Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Aalasteir - MR. 100 (AIM CONTEST 2023) | Game Music | Royalty Free Instrumental + MIDI |]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I like how this entry manages to be both chill but have this sort of hardworking vibe to it. The entire piece is basically just jamming out to the same idea for 3 minutes and I think the repetition is what draws this piece to be relaxing in a way that you can just sort of put it in the background and do other things without getting distracted. But at the same time, the repeating pattern itself is not your typical sort of setup for chill music. It's very plunky and uses some nasally-sounding synths to riff on its main melody, which places the mood in a very sort of structured, methodical environment. This is a long-winded way to say I can make that connection between the music and the art.

The percussion choice works well when all the instruments are playing, but I feel like the kick pattern from 1:51 - 1:56 hit way more beats than I think it should have to match the quieter part of this section. I did like the softer pads and I got the sense that they were being panned while holding their notes, which was quite nice.

Overall, I think this track is pretty good - I see it's meant to be royalty-free game music and I believe it serves this purpose well. Personally I hear this theme as being more suited to a cutscene in a lab where two characters are having a back-and-forth chat through a scrolling text box. Nice job!

[Facing the Storm (AIM2023)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I can see that you drew from a few elements within the art to use as inspiration, and I think they are pretty evident in this entry from the get-go. For example the use of orchestral strings at the beginning is a good choice for reflecting an image that appears to have been painted. The way you also use the string instruments in the intro, sliding them on a single held note up and down, is evocative of a motor sound, and I drew connection to that sound and the windmill in the art. I get this sense of the wind being picked up by the windmills; something ominous is coming, from the perspective of the shepherd and the dog.

The composition is solid; I like the choices made in the sound design and the buildup to the drop at the end. One particular detail that stands out to me is at 2:46 when that subtle really fast repeating bassline enters and I feel like that was a great choice for conveying the wind picking up - the windmill works harder.

The only issue that comes to mind is that it seems as though everything starts a little too in-your-face, such as when the drums enter at 0:25. Despite being an intensive piece, I feel like having too much intensity at the beginning lessens the impact of when things really start to build up at 2:46 and I believe there is room for more dynamic range in the mix so that there's room for it to build towards the end. A softer sound design at the start could complement the art inspiration even more considering there's a tint of bright blue in the top-right corner of the art, so it's not all completely dark.

Overall, this entry is effective at drawing inspiration from specific details in the art and showcasing them in the sound design and certain elements of the composition. I love the choice of intensive synths during the drop - at around 3:37, those downward "pew" synths are particularly memorable.

Arponax responds:

For me, strings vibrato and some sort of sliding notes always feels like wind to me or something uncomfortable/unpleasing :D (i dont have an option to do some vibrato and i was lazy doing it with Piano rolls slide notes so i just put really fast low depth flanger on them XDD which sounded better than i thought.

Im glad the composition works :D

Maybe i was trying to achieve some sort of impact....like when you hear something in the distance or someone tries to warn you, maybe it could have been a shorter part so it doesnt affect the whole impact of the ending part or maybe just go even less on those taikos.

Overall thanks for feedback, well see how it goes. XD

[AIM 2023 | Siberg - Buddy Guyerson]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

What I love most about this track is its ability to capture the background of its inspiration. The chord progression and sound design sold me on musically setting a nighttime scene with a lot of street lights shining, which does reflect what's being shown in the art. The production sounds very full but also as if it's pulsating, which seems to bring life to the lights.

There's a lot of nice compositional choices here, particularly in the addition of that higher synth that soars above the intensive lower ends of the track like at 2:10 and the guitar part at 2:40 and its syncopated off-notes were quite satisfying. Honestly I would have loved to hear the guitar part break into a full-on solo, like it almost sounded like it was going to do.

While I believe this entry captures the environment of its art inspiration well, I found myself struggling to hear how inspiration was being drawn from the subjects within the artwork: the person and the bird on the street. I mean the streetlights are a part of the art, but it seemed like a missed opportunity to not draw any inspiration from the main focus of the art. I didn't see any intention to portray the subjects nor did I get any sense of that from the music.

