Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM 2024 - TOKYO 606]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

I'll admit, when I first listened to this entry, I didn't love it. The production is so thick and intense that it feels like you're being choked out. But I realized after some time that this track would keep getting stuck in my head - it wasn't just one part, but multiple sections. Then I went back and listened and I found I really turned around on it. While your other entry, SEEDS AND RAVENS, is the one that has the catchier hook, TOKYO 606 is the track that I think has more longevity - at least that's what I experienced. It was the composition that turned me around on it. Every section is on fire - I love the way sections flow from one to another. Despite the many ideas, everything feels pretty cohesive and it struck a great balance between changing up its parts without feeling like whiplash.

One of things I wish were different is that I think the production could have used a bit more clarity. The thickness of the guitars and all those buzzy instruments has me in a chokehold and while I think some of that intensity should be in a piece like this, I would have liked to hear more of the extra layers you added in the composition. The softer synth doing the counterpoint against the piano at 0:46, for example, gets lost in the mix and I only really noticed it after many listens. I also agree with ADR3-N in that the drums should be hitting a lot harder in a piece like this, but I love the guitar sounds and the composition was good enough to carry through.

Another thing that comes to mind is that the start of the guitars at 0:08 begins quite intense and when you add a break to come back in with the full guitars and other instruments at 0:24, it doesn't hit as hard because the section before it already started out at its max. I feel like if this guitar line gradually built up in volume or had a filter sweep, it could slowly creep up in anticipation so that it can really drive that hook as soon as the brief pause plays through.

Overall, I really enjoyed this entry and I think I like it a little more every time I replay it. I'm not familiar with Chainsaw Man at all, but as far as this art inspiration goes, I think this piece nails the sort of bright and non-stop intense energy reflected in the art. There's also a kind of goofiness to it with the rhythmic vocal samples that also manages to be intimidating, and I think this entry manages to nail both these aspects very well.

[[AIM24] The King of the Sky]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

The idea of using jet and laser sounds in a dubstep piece is this entry's greatest strength. I particularly love the way the jet sound at 0:30 is placed as a transition point into the drop with the hand-off to that gated, descending sound. That whole drop section with the pounding growling bass and the brief moments where the jet and other percussive sounds would fill the quick pauses does convey the this image of a giant fighter robot just ripping through the opponents. I also think that gated percussive sound adds a sense of motion blur that is seen in the art, which is an awesome touch.

I find the intertwining of melodies with the percussive, rhythmic blows in the drop works a lot better in the second half of the piece than the first. At the beginning, I find that one melodic idea with those quick arps to feel quite rushed. The intro felt like it was put in because there needed to be one and I really would have liked to hear more done with the intro to build up more anticipation to that drop. Once you hit the more rhythmic/percussive section, the melodic elements coming in as ornamentation serves a lot better as a transition point leading to the main melody. I like that main sort of hook, though I think the switch between it and the lead up towards the drop feels abrupt. Perhaps it's the very sudden change in rhythm and momentum but when I first hear that in the intro, it feels like this starting section could have had more development to really make the drop punch.

I did enjoy how this piece's second hard-hitting section uses those higher arps and connects it well to the bass, along with those final long held notes towards the end. It just felt like a satisfying climax that leads satisfyingly into soft outro. The track does stick its ending, and that in addition to the cool use of the jet sounds makes for a very solid entry.

[AIM - Sights Towards Cosmos]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

This entry lives and dies on that repeating melody, which is fortunately very sticky. I really like the choice to develop the progression through playing around with the tempo - to me, it feels quite natural and I'm only taken by surprise when I immediately replay the track and am like "wow, this is a lot slower than I thought". There are not only space vibes, but also driving vibes - particularly in the bassline which I love. That repeating note sort of pattern in the bass plays really well against the repeating ascending arps in the higher layers, and I enjoyed the way the bass also kind of leapt up a few notes and descended in the last part just before it repeats.

I would say compo-wise, this entry only addresses half of the art as inspiration. While the sense of the cosmos opening up is felt throughout, I feel like the entry missed the opportunity to draw inspiration from what makes the art distinct - the spirit-like silhouettes of animals. I get that space is a present component in the art, but it makes me wonder why you would pick this piece of art as inspiration as opposed to any other piece depicting outer space. And while I did enjoy the main hook of the track and its repetition, I would have liked to hear the sound design and layers evolve as the piece progresses - perhaps a gradual shift in the timbre of the arps, a change in the bass rhythms - something to go along with the tempo changes.

As it stands, I enjoyed this piece a lot. It may be simple, but it nails the hook and overall has a mysterious, wonderous feeling with a lot of high energy. Good entry all around.

[(AIM 2024) I miss You]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

This entry does a wonderful job at conveying the passage of time through a distant, melancholy lens. I love the way the constant piano line at the beginning leads to the melody and slowly introduces other instruments into the mix. The combination of instruments for this piece is very good - one particular moment that stands out to me is when the cellos are introduced at 1:16 - that closed sort of chord really adds the sense of emotional heartache that drives forward the piece.

