Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Melancholy Hill - Change (AIM 2023)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I love hearing the variety of metal tracks this year and I'm totally here for this introspective take on a thunderstorm. It seems like there was a lot of thought put into how these sections play out and I think everything really comes together to portray this passing of the storm. You get a lot of mileage out of this guitar-heavy piece - I feel like a lot of interesting ideas were being explored in the melody and using the guitar's growling, distorted sound is a great choice for a wailing thunderstorm. I especially like the section at 2:55 where the repeating notes go through phasing changes, which is a nice preceding section to the introduction of the piano.

The only issues that come to mind here have to do with the impact of the notes and the mixing of the drums. I feel like this track does not hit as hard as the composition makes it seem like and I believe a big part of it is that the drums. I think they definitely could have been louder, particularly the bass drum and snare, which feel present but not prominent. The other aspect is that in the beginning metal section from 1:11 to 2:55, I feel like those repeating notes could be a little more snappier (like the ones around the 1:44 mark for instance). It might be the background accompaniment or the notes being held a little too long, but I feel like the track loses a lot of energy from not having those notes cutting clean as they repeat and thus there's not a lot of impact when the repeating notes play.

Overall, I think you have the narrative structure down well in terms of portraying the storm. I really enjoyed the melodic starting section, particularly the little rising of that guitar note at 0:48-0:49 leading up to the start of the first harder-hitting section. I found it pretty intriguing how you describe this passing of the storm like a hill to climb, which to me was strange given how the art is showing what appears to be relatively flat land. I get the title of the collection and the climbing of the metaphorical hill as the overcoming of obstacles or challenges in life. It just seemed weird given that braving a storm also is a similar metaphor to what you're describing and would have been more appropriate to this concept and the art. Even the track seems to conclude a little similarly to how it started, with the ambience and the solemn melodic guitar. In the end, I still think this track does a good job at reflecting the art in motion and it still works in conjunction with its inspiration.

BBaNK responds:

You are a legend RSK! Thank you so much.

[ninetek]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

This is an entry in which I really would have loved to hear more about the process behind making it. When working with an art inspiration that seems so abstract, it would be interesting to know more about how you interpreted the work and how you think that reflects in the music.

As far as what I think about this piece's connection to its art inspiration, there are a lot of interesting things going on in the sound design and the texture amidst its repetitive loop pattern that feel like they're playing around with details without sounding too concrete. I like that the recurring idea is set up in a matter where the only way to resolve it is to repeat itself over and over. There also appears to be some timbral shifts in the instrument carrying this melody at around the 2:07 mark onwards - sounds like there's some filtering or distortion going on and I love how this gradual change affects the colouration of the track without being a melodic change.

This entry overall has a general sense of urgency and forward motion as it culminates to its third section. The struggle for me is that I don't really feel like this art has that sense of urgency or any sort of unsettling undertones. The reds are not as harsh and are more muted - it doesn't really seem as futuristic as the music (imo) implies. But that's not to say I don't understand the connection between the music and the art. I think the way the instruments shift in tone, the use of the chopped up vocal samples and the way the layers are placed or added/removed gives just enough discernibility like the shapes in the art. Everything is set up in a way that is tangible while also being strange and a little off-putting and I think that's a good approach to an abstract work of art that has "Untitled" in its name.

Hyenaedon responds:

Thanks for the review! You're spot on with the idea just repeating & playing around with the details, for trax like this i find it really difficult to do a 'normal' progression with a chorus or whatnot cause its more meditative if thats the right word.

As for the art link yea this time I very much took a more abstract approach in every aspect as during this time i was pretty drained out of ideas with a more cohesive narrative or idea so something that i could just feel my way through felt right. I was trawling the old art portal for hours and found a lot of cool things but this one just stood out as fitting as an album cover so I went with it and imagined what one of the trax would sound like. The one thing i couldve pushed more probably was the ssort of technology vs nature angle, which i kinda gleam from the art with all the sharp angles and buildings versus the mountain and sort of soft wool material. it's almost merged together so much that it is almost intangible and off-putting, like you said.

