Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - Girl With A Knife]

I love the idea of incorporating knife sounds that you recorded and using them in many different ways. Utilizing the kitchen knife as a sample throughout the piece is a creative and resourceful way of drawing inspiration from the art.

For an art piece that portrays a sinister but silly character, I feel like this entry leaned more into the silly aspect, especially given the bouncy nature of the composition. For a piece based off a particular character, I feel like there was a missed opportunity to give this character more sense of a personality that is being held back by the repetition of the piece.

Although I like the concept of using knife samples in the piece, I wasn't a huge fan of the execution and having the rhythm of the knife sample at 1:40 hitting the same emphasis on the beat that the rest of the piece had done beforehand made the whole piece fall flat for me. With such a prominent and distinct sound becoming the forefront, I think there was more opportunity to explore some variation in rhythm and pitch that would have helped transition to the buildup splat at 2:59 more effectively.

Full disclosure - while I'm aware that this is based off an FnF character, I have little to no familiarity with this game and didn't really see how this piece reflects the conniving expression given off by the character in the art.

ChromaCee responds:

Thank you for the feedback :)

[AIM 2022 | Siberg - The Journey]

Now this entry is just perfectly suitable for driving at night on the highway. There's that very constant rhythm that even applies to the longer held notes at 1:10 pulsating through the phrases and that continuous driving melody (no pun intended) that keeps the whole piece moving forward. Listening to this entry while focusing on the art was mesmerizing and I can only imagine what it would be like actually listening to this while driving on the highway at night.

When replaying this piece, I found myself not being as into the introduction as I am in the main part when the percussion kicks in. It feels like it could have been half that length, especially given that the second half of that introduction is basically identical to the first half - melody-wise and the subtle buildup could be moved to the first half while still being within that 3-6 minute limit for AIM entries.

That aside, the main part of this track is solid and fits the art inspiration by being both a driving piece and getting the setting and time of day down musically. I really enjoyed the resonant buzzy bass - kind of made me think about the engines of a car revving and it was a cool detail.

Siberg responds:

I wish I took more time to polish up this track. I would change some stuff now, but it is what it is. Thanks for the words and thanks for hosting AIM every year. It's fun making music to an art piece and I look forward to making something for you to judge next year :)

[AIM - Cosmic]

It's super neat to see that this entry was inspired by an art piece that was music-inspired art. Music inspired by art inspired by music (and twice in fact, seeing as there was another entry this year also inspired by this same art).

The thing that stands out most to me about this track is that it conveys the atmosphere of the art it's inspired by really well. That reverbed snare fills the space and adds a large scope to the audio-scape, and I like that it manages to be a part of the constant rhythm while not bleeding into other measures - which is important due to the repetition of that contouring downward melody. Overall, I get this feeling of being in the centre watching entities swirl around and away from me in the night sky.

I liked listening for that main hook when it was more subtle and other ideas kind of took over it. I think there could have been more of that in the variation of how that main idea was presented rather than it being more in the background or in the bass - perhaps some change in rhythm or subtle changes in chord progression could have alluded more to the different types of creatures seen in the art.

Regardless, I think the atmosphere you've created is solid and it certainly felt very large scale. I can definitely hear the inspiration drawn from the artwork.

[AIM 2022 - Night Rain]

What I like most about this entry is that it manages to be relaxing while also having an infectiously catchy hook. I really enjoyed that combination of the bassline, piano and those syncopated chords. There's also a lot of interesting choices being made in the progression, mainly with that turntable sort of sounding percussion, eg. at 1:00. It almost feels kind of unsettling in a piece that is otherwise pretty calming.

Even though the groove maintained a consistent energy throughout the piece, I felt like the mixing of the instruments was unbalanced, which is a shame given that the percussive elements seemed to be mixed fine. There's a little high synth line that holds a single note and then slightly inflects upward at 0:41 that I think could have been brought out more as a melodic line. The repeating syncopated chords being centred in the mix made them the focus of the music and I think their repetition makes them less of an interesting part to have that much prominence in comparison to other layers such as the piano or that higher aforementioned synth (especially given that the latter isn't introduced right away).