What this entry really needs more of is humanization and phrasing. The instruments and the choices in the composition carry the bulk of the emotional weight this piece is going for, but a lot of it is hampered because so many layers feel like they're being stacked on top of each other instead of working with each other like the composition suggests. This is especially evident in the strings - in the part I mentioned above at 1:16. Their resonance is super distracting and it feels quite uncomfortable in a way that clashes with the piece's tone. Being more mindful of instrument placement panning-wise and which frequencies occupy the space would really allow the textures in this composition to be more emotionally resonant. Another example would be the piano at the beginning in which many of the strong beats of each 4/4 bar seem to be delivered forcefully and I would have liked to hear this with more phrasing and smoother dynamics.

I read your response to Everratic about the choice of making this piece have a "robotic" sound. I see where you're coming at with the art inspiration being pixel art, though I think using acoustic instruments wasn't an effective approach. With orchestral instruments, the emotional drive comes from the way they are produced and phrased and you are otherwise presenting these instruments with a realistic timbre and when you take that away, there is too much of a mismatch between the emotional composition and instruments. This idea of being more "robotic" or "even" should have been carried out with electronic instruments or have more processing like bitcrushing applied to the orchestral instruments to make them intentionally sound unnatural and thus justify a more "robotic" sound. Playing out orchestral/acoustic instruments with their natural timbres without any phrasing just confuses anyone who listens to it as a deliberate choice.

Overall, I like the approach you took with interpreting the art and incorporating that interpretation as inspiration. When I listen, I picture this individual longing for days past and I don't know what's being missed, but I feel like I feel those emotions. More fine-tuning of the production would add that little extra kick from tugging at the heart-strings to being heart-wrenching.

[[AIM 2024] x-ray vision]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

I really like the approach this entry takes in regards to the art. There are a lot of things that people connect to love and this idea of these x-ray figures being intimate is complemented by this song's minimal setting and sense of transparency. The use of that organ pad sitting in the background is a great choice for the sound design - there is a waviness to it that feels hollow and it provides a good basis for the solo voice. It almost feels lofi except for that booping chiptune that plays whenever there is singing. This is the only part of the accompaniment that I wasn't sure worked. The chiptune has this really sharp sound that clashes against the gentle pads. I wonder if this was to have a more prominent sense of pulse, but I do notice there are also very soft drums in the background, which makes me even more curious how this song would sound without the chiptune.

I think the filtering on the vocals works well and that lower range carries more resonance that adds a little touch of feeling something through the "hollowness" of the organ pad. The vocals do seem on the loud side, but I think that is more of an issue of the accompanying pad being too soft. The pads could have been brought up more and stereo panned. As far as composition goes, the song has a chorus that sticks and the lyrics generally have a nice, poetic flow to them. There is something that feels a bit naive with the use of hyperboles and describing one's emotions as "primal" which later carries over to being now "animals". It just comes across as if the narrator is exploring what it means to feel these unrelenting emotions of affection for their partner.

Overall, I feel like the art inspiration is reflected well throughout the song and its setup. There is a sweetness and strangeness to it, which I believe works in its favour. It's pleasant and distinct; a good entry all around.

[AIM - Journey's End]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

The sound design and melodies in this piece are impeccable. I love the mix of western classic instruments with the koto and for the most part; these work well together. The tones in those instruments playing and supporting that beautiful, flowing melody effectively set the scene of returning home from a long journey - at least, that's how I interpret the "Journey's End" title to be. My favourite instrument in this track is the flute at the beginning; I love the use of the tongue sounds and vibrato on those long held notes. It just has a very "human"-like feeling that elevates the emotion when it plays the melody. There's a constant serene and satisfying emotion that is strongly evoked throughout, which is what makes it so replayable for me.

Admittedly, the first time I listened to this track, I found it to be underwhelming just because that melody has so much of a forward motion to it that it feels like it should lead into something more than the actual development of the track suggests. Upon multiple listens, I found it did not really bother me as much, though I do think it would be interesting to hear how this melody would sound if the track did build up to something more climactic. And while I do love the melody - especially when the flute plays it - I would have liked to hear it played with a better sense of phrasing and rubato in the piece as a whole. The melody specifically feels quite evenly paced and I think this entry would have benefitted from having some moments where the composition doesn't play out like clockwork. Fortunately, the sound design and textures save it from feeling too robotic, but I think the piece is missing just that little extra touch to really drive that sense of respite home.

Aside from the flute at the beginning, my favourite section of this piece was 1:49 to 2:19. I just love the way the piano and koto melodies are complemented with those flowing, smooth-motion strings in the lower layers. That part where the strings hit those upper octaves at 2:10 is the chef's kiss. I don't think I replayed an entry just because I wanted to more in this year's AIM than this one.

AceMantra responds:

Hey, thanks for all your hard work and the very in-depth review! I will admit, it is a tad robotic at times with it being stuck on the grid. I really would like to find a solution in FL Studio to use rubato effectively to add that little extra bit of realism.

Again, thank you so much! I look forward to AIM every year and you always knock it out of the park. Cheers!

