Everratic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Broken Dream]

This is one of the most moving compositions I heard in a long time. 1:36 brings tears to my eyes. I sense so much emotion in every note and chord. It feels like you shared a very vulnerable part of yourself.

HollandAlbright responds:

Thank you, that means a lot- this one was expressing some heavy feelings when I was going through a rough time.

[FD - Save Point 17]

I love your ambient tracks! This one reminds me of that feeling of awe I had my first time exploring the world of Skyrim.

ForgottenDawn responds:

Thank you for your kind words. It means a lot to me right now. 🙏

[Gravissimo]

The use of the low register is brilliant. The sustain and reverb create a gorgeous rich dissonance, and you give it plenty of time to flourish with breaks in the playing. It’s like the pad of dissonance is its own instrument responding to the piano phrases.

I’m also an avid news watcher and find a lot of world events disturbing. This composition captures that well.

Solacitude responds:

I went for these soft dissonant repeated notes exactly to "materialize" a drone pad, or literally drones. I'm really glad you noticed and appreciated it! It represents an underlying source of anxiety that sticks even in the calm moments. Descending chaotic melody representing despair, dismay, chaos. Then the heavy notes accompanying it are the traumatic events, the detonations, the sudden losses. The resonance during the long silences inspire me all of those who left Earth too soon, screaming in a muffed, silenced but perceptible voice "stop the insanity!".

I was not sure how this quite chaotic and dissonant improvisation would be received since it's unusual, not rhythmic or melodic. Being appreciated by a skilled and talented composer is always a balm to the heart.

Thank you very much for your review!

[Hbomberhombre Battlefielf]

It makes me wanna play SM64 again!

[Just Another Crime]

It sounds like a track that would play during a shocking revelation in a 90s JRPG.

Tangerine responds:

Thank you!

[Tangerine / 34 / A100]

I'm surprised by how entertaining this is :D

Tangerine responds:

A lovely 2 hours of two crackheads giggling under a bridge xd

[this is not very good]

This is indeed very good. With music of this quality, you're definitely up to the task of competing.

[Event Horizon]

This is an NGADM audition review by request.

I like the guitar riff in the intro as well as the guitar solos later on. I think the composition peaks from 1:50 to 2:12, where there's a sense of congruence between all the lines and each instrument has some breathing room. The ending with the sub bass wave is well-executed

I think the track lacks a memorable melody or theme that gives it an identity, and consequently, the melodic lines often feel like disjointed improvisations around an unchanging chord progression. Additionally, there are sometimes too many competing lines.

Regarding production, there aren't major flaws, but it lacks refinement:
- Some instruments are masking each other, which can be partially addressed with EQ but also depends on the arrangement
- Some synths and guitars sound a bit harsh, likely in the 2-4khz area
- The percussion feels weak and could be more prominent. It's not just a matter of volume, there has to be space in the mix for their fundamentals.
- I don't sense much thought behind the use of reverb. I think you can create a more spatially dynamic mix and interesting atmosphere by using reverb more intentionally, but this only works if there is space in the mix.

I think some issues in both composition and production can potentially be addressed by thinking more about what you want to compose before you begin. What type of atmosphere and setting do you want? Do you want to tell a story or create a certain type of experience? What emotions do you want listeners to feel? If you get specific enough, but not too specific, it can help guide your decisions throughout the music-making process. It also helps to have reference tracks and to have a habit of deeply analyzing music by other producers (not just listening for pleasure).

You can clearly write interesting music. With consistent practice and studying, I'm sure you'll do much better in future competitions!

Sakita responds:

thanks, i really appreciate it, going to work in those aspects on the future

[Missing Mini Mushrooms! - AIM]

Congratulations! This is so cute and catchy.

Irish-Soul responds:

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU TOO! <3333

[AIM2024 - To the Skies]

Congratulations! This is an awesome energetic track :D