrase and ends on a perfect cadence. I enjoyed the contrast between these two sections a lot.

Even though I do appreciate the track trying to stay simple and avoid building up in an expected way, I find myself questioning whether or not the actual progression of this track is, in the long term, impactful. Because the changes are mostly melodic and the instrumentation is kept quite minimal, there is more of a challenge in finding that alternate approach to connecting with the listener in an impactful manner.

In the second section, I found the ducking of the volume in the lead when the snare enters to be distracting. But this section is wonderful, especially the way it filters in.

Overall, I think the simplicity does give a sense of distance similar to the perspective presented in the "Industrial Zone" artwork. It is a very good entry.

Teckmo-X responds:

Thank you for your feedback! I really do agree with you. The song was not a finished product but I intended to make it longer and/or even perhaps add more into it. I feel like it could have been an amazing song but it was simple and it just hit me when I was making this I wanted something rather simple rather than complicated. I do hope to put more work into it in the near future. I believe the best one out of all my submissions would have been "Ex Machina" if you get a chance to listen to it let me know what you think. I tried to bring in some Rezz and Notaker similar to his song "Fatal System Error". I appreciate your review and your time!

[Let Me NARF!]

I have to admit there aren't a lot of things I can say positively regarding this track. At least the vocals sort of seem to be inspired by the image with just the part where it says, "Let me out!" which comes across as a plea for help and dissociation against one's own will. But other than that, this track doesn't really seem to be much of anything.

As a dance track, the drums are mixed too quietly and it doesn't feel remotely close to being danceable. The synths playing the chord progression make the emotions in this track corny and goofy in a way that don't connect with the artwork at all (I think the fact that there are pop culture references doesn't help much either). The spliced vocals just sit there for the duration of the few minutes this track plays out and they aren't really something that offer any substance that make it worth listening to those sounds for that amount of time.

Overall, I think this was an entry with very little substance to it. It kind of hints at connecting with the art, but only slightly.

ChipSugarShock responds:

Thanks for listening, and for the feedback!

[AIM - War Rats]

Hats off to you for leaving the interpretation of your musical story up to the listener. Often times, it feels like people sometimes overexplain a lot of their musical interpretations of their own pieces, and that actually can ruin the listening experience.

I like the introduction with the thin radio sound, but it felt a bit weird when the marches were not in sync with the tempo of the music in the part that follows. The march sounds could have been integrated with the percussion, but they instead have to fade out while the actual timed percussion takes over. The main melody that is heard for the majority of the piece is good; it has this sadness mixed with this drive to keep moving forward, and I think the choice to use a more nasally instrument suits the rat character in question. Most of the track, to me, felt like it took inspiration from events that led up to the artwork.

What was missing for me in this piece, was the depths of dynamics. I felt like there were sections where the instruments could have felt less hard-hitting or softer, especially given the repetition of the melody. A lot of the parts feel like they have the same impact and I think that messes with the narrative suggested in the piece.

I do enjoy the section at 4:36 where the explosion feels soft, but the ringing of the ears sound is much louder in comparison. The sparseness of the notes and the more bell-like tones that come in feel like they complement that ear ringing sound.

Overall, I think the sound design is nice, as well as the melody. I like the interpretation of the image in a more narrative sort of way.

[Valley of Bones [AIM 2021]]

If there was ever a song in AIM 2021 that could be described as badass and intimidating simultaneously, this would definitely fit the bill.

Your guitars always sound amazing and I like how the song has quite a bit of contrast between sections, like it doesn't all hit the same, but the sections all still work together to create a cohesive song. I think I've probably said this before with your Chips entries, but I don't know if it's possible to give the vocals a bit more diction so that it's more clear as to what you're singing without having to refer to the lyrics.

The craziest part of the song was actually when the tempo slowed down at 2:24. That was when things started to get even more frightening, like my soul was going to be taken over or something, haha. Also, the guitar solo leading up this section was amazing. It handled the transition to the tempo change fantastically.

Overall, you've created another, very solid entry. You continue to impress me with how much you can pull off with a guitar and your voice.

TSRBand responds:

Thanks so much for all the kind comments!

[AIM - Galactic Glitter]

This is the kind of entry I like to wind down to and relax after a long day in the summer. Great chord progression and synths that feel warm and cozy while maintaining that sense of being outdoors.

One detail I really enjoyed was how those first two chords build on a bit of tension - I kept anticipating them to resolve, but it kept going back to that initial chord, so it made it very satisfying once the resolution hits at the 30 second mark. The percussion is light and chill and while I would have expected something a bit crunchier and lower in frequency, I think this piece's percussion worked for me quite well.

The only main issue I have with this piece is that the lead that comes in at around 1:53 feels too similar sounding to the synths playing the chords. Personally, I would have liked to hear something more distinct in timbre, but still fit the sound design. Allowing it to stand out more (without being obtrusive) could have added more of that satisfying release. The accompaniment is already pretty chill as it is, so this is nowhere near a major complaint.

Overall, I think this entry captured the scale, beauty and style of the artwork. It is very chill and I enjoy listening it the more I replay it.

Kalviter responds:

Thanks so much for your feedback! I can totally understand the point about the lead: it was a balance between maintaining that chill atmosphere and piercing through with a melody, and it seems like I've been overly cautious striking that. I'm really glad you enjoy it so much.

