Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM 2023- the interlude]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

With a piece of art literally called "Vaporwave", creating a future funk track is the logical thing to do. You've chosen a good set of instruments that mostly give off this warm sort of sunset vibe that I usually associate with the vaporwave art style. The melody that you've chosen is pleasant enough to be repeated, which helps a lot given that this track is mostly based upon this one loop and chord progression.

There's a couple of issues that come to mind. The production feels a bit on the muddy side like every instrument's a bit too reverbed or perhaps competing with each other in the same frequencies. Although you acknowledge that the mixing is off, I think this would be one aspect to focus on, especially for compositions that utilize a lot of repetition. I'd love to hear how these layers interact with each other and right now, I feel like a lot of that gets lost.

The other thing is that even though this does technically match with the art, I feel like there's not much more to the surface besides that. You mention there are unique melodies in this, but when I listen to this entry, I get the sense that this could have paired with any random piece of vaporwave art. Why pick this particular vaporwave piece and how can you convey the nuances of this specific art through the music? It might seem silly, but sometimes taking on that challenge when it comes to drawing inspiration from an artwork breeds uniqueness.

Overall, I think this entry is fine - it's pleasant enough and hits the beats of what to expect in a vaporwave track. I do like that slight change in the melody during the opening before it goes back to the familiar iteration once the drums enter.

[Rock On Gustafa [AIM 2023]]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

Oh hey, Quarl. Glad to see you in AIM from the participant's side now. I don't think your presence in the compo takes away something from any of the younger participants entering. It's also nice because I don't think I've really gotten around to listening to your music yet until now. Sorry!

I have a tiny amount of familiarity with Harvest Moon, but hearing the acoustic guitar, piano and animal sounds definitely felt relevant to how I looked at the art. What I love most about your entry is the concept - the town musician playing in one spot as the animals gather around him. The phrases in the faster section give this comfy feeling of togetherness, especially the cymbal transition at 1:40. The guitar feels so close and in-your-face compared to the rest of the instruments and that puts me right in the perspective of the musician strumming those notes on his guitar.

It was an interesting decision to use synths in a similar fashion to how a bowed string instrument might play in the background accompaniment. I'm not really sure if I get the idea of the animals interacting with the synths considering how much of a background element the synths come across as. All these elements still worked well against each other; I'm just not really sure if I hear the synths in this piece the same way you intended for them to be heard.

Overall, I think your general enthusiasm towards the Newgrounds music community reflects a lot in this entry - like one person, playing music, bringing people together in a sweet harmony. This may not be a grindcore song, but Gustafa sure shreds that acoustic guitar like a champ.

Quarl responds:

Most my music is noisy dnb and dubstep, keep clear of my catalogue if you want more like this :p

[Chocnoon - Prototype ~AIM~ (CCLXXXIV)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

For a track described as being "rock", I was surprised at how buried the electric guitar was in this. The composition does somewhat fit the art in that it has a bit of sadness and a touch of intensity from the minor key progression, and the layers that are introduced I can hear working with a different execution. I do like the way the second section's continuum starts under the first section's and despite the hard cut to the new section, these two ideas melodically flow together.

Unfortunately, the mixing and production feel so off that it's hard to justify wanting to listen to this even if the composition is decent. The drums are too loud but they're also very spread out and sound like they're heavily reverbed, which does not work at all. Layers that enter or re-enter either sound too loud or too soft and the entire mix is generally just too loud. I had to relisten to this many times before even realizing that there were other parts besides the drums and the one continuum. I wish I knew more production-related terms, but sadly I'm not that knowledgeable in that regard, but I will say that generally with production, you don't want instruments to be competing against each other so that the whole thing doesn't sound muddy.

There are ideas in the layers that do work and I think the downward contour of the arps does at least come off as a bit tragic, reflecting the art. I just wish I could hear more of what you've done with your composition. When your audio waves are almost constantly touching the top and bottom, it's a good indication that the track might be too difficult to listen to mix-wise.

name responds:

What genre should I change it to? Also I can't change anything, since Jummbox can save only up to 8 songs and I post very frequently. So the only way to fix that is through remaking it from scratch.

