Spadezer's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[61 Wishes]

Official '20 NGADM Finals review

The title on it's own sounds super poetic. And the beginning of the intro is exactly what I expected from you combined with this title. However, the tone it started taking through I couldn't tell what to expect so I'm surprised with anything you do. This hits the right emotions right on the head too with the composition. There are so many details, and there's a good handful of orchestral things that I'm not surprised about, but you have a ton of digital / electronic stuff that's added in that just works. It all just works. All around this is just super epic. Out of all the pieces this one carries the most emotion and just stands out to me the best. I love the super quirky guitar that just sticks out at 0:45. It sounds goofy and dry, but once things start jumping in it works. I love how rhythmic the 3:00 section is. There's a cubic-ton of detail there too that just meshes together so where. Like I was totally surprised that there was something electronic there when it started coming in. The choir is just fantastic. The voices and how everything shouts together make it super climactic and powerful. Ugh there's just so much good writing in this.

I love the production in this too because you have things that are super dry, but they just work. I probably would have messed it up if I were trying to mix this because I'm surprised by how well it works lol. Not to say that everything is dry. You add in just the right texture like on the strings or like when the choir first starts up. I cannot get over how much I like the 3:00 section.

I think this one's my favorite. I love you Albe <3

AlbeGian responds:

Aaaaaaaa tysm for the kind words man!! It makes me really happy that my works could cause an impact this big in people's ears and (hopefully) hearts, it really does. Again, really glad you liked it!!

[The Final Stretch - NGADM 2020 - FINAL]

Official '20 NGADM Finals review

The writing style is so unique but it feels familiar. Maybe it's the synths you're using, maybe it's some of the melodic writing, I'm not sure but I don't hear stuff like this enough. You've also managed to make something that's high energy, but definitely not tiring. The melodies are super complex too but also still fun to listen to, and I find myself struggling what to say because it's really good at multiple levels. One thing I really appreciate is that you don't shy away from messing with the time signatures and bringing across interrupting measures. 3:00 is a great example, and you throw them into the structure like nothing and they flow well. There's a bunch of spots like it too where you kinda have instruments that shout at the end of the phrase without like 3:47, 0:48, 2:38, there's more spots than I could mention that make the composition super complex and I thoroughly enjoy. Also your fantastic use of harmonies that's just everywhere and in everything. It's such a great example of how just about everything is used together to highlight the main idea of the song, and not just harmonies that ride along with the melody. The arpeggiation at 0:35 is littered in so many fitting spots, my favorite being how it gets introduced leading into 3:00 and quickly becomes the main voice of that section. There's also details like the strings at 1:04 that are a slower reprise of the melody that they're directly referencing to. This is a compositional feast lol. The only minor critique is coming from a drummer is that I feel like the drums could have done a few things to help emphasis attacking or shouting chords instead of straight grooves in the main sections. Like 0:50 ish and the 3:00 section.

As for production, I don't think this could be any better. Each sound works together so well to the main mix, and I love the texture each one has. On their own they might not sound like much, but the way you use them feels so fresh and unique. It's also super clean and polished too. Someone could say they sound cheap, but they add to the charm so much, like the drums and the brass for example. I don't think anything else could have worked with what you have. I'm also really glad you stuck with this style for this round because it's what I wanted to hear and man did you deliver. I'd love to be able to make "videogame music" that sounded like this. Yes it's indisputably retro, but doesn't sound archaic or dated.

Love it. Can't get enough of it.

Mackievellian responds:

Great, thank you. This is a lovely critique, man. Makes me feel GOOD. You know, I thought about sitting in the drummers chair while writing them and I'm thinking, a drummer would put a fill here and here, over there. But I missed some spots... Was thinking mainly for the adding attack to the lone brass sections when they're carrying the melody.

Thanks for your time, my man.

[Vessel Full of Dreams]

Official '20 NGADM Finals review

Super open with negative space. Before I get into anything, I feel like there were times that the production balance leaned towards the left ear, but that's the only actual complaint I could make

I love hearing the physical keys. I normally wouldn't but they really add to the atmosphere in this song and can be taken into some metaphorical devices. I don't think I even realized you had other synths and sounds going with the piano at first sense I was listening to the keys themselves so much. What I like about your style in this, is that there's less melody writing, and more using the chord progression to speak for itself. Great example I noticed is when the chimes came in and really emphasized how you're using the harmonies in this again more so than a melody.

In terms of structure, I noticed how the end was lower octaves than the beginning, which made me pay attention to later how you've pulled across the emotions throughout the structure. The first half of the song with the way it's written it comes across a little more hopeful, until the middle section and it's realizations comes through. In which case that's where the meat of the story happens. It somewhat conflicts with the feelings introduced, but not ignored. They develop as they compliment each other leading to a crescendo of sound and instruments. Which that all leads to the end where you have a reprise that's similar to the first but in a more realized and full way. It resolves, but still treads on with the familiar gusto from first. Super neat.