[AIM - Joa Goes Fishing]

It's neat that you always seem to pick paintings as inspiration for AIMs, because you are like the musical equivalent of a painter to me. Your composition is presented as being simple, and the details are in the sounds and how they add colour and character, like the strokes of a painting.

I like how you've chosen an array of medieval instruments to portray a subject that feels kind of distant from conventional medieval settings such as castles, cobbled streets, medieval parties, that sort of thing. The composition even feels like a medieval dance at first glance, but as the piece goes on, it becomes more clear that the scene is more distant and isolated. I think it's because of how laid back the sound is - the non-upbeat percussion and the prominence of the lutes and other stringed instruments feel softer and at peace, which connect with the artwork very well. I think the lutes in particular do a great job at giving your entry an out-at-sea feeling and it doesn't just rely on the wave sounds alone to do it.

The structure was quite nice, particularly the way it handles the same idea over the course of the piece. It was like the melodies kind of hit similarly, but they also change up ever so slightly with different instruments taking over certain parts and the lengths of each section changing, etc. - this felt evocative of waves moving by in the ocean and I like how that ties in with the setting of the art whether it was intentional or not.

Overall, this is a great entry with a lot of character hidden behind its initial simplicity.

Everratic responds:

I'm very grateful for your description of my style because I've been trying to figure out how to articulate it for years, and I think you summed it up neatly :)

That's an interesting point in your third paragraph. I get what you mean! I think I was trying more to imitate real life rather than ocean waves per se.

Thanks for the review and hosting the contest!

[AIM 2021 - Following The Valley Light]

The gradual buildup to the drums and guitar is cathartic, and this entry's strength is in its structure. Every part flows together pretty well, and even though the guitar was unexpected, it didn't feel out of place and elevated the track in a way that felt satisfying.

The harp-like notes that start the piece really help to set up the scene in the art. I feel like their tone evokes the gentle curves of the mountains, but it does seem like it's mixed too quietly. When the strings enter the soundscape, those running notes are so suppressed that I wish they integrated with the rest of the sound design better to hear its counterpoint against the strings better.

I think it's interesting how the strings are set up, particularly around the beginning up to the 2 minute mark. There are moments where the melodies feel like they're wandering around, then they hit certain chords here and there that add forward momentum. I love the moments at 1:48 to 1:58 - that chromatic change in the bassline elicits mystique and keeps me engaged in whatever is to follow.

Overall, I love the emotional output of this entry - it feels quite evocative of scaling mountaintops and I think you capture a sense of beautiful desolation, which connects with the artwork.

[AIM - Unchained Dynasty]

The parts with the drums, against that syncopated bassline, are very good. My favourite part, however, is that trumpet. Its melody is the line that adds character and flair. I enjoy the parts where multiple trumpets play chords over the bassline and drums.

The sound design generally fit the art and character you were trying to portray well. The drums sound great; I just wish they came out a bit more when the trumpets enter, because they kind of take a backseat to the entire mix and I think the urgency and drive moving the piece's momentum forward mostly lie in the drums.

It's interesting how the bassline suddenly becoming more even at 1:43 actually feels more off because of the syncopated lines that came before it. I found it to be a fine change before the piece picks up pace again. Overall, this is a pretty good entry.

[AIM - Our Life.]

Solo piano music is one of the more difficult types of music to make, especially in online music communities like Newgrounds. The act of it is not difficult, rather the act of making it distinct. In case of this compo, it is also connecting with the art that poses an additional challenge.

In regards to this entry, I find it to be a perfectly satisfactory piano piece. The muted piano suits the muted tones of the art piece, and the composition gives that general sort of happy/sadness/hope feeling, which sounds like what you are going for. The problem I struggle with is that I think this piece is too surface level to be emotionally impactful. The chord progression and the way it's used here seem so typical that the piece feels like it could apply to a lot of situations and not just this specific piece of art it was inspired by. It could be the somber track where two lovers have to part ways against their will, background music at a restaurant or RPG stock piano music.

I also cannot get over how rough the transition is between 1:12 and 1:13. It feels like a forced key change and it really doesn't work for the nature of the piece.

Overall, this entry is okay. It fulfils the general emotion and connection to the art, but I don't really feel any connection further than that, sorry.

[Call to Adventure]

This track, without a doubt, sounds like it was meant to be in a video game. That melody is a video game hook and I love its development as well as how the track feels like it captures an energetic night as seen in the art.

The main component that sticks out is the sound design. I don't necessarily hate it - in fact, that buzzy lead definitely adds character and helps to bring out the city feeling of your inspiration. I will admit, however, that it does wear me out of wanting to listen to this track on loop. I think it's something I have to be in a very specific mood to listen to, and given that it is supposed to play over and over again in a game, I think it could potentially hamper the audio experience. Of course, I have yet to experience how the audio is executed in the game, but from listening to it alone, this is the impression I get.

Overall, I think the entry does what it sets out to do - it fulfils the general notion of the art, is catchy, sounds - compositionally - like a video game track. I do notice now that it is actually a 1.5 minute track played twice and then faded out to meet the 3 minute requirement. Sure it technically meets the rules for AIM, but it also feels sneaky, in a way, to consider this a qualifying submission. It's great that you managed to complete two purposes with one track made within their overlapping periods, though.