Anyways.. just wanna say thanks again for the thoughtful review, and for continuing to run AIM as it's always fun to do whenever i get the chance!

[AIM // Sweeping]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

Despite this track's relatively short length, I felt like the structure was generally well-paced and flowed together quite cohesively. It's quite amazing given how drastically different that long intro is in contrast to the rest of the track. The intro gives off dreary and grey kind of vibes, but it works as a super dramatic, cinematic opening to the parts that follow.

It definitely helps that the piano is the connecting glue in the structure of this track and the way those pads fade out slightly and then back into the faster-paced section helps to bring it all together. I love the two-note piano rhythms paired with the chippy percussion. The crunchiness evokes the sounds of sweeping, complementing the back-and-forth motion of the piano chords. The best part is that soaring chiptune melody on top of these layers buzzing away like a bee.

I can picture a narrative related to the art inspiration, with the intro being this sort of start to the day as the sun begins to rise but the city is still sleepy. At 0:52, maybe this character starts the morning routine of sweeping. By the time we get to 1:58, it feels like the afternoon and perhaps the bee has moved onto other household cleaning chores. The part at 3:00 comes across as winding down and finishing up the chores for the day, especially with the slowing down of the tempo and dropping out layers of instruments. I like how the conclusion is not final, as if it signals that the job isn't done and there will be more work to do tomorrow. Overall, this entry is super cute and well constructed with a nice sound design to boot.

By the way, plagiarizing unintentionally is a relevant and understandable fear to have and something I do experience especially when composing with an idea I really love. As far as what I can hear, I didn't immediately think of any song that this entry would have ripped off. Even then, I believe there's a lot more to ripping off a track than just happening to share the same chord progression or even similarities in the melody, which usually seems to be what many look for in terms of rip-offs. This entry feels quite driven by the aesthetics of the art and perhaps a narrative surrounding it, so I would be surprised if it somehow completely ripped off another track.

littlbox responds:

Thank you for the in-depth review! I appreciate the breakdown of the track; it's good to hear how a piece comes across to others. And I'm glad to hear that the track probably isn't plagiarized hehe. :)

[Deep Sinker]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

Considering I've heard quite a few solo piano entries over my course of running AIM, I feel like it's amazing to hear one this compo that manages to be very emotionally moving. It helps that the art inspiration chosen is one that does fit well with the piano aesthetic - a focused and isolated image that is both beautiful and tragic at the same time. I also like that it was played live (or at least it sounds very humanized); the phrasing, dynamics and little "imperfections" in the tempo really help to enhance the tone of the image.

Composition-wise, I love the main hook heard at the beginning. Something about the way it ascends and hits what sounds like an augmented 4th chord and resolves on a 9th (my theory is so rusty lol) perfectly encapsulates that feeling of almost breaking but never hitting the surface of the water and instead, falling farther and farther away from it. I also hear some delays in the piano notes and I'm not sure if that was an added effect or you playing that live(?), but I think those delayed effects on the piano notes provide a shimmering sensation - it brightens up the image with just the right amount of musical "lighting".

Overall, I think it took me a few listens to really appreciate the craftsmanship behind the composition, but when it hits, it really does emotionally tug at the heartstrings. I don't want to say that complex chord progressions automatically make a piece more emotionally complex, but I think the way in which it's done in this entry just hits the right spot. The whole piece evokes the sense of hanging in the balance - it's got this immersive, everything-looms-above-you sort of feeling and it makes me feel like I'm the person in that image.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Hiii! So sorry for the big delay in replying, including to your message a month ago. I won't be by the computer I composed this on for a couple of weeks, but I'll try my best to get you what you need, when I can...

Wow! I'm very impressed by your analysis :O
As for the delayed notes, it gets confusing, because I played some of them, whereas some are added through a combination of effects I was using, to get the underwater-feel!