For production / performance, again it's super cool I think you got the sound of the piano action captured in this. What I like about this though is that it's not just a piano solo when it likely could have been. There's small but not insignificant details that really bring forward the emotions that you're trying to bring forward, and they all work together to form what's central to the timestamp. The more I dig into this with each listen, the more I appreciate each element that was brought in, and I can see why you placed them where they are. Each one brings in a new flavor or characteristic that only adds to the piece and never crowds it out. Granted most of the time we're listening to only a few things happening, which btw never felt empty.

Bravo

Phonometrologist responds:

My man, I’m impressed on how well you’re able to hear the meaning between the notes and articulate what’s happening accurately. Great read and thank you for making the time.
Just a couple points that you already mentioned that I also wanted to elaborate on:
I found that for me personally, less melody and more focus on the harmonic progressions will give a more open interpretation of the meaning that the listener can ascribe to. I think melody is more important to music universally speaking as anyone with a voice can carry a tune. But less of that leaves the piece wanting, and I prefer to have my music not to speak too much. Doesn’t mean that melody doesn’t exist in the form of chord positions. Voice leadings in harmony are considered melodies. It’s just not as obvious, and I prefer that the listener would listen for it as opposed to just hearing it.
Finally, I appreciate you recognizing the overall contour of the piano in a descending order. I prefer to view music representing that characteristic in life that all shall experience. That repetitious trait in all music and the inevitable event that happens to all is its ending. How shall we find our resolve? As time speeds up and our life becomes a fog, often the meaning will become realized on the other side of affliction.

[God's Sovereignty]

Official NGADM '20 Round 3 Review

I feel inadequate. Why am I hear giving you a review when honestly when it comes to classical composition I feel like I should be taking notes from you. I like the minimalistic style you've done with this, and the structure is definitely the focus of this piece. As for the composition, it's very tender. I would say deeply emotional, but it's not sad, and I could have said joyful, but it's still also somber. I had to look up Philip Glass since I wasn't familiar with it, but I could instantly hear the style with the first song I found. The duet with the violins makes it so both instruments compliment each other well. I feel that the rhythm choice really helped give it that style of "time continues on" feeling, and while I wouldn't have expected what you wrote based off the title alone, I get a really good glimpse of what you're doing with the description. I will say what would have been interesting, in regards to the description, if you would have made a call back to the rhythm that you started out with in the intro. With the piano staying with the triplet style it would have been like an "aha" moment hearing the regular quarter note style pop back up in something like the violins or even a separate piano part. I think I'm catching the reprise of the left hand writing but I'm not sure if I'm getting it confused with the base chord progression.

Aside from the composition / structure, there really isn't much I can say about the production quality. There isn't a lot to balance and mix since it's just a piano and some violin parts, but I can't figure out if the piano is you recording your own midi being played if it's a studio recording (I'm assuming you're playing based on what I've heard you make before). I can't tell if the violin is an expensive VST or real though lol.

All in all, very pretty. There really isn't a ton going on from a third person perspective and it also sounds like something I've heard before, but it gets to the heart of the matter which is the story of the emotions being told which I think is the important part. I definitely relate and agree with what you've stated, and you shouldn't be ashamed that your intrinsic nature and writing is Christian. I find it encouraging.

Composition 9
Production 9.5
Sound Design/Performance 9.5
Structure 8
Creativity 8.5
Total 89/100

Phonometrologist responds:

Thank you for the earnest review. I should mention that even if you feel you should be taking notes from someone that writes in this style, it doesn't mean you cannot offer critique as a listener. You don't need to understand a certain art form to offer your opinions on it. My wife knows nothing of music and yet I value her opinion on my works because it comes from a different perspective. Perhaps it's a perspective that most people have with in relation to how they listen to music.

Good catch with the structure being the focus and the emotional descriptions-- very accurate. Regarding the performance, this was the only track I did this year with midi piano. This style doesn't correlate well with the type of piano I have. The violin actually isn't that expensive: 8Dio Deep Solo Violin
In the future, I definitely want to re-record this piece with a live performance though.

Thank you for the encouraging words. All my music is as you said intrinsically Christian. I'm just sensitive to the fact that some may find offense to me speaking plainly of it.

[Queer As In Fuck You]

Official NGADM '20 Review for Mooke

Composition and Structure:
What are scales, am I right? Honestly I'm left confused by the end of it. What gets me is that you don't really stick to anything in any certain way, except the feeling of being frantic. Like the percussion, the high energy, and tempo are the only constants in this whole shindig. Aside from that I can't tell if you want to say screw it to the idea of having sensible notation or not, because there's a lot of phrases that start off as something I could latch onto and make sense off. There is something of a chord progression that you use so it makes me think that there is a scale I should be able to pick out, and you start using it. Than halfway through the phrase you do a 180 and just go chromatic in whatever direction you want. I guess that's kinda what you're going for trying to tease the listener along and then throwing it back in their face, but that comes across as bipolar and aggressive. The lack of energy dynamics too also gives a sense that you really don't have any sort of story, you're just trying things and then giving up on them before they get to completion.