And sure, listening to the music itself, I like it just fine. But when judging this in regards to its relevance to the art, the only thing I'm wondering is why you picked this art piece over any other art piece on Newgrounds that captures just a night scene with a street and streetlights?

The other thing I would have liked to hear, music-wise, is more clarity in the production. The track definitely feels like it's way too chocked up in the lower ends and I feel like it's hard to listen to, at least multiple times in a row. The higher synths and guitar part helped to make this a bit of an easier listen, but looking at the waveform on this track, it feels like some instruments were overblown.

Despite my criticisms, I do like a lot of aspects in this track - the chord progression the entire entry is based on is very good and when it changes to that third chord, I feel a sense of hopefulness coming through. Overall, you've made a lot of entries for AIM where the composition was one of your strong suits, and I think this entry slots right into there.

Siberg responds:

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback and unique perspectives.

[THE YEAR 2000 - 2023 AIM Submission]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

Listening to this and reading your description of your childhood was intriguing and I think this entry certainly manages to capture the vibes of a particular time period, if it is one that I have a very different perspective on. As a kid, I never really was into the high-tech fantasies of the future from the perspective of the 2000s. Anyway, this track is an absolute jam. The sound design definitely captures that futuristic energy and the layers all work together incredibly well. I especially love the syncopated chords that add a percussiveness to the texture alongside the drums (the ones that start at 0:23). In general, I think the sound design and the composition suitably reflect the colour palette of the art inspiration and it was interesting to use the art as a means to delve into the sounds evocative of your childhood.

If there's one thing I could point out as a nitpick, I think the drum rolls going back into the main groove at 1:24 could have been a little more impactful. I think the lighter brushed snares were a bit too tinny and it felt like there could have been more weight to the drums at least leading back into the main section, especially because of how impactful the rest of the track is. But other than that, I think the track has great pacing and placement of breaks.

Overall, I think you did a great job with creating an entry that feels very vibrant, fun and evocative of an era. That acid bass is absolutely delicious and makes this track extremely replayable.

EDIT: Wow, those being DJ scratches makes so much more sense now LMAO. Now I'm wondering what a snare roll would have sounded like there. 🤔

TeffyD responds:

Thanks for the review, I appreciate it! I should clarify at 1:24 those are DJ scratches, not snares.

[omnipresent (AIM 2023)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

What this entry excels at is being able to convey ominous emotions with a sense of awe and beauty in a way that feels coherent and very specific to the art it's inspired by. There's a lot of heightened tension heard in the chord choices and I think parts of the sound design (like the higher, almost angelic voices provide a really soft and beautiful undertone to the piece.

I also love how the second section takes on a more melodic approach in contrast to the more rhythmic and intensive first section. The biggest obstacle that prevents me from really loving this entry is that I don't feel like these two sections connect with each other that well. I know you were unable to continue working on this for a few weeks, so I appreciate that you were at least able to finish and submit the piece. To me, unfortunately, this does feel like two different tracks slapped together and I think this has a lot more to do with the way these ideas transition into one another and not so much the ideas in the sections themselves.

Personally, I believe that having the connecting glue start at 1:29 with (basically) the exact same setup as the intro made this piece feel like it was resetting everything it built up and went through. Just curious, but when making this track, did you try to remove the repeat of the intro and jump straight to 1:52? I actually like this part of the transition section a lot; it's similar to the ideas from the intro but isn't exactly the same as it and that would have been more effective of a transition to the next different idea. The lost time could be used to develop the main sections, particularly that second section - which while I love, feels like it just ends before it can get good.

Overall, I think this entry has a lot of neat ideas and I think there is potential to develop it further. I do feel like this entry could have at least been 4-6 minutes if more time were spent on each of the main sections, but for what it is, I think you struck a balance in how you conveyed emotion in the track that shows a clear connection to the art.

WakerLink responds:

Thank you for your review! I want to mention first of all that I fully agree about the two sections not meshing very well together, and that's my biggest regret with the track as a whole. I had zero ideas on how to continue the first section due to still having inexperience with the genre (and high BPM also doesn't make meeting the necessary minimal length paletable), which led to not touching the projects fot weeks. I wanted to at least finish it, so I *had* to sit down and work on it before the uni shitstorm began (aka course paper deadline and exams), which led to a somewhat disappointing outcome, at least for me, because the second section is definitely very rushed.

