Random-storykeeper's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - Digital Demolition]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

That main synth that starts this entry is goofy and weird in a way that feels fitting for the character in the art. I can imagine this being a boss theme in an old Flash game; it has a very stacked sort of feeling that seems kind of random but I found it kind of pleasant. I really like the square wave melody at 0:32; it sits well against that thick bassline and I like the fast off-beat notes that accompany it as well.

The fade-in at the very start of this track makes it seem like the end of a loop leading into the start of this track. It would be nice to hear this track with an actual intro that then leads into that main silly-sounding synth where I assume this loop would normally start. I did like the slight slowdown at 0:30 before going into the first iteration of the melody, however I think an intro would have helped to add more of a hook into the main part of the piece rather than just feeling like I'm catching up to it.

The bassline is also quite intense from 0:30 onward and almost constantly hits the strong 1 & 3 beats of each measure, which feels too even and loses momentum when the square melody is not playing. Maybe every fourth measure, the bass note could play on the strong and weak beats subsequently like two quarter notes played together, walking back up to the first measure of its cycle. The off-beat notes almost help keep up the energy, but they are quite buried once the melody plays so it's hard to hear how all these sounds would come into play together.

I also think this piece could have benefitted from having a crunchier percussion. The snare is a bit on the tinny side and I wonder what it would sound like if it used more NES-styled percussion to complement the chiptune elements here. But overall, I think this entry was fun and I think the sounds were nice and nostalgic in a Flash game sort of manner.

Orenge1 responds:

I really appreciate your thoughts. This entry was kind of rough maybe since I admit it I kind of rushed it and that's also why it doesn't really have an intro or proper outro really even. I should've thought about the sound selection more. Also yeah I've realized now that being perfectly on measure all the time isn't ideal, variety is important to keep it interesting. Also about the buried melody, I'm still learning mixing and mastering songs properly.

But great detailed review I do appreciate it a lot, thanks! :)

[REFLECTIONS (ft. Staintocton) // AIM 2024]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

I was listening to the little WIPs you were posting in the NG Audio Pub Discord and was looking forward to listening to the final entry. Going for a jazzy piece with rain ambience is quite evocative of the art inspiration. That 5/4 pattern feels almost waltz-like and it does a great job at evoking the feeling of taking a walk down some quiet streets at night.

The mixing on most of the instruments seem fine to me for the most part. I particularly like the way the ambience sits as a pleasant background layer - noticeable but feeling like it works within the context of the piece. The one thing that bothered me was that the flugalhorn solo was quite loud compared to the rest of the instruments doing solos. It really took me by surprise the first time listening to it. Composition-wise, I love the atmosphere and chords especially from the piano, and I wish there were some more moments where the piano gets to shine or present some quieter moments, perhaps even some improv, during the middle portion of the piece. This entry is short (and I understand it was quite close to the deadline) and I think there are more opportunities here for some additional sections, particularly with the piano.

What really stood out to me in this entry was the use of an actual soloist for the flugalhorn. Was that solo mostly improv, and how many takes did the soloist do? (just curious) The horn itself sounds amazing, just too loud in the mix as mentioned before, and I really love the final section where it plays alongside the xylophone and guitar. There was something about it that felt a little more distinct over using a sax solo for a jazzy piece - I love sax solos too but I really love what was done here in terms of the instrument choice. Overall, this was a comforting and pleasant listen that does a great job at conveying the atmosphere of nighttime, in the rain while walking down a sidewalk.

Staintocton responds:

Hey! Thanks again for listening!

For the flugel, I ended up sending two different solo takes, in which the first one was primarily used, with occasional chops of the second. The ending bit of copying the melody before going into a bit of fiddling was my idea! :)

In total, it probably took me maybe 20-30 attempts to record everything, that last bit only took me one or two.

[AIM - Radiant]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

I like how you approached this inspiration - a pixel art landscape - with synths and a happy sort of hook. The little filter sweeps also play into the idea of a sunrise effectively and I like that you did go for something happier in sound for your composition. Although there's one main hook, you do progress it through the use of dynamics and having different synths take it on.

