Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Valley of Bones [AIM 2021]]

If there was ever a song in AIM 2021 that could be described as badass and intimidating simultaneously, this would definitely fit the bill.

Your guitars always sound amazing and I like how the song has quite a bit of contrast between sections, like it doesn't all hit the same, but the sections all still work together to create a cohesive song. I think I've probably said this before with your Chips entries, but I don't know if it's possible to give the vocals a bit more diction so that it's more clear as to what you're singing without having to refer to the lyrics.

The craziest part of the song was actually when the tempo slowed down at 2:24. That was when things started to get even more frightening, like my soul was going to be taken over or something, haha. Also, the guitar solo leading up this section was amazing. It handled the transition to the tempo change fantastically.

Overall, you've created another, very solid entry. You continue to impress me with how much you can pull off with a guitar and your voice.

TSRBand responds:

Thanks so much for all the kind comments!

[AIM - Galactic Glitter]

This is the kind of entry I like to wind down to and relax after a long day in the summer. Great chord progression and synths that feel warm and cozy while maintaining that sense of being outdoors.

One detail I really enjoyed was how those first two chords build on a bit of tension - I kept anticipating them to resolve, but it kept going back to that initial chord, so it made it very satisfying once the resolution hits at the 30 second mark. The percussion is light and chill and while I would have expected something a bit crunchier and lower in frequency, I think this piece's percussion worked for me quite well.

The only main issue I have with this piece is that the lead that comes in at around 1:53 feels too similar sounding to the synths playing the chords. Personally, I would have liked to hear something more distinct in timbre, but still fit the sound design. Allowing it to stand out more (without being obtrusive) could have added more of that satisfying release. The accompaniment is already pretty chill as it is, so this is nowhere near a major complaint.

Overall, I think this entry captured the scale, beauty and style of the artwork. It is very chill and I enjoy listening it the more I replay it.

Kalviter responds:

Thanks so much for your feedback! I can totally understand the point about the lead: it was a balance between maintaining that chill atmosphere and piercing through with a melody, and it seems like I've been overly cautious striking that. I'm really glad you enjoy it so much.

[AIM - Joa Goes Fishing]

It's neat that you always seem to pick paintings as inspiration for AIMs, because you are like the musical equivalent of a painter to me. Your composition is presented as being simple, and the details are in the sounds and how they add colour and character, like the strokes of a painting.

I like how you've chosen an array of medieval instruments to portray a subject that feels kind of distant from conventional medieval settings such as castles, cobbled streets, medieval parties, that sort of thing. The composition even feels like a medieval dance at first glance, but as the piece goes on, it becomes more clear that the scene is more distant and isolated. I think it's because of how laid back the sound is - the non-upbeat percussion and the prominence of the lutes and other stringed instruments feel softer and at peace, which connect with the artwork very well. I think the lutes in particular do a great job at giving your entry an out-at-sea feeling and it doesn't just rely on the wave sounds alone to do it.

The structure was quite nice, particularly the way it handles the same idea over the course of the piece. It was like the melodies kind of hit similarly, but they also change up ever so slightly with different instruments taking over certain parts and the lengths of each section changing, etc. - this felt evocative of waves moving by in the ocean and I like how that ties in with the setting of the art whether it was intentional or not.

Overall, this is a great entry with a lot of character hidden behind its initial simplicity.

Everratic responds:

I'm very grateful for your description of my style because I've been trying to figure out how to articulate it for years, and I think you summed it up neatly :)

That's an interesting point in your third paragraph. I get what you mean! I think I was trying more to imitate real life rather than ocean waves per se.

Thanks for the review and hosting the contest!

[Bold And Brash]

To preface this review, I wanted to address a response you made to a review in the previous version of this song. As a judge, I can tell you that all entries are evaluated based on their connection to their artwork as well as how they fare as music. Relevance to art is just a component of judging, but it is not the sole factor. Other components that music compos typically look at such as composition, structure and production are still factors in this compo.

As far as relevance to artwork goes, your entry definitely checks the box. I like how the title of the art you were inspired by is transformed into a likeable hook for your song. I'm not usually a fan of entries sharing the same title as their art inspirations, but I didn't have a problem with it for yours.

I like how the lyrics encapsulate the essence of who Squidward as a character is and go one step deeper into the sad sap he is. I know they're not perfect to the character, but they do give off a similar sort of personality to what he has. I also like how the sliding higher notes towards the end also remind me of the music in SpongeBob (particularly the tracks that sometimes play during a titlecard for an episode), but in no way sound like they're ripping off the music from the show.

