Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - Elegy to a Fallen Star]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

What I love most about this piece is that it feels like everything is handled with care. The piano is very light and even and it serves as a great throughline while everything else surrounds it. The composition lingers with such sadness with an undertone of etherealness that really encapsulates the feeling of being isolated in a vast expanse, focusing in on the image of the fallen star in a way that feels tragic. This was a great interpretation of the art and I think all the components work so well to effectively be moving.

It's so strange at the start, the melody almost feels like there's hope and I like that gradual shift towards the sense that "no, this is very sad and you should also feel sad". It's also interesting how the piano seems plunky, as if every note is almost hitting with the same amount of force. I don't know if that's actually the case, but I think the piano being presented like this works wonders for the piece - it allows the music to feel like it's stuck in time and the gentle pads and ambience come across as colours and shading being added to the image. I feel as though I'm hearing the image being formed in front of my eyes and yet I feel a strong emotion all the way through.

This entry is super well done and I even feel sad just listening to it while writing this review. It captures the scale and the isolation and the lamentation all in one, and it made for a very strong listening experience.

ForgottenDawn responds:

My warmest thanks for your diligence and for taking your time reviewing my piece~

[AIM - The Sun Hides Its Face]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

You've definitely put thought into the sound design in a way that really connects it with the art. The intro feels magical in a foreboding manner and I like the way the strings here feel like they're shifting into one another. The bells are a nice touch to the texture. I also like the way the track evolves through the sections, first introducing the electric guitar against the orchestral backdrop before eventually switching to the electronic elements at 2:07.

I really wish a lot of what's being described in the Author Comments came through in the music because unfortunately, the composition doesn't work for me at all. A lot of the melodies feel clueless and while not dissonant, there doesn't really seem to be much going for them. Everything feels like it just chugs along and the only sense I have of where the sections flow is when more instruments are being added or taken away or the rhythms slightly change. The melody and chords feel incidental to the piece and I feel like that's a huge loss to the emotional impact.

Overall, I think you are pointing in the right direction of how to convey elements in the art through the sound design. With a more purposeful composition, I think it would allow what these parts represent in your description to resonate more emotionally and atmospherically.

Joel-Phelps responds:

Thanks for the commentary! I definitely could work on the melodies, and I'll try being more intentional about the songs' direction in my other work. This will be very helpful!

[AIM - Hazmat Witch Adventures]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I like that you went beyond the art inspiration and looked into the story behind the character and the arc she goes through in the comics. The composition has a very cutesy tone to it that works given the style of the art inspiration, but there's also a sense of wonder that feels otherworldly, especially in the pads at the beginning with that opening melody.

If I'm to be honest, I thought this piece sounded a lot like a space theme when I first heard it - the synths give off outer space vibes and those repeating three-note patterns sound like a tune one could march to, which also gives the sense of a looming battle that's about to occur. I wasn't really sure if I would have gotten the sense of a post-apocalyptic, foreboding world if I didn't read the description and look through the comics associated with the art. On the other hand, the idea of a hazmat witch does seem mysterious and a lot of what we perceive in outer space fantasies is very mystical in its own sense, so I can understand the decisions made behind the composition and structure of this entry.

Having a combination of electronic and orchestral sounds works in concept, but the orchestral elements feel underutilized for the most part - I think I only heard the xylophone throughout most of the track and a little harp at the very end. I would have loved to hear more or perhaps some other sections where these instruments are more prominent and mixing with the electronic instruments.

Overall, the entry is super cute and I think it captures that part of the art inspiration well. I do enjoy the arc of the whole piece and those repeating arps and 3-note patterns are quite memorable. I like how the ending feels definitive, like a comic or show closing out on its final frame with a happy conclusion.

[AIM - sweat]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

For music being inspired by people working out at a gym, this is chill and comforting, but it also still has a bit of a gym vibe to it (and not just because of the vocal samples). This feels like an early morning workout when almost no one is at the gym and you're just starting to get into your usual routine.

I love how forward the bass is and how it still manages to feel like it balances out with the rest of the sounds. The softer sine melodies help to add a warmth and height to the texture and the way it repeats the same pattern over the bass changing chord progressions makes for some pleasant and comforting tones. Even the "work" and "sweat" voices heard throughout a large portion of this track help add an even fading rhythm that seems to convey the idea of a workout in a gym being machine-like even though it also can be kind of relaxing at times.