It took longer than usual for me, this year, to find art that really inspired me. I am so happy I stumbled upon this one by JoaoVaz again! Thanks again ^ . ^

[A+B | Archdukes of the Machine]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

There's a lot of interesting elements at play here - a bit of softer ambience combined with some rhythmic and melodic elements. What stands out to me about this entry is that it's able to flow through the ambience and its grooves in a cohesive manner while still maintaining an unsettling feeling throughout. I love how the intro sound effect at 0:17 sounds like an engine whirring and then 12 seconds later, at 0:29, turns into this intriguing catchy loop. I don't know if these instruments are the same or similar sounding, but I think keeping to sounds that double both as sound effects and melodic instruments was a great choice.

The only sound that feels out of place in the mix is that high-pitched bell at 1:21. Every other instrument sounds so down low and hushed, so to hear something much higher and confident made it sharply stick out in a way that didn't feel like it fit in with the environment of the composition. I like the idea of introducing some highs; I just couldn't really get into the execution of it in this entry.

Aside from that, there's an unsettling atmosphere throughout the track that also manages to be engaging and I think that has largely to do with the shifts from melodic grooves to rhythmic ambience and playing around with the layers and tempo. It doesn't feel in-your-face horrific, which really does feel inspired by the art. I like the use of the discernible voices and sound effects, particularly that scream and the biting sound at 2:08 are the most disturbing parts that still fit in with the rest of the sounds at play here. Overall, I think you've created one of the most captivatingly quiet horror entries I've heard this AIM.

CrimsonKero responds:

Fair point: I'd like to soften that high pitched bell-sound down, but because there wasn't much time before the deadline, I left it as is.

[The Median Way (AIM 2023)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I was surprised to see someone using Solarvagrant's art for this compo. I'm a big fan of the BackDoor games and the inspiration used appears to be concept art for the first game, so I was interested to hear how this would be interpreted from the get-go.

The things I like about this entry are the rising arps and the repeating chords that fill the space between the breaks in the arps. As the chords echo, they become almost vocal-like and whether intentional or not, I think it adds that sense of wonder you intended to incorporate. The rising arps help to give the piece some range - I like how there is always a feeling of their presence by having their echoes filtered. In general, the chords and arps combination was quite pleasant to listen to.

The art inspiration has a mysterious and otherworldly concept - the world between worlds - that I think there was more opportunity to explore musically. This entry is almost entirely based around an even-metred groove and while it is pretty, it doesn't quite feel like it explores the idea of a world between worlds thoroughly. What if the "worlds", in the composition, were two different melodies or metres that shift in and out of one or the other and/or play simultaneously? What if instruments carried the same lines, but morphed into other instruments or slowly started going into microtones and back to their initial pitch? These are just a few suggestions to consider, but I believe for an art inspiration like this, you could go wild and stray away from a more straightforward composition.

I also feel like the track could use some refining in the production. The piece is considerably quiet and every layer feels very flat. I'm not sure if panning was used - I think I hear a bit of it, but I do think there could have been a lot more playing around with it, especially when dealing with a more repetitious composition.

Overall, this entry manages to convey emotions of wonder effectively with pleasing sounds and a simpler groove. I think it does have a spacey, kind of mysterious feel that's a bit on the lighter side, which complements the loose, lighter style of the art.

bottledf0x responds:

Thank you for the feedback! I agree with the points made in your review. I'll be back for next year's contest, with a more polished piece production-wise.

[AIM 2023 - Armageddon (Old Mix)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

The one important aspect that this entry nails is the sense of impending doom. I really like the way you musically portray the image of falling projectiles tearing apart a city by playing around with rhythms and pitch bends. Even at the start with the calming intro, you manage to maintain that off-putting feeling by progressing further away from melodic tones to full-on relentless rhythms with lots of high slides. The structure, I would say, is this piece's strength.

I'm curious if you took any inspiration from the character in the image. While this entry captures the doom and gloom amidst the city in the background, I wasn't really sure if there was any attempt to incorporate the Death character musically at all. Since this character is so prominent in the image, I think hearing more of a musical interpretation from that character's perspective would have made the piece feel more relevant to this particular artwork. For instance, what if Death was interpreted as the one not causing the catastrophe, but merely a scout waiting to collect the souls of those who have fallen?