One thing I really missed from the first version of your entry was the introduction with the funky guitars, because those also fit the art quite well and served as a great beginning to the lyrics. I do enjoy how a hint of them sort of come up with the sliding notes towards the end, but I think they would have been so much more effective had the intro from the previous version been heard. I wasn't really a fan of how the track instantly starts, which is a shame because I like everything else about this track. The harmonies in the vocals and the off-and-on nature of the pitch in the vocals add a lot of charm to the song, and I like that they stand out more in this version.

Overall, I think you did a great job at connecting the art to the entry you've made. If the intro from the old version could be connected to this version, I think you'd have a pretty solid entry all around.

PikeyPaige responds:

Wow! I so appreciate the in-depth and thoughtful feedback. I was lucky to have such a hooky title to begin writing to. This song has become a regular part of my show now and I do very different versions of it each set. I will incorporate it out feedback into the performance and try to capture the things you liked in the first version as well as second version and hope to make it into a more solidified song.

I am so stoked that I tried my hand at making art based on art. That was a first for me and has broadened me as an artist, I feel.

[AIM - Landing of Hope]

I think you managed to capture everything you were going for in your music. I get spacey-ness (not sure about spacious though) and mysterious, alien landscapes that seem inviting. The atmosphere is captured perfectly and exuberates that balance of brightness with mysterious space vibes.

It was an interesting choice to make that lead distorted. I think it gives that sense of hidden wonder despite the somewhat happier melody, like you're exploring this barren landscape that you're not quite sure is actually barren and you're not sure what to expect, but you're hopeful that it will be a generally positive experience. I love that downward contour buried in the accompaniment starting at 0:16. It would have been nice to hear that a bit more, especially when all the other instruments enter, where it practically becomes non-existent.

Overall, I think the entry connects well with the art, with a fitting amount of whimsy with the dominant sevenths that go with the colours and the landscape. The track has a sleepy, relaxing vibe to it that one could rest to if not for the distorted lead. Nice work!

wobwobrob responds:

That's a great note about the downward contour - I can think of a ton of ways to highlight it or expand it throughout the track :)

[AIM - Leyline of the Shores]

Even though I prefer listening to your other entry, I like the way this entry captures the essence of its art inspiration more. The sound design feels just right not only for the atmosphere, but I can feel the particular colours leaping off the animation while I listen to this. The sound you made for "Shores" is very airy and has hints of ambiance behind it, both which convey the sounds of wind and water in the art.

I love the piece's progression with the addition of the percussion. The change in energy adds momentum and the change in pace allows for the exploration of the piece's soundscape in a more rhythmic motion. The composition feels so off, and yet that's what makes it work so well with the atmosphere.

Overall, this entry connects with the art well and has a great sound design that is oozing with atmosphere. The only other issue I have is that it ends so abruptly. I would have liked to hear it at least fade out, let the tail linger for a bit longer - it almost feels like there was more to this piece but a section of it was isolated for this contest (which wouldn't make sense given that there was more time left in the allotted range to expand on it more).

CorruptModule responds:

Thank you! This one was definitely trying to turn the given image into sound. I really appreciate the feedback!

[AIM - Out by the shipyard]

What I wholly love about this piece is how it takes its time setting the scene. I feel like I'm listening to the whole picture, not only the details, but also the atmosphere and the emotion. This is mainly due to the sections, which I could hear being expanded into their own tracks like a mini EP of sorts.

In the first section, the more ambient sounds integrate with the acoustic sounds seamlessly. I enjoyed the gradual buildup with the additions of more sounds subtly entering until the very end where the tension in that buildup finally becomes apparent. The chord choices in the second section are beautifully spaced out and the silence between the chords allows for one to linger on the emotional impact, but it is interesting that the silence between these chords seems to get shorter as that section progresses.

One minor nitpick I have is with the transition between the "Shipyard Walk" and "Empty Shells" sections. The strings not fading to silence was a good choice in preventing the piece from sounding like two different tracks, but they slightly duck between 2:31 and 2:32 in a place that would have felt more natural remaining at that same volume when the new string section enters.

I love how the third section flows, and all those strings working together in harmony just work so well in capturing the emptiness and sadness of a landscape. When the harp comes in at the fourth section, it really gives me KOLM vibes - just that right balance of hope and melancholy. The final section, bringing things back to a more ambient sense, quieting down...just brilliant.