Production and Sound Design:
I was a little dissapointed with the sound quality of this song. It sounded overcompressed and crowded which made it tiring to listen to a couple of times through. Individually I like what you have. I like the percussion and they positively add to the feel of the song, and the synths you have going here I think fit with the sections that they're in. There's a couple here and there that sound dry or too flat, like you have some basic sytrus presets and cranked them up a bit, but the mixing as a whole doesn’t leave very good space to be able to pick out things very well.

Composition: 7
Production: 6.5
Sound Design: 8
Structure: 6.5
Creativity: 8.5
Total: 74/100

zybor responds:

That's the beauty of doing things differently :) The risk is big but who care, I'm not aiming to please people with fancy scale or notation, fuck all that, what I need them to do is to feel. Feeling is all I was looking for. And you exactly feel what this work supposed to feel like.

I'm happy that you gave my creativity score good, because it's a clear representation of what I have always done, never conform. :)

Thank you for judging and thank you for the review!

[A Dream]

Official NGADM '20 Review for EverErratic

Composition and Structure:
That intro is gripping. Without reading any of the description it instantly threw me into a different world, and all it took was 7 chords. I kept wanting to repeat the intro and really savor in how much, and you're use of 4/4 really gave it a largely different feel from your other works. Ugh the more details I notice the more I like this. Like what you're done a lot with a lot of your 3/4 and 6/8 works have generally had a swaying to them, something that gives the sense of dancing most times. Here you really get the feel of how heavy every beat is. Especially once the driving low strings start really playing in full force at 0:28, and it really drives home the emotions that would come across like what you have in your description. The 1:27 temporary key change into a major key felt kinda alien in the flow of the structure, but with the description I can see how it's a nice nod to happier times. Without knowing your intent with the song it might have made some more sense if you temporarily had the driving low strings stop for that moment until you brought the dark tones back in maybe since it feels like the person the song is being told through is of someone who temporarily ties to pick themselves up in vain and is quickly thrown back to the original state. I want to sit here for a good half hour just eating up what you're doing with the chord progression.

Production and Sound Design:
I'll admit one of my weaker judging points because I don't feel like I know what to look for in orchestral pieces still. I don't believe I'd be able to distinguish it from a live recording. The sounds are all very warm and rich, but the only thing that I probably don't like is maybe the harp is a little muddy in the end with the mix. Otherwise no complaints from me.

Conclusion:
This song hurts good

Composition: 10
Production: 9.5
Sound Design: 9.5
Structure: 8.5
Creativity: 9.5
Total: 94/100

Everratic responds:

Thank you for the review!

I'm glad you like appreciate the use of 4/4. I didn't think about it at the time, but I see how much of a difference it makes now.

The key change represents a change in the stream-of-consciousness narrative. The person reminiscences the happiest moments with their loved one and realizes they are in a better place. Then the sadness returns.

The harp was difficult to mix. I've seen professional orchestras up close, and the harp tends to be far off to the left and is barely audible. I tried to replicate that placement but with a higher volume because it's an important line. I made sure to control low-mid resonances and cut off a bit of the low end, but it could still sound better. Maybe reducing the stereo image could help.

Thanks for being a judge and writing many reviews :)

[Riot Ribs]

Lol you're so wrong about what we dislike

zybor responds:

Hehe, yeah it's more of a humorous personal reflection. Every contest I've failed for the past 15 years happen because I do things differently. :( But as soon as I make things generic, I'd have better chance making it than when I do things outside the box.

I've reached the point of cynical perspective on this, because I'd rather make things I love than doing things other like. lol it's basically the reason why I haven't gone mainstream despise I had so many chances in the past. Ah well, now I lost that chance cuz the pandemic. :(

Thanks for the review, I guess. Hope you have a great week.

[I'm a Simp For You by The Simpletons]

Brings a tear to my eye

VoicesByCorey responds:

Tears of love I’m assuming 😏

[MrSnuggles dress-up game]

Where's the new DLC?!

RealMrSnuggles responds:

Coming soon I promise

[mantle of blue]

Oh I didn't even notice that it was 7/4. It felt so natural with the composition. I'm really enjoying the piano work too.

Hope you'll be feeling better. I always appreciate seeing your traffic amd I out on Discord

Troisnyx responds:

Welp, you're in my server now so it might not be an in-or-out appearance 😅

Thank you for listening, and for your kindness. ❤️ I hope I feel better.