Everratic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Northpeaks Summit]

This is a VGM Challenge review.

Composition:
I'm blown away. How did you make a song this good with freeware? I almost always find something lacking in songs that are composed exclusively with freeware, but in this case, I have no gripes. You masterfully used what you had on hand.

The intro effectively takes me to the environment stated in the description. I sense the undercurrents of danger while simultaneously imaging the beautiful scenery. The climax is powerful without being overly dramatic.

The plucked instruments instantly establish medieval vibes, and the raw, earthly sound of the strings enhances this setting.

The one instrument I find a little confusing is the trumpet. It sounds like it belongs in a 19th century United States setting.

Production:
Everything sounds properly reverbed, as far as I can tell. You managed to avoid clashing frequencies and excess mud thanks to a solid composition. The mix sounds full when it needs to and the dynamic contrast is just right.

Utility:
I think this would fit nicely in a video game based on my prompt. My only suggestion would be to make it a bit more loopable - it doesn't have to be a deliberately seamless loop.

This is amazing work!

vermeen responds:

Hey Everratic! Thanks so much for the write-up and kind words. And looking back I agree with the trumpet sounding pretty out of place, hehe! At the time I probably must've wanted some kind of "main voice" to be featured on the track and I stuck with that instrument, oh well. Can totally hear the unintentional Civil War-ish vibe it gives. A thousand thanks again for making this event and prompt! I learned a lot about composition in the process of making this track.

[Cold Surge |NORTHPEAKS SPY an NVGMC SUBMISSION|]

This is a VGM Challenge review.

Composition:
The first section effectively established a cold, eerie atmosphere. It seems like the character is moving with stealth; the song's ominous vibes hint that his life could end at any moment. The introduction of the choir adds more tension and suggests a greater state of danger. At 3:08, it seems the character is realizing that he will get caught and begins panicking. He indeed gets caught. The climax is appropriately chaotic and effectively conveys a sense of great danger. I really like the rhythms and choices of percussion. I'm not so fond of the very ending as it's quite ambiguous, and not in a way that seems deliberate. The loud tubular bell feels arbitrary to me.

Production:
You created a fantastic atmosphere that I believe would lend itself well to an immersive video game experience. Some elements, such as the pluck synth at 2:52, stick out for being too dry. When I created this challenge, I assumed all the submissions would be primarily orchestral, especially considered the Skyrim influence, so I'm glad you took a different approach. I would have never imagined hearing a track like this one, but it works!

Utility:
I find it difficult to see how this song would be implemented in an actual video game. It effectively tells a story based on the events in this theoretical game, but as you know, video games are not movies. I can't imagine how this track would fit with a player experience that has many variables, and I can't think of many cut scenes that are this long. This is not a critique per se - I just felt that I should point it out given the nature of the event.

Thanks for participating, and keep up the nice work!

CryNN responds:

Thanks for the review! It was a fun experience

[Time Machine Adventure]

I love the sound design and expression of the leads. You masterfully changed the timbre and vibrato overtime and varied the articulations of the leads like a musician would with an instrument. Nice work!

johnfn responds:

Thank you! You know how much I love vibrato and pitch bend and articulation stuff!

[Barefoot in the Park]

The piano and guitar playing sound lovely. This is pretty relaxing to listen to.

Jumbs responds:

Yerrrr Everratic! Thank you so much dude, I'm happy to hear about the relaxing vibe :> I've been listening to Jobim for the past week to channel that feeling

[Hollow Dreams]

The piano and harp playing is lovely. I like the structure, and the climactic sections have a magical, mysterious vibe. I think the solo violin needs a lot of treatment, particularly dynamic EQ. Moving the composition down a few semitones could also help alleviate that harsh, piercing sound quality.

FateModified responds:

Thanks! That’s a great idea to automate the EQ. I think I’ve only ever tried that in a couple of my songs, and they were EDM type songs. I never thought to try that on “natural” instrument VSTs like the JBV for some reason. Thanks for the tips! :)

[Dread {pt.2}]

This is one of your best songs! It sounds really professional and makes me feel like I'm playing an intense turn-based battle in a rpg.

AceMantra responds:

Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it.

[Transforming Landscape]

The atmosphere you created is impressive and fits the theme perfectly. There's a lot of detail with regards to the sounds. This is the type of game music that can truly immerse one in the environment without standing out and drawing attention to itself. Higher quality instruments would be nice of course, but due to the nature of the song, the quality of your orchestral instruments isn't really an issue.

gnatmuse responds:

Thank you for the feedback! I took a lot of care in crafting this piece. I wanted it to be able to stand on its own as well as in a game. :)

[-Astro Fox-]

This is very catchy. I love the sound design. The transition at 2:17 is awesome.

Preds responds:

Thank you man!

[(OTG) Timberwood (Challenge WIP)]

I like the composition a lot so far! It’s so peaceful — I’m interested in how that might change.

The solo woodwind sounds very dry and raw compared to the strings, which are very wet. Maybe if the woodwind has mic positions, adding more of the hall sound can help. If it’s totally dry, then a good early reflections reverb instance can help.

Codefreq responds:

First, thank you so much for taking the time to review this. I’ll keep your feedback in mind when I do the main submission.

Second, due to the fact that this is not the final submission, coupled with me getting swamped with other things, I didn’t spend as much time mixing and writing as I could have or would have liked.

I’m looking forward to when I will be able to show you my final submission, rather than just WIPs. ;)

[offbrand space opera]

I love it! It's so warm and romantic.

trevor8 responds:

thank you!