Spadezer's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Guilt]

Yes! How did I miss this! It's so good to here rock in the finals like this! The mixing sounds so delicious (other than feeling crowded in spots)! Great sound, good lyrics. I'm so glad you made it to the finals!

[Think]

Such a calm but intense atmosphere! I'm also really happy you survived NGUAM
;)

[Melodic Convergence]

Yeah this was super incredible. Everything sounded sound vivid and organic, and the mix is very crisp and clean. Wonderful work

[Macrocosm [NGUAC Final Submission]]

That kick in the first half is so soft and luscious, it sounds like a pillow. This is definitely the type of house I like

[Rising Star]

SourJovis Rising Star

At first listen this is pretty lighthearted, and a nice ride to groove along to. I enjoyed the feel of it, and casually listening to it again I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Production/Sound design:
Probably gave the biggest hit in my score. Right at the 0:30 mark, it sounded like the drums or cymbals were clipping or being clipped by the base. Same at the 2:54 area. The drums I felt could have been a little more punchier or more defined too. I wasn't quite sure what was going on with the lyrics either. Were you using a vocobox? It's an interesting effect, but I think I would have liked to heard the lyrics a little more clearly.
However, aside from all of that, this is a clean mix. It's pretty well balanced and compliments the synths that you're using. You correctly bring the feel of a video game setting, and it's interesting because it doesn't have that vintage feel, but something a little more modern that's giving a nod to the older style. Works great.

Composition/Structure:
Nothing really stuck out as being fantastic, and there really wasn't anything wrong here. Although I'd have to say the 2:00 area is my favorite. Aside from the interlude area around 1:35, which was kinda nice actually, I didn't feel there was too much of a dynamic difference throughout the song. For the most part there isn't much wrong with it, but I think there wasn't too much progression happening.

Overall, again this was pretty enjoyable actually. It's fun to listen to and kinda dance around with it in my seat too. Just a couple things I would personally like to see different and I think it could have gone farther in my opinion. This was good work though.

Composition:
4/5

Production:
3/5

Sound Design:
3/5

Structure:
3/5

Originality:
4/5

Total:
68/100

[Virtual Riot ~ Init (Incise Arrangement) [Refix]]

I think some of the chord stack overpowers the mix a little bit, but otherwise this is for sure a banger. Right up in my alley. Maybe not quite Virtual Riot level, but that's a high benchmark. This pretty sweet.

Incise responds:

yeah i agree

the mixing in the drop is a bit muddy and cluttered, and i put too much reverb on the saws oof

[AIM - Timeless Adventure]

I like the dainty feel with the piccolo/flutes at the beginning, however they are a little piercing by themselves. I can hear your distinct waltz feel, and this time it has a nice Zelda Windwaker / Treasure Planet feel so you're really pouring on in the nostalgia for me. Based on the description and the art you have you've definitely nailed the theme.

The production quality is really good. The only thing that keeps me away from being immersed completely I think is the french horn/brass when they first come in at like 0:43. I like their presence but they sound too powerful for what they're doing. Not saying their too loud, but they sound like they're trying too hard type of thing. Maybe the glockenspiel sounds a little too close and the choir sounds a little too far away, but now I'm just being nitpicky.

In terms of composition and song structure, high praise with nailing the nostalgia part. The only issue I have is that I would have liked more variation with the melody motif. After listening to it on repeat I think it's a bit too repetitive. The chord structure is vary hopeful and uplifting during the whole piece, and it definitely helped with that adventure is just beginning feel. I like all of the trills on the piccolo and the drums are a nice compliment to what you have going on while also really driving the direction of the atmosphere.

Nice and happy piece. Again, it gave off that Windwaker feel and I bathed in its nostalgia. I'm going to have to bring up Windwaker Title music again. Good work

Everratic responds:

I'm glad to hear the song poured on the nostalgia for you! That was one of my goals :D

I deliberately made the horns sound powerful enough to just barely dominate the mix. I know it looks bad when someone responds to criticism by saying the matter of the criticism was deliberate, but I sincerely stand by my decision. I think the climax wouldn't sound nearly as pleasing as it does without that feature. But I'm glad the production sounds good to your ears otherwise.

I agree that I could have added more variation to the main melody. I thought changing the articulations and instrumentation a lot would be sufficient, but indeed, once you become accustomed to it, it does feel a bit repetitive regardless.

Thank you for the review!

[Zel ~ Dark Cave - GCRC Entry Adjusted]

It's so cool hearing a completely different song. I can see how you could get to a song so chill out of it and I'm digging what I'm hear. Really chill and has a good ambience to it. Neat job and cool work

[Life Goes On]

This is an Official NGADM '18 Round 2 Review

Beginning Comments: Congratulations on making it to round 2

Production / Mixing: For what you have, this is nice. I think you could have brought the volume up a little bit, but again this is nice.

Composition / Structure: Oh man this is emotional. Nice solo piano, and has a very delicate feel. The progression is easy to digest, but man this is short. I don't know if it's been stated in the rules this year, but previous years past made a requirement of 2:30-3:00 minimum since that gives enough opportunity to develop an idea completely into a full song, which I would say this isn't. I can see in the description that you didn't have as much time, but I don't think I can fairly add a buffer to the score in that respect. Aside from that note (haha) the melody does a fair job in annunciating the intimacy of the theme. There wasn't anything as special about it, but that is the beauty of music. The notes themselves don't have to be technical or difficult to play, but not everyone could replay this song and get that same emotion out of if, so I give you props for that. It's actually bold I think to have something so simple this late in a NGADM contest.

Sound Design: Nice piano.

Ending Comments: I think it suffers from being a little short, but it doesn't lack in impact.

Score:

Production - 1.75

Composition - 1.75

Structure - 1.25

Sound Design - 2

Replay - 2

Total - 9.25

*Disclaimer - There is no disclaimer

[Pretentious]

This is pretty cool. I haven't heard any grunge/punk songs in either the NGADM or NGUAC up to this point so this is refreshing. Not only that, this is really fun. Your voice is rock solid (haha) and I totally didn't expect that, and the guitars are produced pretty well.

You have a bit of an earworm with the chorus. It may be a tad repetitious but I'm enjoying it to the point that I pretty much don't care. Listening the second time through, however, I think you could maybe have developed the structure a little more. Maybe throw in some different chord progressions here or there, and maybe have a different verse structure or something.

The bigger issue I find though is the production. I think it could use a little more balancing. A couple vocals are a bit hot in some spots, and everything sounds a little too dry.

To quickly wrap it up though, I enjoyed this a lot. Regardless of the criticism I gave, this sounds like a finished product albeit with some rough edges.

dude2312 responds:

To be honest with you, I saw a lot of paragraphs in here and I was like: crap! I'm in trouble. Lol I second that on the production, I definitely feel I could have done more to it. But I was in such a time restraint that this is all I could do. Newgrounds does need more grungy, punk, music here and there!

I welcome any type of feedback with open arms and I thank you for sharing your insight over my little musical project here.