Spadezer's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[endK - Funkadunk]

This is an official NGADM '19 Review

Composition:
You had me with your funky writing style. I can't get enough of the quick bouncy pianos, interjecting organs in just the right spots, tasteful brass, fast bass, and tons of other stuff. It captures a very energetic atmoshpere, but there's such masterful craft in using so many different instruments only having simultaneously short moments but working towards a cohesive melody. Not many people, particularly in this contest, can pull of seemingly chaotic writing in such a pleasing manner.

Production and Sound Design:
In order for this style to really hit home you needed a strong mix and capitalize on blending well, and this is no exception. This sounds just like a professional product that I could here in places like streaming services or, better yet, I keep seeing images of a couple childhood games flashing in the front of my mind when this plays. The only thing that I might think about changing is that maybe it sounds a little dry overall, but it honestly adds to the character of the song in a positive way so I'm not sure in the end.

Structure:
I was bouncing the whole time. It was well cohesive and never really felt interrupted, but they energy dynamic was a little shallow in my prospective. I wouldn't say that I was ever bored of the song, but I feel like it didn't really explore the concept to it's fullest potential. There only really felt like two major themes, and the only time you really explored it differently was a short section at 1:30. Again, I enjoyed it a lot, but this aspect probably would have made it feel more special throughout the whole song.

Emotion / Conclusion:
Superb. I loved it. Super bouncy, super fun, and very well done.

Composition: 10

Production: 9

Sound Design: 10

Structure: 8

Emotion: 9

endKmusic responds:

I'm really glad that you liked it that much!
Thanks for all the nice words.
Since I tend to use huge load of reverb in my songs in general, with this one I wanted to try quite the opposite so it could sound somewhat firm. Would've been a totally different song if it wasn't like that.
Thanks once more Spadezer!

[Plümmet]

This is an official NGADM '19 Review

Composition:
Beautiful piano work at the beginning and instantly sets the tone for the piece. There's a lot of really intricate accents and annotations happening with everything at the beginning and sounds super delicious. I love the experimentation you guys did, because it really makes this stand out and sounds fresh. This still sounds familiarly like a 1f1n1ty song, but it's not a repeat. Like for example, using the chord at 1:09. Totally unexpected and didn't need to use it again, but then you go into 1:20 just throwing chords around and changing up the structure a lot to make it feel really floaty and unguided, but in a good way.

Production and Sound Design:
Everything felt a true presence with a gentle but firm impression. The piano and strings at the beginning set a good tone for how this whole song feels. Warm, and inviting, but everything felt really solid and defined into where they needed to be. And then you brought in some bells and synths to make it feel really bright and light. Even the bass supports the bottom in a somewhat lighthearted but solid foundation. I really like which percussion you chose. To be nitpicky, I only wish that the kick in the 2:12 section had a little more defined top end.

Structure:
Again, I can't get enough of that intro. It makes me jealous of wanting to be able to produce something like that. It brings in so much emotion. There's great use of motifs happening in the background everywhere, but I most enjoyed how the middle section of the song is a reversed / rewind progression of the beginning that flows so well. I did have a small issue with 2:50 to about 3:20. By itself it's a fine section, but in the context of what it's surrounding it I wish it had carried more energy. Maybe taking a few synths or sounds up an octave would get it right. It still compliments the song, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't feel super huge and climatic, but that could also be my tendencies to why I like super huge melodic dubstep songs which is a little different compared to this.

Emotion / Conclusion:
I want to collab with you guys, so that possibly some of this rubs off on me

Composition: 10

Production: 9

Sound Design: 9

Structure: 9

Emotion: 9

tailspun responds:

nice!!! immensely helpful, tysm ( :

[Affliction]

This is an official NGADM '19 Review

Composition:
The riffs are nice and heavy, and you get nice grooves going that really gets my head banging. I wasn't anything super complex, which is ok, but I felt like for a NGADM contest setting you could have tried a little more (I am keeping in mind though that this sounds like a recording and the guitar work is super clean). I also kinda say that because it feels like it's left open areas where vocals could work, which gives it this sense of that there's more potential you could have tapped into, but ended up feeling a little reserved. I really like 2:22 - 2:58 though. Nice contrast with the rest of the song.

Production and Sound Design:
I'm really liking how this sounds. You have the right sound for this, but I think there's some cleaning up you could do. The kick is nice and thumpy, but the whole drumset I wish had a little more punch in the mix. The guitars are cool and remind me a little bit of Amon Amarth, but I think some of the low frequencies might be fighting with the bass a little. The balancing is pretty decent though, and I can imagine this as a finished product and really something I would be proud of showing to friends. I just don't think it's something I would expect to hear on the radio.

Structure:
You have a good strong intro that sets a nice tone for the song, and you really keep to using that beginning motif periodically through the song, and I like how it progresses. What you're trying out with different ideas makes it flow really nice and I think you pulled them off really well

Emotion / Conclusion:
I like metal and this is really solid. I think there could be a little work left to make it pop, but I still think you should be proud of this.

