Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM 2021 - Sick]

I really enjoyed the nostalgia trip this track gave me. That chord progression and electric guitar put me back in highschool when I would music that would sound like this to get through major outdoor runs for gym class.

It was amusing how the intro sounds like it's going to be in a minor key, but the "transition" to the major key works so well once the other instruments kick in. Although, I will say that the intro reminded me a lot of the intro to "Pumped Up Kicks" (though the two tracks diverge once we get to the main part of this entry).

The vocals were particularly well done - nice effect on them - the "grating" sound of the distorted voice ties in with the sort of whiny nature/immaturity the lyrics come across as to me. What also really stood out to me was the addition of the chiptune, though I do struggle to say it actually works with the rest of the piece. It felt invasive when played alongside the vocals, but on the other hand, it was neat to see if being used to transition from the verse to the chorus. I'm not really sure if the mixing was really the issue; it's possible the issue is also with the choice of chiptune instrument itself. Have you tried using a wave that is more similar in sound to an electric guitar? I also wonder if the original wave used in this entry would have complemented the vocals better had the vocal filter been removed.

Overall, I think the song is a banger, especially when the chorus hits. I do see the connection between the music and the vibes I get from the artwork's colours (and of course, the electric guitar in the picture).

[AIM - Cyberworld]

This track, to me, feels a lot like music you'd listen to while falling asleep in a car driving through a city at night with all its lights on. I think you capture the chill, calming vibes of the artwork perfectly with the composition.

The bell-like synth that carries the melody makes this entry so endearing. It feels like there's a slight hint of vibrato, which is absolutely amazing. Not sure if I was hearing that correctly or if the sounds surrounding it were causing it to duck, thus giving a sense of vibrato. Either way, the lead worked with the accompaniment really well, especially that chord progression.

The only major issue I have with this track is the way in which it concludes. I feel like the fadeout was almost a disservice to how wonderful the intro leading to the main section worked. I think there were still more ideas left to be explored and developed, and there was still enough time in the allotted range for such an expansion (and almost a month before the submission deadline too). To me, the track felt like it was cut short in the middle of its evolution. I've noticed fadeout endings also being prevalent in your other entry and I think there was more opportunity for this entry, in particular, to continue.

Overall, the main part of the track was excellent, just the right amount of emotion to atmosphere, composition and sound design, and I definitely think the ideas have more room for development within the same track.

[AIM - Lost Ancient Machines]

What I love about this entry is that it brings out the emotive connection between the two characters in the artwork. The somber, muted piano suggests the girl being timid and I like that evoking of character via timbre. The little vibrato in the keys, too, comes across as a quiver. The composition also sounds like it's constantly changing between like a IV and V chord or something similar of the sort, and the fact that it never really resolves was a great setup for portraying this ongoing conversation between the machine and human.

What I really would have loved to hear more of is a sense of development in conversation between these two characters interpreted musically. I do, however, find the little glissandos from the electric sounds at around 2:15 to have a sense of urgency, but it seems to not lead to any consequences as the piece basically returns to the same musical ideas later on. I think it could have been interesting to show more emotion in the piano/guitar composition - the sense of initial curiosity could lead to an understanding like "hey, this strange, scary thing isn't really that scary after all".

It also could be a neat idea to (although I'm not sure how many programs do this) slowly have the piano/guitar and electronic robot sounds shift into each other. Timbral morphing I think it's called? That shift would also be a possible method of getting these two sets of instruments to interact with each other.

I do find it interesting that the piano aka human character seems to remain in that same chord progression, whereas the machine sounds have that sort of warning sound as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Overall, this entry is very good at portraying characters and a general snapshot of the scene musically, and it made me want to know more about the "conversation" that was being evoked in the music.

[AIM - Full Meal : )]

The choice of instrumentation and composition connect with the style of the artwork adequately. The goofy synth at the beginning, along with that descending pattern, gives a sense of charm with an underlying sense of dread. I can picture the little character trying to scarf down as much of the meal as possible.

Initially, I found the sounds accompanying the main melody to feel disconnected from the rest of the work, but when the more distorted instrument took over at 0:17, I felt like the sounds became more cohesive to the general composition. Changing instruments while keeping that repeating pattern was a neat idea that changes up the intensity in subtle ways.

I like that brief melody at 1:43 and it's kind of a shame it gets "swallowed" (no pun intended?) as that section develops. It felt like a strange choice to distort the piece more towards the conclusion; I think it was an interesting direction for the piece to go, but it did leave me feeling rather unsatisfied.