Unfortunately, my biggest issue with this piece is that the one hook is not that compelling to listen to for ~3 minutes. It's a little too buoyantly happy to the point where it comes across as saccharine and having these more intense sounding synths (with a super thick bass) and trance beats makes it feel more aggressively happy, which I'm not really sure is the intention nor is it something that seems inspired by the art. It doesn't help that every bar of that main hook primarily has a similar kind of downward contour, ending "perfectly" at each measure. I do think the joyous sort of tone is something that makes sense for the art, but this felt more like overshooting.

The setup is there - as mentioned earlier, the sound design and dynamically building upon a melodic idea are present in this entry. I really wish the one main melody it keeps repeating was something that was a bit more toned down and more warm and inviting. Personally I would think that a landscape with a sunrise, being generally associated with the start of the day, would be gradual and bright while not being explicitly just happy. Maybe it's my adult brain kicking in, but this entry sadly does not work for me at all, with or without the association with the art.

MusicBySpektral responds:

it's alright, I agree that it definitely has some rough spots. Thanks for the review :)

[AIM - Nekomimi Station]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

What I love most about this entry is how replayable it is. There's a lot of quick passing off of instruments and a rich sound design that it's fun to play it again to pick up extra bits in the texture that might have been missed on an earlier listen. It's surprisingly detailed given the simpler pixel art, and I think it adds this sense of chaos fitting for a piece about a train station. Amidst the somewhat frenzied composition is a throughline with instruments seamlessly flowing from one to another that puts me in this perspective of someone sitting at a busy train station, watching people pass around me and rushing to make the next train.

There are a lot of times when the piece will hit these syncopated beats or pulses, which I think helps to create that sense of the aforementioned throughline as the track develops. The piece has a great sense of when to put in the bass and take it out, when to be more melodic and when to be a little crazy. If there was one thing I could nitpick, I think the quick chords could have been a little snappier when hitting those "pulses", but it's only really the only thing I can think of after listening to this piece multiple times.

Overall, this track does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of this art with the business of a train station during peak hours, and that combined with its cuteness from the wildly moving sine wave shows a lot of inspiration was taken from this art to great effect. Admittedly, I didn't really get this track at first, but over time it just had me thinking about it a lot and significantly grew on me. Wonderful job!

H20ghost responds:

Thanks for the kind review storykeeper!

[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 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

[AIM - Sentient]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

It feels like a lot of work went into developing the composition and sections, and I think that comes through. The composition is the clear strength, especially that melody - I'm in love with those two chords that lead back into the repetition at 0:19 - 0:20. The melody has just the right balance of being mysterious, dark and intriguing, which I think complements the image inspiration excellently. I also like the different sections, especially the second section at 2:13 with that repeated stab and the arps and melody sneaking back in.

There's a couple of things I believe could have been tightened up here. I feel like there could have been more sense of dynamics leading up to 2:13. Right now, it seems like the track starts out quite intense and thick, thus there's not much else to build up to in order to reach that second section. Personally, I would have liked to hear less intensity in the sound design near the beginning so you can build up the tension and release it with more impact at the drop. I think the note stabs are too loud in the mix - it was difficult to hear that the arps and melody were sneaking back in the first few listens. It would have also been interesting to hear cleaner breaks in those short stabs and perhaps the rest of the track too as a contrast to the more flowy first section.

There are a lot of entries this year compared to last year, and I wish you all the best in making it a little closer to the top. Overall, great entry with a gripping melody and narrative. To me, this feels more like a piece about a computer gaining sentience and I like the idea of having this more emotional melodic section at the beginning leading up to a very repeated, "computer-like" climax. To bring it all back to the melody and have those ideas combine made for a satisfying listen.

OVERSCORE responds:

Thanks for such a detailed review! I was hesitant to leave the section at 2:13 in, so it's a huge relief that you liked it. I couldn't really think of a way to build up to it, but giving it more contrast in the dynamics would have helped, you're right.
Last year I was right in the middle of the pack, 40 out of 81 or something. If I got middle of the pack again for this entry, I would be just fine
Thank you for hosting this awesome competition!