That brings up to the transition, and honestly, no, I have not tried that, since I thought that putting the intro pads again would make the transition from one scale to another more intuitive, but now that I listen to it again, I could totally cut the reused intro pads and go straight into the chords at 1:52, that's a very good point and I agree with your arguments regarding it.

Also, as I expressed earlier, I highly doubt that I could stretch the ideas over to 4-6 minutes due to having literally nothing click while trying it out, but I do appreciate that you see such potential in what there is so far. Once again, thank you for your review, and good luck with judging the rest of AIM!

[AIM23 - Forgotten Civilization]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I enjoyed the composition a lot in this track, particularly in how well it is structured and paced. That bassline hitting those last 3 sixteenth notes, that melody line with the guitar sound worked very well off each other. The arrangement feels simple, with mostly the guitar and bass with those arps coming up in the background in later phrases, and I think that and the sound design help to evoke that sense of being up there in outer space, which works given the art inspiration.

On the other hand, I think with simplicity comes a chance to focus on how to shape the sound, production-wise. Throughout the piece, we are mostly hearing these same parts and sounds come in and come out and I think there could have been more done to really play around with how these sounds enter and take form each time they are re-introduced. Perhaps playing a little with delay or an automated filter sweep cutting off the higher frequencies and gradually bringing them back in as the same arp continues playing. These are just examples of course, but the idea is that there are many ways to shape and colour the sounds we hear while maintaining more or less the same composition. I did hear a bit of this in 1:29 where the arps fade in rather than just entering in the next phrase, so think more on that regard for other lines in the texture or how these can be altered while said line is still playing.

Overall, I think this is a pretty good entry, and the bassline makes this feel like a driving piece. I feel like I should be taking a spaceship on a light cruise around the vast expanse of outer space when I hear this.

Dynamic0 responds:

Thanks for the judge review!

I didn't think about the arps much, perhaps I was supposed to. I don't know how to modify effects mid-song on my digital workstation, maybe it's not possible at all.

[AIM - Harmonic Dispersion]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

If I ranked all entries by replayability, I would put this at the very top for the sole reasons that it's catchy and it also just feels so good to listen to. When I put this on, for the time that I listen, it's comforting but in a more energetic sort of way. Compared to your "Skypunks" entry last year, I think this one is more well put together in terms of structure and flow and it was a great idea to use the intensity of the instruments to create varied timbral changes while keeping the same ideas dispersed throughout.

I really like the play between the sections involving the piano playing the melody and the following sections later on in the piece with chippier instruments and a little more buzz. It was a nice way to add some interesting timbral changes while still maintaining cohesion between the melodic ideas. I mean this piece basically just repeats the same sort of melody with slight changes as it progresses, but it's one that I love and want to hear and the simplicity allowed this melody to really showcase itself.

Although I find your interpretation of "harmonic" to be interesting, I wonder if there was an opportunity to truly utilize the meaning of the title, such as adding harmonies to the bells or parts of the melody line. Or, as a challenge, find a way to make use of overtones in certain instruments and have those come through. The absence of these elements didn't ruin my enjoyment of the piece, but if I had one suggestion for it, taking advantage of the title would be it.

There's something quite warm, cozy and wholesome about the sound design and composition that I think captures my impression of the character in the art (I'm not familiar with Splatoon or this character at all). It's bubbly, but in a way that makes you want to hug the character.

Overall, this was another wonderful entry that I'll definitely be playing long after this compo is over. Amazing work!

LordAndiso responds:

:) I am very happy to hear such a long analysis of my entry. I was not familiar with the character as well when I saw the drawing :D Thank you :))

[AIM 2023 - a glimpse]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

The guitaring in this is solid. I like the transition at the beginning from the slower somber section to the harder-hitting chords. The jam session style structure captures that sort of angst and confusion connected to youth and teenage years. There is a nice subtle melody line at 1:10 that I would have loved to hear come up in a later section. I also like the way the guitar chugs go into that continuous sort of groove at 2:27, especially when the chords change towards the end of that section.