Composition: 7

Production: 8

Sound Design: 8

Structure: 9

Emotion: 8

JDawg00100 responds:

Thank you for the detailed review! I appreciate the kind words and critiques. The funny thing about this years NGADM is I wasn't planning on joining. But I haven't been making music anymore at all. Signing up was a way to force myself to get back into it, and I even bought ggd drums so I was pretty much starting all the way over. So I'm pretty proud of myself, even though I feel like I still have a ways to go. :)

[Interlude For The Day]

This is an official NGADM '19 Review

Composition:
I'm really digging this jazzy feel you got going on. Super intricate chord work and really compliments the melody you have going for this. You had me hooked in at 0:20, which set a great tone for the rest of the song, and I ate up what you were doing. There was really good moments were it was a steady beat, but every moment had a nice jazzy fresh take going on and led me along for the whole ride. No complaints from me.

Production and Sound Design:
Super clean mixing. Everything fit really nicely and complimented the composition really well. If anything I feel like the piano should be mixed more to the high end, but really it's only a preference thing because it fits great even the way it is. You do a really nice job of managing the energy through the mixing and balancing too

Structure:
Oh man this needs to be longer. Like I mentioned earlier, there's really great dynamics happening with the energy, and it all has really nice flow. But this song is begging to have more progression.

Emotion / Conclusion:
Really light, but fresh style. It's not unfamiliar, but like I've said I can't get enough of this.

Composition: 9

Production: 9

Sound Design: 10

Structure: 7

Emotion: 9

vocaloutburst responds:

Thanks a bunch for the review! Definitely wanted to make it a bit longer but I was running out of time, I'll probably (hopefully) extend and finish it sometime soon!

[Lost Joy]

This is an official NGADM '19 Review

Composition:
Don't ever let me stop you from making waltzes. Making this a piano piece was a really cool different take on what you normally do, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This had a nice fresh take and there was some great emotion behind it. I really enjoyed having it play on repeat and pick up a new thing here and there. Never got tired of listening to this.

Production and Sound Design:
Not much to work with here since it's mostly a piano and fiddle. However, it sounds nicely polished and realistic. Instantly through me into the environment you were working in.

Structure:
Ugh this needs to be longer. Especially since you added the fiddle into it, that alone gave it the feeling of a lot more potential to develop. This had good flow and I was really enjoying how it developed.

Emotion / Conclusion:
It felt more like a waltz-like Bach piece than an Everratic piece. Lots of emotion and the potential for some serious good composition like you were already displaying in this. I'm super proud to have heard this.

Composition: 9

Production: 8

Sound Design: 9

Structure: 8

Emotion: 10

Everratic responds:

Don't worry, I'll continue composing in 3/4, but you're right in that I shouldn't get too comfortable with one particular style.

I wish I could have made this longer, but my fingers were hurting too much :(

Saying my music reminds you of Bach's is a great compliment.

Thank you for the review!

[Sanctum]

This is an official NGADM '19 Review

Composition:
You've already won me over just to the fact it's some good clean rock lol. I like seeing it in this contest, but you're also doing it right. It wasn't much that was super complex IMO, but the performance was really clean and tight.

Production and Sound Design:
A lot of what I feel makes or breaks a mix with rock I feel is the drums, and you've got them down. They're crisp and thumpy, and oh so delicious. Maybe the only thing I'd tweak is something like the splash you're using in the 2:58 section. I really like the sound of the guitars that you're using. They sound really professional and dialed in

Structure:
I feel like this is the weakest part of the song. Mostly because it felt like a rock ballad that was missing an overall lead or vocals on top of the composition. However there's some really nice and notable sections, like 1:15 and 2:58 where you get it right.

Emotion / Conclusion:
I really enjoyed listening to this. It struck right where it needed to on most cases and sounded really good doing it. I feel like there could have been more, but I think more rock song should sound like this in NGADM.

Composition: 9

Production: 9

Sound Design: 9

Structure: 7

Emotion: 8

JDawg00100 responds:

Thank you for the detailed review :)

[Agente.001 - Melancholia]

This is an official NGADM '19 Review.

Composition:
The beginning absolutely had me immersed. The rest of it was definitely my type of thing. It was in this fluid state of being a melodic dubstep / drumstep style and I was eating it up (although probably leaned more towards drumstep).

Production:
I think this could have been a little cleaner. You handle the quieter sections beautifully, but in the drops I think there was a little too much going in in the mids, and the kick I think was a little too bassy. In reality though, these are minor complaints and didn't stop me from enjoying it.

Sound design:
Again, the beginning sounds had me hooked from the start. Everything you picked worked wonderfully to the main sound of the whole piece, and I love how wet and metallic the bass synths sounded in the drop. The only real complaint I have is the piercing synth at 2:27.

Structure:
Good progression and good transitions. I can really see the storyline you were trying to create in the description. There was a lot of dynamics in energy, and it the themes you have really added well to the emotion.

Emotion / Conclusion:
I loved it. I kinda wish I made it lol.

Composition: 9.5

Production: 8

Sound Design: 9

Structure: 9

Emotion: 10

Agente001Tomhson responds:

Thank you very much man!

[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!

[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.