Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - SuperNova]

This piece has the right amount of energy, not too much to be overly aggressive about it, but there's also this sense of tranquil beauty that seems perfectly evocative of an outer space scene. I can just feel the heat resonating off this sound design and there's a big "above and beyond" atmosphere that I really like.

The part that I wasn't so hot about (no pun intended - okay maybe pun intended :P) was around the beginning section. At the 1:30 mark, I felt like keeping that bass was almost too protruding, but I do see that it leads into the 1:56 section really well. Perhaps if they were a bit more in the background.

I actually think the piece gets so much better as it goes along. Like the section at 2:21 where everything gets quieter and starts rising up. The arps are lovely here, and the counterpoint with that off-beat instrument that almost sounds like it has vocal qualities works so well, especially when the rest of the accompaniment starts kicking back in.

Despite not really being into the first...quarter of the piece(?), I truly enjoyed the rest of it, and overall felt it captured just the right amount of energy necessary for this instance you were trying to convey.

Teckmo-X responds:

Thank you for reviewing my piece Random!

My music always has some sort of space theme to it, like a feeling similar to it. I honestly didn't know where I was going with this piece but it came out nice. The part at 1:30 is a bit off but I did experiment with other options but my problem was that without some sort of bass it would have felt blend and I was thinking of having some strings or some subtle sounds in the background but that also didn't feel right.

I have been experimenting with other sounds as well and new ways to make music. I do know that there's a long road ahead of me and so I understand there's a lot of things that can be improved.

Thanks again!

[AIM - It Approaches...]

The beginning of this piece is so uncomfortable to listen to - and I mean that in the most positive way possible. I think it really speaks to the subtlety of the creepiness in the artwork. Overall, I like the composition a lot - the slow, foreboding dissonance slots is a good approach to the "impending doom" that's written all over this track.

If I had to nitpick one thing that truly bothers me, I think the creepiness kind of gets subdued by some of the MIDI sounding instruments. Like the piano chords at 2:11 feel like they could have had so much more weight to them if they sounded more acoustic and less MIDI. By the time we get to the 4 minute mark, the soundscape feels like it's just missing a lot of that raw power it had from the beginning.

But I do really like the low bassline when it does that little pitch slide and doesn't quite make it up to the pitch it's sliding up to in tune. I guess not having a lot of instruments did help to bring that out. I enjoyed listening to this, even if it does make me feel like something is coming to get me. :P

Peepers responds:

Thanks for the review!

The beginning was definitely supposed to be grating. Glad it worked.

[AIM - Gestalt]

I think the idea you start off with is very good. It's got this nice, almost slightly sad undertone to it and I like the idea of using that really machine-like harsh sounding synth to evoke the mech aspect. I really enjoyed the sudden addition of the piano at the end, and wish that part had come earlier so I could have gotten more into it.

What I miss from this track is the dynamic range. Everything sounds uniform in terms of loudness and very two-dimensional. I think the repetitive composition itself could be fine on its own if there was more depth to the production so that I would feel more immersed in this environment. If the sound and the way it's produced is interesting, it'll be worth repeating those same ideas throughout, regardless of whether there is a "melody" or not.

The track doesn't seem that aggressive for the art it was inspired by and the description, but I think the overall continuum is quite fun and I'm glad you had fun making the music that you want to make. That's the most important part of all.

As a side note: I love the subtle introduction of the lower ends at 1:35. I think if you made more of those subtle changes throughout, it can change the soundscape in very interesting ways.

TheFantasticZ responds:

Thanks for the feedback!

I'm looking forward to future AIMS.

[Pain Drain]

I was off put by this entry at first because on first listen, it feels like it's all over the place. The sound design kept me intrigued enough to appreciate the composition the more I listened to it.

The vibrant soundscape complements the brightly coloured palette of the art. The middle section of the piece feels like it's wandering all over the place, but I find that's what I like about it. Like capturing different aspects of a city during the day. I like the weird use of the augmented second around the 3 minute mark; it provides such a stark contrast to the more joyous sounding melody heard in the first half of the piece.

There was only one big issue I had with the piece. I don't think the key change that occurs at 4:40 clicks with me very well. It might be that the melody didn't quite sound like it was taking the key change into account while the rest of the accompaniment was, so it felt super jarring, especially given that it came right at the end. I also found the key change was unnecessary; bringing back that melody from the beginning and maybe repeating it a second time probably would have sufficed. At that point, it just kind of felt like the music was trying to go somewhere else last minute instead of bringing things down to a conclusive and "satisfying" end.

But overall, I think I like this piece the more I listen to it. There's just so much weird stuff going on surrounding the music that I can pick out and focus on different aspects of the music the more I listen to it. Great entry.

[AIM - Journey Beyond]

I think the way this piece is structured really speaks to the journey you mention in your description. I like the idea of having an emotional beginning and ending, and having this idea tie in with the strings that convey the rocket taking off. It was all set up in a way that I could hear what you were going for in the way you connected your ideas to the artwork.

The biggest issue I have with the piece is that while I feel like the structure is very good, I'm not really sold on the composition itself evoking that sense of longing, journeys and wondrous discovery. To me, I felt like I wasn't quite getting the full emotional appeal from the main musical idea that is repeated throughout. And that's not to say that you can't have a repeating idea for the entire three minutes - I just think that when doing that, the emphasis on the journey should be conveyed through the layers in the texture. I can hear you adding some layers, especially to the part with the strings towards the end, but it seems like there isn't enough momentum and "excitement" leading up to the final section.