The only issue I have in regards to this entry is that I felt like it didn't really have a lot of lower end, and I think that causes it to lose some of that intensity and sense of being grounded that would have helped the scene in the art to be more fully realized. It might have just been that the higher notes were too prominent and drowning out the lower ends, but this piece came across as thin even in its lowest ends.

That aside, the progression of the track is solid, especially the intro shifting from a quieter, somewhat ambient intro into the first percussive section. I enjoy the use of the rising sound at 0:37 that connects these two sections - it reminded me a lot of an alarm sound for natural disasters, which is a great fit for the concept.

AceTAD responds:

yea i eventually realised the lack of low end (mainly cuz my low end sounds really bad) but i can see what you mean by death... an interesting idea. i might remaster this when i have the time

[Lunar Deity (AIM 2023)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

As far as incorporating space-themed and mystical elements go, I feel like this track was able to hit the mark. There's definitely mysteriously ethereal vibe I get from the longer held chords in the background - that chord progression especially, but there's also a bit of a groovy sensation. It makes the track ethereal and strange with an undertone of fun, which reflects the art inspiration's ethereal moon being holding up a peace sign and cuddling a cat. You do a great job of capturing a blend of different atmospheres and emotions to make something that feels specifically inspired by the artwork.

There were a couple of issues I noticed in the production, though nothing super egregious. The intro-buildup to the first chords at 0:19 doesn't feel all that cohesive, as if the cut in the sound effects is too clean and abrupt. I also feel like the pads in the later portion of the track were too soft in the background and could have definitely been a little louder. The track as a whole is also on the short side and given that this is still in the 3-4 minute range, there was definitely room to expand more on the compositional ideas being explored here for a couple more minutes. I understand that it was done last minute though, so take this to be that I like what I hear a lot and I think there's so much more potential for further development.

Overall, I like this entry a lot. It feels majestic and grand but it also bops. The use of pulsating synths and heavy drums give the track a dark sort of tone that's both intriguing and transcendent.

Jatmoz responds:

Thank you so much for the detailed review, you're an awesome person!

[Necroswamp Abomination]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

The most exciting part about this entry was the hype leading up to it. After reading about the large amounts of computing power and large amount of notes along with the nightmare it took to even export the project successfully, I was definitely anticipating what this composition would sound like. For the most part, it really wasn't what I was expecting, and I don't mean that in either a good or bad way. I just had a completely different vision of what this track was going to be versus what it ended up being while also still feeling like it couldn't have been made by anyone but you.

One thing I love about the track was how it immediately gets into the intensive stuff. There's not really a gradual build; it just sets the scene of the battle with this confusing, terrifying monster right away. The tempo changes and layers on top of the running notes add a sense of structure and flow. I think everything here does a great job at capturing the tension and terror from battling the creature in the image.

When I first heard about the huge note count, my mind pictured stacked, super dense textures and a lot of playing around with tons of instruments with different effects shifting in and out through multiple thick layers. I think the fast rhythms work well for the battle part of the image, however, I feel like I wasn't really getting a sense of the creature itself being portrayed.

Perhaps there were lots of stacked textures going on in this entry, but the faster tempo feels like it might detract from being able to really hear that. I guess I was expecting to hear something more twisted and horrific, and I felt tension and chaos in this entry without the horror. There was a class I once took in uni where we learned to use a tool that morphed the sound of an instrument or sound effect into another in a seamless manner and I think playing around with something like that to an extreme would have worked more effectively to musically convey the amalgamation.

Overall, I still do really enjoy this piece - it certainly stands out and feels unique to your craft. It would be wild to hear this as a performance live - who or how would they do the demon choir? And would the audience be able to withstand their force by the time the piece ends?