I think the sound design and even the softer tones of the instruments does give more of a sleepier nighttime vibe, which seems inspired by the artwork. That repeating idea throughout basically the entire entry does make me think of rainfall and its ongoing nature during the night. Overall, the catchiness of the track allowed for the track to be quite replayable and I can only imagine how much its comforting atmosphere would be elevated while listening during an actual rainfall at night.

[AIM - I am but myself]

I really like how you musically interpreted the character in the art. The way the piece builds up to the large climax at the end evokes the character's internal conflict, and I like how the lyrics transform the text in the art that feels like a villain doing an inner monologue (although I have to admit, without the lyrics I would have never known what was being said - even with the forward words).

The piece is structured well - I enjoyed the use of those downward arps and gentler tones with that underlying buzzing synth leading into those sixteenth notes at 0:40. What I loved the most about this whole buildup section was the way the whispering was synchronized with the snares to the point where I'm not really sure if there were snares involved or if it was all vocal samples being used like a softer snare? It added a lot to the idea of an inner monologue being portrayed, like multiple voices whispering in one's head.

While I loved the way the buildup was composed, I think the impact of it was most effective at the end - the harsher sounds hit just right. Although the intro is good composition-wise, I feel like it would have had more of an impact if we didn't hear that bell-like sound doing the downwards arps (0:05) right away, I would have loved to hear the overall phrase have more shape to it rather than just entering right away, especially given how this entry's structure as a whole is this gradual buildup to that super intensive climax. The same could also be said for the lower, faster repeated notes at 0:21. Consider how layers can be introduced without sounding like they're just being dropped in right on the strong beat.

This entry is super cool and there's a lot of neat stuff in the sound design. Compositionally, the buildup is amazing and the way the sections pull away just before giving its intense moments is its strength.

[AIM - 3am Waltz]

On first listen, this piece feels very disjointed. There's a lot of changing around of instrumentation and ideas moving around and it's easy to feel like melodies are just going all over the place. On repeated listens, however, the presence of a repeating idea with pretty bursts of instrumentation becomes the constant and it also helps that the waltz metre is very present in spite of all the apparent chaos.

I didn't personally notice any issues with the mixing. Perhaps some chiptune elements were a bit on the loud side, especially when they are introduced, but I felt like they kind of worked in the music's favour, with seemingly disconnected parts working together as a whole, contrasting in timbre and dynamics.

The way the percussion starts getting crazier towards the end was a great way of conveying the falling stars in the background of the art inspiration. I can definitely hear this piece musically connecting to the art, although I do get more of a somber mood from the artwork that feels very different from the playful vibes of the composition (especially given the title and the muted colours). Still, it does capture a specific mood that can be interpolated from the art and the piece does set a magical nighttime scene quite well.

Overall, this piece lent itself to many relistens, both for the comforting and whimsical nighttime atmosphere and the various pops of embellishment that may not be as prominent on early listens.

Zechnition responds:

thanks for the review, it means a lot! Glad you liked it too :3

[AIM - Skypunks]

Out of all the entries I've listened to, this was the one I came back to replay the most. The thing I love the most about this track is that it's really well constructed. The beautiful piano intro, the way the bass enters, the melodies setting the stage - man and the way the bass takes that extra step to go up to the next set of repeated notes at 0:58, it's like everything hits and flows in a way that feels incredibly magical.

I can definitely get that the feeling/atmosphere of the artwork was drawn upon for inspiration, especially in the way that repeating melodic idea latches onto the G note until the end of its mini phrase. The dissonance with the underlying IV V vi chord progression elicits that sense of falling but in a fun and charming sort of way, like it is depicted in the art inspiration.

The biggest drawback I'm getting is that even though I've replayed this a ton of times, I still can't completely get into the key change at 2:03. It just felt too sudden, like even though the music was building up to that big sort of change, the chords/accompaniment didn't seem to accommodate for that, so something always feels off when that section begins. In this sense, having the ideas repeat in that new key allows me to regain my immersion by connecting the unfamiliar with ideas introduced earlier, but that part to me comes across as a jolting moment when the rest of the piece's strength lies on its ability to flow through ideas organically.