I really wish the fast moving strings were more present at 2:24 - it might be the balancing, but at 2:36, they sound like off-beat eighth notes and it feels as though the piece is fizzling out before it actually ends. Because you have the more slow, quiet section at the end, I think keeping those fast moving strings constant up until the bells kick in would have built up more contrast between these two sections and made the final section, with the same ideas, have a bigger impact.

Another thing I wanted to mention is that I feel like the reverse cymbal was not necessary for the transitions in this piece. It's a great way to transition between sections and build up a piece, but it's also such a significant and distinct way of transitioning that when used multiple times, it starts to lose its meaning. There's many ways of moving through sections besides just the reverse cymbal, such as swelling a rolled snare or bringing out that leading tone more. Maybe even slowly bringing in a new layer like those fast moving strings a bar before, starting very soft and building to the normal dynamic you use for the main part of its phrase. Keeping the reverse cymbal as a transition idea rather than THE transition idea will make it feel a lot less like it's just there just because.

I have to say, I truly appreciate the playing around with tempo and thought it was really cool when the part with the bells sped up at the beginning and slowed down. And the part at 1:02 with the oboe? That was a fantastic choice for adding emotional richness to the soundscape overall.

If the composition were as strong as the setup, this piece would feel like it had so much more to say about the scene and a more clear interpretation of it, musically. Towards the end, I could hear a chord change at 3:08 that I wish was brought out more and was utilized a bit more throughout the piece itself. Maybe even different chords accompanying the repeating melody could have been interesting, too. But you definitely have it in you to do it. :P Overall, good job!

[Jewel Man (Rockman Remastered)]

I like it when the lead is the electric guitar, especially when it does that slide at 0:35 and 1:17. The balancing feels kind of off, though. The accompanying electric guitar at the beginning of the loop is interesting, but it's super loud to the point where the lead is pushed to the background. The bells also sound slightly out of tune, like there's some odd parallel harmonies that don't quite fit in with the tone of the track. Are you using a Mega Man X soundfont? I have one and it's slightly out of tune with my other soundfonts and instruments, which is kind of annoying.

Anyways love the energy, especially in that aggressive percussion. I feel like replaying it too many times in a row would probably tire me out though, haha.

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Edit: April 6

Okay so I finally listened to your revisions. The guitar could still be brought down a couple more notches, but it is a little better than before.

The harmonies at 0:11 still off in comparison to the original. You play them all as perfect fourths, whereas the actual harmonies are a minor third, a perfect fifth and a perfect fourth. In other words, that lower note in the harmony should be E, D and D, not D, E and D as it sounds like in your version.

RetroCarrot responds:

Not to worry, I'll get on that right away.

Also, yes and no. This IS a Rockman soundfont, but it's from the Power Fighters, not Rockman X.

I've edited this a bit. Will this be better for you?

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4月10日

I'll fix that noisy guitar、but with all due respect、I'm fine with the harmonies as they are。 It's not 100% accurate to the game's original score、but that's the point。 I can't write lyrics for shit、which makes it near impossible for me to make music of my own。 With that said、if I'm doomed to be a cover-artist、I want to do my best to make my version as unique as possible。

[in time // rewind]

Wow, you really know how to repeat an idea to satisfying levels, and catchy ideas at that. Those piano chords are everything. I love how airy the vocals are (lol are those YOUR vocals?) because they balance so well with the bass. The glitchiness works so well, and I quite enjoyed the drum break that happens like halfway through.

I'm blown away with how you're able to get away with repeating things as much as you do in a piece, because this basically is just like, a couple chords cycling throughout yet by the end, it still feels as fresh as when you first start the piece. You just execute it in the catchiest manner, and it's the little details as you go along that make it all the more captivating. I did quite enjoy this. Hope you do well in the NGADM.

johnfn responds:

they actually are mine!

[Root Beer Float]

omg...is it a coincidence that I get vibes from that OHC with the beer pics? Like it's got that jazzy feeling, but this obviously leans more on the sound effects, chiptune. I really liked that piece you did in that OHC488, and I like that this is like a longer drawn out version of that.

I'm not sure if I'm completely sold on the sound effects working for me, but I did enjoy the various instruments playing the melody. It's cool to hear that main repeating melody get broken up and played around with in terms of intensity. And whenever I hear a good sax solo, I'm required, by law, to give at least 4 stars. I love the different timbres and the mix of chiptune and acoustic.

Probably my favourite part was the jazzy interlude that kicks in at 1:58. Yet you combine this with such strange drums that don't really fit in with that part at all? I guess I would have preferred more traditional jazz/acoustic style drums there, especially since they don't really do much; they just sort of pop in for a couple seconds and then stop.

This was a pretty interesting example of developing a melody in ways that wasn't just compositionally, so I'm impressed you kept it engaging throughout. I wish you all the best in this next round of NGADM.

Miyolophone responds:

Thank you for the feedback RSK! I actually didn't have that OHC in mind but now that you mention it, I totally see it :O

[Launcher Octopuld (30th Anniversary Edition)]

HECK YEAH Mega Man X music! Although I must admit that Launch Octopus is one of the Maverick stage themes that I am not that familiar with. My favourite part of the original is definitely the orchestral hits. While your remastering of this seems to make those hits a lot less subdued, you make up for it with really good bass. I LOVE how pronounced it gets at the beginning. I do agree that the guitar, especially towards the end gets too loud, but it sounds pretty accurate to the original piece besides that, instrument-wise.

I'm completely biased, but I'm very happy to hear a Mega Man related piece entered into this compo. :D

RetroCarrot responds:

Spread the word、the new and improved version of the new and improved version of Launcher Octopuld is HERE! ! Also、the new and improved version of the new and improved version of Boomer Kuwanger is on the playlist as well。