Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[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!

[AIM 2021 - Huntress]

The thing I like most about this piece are the sounds. The guitars give a warm feeling and the track is well balanced, which is good, considering the various ideas rolling around in the texture. The general structure feels pretty loose, but at the same time, ideas seem to be focused on one particular spot in time. When I listen to this entry (and I feel similarly about "Bridge" as well), I feel like I just stepped into the middle of a track and that one aspect of time plays itself out. To me, it's kind of like portraying a still picture sonically, which seems to be exactly what the art calls for.

One thing I find confusing to grasp is your description of the entry suggests progression which is not evident in the track. Normally, the expectation is that there would be a change in the feeling of the composition that shifts from the fear of the dragon retaliating (as an example) to the gradual act of becoming the dragon's friend. The track feels too stuck in a particular loop to express any sort of narrative storytelling, at least for me.

Overall, I think the patterns within the textures of your entry are fascinating, and the track does lend itself to some replayability to get a sense of different ideas being played in front of me that I may have missed on previous listens. I'm not sure if I completely make that connection to the art inspiration or to the ideas attempted to being explored, although I think the sound design captures the warmer tones of the painting.

AndieCiambotti responds:

You really give the best reviews, thank you so much for your time, greatly appreciated!
The progression/twist of the story written in the description are the last tunes you can hear at the end of the track, sort of a mellow ending to a hunting adventure (which I deeply hate).

Edit: I think I know what's missing on this track... I completely forgot to record a bass!

[AIM - Sunset Silhouette]

Your instrument choices are spot-on for evoking emotions that can reasonably be connected the artwork. I especially like the use of the pizzicato strings, which add this extra level of poignancy and that, combined with the piano, conveys the idea of silhouetted figures pretty well.

Generally, the composition feels quite sad due to it remaining in the minor key for the entire duration of the piece. It does paint the picture in quite a different light, giving the story captured a more bittersweet feeling, as if the two lovers can only meet each other in secret during sunset unless they get caught. I'm not really sure if that's what you're going for, since you only mention the piece being romantic, but hey, romantic sadness also works.

One way to bring out more emotion in the piano is to phrase those solid chords at the beginning (starting at 0:05) and not allow them to hit exactly the same. I think they would probably work best if the second chord were slightly softer to play into that conclusion of sadness even more.

Overall, this entry interprets the art in a melancholy sort of way, which I'm not sure if the image itself was actually trying to convey, but I liked the approach.

NativeNiles responds:

I was going for that Romero and Juliet vibe. You nailed it on meeting in secret at sundown, after everyone retired in their homes. I could have used more time to edit, but at last, no time waits for no man. Thx for the review.

[AIM 2021 - System Error]

Initially, this track was quite underwhelming for me, but I did grow to appreciate it the more I listened to it. One aspect I found particularly fascinating is how the track develops from an atmosphere-building first section to a more melodic but still minimal second section. While the first section does have a melody to it, it feels more like it's wandering with its much slower chord changes and more sparse rhythms. The second section, in contrast, goes through more of a progression per phrase and ends on a perfect cadence. I enjoyed the contrast between these two sections a lot.

Even though I do appreciate the track trying to stay simple and avoid building up in an expected way, I find myself questioning whether or not the actual progression of this track is, in the long term, impactful. Because the changes are mostly melodic and the instrumentation is kept quite minimal, there is more of a challenge in finding that alternate approach to connecting with the listener in an impactful manner.

In the second section, I found the ducking of the volume in the lead when the snare enters to be distracting. But this section is wonderful, especially the way it filters in.

Overall, I think the simplicity does give a sense of distance similar to the perspective presented in the "Industrial Zone" artwork. It is a very good entry.

Teckmo-X responds:

Thank you for your feedback! I really do agree with you. The song was not a finished product but I intended to make it longer and/or even perhaps add more into it. I feel like it could have been an amazing song but it was simple and it just hit me when I was making this I wanted something rather simple rather than complicated. I do hope to put more work into it in the near future. I believe the best one out of all my submissions would have been "Ex Machina" if you get a chance to listen to it let me know what you think. I tried to bring in some Rezz and Notaker similar to his song "Fatal System Error". I appreciate your review and your time!

[Let Me NARF!]

I have to admit there aren't a lot of things I can say positively regarding this track. At least the vocals sort of seem to be inspired by the image with just the part where it says, "Let me out!" which comes across as a plea for help and dissociation against one's own will. But other than that, this track doesn't really seem to be much of anything.

As a dance track, the drums are mixed too quietly and it doesn't feel remotely close to being danceable. The synths playing the chord progression make the emotions in this track corny and goofy in a way that don't connect with the artwork at all (I think the fact that there are pop culture references doesn't help much either). The spliced vocals just sit there for the duration of the few minutes this track plays out and they aren't really something that offer any substance that make it worth listening to those sounds for that amount of time.

Overall, I think this was an entry with very little substance to it. It kind of hints at connecting with the art, but only slightly.

ChipSugarShock responds:

Thanks for listening, and for the feedback!

[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.

DaneDeLucchi 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.