Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Cheese Dreams New Moon Menu Theme Remix]

This is great and I can't believe I haven't heard this until now. I love the sound design on this, especially the bells. Using the Nitrome jingle for those quick breaks was unexpected but it works great. I enjoy the contrast between the two sections of the original with the faster drum break.

Your description mentions sampling a few things from other Nitrome games/songs and I'm really curious what else was sampled. I feel like I should know as a Nitromian but I could only pick out the Nitrome jingle (besides of course the Cheese Dreams New Moon menu theme) but I imagine there might be some sound effects referenced or something like that. Perhaps it will come to me with multiple listens.

Exclaim responds:

I think I remember sampling a bit of Spindle's intro for it, though it's been a while so I've forgotten a lot of it myself LOL

[cozy]

Good stuff. The instruments feel a bit on the harder-hitting side, but I like the extra pop of crunchiness paired with the chillness of the composition. I wish you a safe and quick recovery from your surgery!

LordAndiso responds:

Thank you so much!! I am doing very well now after the surgery!

[Woko Credits]

Congrats on your first front page! I like the sound design a lot here; the little bells hitting some of the beats from 0:23 to 0:45 were probably my favourite touch so far. I can definitely hear this as an end credits theme where these instruments would have been used in prior tracks.

If I had to point out one issue, I feel like the synth brass lead is a bit too loud, especially at 0:48 where it doesn't seem like the choir is stereo panned so there's no sense of immersion with the instrumental - it feels like the accompaniment is very far away and the brass instrument is blowing in my face.

But aside from that, I think this is very well structured, from the higher energy start and sort of wrapping up with that final bass note at the end. I am curious - since all these tracks you recently uploaded start with "Woko" for the most part, are these for a game? I would love to hear more about this game and how to play it if that's the case. If not, then is it for a game concept? I think this is a great opportunity to utilize the Author Comments to at least briefly describe what your track is about.

CanineLotus responds:

Hello! Thanks, it's the soundtrack of an old project. I think it's almost 2 years old. I made it for a friend for a Mario fangame called Woko Izland. I'm not very good with descriptions and that's why I don't include any, but I'll try.
For now I'm only going to upload old projects to newgrounds until I finish uploading them all

[KERKA:Warden's Theme [Art Inspired Music 2023]]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

This entry does an amazing job with its melodies. That guitar line is unstoppable - it conveys the dark, fantasy vibes perfectly. I even think it has a bit of an anime feel to it, which the lettering in the art makes me think of (looking at the other works from this artist related to this art makes me think otherwise, but it works related to this specific inspiration vs. the music). I also like the use of the strings in the second half of the track - it's a nice addition to the texture.

I'm kind of mixed on the use of vocals here. I love the idea of adding in the poetry from the description of the art inspiration, but I'm not sold on the execution of it in the entry. Unfortunately, the performance of the vocals sounds too much like reading from a script and it doesn't really match with the darker, fantastical tones all too well. I do like the effect at the end of the last line, however, with the lower pitched echoes, but I do feel like the processing is doing more of the emotional work than the delivery of the lines.

The production also gets muddy when the guitar comes in. I love the guitar, but it overwhelms the rest of the instruments serving as the background. There's even a really nice vocal line I hear in the background that adds an additional touch of emotion, but it gets buried among all the other instruments, especially the guitar. I'd love to hear more of how these instruments like the piano line be more balanced with the guitar as I think all these layers play a significant part in the texture.

Overall, I think the core of the composition remains moody and entrancing. The melody feels like it would slot perfectly in as the intro to a show surrounding this comic. There's some good layering that I hope to hear brought out more in the accompaniment.

[AIM - Clouds]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I only just noticed this as I'm writing the review, but I didn't realize you made this using Caustic, a DAW which I haven't thought of in a long while. That's awesome though, and so is this track. When I first heard this, I was floored. I think the DNB elements work really well here against the piano and guitars to create that sense of constantly falling from the sky. It just has that sense of everything moving upwards at a fast speed and that conveys the idea of someone falling perfectly. That guitar line and chord progression are absolutely lovely.

The only thing I would have liked to hear more of is further development in the later sections, especially in the second half of the track. The track basically plays through the same ideas twice and it isn't as satisfying the second time they come around. Given the concept of falling (which I assume this track is about), I think it would have added a lot more intrigue to hear some slight variation in the way the layers are presented in the second iteration. While I do like hearing the layers being taken away for the guitar against the bells to shine at 2:13, I think the more intensive parts could have been presented slightly differently, perhaps with a different chord progression/chord movement against the same guitar line.

Overall, I was blown away by how good this track is. The guitar, bells, piano and drums are a fantastic combination and the emotions are effectively conveyed. I think this is my favourite entry I've heard from you in any AIM compo I've organized. Amazing job!

[AIM23 - Kubarium]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

There's a lot of nice things going on in the composition. The layers work very well together and hearing these varying timbres play off each other is quite pleasant. I also like the melody a lot - it's very catchy and the progression feels cohesive. It has this comforting feeling, like you just started the day and this piece is letting me know that everything's going to be okay. As far as morning vibes go, I think you nailed it.

I'm curious about the intention of giving this track a sunrise sort of feeling, as I don't understand how that connects to the art. A sunrise is a generally tangible part of the world while the art suggests something a little more abstract. It would have been nice to hear some playing around with the abstract, otherworldly and pastel atmosphere in the art. That being said, I think the long drones from the pads get the sense of the water and its vast scale effectively. I'm just not sure if the tone in this track works with the tone in the art, imo.

I love the use of the piano, though I wish it were played more stereo so we can hear the full effect of its chords. The piano was too suppressed to be enjoyable and the synth playing the main melody is just a little too loud, especially at the beginning with those softer accompanying notes. I'm also not a huge fan of the fadeout conclusion; it just doesn't seem like a place where the track should have ended especially given its length.