Overall, I love how the piece takes its time with setting the mood with its strings, laying out the parts in a beautiful, flowing manner. I think there’s a beauty among the empty, desolate sadness, kind of like empty structures that get taken over with passing time. It makes me think: is nature trying to win its way back?

nyxl responds:

Thanks for listening and for your detailed review! I'm happy because what you described on how you experience the track is what I was aiming for. You are right about the strings around 2:31, I think this is because the highest note changes from root to seventh and the transition between the two notes does not really exist. It didn't bother me anymore after a lot of listens, but as you noticed, I should have tried to improve that :)

[AIM 2021 - Atmospheric research city]

This piece is absolutely ham and I'm here for it. The thing that really ties it all together is the robotized vocal. I thought it was really cool how it starts the piece and pops up during different parts of the drop. Speaking of the drops, that was also another component that is executed solidly. For an entry with multiple drops, I felt the energy building up and coming off of each one of them. You nailed just the right balance of intensity and high-energy with more pleasant and quieter sections.

One thing I thought could have used a bit more work on is the mixing of the instruments. Particularly during the intensive stuff, some of the higher end stuff gets buried behind the louder instruments, like the bell-like high-pitched sounds at 1:36. I think they were a great addition, adding more substance to the in-your-face beat; I just wish I could have heard them cut through the mix more.

Overall, this is a rather unexpected take on the art. I enjoy how it leads off with being pleasant and serene, but also adds a bunch of hard-hitting drums and basslines, etc. to give this sense of industrialism or maybe aliens honing in on the isolated, elevated city? 🤔 Side note: are the vocals supposed to say something, lyric-wise? They work great as instruments, just curious if they also had some meaning behind the words too, lol.

SazzyBoi responds:

The words of the robotic voice are very dark but censored xdd

[AIM - Fox Dreams]

The instruments, for the most part, work in connection to the artwork. My particular favourite was the choice of acoustic guitar - it's a good choice for creating a sense of comfort and homeliness.

My biggest issues with the track come from its composition and the way the instruments are executed. I think a lot of the pieces are there - you have a good approach in terms of which instruments would work with this sound design, but they feel so uniform that it breaks the flow of the music. Additionally, the composition's chord progression does feel like it can work to create a sense of atmosphere that works with the art, but the accompaniment surrounding the guitar melody is so even that it comes across as clockwork and, as a result, makes the piece a tedious listen.

Having more sense of phrasing, I think, could have helped with the sound design. Little adjustments to the velocity, not so large to be extremely drastic, would have helped create a more dynamic arrangement. I also think that the guitar chords, particularly for the melody, could have had more release to them. Just hearing them play so "perfectly" feels unnatural and takes away from the atmosphere the piece is trying to convey.

I also believe that the composition, particularly the accompaniment, could have benefitted from more rhythmic movement in the bassline. It's not necessarily that there needed to be more notes, but rather consideration as to how the notes are played - when they are held for a bit longer versus played slightly faster, maybe there's some play between syncopation and even notes that hit the strong beats rather than ALL the notes hitting the quarter notes of the metre.

Overall, I think this entry has the right idea of where it's headed, and I think with more detail to the momentum of the composition and phrasing, it could be quite a lovely piece. I do want to mention that I love the section at 3:32, where the bells come in. Their slightly off-pitch sound gives off a wintery charm and I think that was a good way to bring the piece to a close.

Petrol4brains responds:

Thanks, you’ve surely given me a lot to think about and focus on!

[AIM 21 - Lighthouse]

I love how poignant this piece feels due to its quiet and somewhat minimal production. The choice to make the wave ambiance at the beginning bitcrushed is a brilliant idea for transitioning into the music. The way those chords at the very beginning play evoke strong feelings of a lighthouse beckoning from the distance. You really captured the style and concept of the art as if one were looking at it farther back.

Personally, I think the bass entering at 0:38 is a bit too loud. I think its uniformity and the way the notes cut off abruptly do a disservice to the rest of the sounds in this section, which seem to be very shaped and flowing. Another thing to consider is playing with more moving parts in the texture - it seems as though the piece is tending towards bringing the scene more into focus as it progresses. I was expecting the part after the piece ducks down and the piano enters at around 2:15 to have something like arps and faster rhythms, and I think it could have made that section stand out even more rather than sounding quite similar to the previous section that followed it.

The simpler accompaniment, however, allowed for the bass at 2:40 to stand out, and I really love how this bass works with the rest of the sound design in this section. The way the bass cuts in between the piano's notes is great. Even so, I think the preceding section could have still been more intricately arranged, since the piano basically repeats itself again.

Overall, I think this entry did a fantastic job at connecting with the art. Sometimes, ambiance in music can feel so tacked on, but the way you handled it in this work really allowed it to integrate with your music.

BaraAmann responds:

Thanks a lot for your feedback !
It will really help me to improve with your precise comment :)