[AIM - Yeah, something like that.]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

Art with a lot of fine linework really lend themselves to a range of wide interpretations, and I find the way you approached this entry fascinating in the mishmash of musical elements. There's this continuous synth line playing quarter notes which is orderly and in-tune, but there's also layers that are very punchy and suddenly drop in and out like those off-beat short notes in the intro. The simple lyrics, combined with a wavery vocal performance. I mainly enjoyed the synth line and its orderliness through the strangeness of the composition, and I think all these parts do feel like they were inspired by the strangeness of the art.

With the lyrics being understating, culminating to the line "something like that", I would have liked to hear more out of the vocal performance. Perhaps as the song progresses, the vocals become more agonizing or maybe they start on key and then slowly devolve into being more off-key and off-rhythm. To me, having lyrics that are, well, "something like that", only work if the vocal performance adds the extra punch needed to convey an underlying narrative or emotion. The song being performed with this constant off-key singing throughout didn't work for me in that regard - I don't think that in itself is an issue, just that it is like that for the entire song.

I like most of the counterpoint in the accompaniment; the moving bassline works well with the quarter note instrumental line and I like the little spacey sounds that kind of fade in and out. I would have loved to hear more of that in the accompaniment or even in the vocal lines as a reflection of all the mouths in the art. Overall, I like this entry, particularly for the instrumental line and there's certainly a lot to take in with the various elements at play.

BottleTopBillFanclub responds:

Hi Annette. I am grateful for your feedback, I fully understand that my vocals have issues, and I agree with you. I typically start and finish songs in a single day because I have to work very quickly to complete them; otherwise, I might not finish them at all. I need to work fast because I struggle with overthinking, which is often a detriment to me. I understand your points. Thank you for creating your Judge Review.

[AIM - Frenchantress]

AIM 2024 Judge Review

I love how this piece takes this silly concept of mashing "French" and "enchantress" and transforms it into a night-time, enthralling work of music. The sound design itself is enchanting, especially the melodic lines with the guitar and accordion playing off each other. What really impressed me about your entry this year is that while there is a sense of improv in the melodies, the sections flow really well into one another. In particular, the entry of that guitar improv solo at 1:42 is one of my favourite parts about this track - the way it leads in, and the solo that follows. Another would be the sudden cut to violin at 1:12 - I like that there are a mix of ways that the music gets to its sections, which makes it more intriguing to listen to.

In your description, you mention the concept of this character turning VSTs into accordions. I'm sure it was an exaggeration, but I think it would have been neat to play around with that sort of transformation in the sound design as instruments slowly get taken up or gradually morph into accordion sounds. I think the current sound design works well enough, though I guess I was expecting more accordions for some reason - at least more accordion solos. I also feel like the piano notes are a bit heavy on the hits and they could have been a bit snappier as it dampens the energy a tad.

All things considered, I enjoyed this entry and its take on the concept. Awesome hooks, great sound design and fantastic transitions. There's a great balance between having a recurring hook (0:41 to 1:12) and free-form parts, and everything connects well to one another.

Cresince responds:

Thank you for putting on a great contest every year, and for your detailed review! I really liked your idea with the accordions, featuring prosody with the story of the art is something I would want to do in the future! Thank you! :D

[Cheese Dreams New Moon Menu Theme Remix]

This is great and I can't believe I haven't heard this until now. I love the sound design on this, especially the bells. Using the Nitrome jingle for those quick breaks was unexpected but it works great. I enjoy the contrast between the two sections of the original with the faster drum break.

Your description mentions sampling a few things from other Nitrome games/songs and I'm really curious what else was sampled. I feel like I should know as a Nitromian but I could only pick out the Nitrome jingle (besides of course the Cheese Dreams New Moon menu theme) but I imagine there might be some sound effects referenced or something like that. Perhaps it will come to me with multiple listens.

Exclaim responds:

I think I remember sampling a bit of Spindle's intro for it, though it's been a while so I've forgotten a lot of it myself LOL