Other than that, I really love the melodies, particularly the use of the vocaloid as a lead instrument. The overall energy and that repeating looped idea that cycles through basically the entire piece is captivating and also comforting, and I found myself wanting to listen to it because of those things.

LordAndiso responds:

Thank u so much <3 really appreciate the analysis. glad you liked it. Yeah the part that feels off, i really love experimenting with new stuff, i had another section made but it was a bit too much.. so i removed it and kept it like this. This how i like it :D Anyways, thank u for listening!

[AIM - Pixel Daylight]

This piece feels so calming and comforting. I like how the notes feel very sparse and independent at times, but their pointilistic nature does convey the feeling of the different aspects of the landscape in a distinct pixelart nature.

The chromatic upper note feels a bit too happy-whimsical to fit with the rest of the composition’s atmosphere, but I think it does tie in nicely when there are multiple melody lines going on. I think the multi-melodic layers pull the piece in interesting dimensions; they almost feel like different elements of nature interweaving with one another but still remaining their own independent entities, like the trees and clouds, maybe.

Out of all the acoustic instruments, I particularly enjoyed the addition of the strings at 1:00. They feel very pixel-like, with their short notes and unnoticeable volume enveloping. I wish that there were more opportunities to hear how that instrument worked against the chiptune sounds, although I did enjoy the little bits of call and response in that particular section.

Overall, I enjoyed the incorporation of the music as the medium itself, whether intentional or not. It was simple, pleasant and hits the atmosphere of the art adequately. Nice work.

Zechnition responds:

Ah I forgot to respond to this review, I got distracted at the time pulling up the project and figuring out what you were referencing 😅. Thanks for all your thoughts, it totally helps!

[AIM - Torment Beneath the Flesh]

What I like the most about this piece is the introduction. The hook is not only immediately attention grabbing, but the way only certain guitar notes have that noisy quality to them adds just the right sense of creepiness.

Once the track gets into the heavier guitar-riff stuff, I found myself still enjoying it, though the balancing felt quite off. I didn't really get a sense of dynamics in the track - it mostly felt pretty uniform and I think there was more opportunity to play around with the way the noisiness hit certain notes and rhythms, much like the beginning. Ultimately, I also found the percussion to be very quiet and hidden. It felt as though the drums weren't part of the same piece. The patterns themselves were fine; I just wish they were more integrated with the rest of the instruments.

Overall, this entry was my favourite of the two you had submitted. I like the structure of the piece and I think the resonance and intensity of the guitar instrument does give off that uncomfortable feeling that complements the concept of the art inspiration.

jebuscrust9 responds:

Thank you for the in-depth review. I'm glad you seem to have enjoyed it despite its issues and hopefully I will be able to keep your considerations in mind for when I work on other projects. I'm pleasantly surprised that you liked this one better out of the two as I enjoyed making this one a lot more.

[AIM - Stomach of The Beast]

This piece is full of sounds that captivate me in a rather unsettling way. It's almost hypnotic - I'm drawn into the soundscape even though the atmosphere doesn't exactly call for a pleasant experience. The strengths of this piece rely on evoking this nightmarish fever dream that slowly, but surely pulls me in.

I really thought everything came together when the distorted bass entered at around 1:10. It's so overwhelming that it practically engulfs the other instruments, but it felt like a good step in the progression of this repeating idea and added some much needed emphasis on certain notes in its rhythms.

Also of note is the conclusion, which feels subtly emotional and human-like, with the way those synth chords first enter at 2:33. The major 7th chords heighten the sense of melancholic resolution and I feel like they reflect the humanness of the inspired artwork in the same subtle manner. I like how this accompanies the return of the ideas from the introduction, sort of an interesting recontextualization of what started as a dark and disturbing atmosphere.

Overall, this piece does a great job at encapsulating the subject of the artwork in all its breathtaking glory. I think you got the tone just right.

WakerLink responds:

That is quite a detailed and interesting interpretation of the piece, and I'm more than glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for hosting this contest, it was pretty fun!