[AIM - Atop the Promontory]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

The guitar work in this entry is awesome - I love the main hook and the switch up between the metres from what sounds like 3/4 to 4/4 - I am not so sure about the latter, but I do love the way this piece doesn't typically hit those strong/medium pulses, so everything feels just a little bit off-beat but it always finds its way to keep pulse with the first beat of each bar. I also love the use of the other instruments alongside the guitar - the little ornaments of bells, and the chiptune as part of the texture added that little extra charm. It's probably really easy to let the guitars overtake the mix with them being a loud instrument, so I'm impressed that the chiptune and bells were actually quite mixed well here.

The only part that throws me off about this piece is the section at 0:49-1:08. There's a lot of fast-moving notes and strummed chords and to have that sort of lead to solid, long-held chords very suddenly, it does feel quite anti-climactic. I like the basswork, but I do feel like the guitar chords could have had a bit more rhythm to them to transition better from the fast-moving chords in the previous section. This particular section is also short and not like any of the other sections to follow, which just play off the main sort of hooks, which makes me feel like this piece would have felt more satisfying to listen to if that section were either cut or had more time spent there to play out and develop those ideas further. Right now, it feels too rushed and jarring compared to how the rest of the piece progresses as a whole.

Personally, it did take me a while to connect this with the art, but after multiple listens, I think I get it. There's a sort of epicness and sense of adventure incorporated from the angle of the art being the intro to this comic as a movie or show. It's got a great energy and when it's in the main sort of hook with the guitars, chiptune and bells, etc. intertwined, I find this entry to be an enthralling listen.

[AIM 2024 | Siberg - Pond Enjoyer]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

I feel like your most outstanding entries in AIM have been the ones that make me want to sit and chill under an outdoor landscape. This entry is another strong addition to that lineup. The delayed melody with the very thick bass and chill chords is very catchy and immersive. I think you did an excellent job conveying the night scene with the lights and also this sort of warm atmosphere that feels kind of humid. It's a concise piece that is able to evoke a lot with what feels like a straightforward premise.

While I enjoy the thickness of the bassline, I do wish some of those chords in the lower end had more room to breathe. Those little off-beat chords add a lot of great detail to the texture, but I found it difficult to make them out until the piece reaches its quieter section at 1:11. I also enjoy the ascending delayed arp at the end of the phrases (like at 0:21 and 0:44), but I feel like there was a missed opportunity to play around with the way that ornamentation plays especially in the second half of the piece, along with connecting in that pickup looped set of notes that lead into around 1:34. It just felt like that ACFE pattern was the setup to a new sort of layer that just immediately fades out when it could have added something interesting while repeating the section from the beginning.

All gripes aside, I do want to mention that this entry has such a fantastic intro, with the little airy voice samples and that lead up to the entry of the bassline is extremely satisfying. That intro part alone is worth this entry's many, many replays for me. Great job!

Siberg responds:

Thank you for your kind words! I made this song really quickly, so I agree with all your points. I should've done more with her. I might make an edit with your ideas in there. :D

[Spectacle [AIM 2024]]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

I like the short harpsicord (?) interlude that takes place at the beginning and in between major sections. It feels like a show host announcing the next segment of a stage show and is a great lead-in to the musical ideas that follow. I also enjoyed the main melodies - the minor key helps to enhance the tension and spectacle, along with the pads and gated chords.

For a high-energy piece, I felt like there was something missing that would make me connect with its spectacle and mystique. The production, mainly, feels too stacked once the gated chords around 0:58 and the higher synth melody at 1:54. It seems like the snare gets lost entirely, although I do feel like incorporating some claps would have leaned into the idea of "circus show" more effectively as if it were a reflection of the audience "clapping".

I think the dancing energy was a good approach to this concept and I particularly like the part that immediately follows the return of those keys from the beginning at 2:08. The gated higher, airy chords really helped to add that sense of grandeur by adding more height to an otherwise low and mushy soundscape. Overall, I think there was a great basis here that I think had more potential to be utilized given the concept of a mystical circus show.

[AIM 2024 - The West Route 21]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

The basis for this composition is well done - I love that low droning bass that slides up and down with those higher sounds looming above. It really gives the piece this sense of large scale not only in depth but also height. It seems like a lot of the atmosphere from the art was used as inspiration for this entry and the sense of cold and vastness and large possibly abandoned structures is felt strongly throughout.

There are a couple of issues that come to mind, especially on repeat listens. I think the obvious one would be the major audio glitch that happens at 2:49-2:51. It sounds like the mp3 didn't quite render correctly and catches me off guard every time I play this. The other part of the track that I think could have been adjusted is that first lower delayed synth that plays the melody at 0:23. I love the melody, but the instrument is way too loud and overwhelms the atmosphere. I wonder what it would sound like if this lead was softer and also narrower in the stereo panning. The rest of the accompaniment already sets the tone and stereo space and this lead just clashes with that production-wise.

Other than that, I love the other sounds used in this entry. That muted piano sound coming in after the first minute mark is my favourite part. It sounds like there's a bit of vibrato in the piano notes or maybe some detuning (or both?). Either way, that timbre works so well with the atmosphere, adding a touch of mysteriousness that helps to shape out the rest of the droning soundscape and sends chills down my spine.