(also please judge aim 2024 judging panel next year k thx bruh)

LD-W responds:

Ayy all good, yeah throw me a DM on Discord about judging for AIM2024 ;)

At the very beginning, I did think about how I'd like to approach this project, whether I wanted to do something a tad more avant-garde with some Sonorism influences (like 'Screaming Shadows' which I did for last year's AIM), or if I wanted to lean a tad more towards the 'soulsborne' sound for this one. Ultimately, I decided to do the latter (albeit with my own twist), since I've got confirmed plans for this template to go directly towards my gigantic Symphonic Black Metal project that I'm getting into the swing of things with, late-2023 to early-2024 (just need some more bongbux to drop on a new Guitar & Bass and I'm all good haha). My general mindset is to leave the most potent of horror soundscapes to get dedicated towards abstract topics such as the human mind & illness, dark magics, or entities at a cosmic (or beyond scale) which would get more into 'Sonorism For Elder Gods' kind of territory, hence why this might seem a tad more controlled than some might expect from me.

Stacking side-effects are also a factor of course. With everything stacked up together, it's emulating (on-paper) a 600-person Orchestra + Choir combination, which is a technical nightmare in it's own right to get working, especially when mix&matching libs from different vendors (but at the benefit of getting a very thick wall which sounds like an earthquake going off when untamed!). What would be powerful aleatoric ensemble walls under usual circumstances suddenly become a tad quieter in the face of dealing with almost 166 Brass Players going at it at once etc. So I had to improvise somewhat with some processing tricks and leaning towards certain compositional intentions: like having the massive timpani stack banging away to represent the footsteps of the amalgamation crashing into any solid ground it stomps on, the subtle choir-texturing layers emulating the painful hums and moans of the unfortonate souls conjoined together, the snare ensemble being a tad more 'martial' in it's pattern to emulate a warrior/soldier moving and dodging around it in precise patterns in the more intensive sections etc.

FL reported 175GB RAM usage in the end, with my system only having 128GB Physical, plus with like 4 hours left before the deadline, I just added in the final aleatoric FX I was able to slot in which 'sounded good' and go "aight, this'll do!" (and then only getting an export via Edison after multiple attempts, since it liked to crash alot around the 2:18 to 2:56 region for some unknown reason I still can't figure out lol). Abit of a pattern I go through with entries into contests every time haha. 2nd Hardware-Rack is planned for the end of the year, so a 256GB RAM Pool will get some of the most serious issues instantly sorted.

Ahh yeah the 'Demon/Hell Choir' was myself, recording latin passages in a mixture of power fry & semi-gutteral. Quad-stacked the recordings up, then doubled each side up with some processing trickery to make it seem like 8 voices per side of the hall (or 16 total).

I'm still pretty glad that I did this entry in the end regardless of results, due to a heap of valuable technical knowledge obtained along the way through trial&error, and the template in it's post-contest state being a valuable toolset in it's own right for even bigger projects!

[AIM - Moments In Life]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I enjoy compositions that make you appreciate little moments in life, and I think this aptly named track does that wonderfully. The simpler composition and sound design definitely give strong RPG vibes. If it stayed in the same key, it would probably slot nicely into a village or grassy area. Even the art inspiration feels like a preview for an RPG - the instruments chosen for this entry feel like they complement the colours and hues super well.

The simplicity of the composition works well for the title and helps to maintain that sense of comfort throughout. It feels like everything is built around the piano and I love how the strings and winds intertwine with it, shifting in and out with their own parts. Those moments of harmonization and counterpoint did a great job in maintaining that comfort and coziness that I get from looking at the art inspiration. Towards the end, it does seem as though there is a little too much playing in unison with the higher strings against the piano going on from 2:03 onward and it made the conclusion come across a little less emotionally effective compared to the various harmonies and counterpoint melodies that these instruments shared with the piano. I like the harmonies in the bass - the unison rhythms do feel a bit choral - I just kind of missed that from the upper non-piano instruments.

Overall, I'm always glad to hear these nice, calming entries that make you feel like everything's going to be okay. I love that this entry was able to achieve that with a gentle piano, along with strings and winds for a pleasant timbral palette.

AceMantra responds:

Thank you for the in-depth review, and all of your hard work! I appreciate it.