For the most part, I think a lot of the sounds work well here, even though it feels like there's a bit of a stuffiness from all the reverb. It's interesting how the reverb gets amped up at the very end of the track, like it's culminating to the end of your routine and it's time to go back to normal life (or at least how I would interpret it). At first I thought the piece's hard cut at the end was because it was meant to be a loop, but the dynamics at the end don't really match up with the beginning, so I don't think that's the case. But this piece definitely could have faded out its tail rather than having it end so abruptly, resulting in a little "pop" once we reach the conclusion. When exporting, I'd go for the "leave tail" option rather than "cut tail" and if the tail is too long, either add a volume automation to fade out the master or do it in post in Audacity. Help the track feel like it ends more naturally to silence rather than abruptly.

Aside from that, I like this track a lot. Something about the way the art is focused and the colours reflects a lot in this entry for me, and I enjoy just casually replaying it for the mood. Everything generally hits just right in this piece in a satisfying and comfortable manner.

[(AIM) Ryzmik - "Aztec Reaper"]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I am not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to production, but I feel like the production in this track might be the best I've heard in AIM this year. Something about the way the sounds are placed and mixed hits just right and I can see why this was a huge challenge given how many wildly different sounds coalesce. Every part sounds so clear and even the harsher sounds don't hurt my ears.

There's been a lot of great D&B tracks combined with other interesting sounds or genres in past AIMs, and I think this entry continues this trend perfectly. I love how the composition captures an intensity, but there's also some lightness in the upper winds that help to bring the character in the art to life. I can picture the character as being extremely menacing and swift and they can leap away in a moment's notice when approached.

Overall, I like the balance of simplicity in the melodic elements paired with the complexity of the texture and sound design and that comes through very clearly for me. This track is worth replaying a lot just to hear a lot of what goes on in those musical layers. It not only manages to reflect, but also elevate the art it's inspired by.

Ryzmik responds:

Thank you so much for taking your time to analyze the song!

I spent literally days trying to get the best out of the mix without sounding wobbly from all the shakers and percs playing at the chorus, so I'm surprised that I managed it well somehow :o

About the inspiration, my intention was to give a sneaky and tense feel at the start, then as it goes on I tried to imagine how Maya (the character) takes action, pursuing or fighting its enemies with her weapons or something, so I thought fast paced percussive rhythm mixing aztec instruments with synths was my best option to visualize all that and make it interesting.

I really appreciate judges who gives an explanation to the concursants instead of a score.

[Casporb - Dragonfire]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

The decision to use dubstep as the approach for this track works for the art given the sci-fi nature of the scene. When the drop hits, I can picture the wubs as the attacks from the dragons and the people fighting them from below. I think the sound design and the buildups serve their purpose for the inspiration. I like that some of the sounds kind of resemble the roar of a beast, but in an electronic sort of way.

My gripe with this entry is that I feel like I don't really get a lot out of the composition. I can hear (and read) the logic behind what the structure represents, but I felt like the music was just kind of hitting the beats that it needed to but there was nothing beyond the surface that gave it a lot of substance. The buildups happen so quickly and the track basically just repeats itself twice - same repeating melody with the same accompanying chords. I didn't really find the minor scale melody that interesting to begin with, so its constant repetition throughout wasn't very engaging for me. The drop was certainly the more interesting part - I just wish that melody didn't come up in between it or that this repeating melody were more interesting.

Overall, I think there was some thought that went into making the music resemble the art, and I like some of the sounds that were used to resemble the fighting in the art. For this to have scored higher with me, I would have liked to hear more inspiration drawn from more aspects of the art, particularly its atmosphere.

Casporb responds:

Thank you for the review.

[Livriut (AIM 2023)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

I'm glad you were able to get a lot of music out of having a cold, even down to sampling wiping your nose. Hopefully you have recovered and gotten plenty of rest since then.

Everything in this track feels very hushed and loopy, which definitely fits the concept of dealing with a cold. For me, when it gets bad, everything feels stuffed and it feels like I can't do anything else besides lie down and wait for it to go away, and I think this piece really captures this down to the core. The counterpoint and softer textures are quite cozy and I like that a lot.

There's a cuteness to the art inspiration that I feel like the melody and its instruments manage to convey. It's interesting to hear this interpretation of the art, given that its focus was more on a powerful sneeze rather than a cold. If I had to give a generous interpretation, I'd say this piece could fit in with the aftermath of the explosion from the character, where everything seems to be still and floaty shortly after the moment of impact.