[Tower of Tech - AIM]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

There's a lot of complexity in the art you've chosen, from the intricate details to the lighting. The top portion of the art suggests steampunk, but the bottom portion seems more sci-fi, and I think you managed to evoke these elements in your entry in a way that is cohesive and not just two styles sitting incidentally next to one another. As the track progresses, it feels like we're panning over a close-up of the image - I feel like top-to-bottom is what I picture because of the gradual lighting from the top. It's a very concise entry and I sense a lot of these subtle complexities in spite of a straightforward melody.

One small nitpick that I'm not sure was intentional or not - it seems like the softer instrument playing those arps at 1:08 has some clashing notes. I'm not sure if a note was forgotten to be deleted (considering the repeat of this pattern does not have this issue), but it happens pretty quickly so it really only became noticeable after a few repeat listens.

I think what helps this entry flow so well is the way the melody recurs throughout the piece. Even then, there's a lot of time taken in between to help build up the atmosphere, especially leading up to that reiteration at 2:34 which seems to play in a different mode from the first time we hear that main melody. I also love the slowing down of the tempo in the outro where the melody repeats one last time with those gentle keys. The decision to use a lot of plunky instruments and detached notes really helped to always give this entry a sense of the machinery. It's almost a deceptively simple entry that only shows its details after repeat listens and I feel like that does speak to the way the art inspiration shows itself in more detail upon zooming in and lingering at different angles.

Irish-Soul responds:

Wow, thanks for the thorough and detailed feedback! I really appreciate how much effort you've put in to the review, and I'm glad you enjoyed the song :)

By the way... I agree that the art I used is extremely complex. Boomnm did an amazing job and it was so rich with inspiration to pluck from.

[rocks and rocks and rocks [AIM 2023]]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

It's interesting to read about how this song evolved from one about an explosive relationship to the perspective of one experiencing an explosive relationship first-hand. The 7/4 metre is an unconventional choice that makes for some sense of unevenness akin to the surface of a rock. I also really like the way the chorus deals with the repetition of the word "rocks" at different volumes and in almost a breathy-sounding tone - it's as if the word is pelting down in a series of smaller pieces. To me, it definitely sounds like the song deals with the aftermath of the explosion - the volcano has erupted and now all the ash and uh, rocks are raining down.

Even though I like the way the chorus handles the lightness of the vocals, I feel like the entire song needed a bit more of a harder edge. The accompaniment also seems very thin and counteracts with the explosive energy and aftermath that the rest of the song conveys. For a song about rocks and something blowing up in one's face, I think the backing track could use a lot more impact. I like the melodic pattern being played in the accompaniment; I think it's just more about how it sounds and the frequencies it occupies.

Overall, I like the song in concept and I feel like a lot of the choices being made compositionally and lyrically help this entry to stand out. My favourite part was the culmination to the shouting of the word "unbelievable" in the second verse. It's neat that this also feels like another sort of figurative explosion that occurs two-thirds of the way in.

MasterHand4444 responds:

First of all, I know it's for a competition, but it's very cathartic to have something I've made so critically analyzed. So thank you sincerely for that!

And second, I agree that the track could've used a harsher edge. Over the past few months I've relistened to this song quite a few times, and while I would change quite a few things, I'm still very proud of this track.

So thank you again for the honest critiques! AIM is incredibly fun and I can't wait to do it again next year.

[AIM - Stellar Guardians]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I like the way you approached this entry - the combination of the chords with that buzzy sort of synth waving up and down captures the sense of etherealness that can only be described as celestial. The piano melody paired with the chord progression almost felt like the gentle sense of the aura from these beings and the composition does a good job at evoking the wonder and awe from the perspective of a witness.