Other than that, I do love the warm and cozy feelings from this track overall. I think the melody is catchy and does get stuck in my head sometimes. The melodic development is solid and I would have loved to hear this extended to double its length.

Dynamic0 responds:

Thanks for review!

I meant the sunrise feeling as the time from the first sunrays to the time when it's almost noon.

I run out of ideas when I was making the end. I could make something better than fadeout.
But I'm thinking about making extended version.

[AIM - Soaring]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I think I said in my review of "Sun Diver" that this entry was easier to like and I stand by it. The sound design is fun and the composition is loose. I love how effortlessly it flows from section to section. The rhythms are solid and everything just falls into place. I especially love how the final chord of the melodic phrase (first heard at 0:28) resolves to that interesting sort of chord that allows for a lot of forward momentum.

Despite everything I love about this track, I don't really know if it connects with the art inspiration that well. The art and the title of this track seem to suggest this piece is about flying and soaring in the air, but the syncopated chords from the guitar give a sense of grounding that feels more like a leap than constantly being elevated in the air. The emphasis is definitely kept more on the lower end with a few higher instruments that give that elevated feeling for brief moments in between. I think the intro is the closest thing I hear to feeling inspired by the art, but the rest of the track doesn't quite hit that mark.

Overall, I still really enjoy this track, especially the transition from the intro to the main melody. I also love the sax solo that comes towards the very end, particularly in how its last few notes are played with that sort of growl that makes it intriguing to listen to. The entry is catchy and full of bright energy.

[HOME OF HOPE (AIM CONTEST 2023) | RPG Music | Royalty Free Instrumental + MIDI |]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

You've got a nice sound design that works to capture the atmosphere of the cave and the night sky. Even though this piece's title seems to imply that it is about a home, the composition feels more like longing for home, probably because of its use of a mode instead of using a scale that would conventionally in Western music be considered more home-like (i.e. ionian). The piano and those muted higher bell-like synths play off each other well and I like hearing their moments of counterpoint throughout the track.

There are a couple of issues that come to mind. I would have loved to hear phrasing in the piano, particularly when it comes to the playing of the chords. They feel like they're played too accented sometimes and I think it doesn't gel with the otherwise quieter-sounding composition. The higher bells feeling softer and muted make the atmosphere of this track seem more enclosed whereas the art shows the perspective of the night sky from inside a cave. I would have liked to hear those bells brought out more as I think it would get the idea of this setting being more out in the open.

Overall, this entry definitely has a very loopy and sleepy sort of vibe, but I think that works well with the art inspiration. I especially love the way those faster rhythms give off the sense of the notes ricocheting off the cave walls, which was a great idea to draw inspiration from the art and reflect that in the music.

[Infinity]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

The minimal soundscape is what works well for me here. I like the sound design a lot; the piano and synth strings are a great melodic choice and the ambient wind sounds have a spaciness to them that work given the concept. I also really like the super-low sub sound heard at the beginning of the track like at around 0:09. It was a great way to get the idea of a vast and desolate setting across in a subtly haunting manner. The piano melody captures the loneliness quite effectively.

I notice that the track is relatively quiet and I have to turn my volume up for this one to hear it compared to other AIM entries. I think this track could have been mastered to be a bit louder. The piano also feels too forward in the mix and I think production-wise, that doesn't really fit in with the loneliness and emptiness you seem to be going for with the rest of the accompaniment. I think it could have definitely been a lot softer, a little more part of the background layers to create a more distant atmosphere.

Unfortunately, I don't think this entry has that strong of a connection to the art. While it does capture the isolation and the vast expanse in its composition, I was hoping to hear something more specific to this art. I think it doesn't help that this entry had two inspirations, which goes to show that it had to sacrifice some of its relevancy to this art in exchange for a bit of the other. This track seems more like a general space track and I'm not sure why this inspiration was picked over any other outer space artwork. It might seem a little conventional, but the chunkier pixel art definitely screams chiptune for this particular art inspiration.

Overall, I think you get some of the emotions associated with the art in the music, and I like the use of the piano as the emotional vehicle. I'm just looking for some more nuance in drawing inspiration from the art, especially when it comes to scenic pieces that take place in outer space. There's certainly a darkness and sadness that kind of complements the colour palette, but it still does feel too general to be specifically related to the art.

[batzona - aim2023]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I feel like this entry has a lot of strange opposing elements clashing with each other that also help to create a cohesive, unique experience. The lyrics are extremely vile but when listening to this track, I would have no idea as someone who doesn't know any Hebrew. The vocal performance has great flow and a lot of grunt and emotion poured into it against this otherwise kind of pleasant and loopy hip-hop beat. On top of that, there's the pads heard at the beginning that sort of slide up and down and serve as the backbone accompanying layer which are nice to listen to but also unsettling. It's such an odd combination of things that somehow come together for me and I think that also connects it with the art.

At first glance, it seems like the art shows two girls who are bleeding, but upon further viewing, the art actually shows it as red paint. The appearance of the girls is also a bit unsettling, with the darker-haired one having one eye completely closed while the other eye wide open. It's a strange-looking image that also looks pleasant enough and I think your entry shows an understanding of that "beautiful but off-putting" dichotomy.

The one thing I would have liked to hear differently are the pads from the intro. I love their presence, so it's disappointing to hear them become so suppressed in the background once the beat comes in. I think they easily could have been brought up more as they serve as a great accompaniment to the atmosphere.

Overall, this entry is extremely difficult to get into, especially when listening to the lyrics, but I appreciate that it was able to take all these opposing elements and bring them together to create a unique listening experience. I really like those ascending chiptune arp patterns that play in the second half and close out the piece.