Overall, I like that there's a calmness underneath all the stuffiness. It feels like music I can put on to help me fall asleep nice and soundly. The part at 3:41 was especially nice; I love the melody that plays against the long held chords and how the recurring continuum is played at a softer, lower octave with the higher chords as accompaniment. I also enjoyed how the tempo starts picking up at 4:22 - it felt like a very seamless sort of shift in the track.

[AIM - Cadaver Household]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

What stands out most to me about this entry is its structure. There's two main metal sections that are prefaced with these synthy, news reel-style chords. I think the hard cut to the guitars works well given the art inspiration. The juxtaposition of these two contrasting styles is a great approach to the contrast between the news scene and the super unsettling figure in the mirror. There is no buildup; it's just exactly what you suspect and the composition captures this appropriately.

There's a couple of issues here that come to mind. The most prevalent one is the production - this entry stands in a weird place where it feels like it's so in-your-face but also doesn't hit hard enough, particularly in the percussion. That snare feels way too soft and doesn't go with the guitars at all and this mismatch makes the creepier composition feel like it's missing that extra sort of kick to get the emotion across thoroughly. Secondly, when the second "news" section comes up again at 1:58, it feels like the extended part is looping at 2:03 and I wish it were less obvious that these parts were copied and pasted next to one another.

Overall, this entry is quite difficult to get into because of how dissonant and weird it is, however, I believe there is a good semblance of the composition and sound design to the art inspiration. There does seem to be a flow to how the metal part progresses through its sections and I do like the wild guitar solo that is played on top of the already intense second main section. I wish there was more of a conclusion rather than a fadeout, but I think the setup in terms of drawing inspiration from the art and putting it into music made for a strange and terrifying listening experience.

[AIM - Delusion]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

What I love most about this entry is its interpretation of the art. I think the music is very good at capturing this sense of elevation and freedom simultaneously. The lyrics are powerful - I wish they had some more clarity so the lyrics can be heard without having to look at the description, but their placement in the track was absolutely satisfying. I also love the buildup and the general arc. The piece is always evolving and takes me along for the ride every step of the way.

Despite my love for the compositional ideas in this track, I feel like its strengths are also its weakness. To me, this entry feels like the abridged version of a track that is double its current length and given that this song is only about 3.5 minutes, I think there was way more room to spend more time really developing some of these ideas that come up briefly before shifting to other ideas. For instance, at 0:54 we're already going through a big sweep that feels like should have come at least in the midpoint of the track but it's not even a minute through. Everything is constantly coming and going and I wonder if that was done to convey memories flashing back rapidly, but in the end, it doesn't make the track that impactful for me after it finishes. It's hard to get behind the mix of emotions when everything feels rushed.

Overall, I love the ideas and the approach to the art. This entry really captures the elevation and the feeling of losing yourself in the lights, but in an escapist way. It's an entry that is very easy to enjoy the second it starts playing. I just wish I had a more well-rounded experience coming out of it, because every section was on point.

[Beneath (AIM 2023)]

AIM 2023 Judge Review

It's awesome that you made a lot of sounds in this track from scratch and I think that helps give the piece more of a distinct identity. I love the way the atmosphere is conveyed in this entry - there's an unsettling tension but almost everything is hushed and quiet. I feel like I'm underwater with this creature and it's terrifying and beautiful, all at the same time. Hearing the sound designs made for this track on your SoundCloud before they were added was super interesting, especially hearing how loud some of these sounds were before they went into the track.

Almost every sound in this entry has just the right blend for this atmosphere. The only part that really stuck out and didn't feel like it quite fit in was the string that comes up at the beginning and the end. I think it worked well when it was first introduced, but I felt like at the end where it feels like we are moving deeper into the abyss, that the sound of that string instrument would have also evolved or been a little more subtle in the way it is played rather than being so upfront. But aside from that, I think everything, especially the sounds made from scratch, worked perfectly.

Overall, it felt like there was a strong understanding of how to draw inspiration from the art and evoke the emotion, atmosphere and scale through the music. I love this entry and its attention to detail is superb. By far, the rhythmic "Underwater Atmosphere" and the haunting "horror radio choir.wav" were my favourite sounds in the entire piece. I'd love to hear or see more about the process it took to create these sounds. Fantastic work!

chipsqueek responds:

tysm for the review !! :D i'll try working on a sort of breakdown video of it sometime in the future !
speaking of the intro's and the ending i will admit im kinda still a newbie when it comes to introducing a track and ending it, but i will try my best to learn how to get better at them ! :D

but overall thank you for the review on my submission ! this was something i did out of boredom and as a way to experiment to see if i still have the skill from my old track 'strike against god' ! :D