One thing I would have liked to hear is a reflection of the art and your interpretation of it through the production. Unfortunately I'm not too familiar with a lot of production/mixing terms, but to me, a lot of the solid chords sound a bit too in-your-face and I think that takes away from the scale and distance of these celestial beings. The long-held notes also seem quite uniform in their presentation and I think more sense of some dynamics in how the notes are played or shifting would have helped to give more shape to your beautiful chord progression.

Overall, I think the composition and the choice of instruments were fitting and I like the concept you chose to approach the inspiration with. Also, hats off to inspiring the artist with your inspiration of their work. Nice job!

GlaceonDash responds:

I am very bad at describing how I do stuff :)

But thanks for the feedback! The more loud/in your face notes I can definitely see as an issue, and the uniform notes I actually noticed whilst creating this (but was too lazy to fix it). Surprised that the more repetitive nature of some areas weren't mentioned, but that means it might not have been as big of an issue as I thought :)

Once again though, thanks! I'll try to improve in my dynamics at least

[AIM - (Club) Around Infect Madness]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

What you've delivered here feels like a very bright and pumped up summer anthem. I enjoyed the use of the chopped up vocal as the hook that recurs throughout the piece, especially the filtered chords that rise at the end of its phrases. The pacing was also very good - you play out a lot of different ideas in the drops that seamlessly connect to that intermittent vocal line and I think that helped a lot with making these sections feel cohesive and developed. Although the track is very loud, I like the small waves of dynamics that come across from the filtering and the buildups.

The one huge issue that is prevalent in this entry is its relation to the art. I assume the title of your entry is a play on the abbreviation of AIM, which is amusing, but also, having some relevance to the art plays a significant role in the judging evaluation of this work. If I were to offer a generous assumption, the intro kind of feels like it could go with the idea of the sun rising, but what about the landscape or the title of it being on a different planet? I'm not saying dubstep wouldn't work with this painting - there are entries in this year's compo that manage to pull that off - but I think there was more opportunity to draw upon the art inspiration and have that be reflected in the music. Otherwise, why pick this art as the inspiration over any other sunrise or sunset piece?

Now aside from this, I think the music itself is solid - like I said at the start, I like how the sections flow and I never felt bored listening to this. I love the part at 2:59 where the vocals take on more rhythms and the melodic counterpoint with the synth adds an interesting sort of texture. This entry generally hits the spot of every section moving just right.

[AIM - Bellowers of Grief]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I'm really impressed by your entry this year. What stands out to me most is your attention to detail in drawing inspiration from the art inside and out. For such a painted landscape, I feel like the most obvious portrayal would be to incorporate ambient sound effects like wind blowing or crunching footsteps in the snow. I'm not saying these wouldn't have worked in a piece inspired by this art, but I think it should be commended that you managed to reflect this image using a large ensemble of orchestral instruments.

Not only did you draw inspiration from the image for the composition and instruments, but I love that the mix was factored into honing in on the right atmosphere to depict the art. Everything has this muted, sort of hushed quality that reminds me of the silence heard when standing out during a heavy snowfall. It works so well to convey the snowy mountaintops and serve as an effective backdrop to the character's journey, which still feels like the main driving force of the melodic ideas being explored.

I also really love the way the sections progress. At 1:14, the clarinet lead-in seems hopeful - as if the journey ahead is rough but it's going to be fine - and I like how that eventually culminates into a louder more definitive idea that, to me, feels completely desolate. The mountain continues to loom tall; the character continues trudging forward. Then the clarinet comes back in again and it almost seems like again, there is hope, but the final part with the strings shuts that hopefulness down - at least, that's how it came across to me, and I think that does seem to tie in with the description provided in the art.

Overall, I believe you used your strengths in orchestral composing and mixing to be so in-tune with the art, from the visuals to the description and the journey beyond. Although the experience only lasts about 3-and-a-half minutes, it felt like every second was perfectly attuned to this mountainous landscape.

Everratic responds:

Thank you so much for this detailed review! And thanks for hosting again!