Overall, I think this entry is a good representation of the artwork's concept and style. It's simple, but it does get the point across.

StufflingDX responds:

Forgot to respond to this, thanks for the critique, I appreciate it! The structure of the song is sort of "boy excited for meal : )" , "boy anxiously and sadly chows down meal against his will" , "boy dies" , "Boy ascends into heaven and accepts his fate". I felt like most AIM submissions I was used to were more orchestral and serious so I wanted to throw everything at the wall in the shortest amount of time for fun. Glad you enjoyed it.

[AIM - Twin Cities Under Blue Sky]

I've been really excited about reviewing this piece, even though it made me speechless the first time I listened to it. This entry (and your other one) spoke to me in a way that I don't think any of the other entries did.

As simple as it seems, the way the piece is structured allows for that perfect introduction to the intense main section. Despite its ever beating, barely "musical"? repetitive tune, it allowed me to focus on the sounds surrounding it. And as those sounds repeat, they gradually and perceivably become background noise as the background sounds become foreground noise. I guess that's the best way I can describe it, lol. I listen to this piece like a detailed painting, where I can tune in to different aspects of the texture, or I can sit back and go along for the ride.

The transitions from the louder sections to the quieter ones are done so gracefully - everything feels incredibly natural. Even when the ideas at around the 0:40 mark return at 4:55, it feels so satisfying to hear that same section return having drawn away from it for so long.

Also, while this is not the sound I would have imagined when looking at the art you've chosen, the connection from your entry to the art was evident to me the moment I heard it. I do get the sense of elevation, and all the chaotic, intense sounds felt like they would reflect the noisiness of the contraptions that float in the air to make cities in the sky. I imagine that in real life, those things would not be quiet!

I'm really curious as to whether or not the environmental sound effects were reconstructed to create the synth-like sounds, or if they were supposed to be heard organically and by reconstructed, it was more like rearranging the order. It's always neat to see how people get crazy amazing instruments from sounds in their environment.

This entry was easily one of my favourites of this compo. It connected with me in an unconventional way, as if it were the perfect balance between sound art pieces I'd analyze in university and the wonderful conventional music tracks I'd listen to casually.

CryNN responds:

Thank you so much for this very constructive and positive review! Im really happy you liked it

[AIM - My Summer Sweetheart]

That recurring melody is everything in this piece. The way it's carried by resonant instruments allows it to cut through emotions, tug on heartstrings, that sort of thing. I love the way it's accompanied by the syncopated piano chords, too. The introduction is well constructed.

The piece has a lot of great buildup, with those filter sweeps, denser rhythms and the sudden dropout to the vocal clip. It accumulates so much anticipation. I just wish the drops weren't so homogenized. Hearing the same melody carry over in two different drops, presented so similarly with each other, makes the piece, as a whole, feel underwhelming because the buildup promises so much more. It's not necessarily bad; it just makes the composition feel stuck in one place when it tends to go towards other directions.

I enjoyed this entry a lot; I think it captures the sweet wholesomeness that I get from the art, especially with its musical ideas.

[AIM - The Dark Side of Megacity]

From the moment moment those guitar chords play, I could instantly connect the music to the setting in the art. You not only captured a city, but the perspective of looking down at the city from above. The idea of creating a song around a specific area of the art was a good premise, and I think the contrasts between light and dark, along with the way spaces are constructed and taken over in a city, are interesting concepts to develop in a song.

Lyrically, I think that there are a lot of interesting angles that could be explored in these lyrics. The song mentions the character being "stuck" and the concept of "you" alluded to the idea of a double meaning - perhaps one's aching desire for light along with the disconnection from a loved one or partner who is, metaphorically the "light", not to mention that the song could possibly be approached from the perspective of that one area in the "megacity" itself. I think the lyrics do touch on these ideas, but I wish the chorus was not so general, especially with the "you were everything to me, and I cannot win this fight" lines, which feel quite overdramatic in a song of this nature.

When listening to the song, I'd say the lyrics didn't really bother me, mostly because I had trouble hearing a lot of the lyrics through the vocals. The mix seemed to bury the vocals, especially around the chorus, which came across as you, perhaps, not being as confident in your vocal ability. I don't know for sure, but it does seem that way - something about your tone I think. That and some moments sound like you're running out of breath, particularly on "fight". This is something that can only be built upon with practice, so keep on singing. :)

The best part of this song was easily the composition. As much as I am confused about the lyrics, the melody is what helps to give them some sense of direction and emotion. Normally, I'm not crazy about long intros, but this one really took the time to set the scene in a way that felt just right. What gets me the most, however, is that guitar riff after the chorus (1:36 to 1:42 as an example). The way that phrase ends, with the single drum beat connecting the two ideas, is a 5/5 buildup and payoff for me.

