Everratic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[A Minor Odyssey]

The melodies, accompaniment and drums are fantastic. The drum grooves align well to the melody, and the fills smoothly transition to the next section. The automation on the leads add a lot of character and make for good ear candy. I appreciate the understated feel of the piece, which makes for a smooth listen.

The track feels on the quiet side despite the high peaks in the waveform. Some subtle compression can reduce the peaks of the drums and allow you to bring up the volume a bit. The mix is pretty good, and part of that is thanks to a solid arrangement. I think there is room to add some personal flair to the mix though, as it feels a little vanilla. Maybe you can experiment with interesting reverbs, saturation, etc.

ChrisisD responds:

Thanks for your review and taking the time to listen! As for your comments, you’re absolutely right. I haven’t had the time to reach the mastering-stage for this track. It definitely needs some compression and could do with some effects as you mentioned.

[Galactic Odyssey - NGADM]

You have a remarkable talent for conjuring specific moods to a great degree through your choice of instruments, melody, and harmony. I love the jubilant motif and melodic variations. The theremin was a brilliant addition that adds a unique flavor to the piece. The entire track is a delight to listen to.

I feel the track is more-so depicting snapshots from an adventure than an actual adventure, and that is perfectly fine and viable. If the goal is to have a more moving experience, I think that would require a more mature and contrasting compositional approach with a series of modulations, greater differences in texture, timbres, and dynamics, and a more melodic-focused arrangement.

There are some pacing issues. It takes around three minutes to reach the first significant shift in mood, and then the track evolves dramatically over a short period. I also feel that the first “mood” wanted to build into a climax, but it didn’t materialize and ultimately reset a few times.
At 3:32, there’s a nice change in tone and atmosphere. I like the atonal and creepy articulations. Perhaps 3:55 is a little soon to bring back a brilliant timbre with the flute? I think you could have stayed in this area longer. The transition at 4:14 back to the main theme also feels rushed.

The final section is an exciting and lively development. There’s a lot going on with the percussion, counter lines and accents, and it creates an engaging atmosphere. However, it feels like it’s supposed to be climactic, but it doesn’t hit the mark for me. It feels similar to the first three minutes but with an added drum kit and a little more chaos. The arrangement and composition doesn’t seem written in a way that expresses a peak or finality.

Some minor comments
- More bassy instruments can add weight to the most important sections and improve the tonal balance.
- The mix feels overly bright, and the piccolo is piercing.
- The snare feels a little too loud

I know there’s a lot of feedback here, but I did thoroughly enjoy the track, and the motif got stuck in my head. I look forward to hearing more of your compositions!

[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