[AIM 2023 - World Code Destruction]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

This is the track I wish played during the final boss battle of the Flash game Serious Dave instead of the menu music they went with. The structure in this entry manages to capture the boss battle theme it's going for really well - including the intro, which feels like that calm before the fight actually begins. I love the drum beat that starts this track; it packs a punch while the other instruments make their way into the texture. The first 30 seconds are a huge stand-out to me with the way everything builds.

Most of the melodies also work well and I think composing upon some keywords based off the art was a great choice to focus on the emotion and the atmosphere. The track has a dark sort of droning undertone with hints of grit here and there that help to bring the image of the character in the art breaking the ground to life. My only challenge with this piece is that it feels like a lot of the melodies feel secondary when put up against one another. I like a lot of the melodic ideas being explored, but I didn't feel like they flowed that well into one another. If I were to rearrange various parts of this track around, I feel like I wouldn't have noticed the difference and I think that takes away from this boss battle concept having an arc and conveying these 5 keywords. It just didn't seem like there was a sense of why the melodies were arranged in this sequence. It makes the piece come across as losing focus which clashes against the very focused intro.

Overall, I love the atmosphere and the intro is super solid and I like what the track is going for as a whole. Generally, the sense of a boss battle is prevalent throughout and the production and sound design reflect the colours in the art strongly for me.

EldritchAutopsy responds:

Thanks so much! I'm glad to hear a lot of elements I experimented with turned out great, especially the atmosphere, I'm really motivated to try more stuff like this going forward!

For the flow of the melodies, I see what you mean. Some sections I actually tried to have them make sudden switches and kinda "glitch" into each other to match up to the Malfunctioning theme, like at 1:04, but think I got too caught up in making each section match the vibe of the different phases as I went and as a result, I ended up neglecting making each section actually flow properly.
Appreciate that catch, I'll remember that going forward for anything else I make, I'm not sure I would've noticed that myself, but It helps a ton, again, Thank you!

[AIM - Final Frontier]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

It's a risky move to pick an art inspiration that was used in a winning entry from last year. I'm not sure if this was intentional or an oversight, but that being said, I think your take on the art inspiration works while also feeling like a very different approach. What really works is that it goes for the movement and the adventure one could experience in this scene and it seems like you put a lot of thought into that when creating this track.

There's basically only hook in this entry and I have to admit, it's a real earworm. That whole descending chord progression and the part from 0:40 to 0:55 constantly get stuck in my head. It doesn't immediately strike me as catchy, but the melody is definitely sticky in a subtle way. I love how the composition feels loopy and every phrase is set up to be able to endlessly repeat itself. It creates a wandering feeling in the emptiness of space and I think you managed to evoke this successfully throughout.

This might be a hot take, but I believe there's a balance to how much a composer gives away in their description versus how much should be left for the listener to interpret. Personally I'm not a fan of time-stamp descriptions, but that's not really the issue here. Having all these lines about what the track is trying to convey and then having the time stamps after seems a little too excessive in handholding the listener through the music. And for the reviewer in me, I become a little more critical in my expectations of what these descriptions say against what I hear in the track. For example, the moment in 3:04 implies a heightened sense of urgency, yet the whole track has a relatively uniform flowy feeling to it that just doesn't match how I would have perceived this part. I think describing the intentions with the track are great, but I think over-describing can lead to a very narrow listening experience.

For me, I think this track works well when I only think about it as someone floating aimlessly throughout space, watching the strange and wondrous parts of the environment surround them. It's got a good sense of pulse that makes me want to sway back and forth while listening.

TebyTheCat responds:

I'm soo embarassed, it was a complete oversight, I had totally forget this art was used before (let alone by a winning entry last year) I'm truly flabbergasted by this

Other then that I'm also really happy that you enjoyed my melodies! When writing music the melodies are always my main focus and to hear other people appreciating them makes me really happy, thank you!

On your hot take, it never occured to me that a heavy time stamped storyline could be so detrimental to a song, but I did understand your annoyance of feeling "guided" rather than being able to enjoy the song on it's own... Yeah, actually in the end if it's more a problem of being unbalanced towards having way too much detail I get it