[Undertone]

The overall bloated sound of the piece is a great take on being chaotic without really feeling fast paced. In fact, the slower feeling of the tempo allows for the recurring melody to pop out. I love how the piece is structured around random sounds; the various instruments being reduced add splashes of colour that made for a dynamic experience listening for the first time.

Even though I love how much the recurring melody pops out, I think the piece could be even more chaotic in terms of its texture. Another melody playing on top of the recurring one and soforth could throw off the balance and make for an even more interesting experience, especially on relistens. You could also change up the timing at which sounds appear - maybe coming in at a weak beat or in the middle of a weak beat.

My favourite parts would be the sounds that come in at 1:15 (reminds me of pizz strings) and 1:50 because electric guitar and chiptune is <3.

Zechnition responds:

Thanks for the review!

I definitely agree with your points, I think the peaks could have been made more interesting in order to better contrast with the slower sections. Balance is an interesting concept that I didn't consider when writing this song, but I totally see how it fits within the main ideas and could add depth in certain areas. I was actually aiming for a more fast paced song, but I didn't quite achieve the apparent speed I was looking for. Also, looking back at this song again I really noticed how rough it was around the edges. I'd love to spend some more time mastering it, but I suspect my skills aren't quite up to the task.

Anyways, thanks again for the tips, they're a big help!

[AIM- Camping In Quarantine]

In my opinion, this was one of the most distinct and unpredictable entries in the compo. When that guitar comes in, it feels so unnatural to the rest of the accompaniment, but the melody's contour and notes make it so that it *just* fits the first time I hear it. As it continues repeating the same phrase, I start to really get into it and fully embrace it as a catchy and off-putting groove. I especially love the play in the tempo changes towards the ends of the sections. I could have listened to either section for five minutes straight - it has that perfect outdoorsy vibe that I can make connections with from the art.

I think the one thing that really sticks out in this piece is the two-section structure. Both sections are enjoyable in their own right, however, the presence of the two of them and the way they are connected in this piece feels truncated, to some extent. The tempo slowdown towards feels like a natural progression for how each section can develop, but using it as a means to immediately transition into the next section feels a little too abrupt for this piece whose strength is in its vibes. Perhaps there is a way to make the transition between these two sections feel more natural rather than, well, sectional, such that it would put a lot more focus on the atmosphere and mood rather than its structure.

If there were a transition between sections - heck maybe even some psuedo-section in between - as unexpectedly fitting as that guitar, I think it would have been top 3 material for me. I was a big fan of this one and it was one of my personal runner-ups.

[AIM - Singularity]

This entry has an engaging introduction, with the buildup of those synth arps and the piano melody presenting a pleasantly singable higher melody that conveys a large sense of scale. I think all the parts are in place - the piece has a good sense of structure, with the long, drawn out intro and the super intense second half. The transition from the first to second half was very effective and I love that three-note repeated pattern in the bass.

While I found myself enjoying particular elements, I felt that this piece didn't leave a lasting impression on me. It was engaging to listen to just enough to hold my attention, but after multiple listens, I didn't really find anything I could take away from it. Personally, I think a large part of it had to do with the composition and the chord progression, especially during the opening. Despite the melody in the piano complementing the undertones of the synth arps, I found the chord progression to be unsatisfying such that when the fast snares come in, I didn't feel like the composition, as a whole, was progressing. Yeah, it had the parts necessary for a distinguishable transition, but it didn't feel like that transition was satisfying. Not to mention that by the time the quick snares came and went, the arps were still playing at more or less the same manner and by that point, I felt quite sick of hearing them.

There is a great repeating section towards the end at around the 3:20 mark. I loved hearing that extra synth that interjects between the melody and the choices for the notes evoked a certain degree of emotion that I felt was missing when I first heard the melody.

Overall, I felt like the components were fine - the sound design was good, the structure was good - there were parts that I really liked, but nothing that really made a lasting impression on me. I do think a big part of it has to do with the composition and the way some layers were arranged. With a huge turnout at AIM comes the unfortunate cut to entries that would have probably made it in smaller compos. I think this would have been one of them.