In terms of this entry's connection with its art inspiration, I struggle to find a lot of connection between the music and the art. It feels more like this entry was inspired by the songs from your teenage years and the art ended up being secondary instead. If we were to interpret the character's emotions and the mismatch of reflections, then I think there is a case to be made, but it feels like there's too many steps to even get to a connection that is generous at best.

Unfortunately, this piece comes across as not really being inspired by the art at all. If that's not the case, I'd love to hear more about why this art was chosen over any other piece from carmine3 or any other Newgrounds artist in general. What makes this music inspired by the art?

Overall, this entry is fine - a little too loose on the structure (not really a fan of how it just abruptly ends especially after that strong opening) but it seems on par with most of your other AIM guitar pieces. I hope your fingers and wrists got the rest they deserve!

[AIM - Sun Diver]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

Out of the two entries you submitted for this year's AIM, I found this one to be the slow burn (no pun intended), where it was okay on first listen but after subsequent listens, I was all in. I think this track is incredibly well put together, especially in the composition and the sound design. The melody just manages to capture the feeling of being up in the air while the buzzier, lower instruments provide a sense of the ground below and these two elements working together help create the right amount of movement in the right direction with just the right atmosphere given the inspiration.

I also like how the piece is structured. The progression flows so naturally and even when that recurring melody is not present in the track, I feel like I'm enjoying the sections in between and not just waiting for the melody to return. What I especially love is that 3-note bell transition at 2:25 into the softer section with the main melody. The way this entire section enters, plays out and goes back into being more louder is amazingly executed. I love those vocal-like sounds (not sure if they're actual vocals or not) that sweep in during the quiet section like at 2:41.

If I had to nitpick one thing, I feel like the melody going back into the third section sounds like it's fumbling a little, especially at 3:02 where it sounds like an E and F are playing at the same time and it's dissonant in a way that doesn't seem intentional. I'm not sure if this was supposed to be a grace note, but it definitely sticks out.

Overall, I'm very impressed by this entry and it is one of my most favourites from you in any AIM where I got to hear your work. This and "-Dream Island-" are both S-tier in my book.

Preds responds:

Thank you so much for this detailed and awesome review!

Glad you liked the progression of the song, I felt that it was the weakest or one of the weakest points of this one, and definitely the one thing I struggled with the most (apart from the ever changing instrumentation, which lead to nightmarish mastering sessions), so it's really a relief coming from you, thanks.

And yeah, that melody at 3:02 is a cluster of weird detuned synths, sync leads and pads, maybe something slipped in there but I'm almost sure it was intentional, I'll work on those imperfections next time tho!

Thank you so much again! Glad you also remember that crappy old track as well hehe, I appreciate it :D

[AIM - Environments 2D]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I feel like this entry manages to capture the nighttime city aesthetic of the art in a liminal space that exists between the familiar and strange. The textures and layering are the piece's strong points, which is further emphasized through the sound design. I can also hear a lot of attention to detail in the production - the way the instruments are panned and set in the mix feel just right.

There is a sense of randomness to the track, but the throughline with the continuum played by the rhodes in the beginning helps to bring cohesiveness while the other layers feel slightly improv. Again, it feels like it's towing the line between the tangible and the abstract. and I feel like that reflects the art's loosely sketched lines paired with the colours and the shapes of familiar real-world things.

One thing I also enjoyed was the way in which sections flow into each other. At the start, the rhodes keep pace, but towards the end, there's a quick cut at 2:12 to this soft, padded section that really worked for me, especially paired against that slap bass and the percussiveness in its sound. The way that section builds up towards the end was easily my favourite part.

Even though I think the length for this track feels just right, I could have easily listened to it go on for 2 more minutes. Overall, I think this is an awesome entry that gets a lot from many replays to really focus on the different layers and the way they interact and flow through one another.

Cresince responds:

Thank you so much for your thoughtful review!

The different perspectives on my music I get from these contests are really great. I'm glad that my approach of ambiguity and structure was felt through the music. If I were to describe my idea towards creating this track, it would be like dropping water on a painting, and seeing the colors bleed together. That's one of the many things I wanted to convey with this city and art.