tailspun's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Ocean Tides]

VGMC, 8-Bit Wandering: "Ocean Tides" Review

I love the concept of this tune! You've integrated the back-and-forth motion of ocean waves into so many parts of your song. The interplay between the song's synth parts, for one, is an ever-present indicator of this theme - I adore how they bounce off of one another. I love the moment at 0:32 where two distinct synths are toying with each other, before they team up at 0:48 to create a swirling bubble-stream of chords. Additionally, some of the percussion you use sounds distinctly water-like - I noticed this particularly with the delay on the cymbals at 1:10.

There are two main gripes I have with this song: dynamics and harmony. The dynamics of this song are very steady; I can't identify a single moment that's definitively quieter or louder than another section. While steady dynamics aren't inherently a bad thing, I think that the concept you've based your piece around is one that correlates with dynamics quite a bit, and I wish you had integrated them into your song more. For example, having the synthesizer parts swell in volume and / or filter as they interact with each other would make for an even more ocean-y experience! As for harmony, I think that throughout this song, it's often quite difficult to grasp its chordal content. Maybe you could remedy this by having a pad swell in the background with the synthesizers' movement, possibly an octave higher than the chords you currently have written? You'd have to mess around with it.

Regardless of these qualms, I still think you managed to create an effective and overall lovely piece of music! There's a lot of cleverness in this song, and I think if you discover how to convey it in every aspect of your music, you'll be a great musician. Keep at it! :)

[Underwater Bitz [Pixel Day 2021]]

VGMC, 8-Bit Wandering: "Underwater Bitz" Review

I think the aspect of this track that stands out the most to me is its sound design. You note in the description that you've assigned a story to this song of sinking through the ocean into a different world, and I think that your success in conveying this is largely due to the sound design decisions you make throughout the tune, with some smaller contributions from composition and structure. While a few sounds you employ throughout this piece are questionable (particularly the dubstep drop at 4:38, which I think could use some more care), the majority of the sound design on this track does a great job of making the song sound underwater. Your use of reverb and delay shines through in particular (I adore 1:44, and the hollow sounding section at 4:02 before the ensuing drop), in addition to some of the shiny, resonant timbres you create, like the bass at 0:52, and the murky guitars (?) at 1:28. The progression of this track is wonderful, as well - the dark, sinister place we end up at 4:38 is miles away from the optimistic moment at 1:17. The downward motion of this track is incredibly palpable.

Unfortunately, there is one facet of this song that's stifling its true potential: the production. For one, the kick you use is way too loud throughout the song, with its gargantuan sub frequencies eating up the rest of the mix, interloping on the space that the mid and high-ranged frequencies should be allowed to flourish in. Compression seems to be a big problem throughout this track, as well: a lot of your bassier sounds are squished to unnecessary extents, some of your higher synths as well. The entire song itself is actually compressed farther than it needs to be - as you can see on the waveform, the full 7 minutes of audio all reside in a thin strip at the middle of the waveform, with plenty of room above and below the small threshold you've set.

Compressors are tricky to figure out when first approaching them - a lot of the changes they make to sound are almost unnoticeable to those who aren't familiar with them. They took me quite a while to figure out, and I'm still not really the best at using them on certain sounds. I think that with the ambitious scope of this song, though, once you figure out how to produce your songs better, you'll be able to make some really great stuff! I implore you to keep at it. :)

Teckmo-X responds:

Honestly this is a lot to process. I like the review really brings light. Sorry this is so well reviewed I'm speechless. I did for a fact though make the bassline deep on purpose. For me whenever my basslines are deep and hit hard I feel that feeling of accomplishment. I've used compressors in the past and I like them for certain projects but instead I prefer to process everything using the EQ plugins. I have realized how much easier in my opinion it is to process everything. I'm still working on it. I'm slowly working my way up in sound design. Thank you!

[Holding on dearly]

VGMC, 8-Bit Wandering: "Holding on dearly" Review

Incredibly groovy song! It definitely matches the story you've set it to. I think you've created a very well-rounded tune; there are things to love about every facet of this song. While the song isn't too ambitious in its composition, the melodies you employ throughout the piece are memorable and catchy, and the chords they rest upon always complement them wonderfully. The sounds you choose throughout this piece are so full of detail: the breaks you chop up have so much texture to them, the synths each have their own distinct tonality (I particularly appreciate the fill they feature in at 1:26), and the alternate percussion, like the 808s at 0:52 and the clockwind-y sound at 1:10 keep the song fresh. The production of this is also stellar, the only gripe I have is with 1:28's main snare being a bit over-compressed.

I think my main issue with this song is that it isn't doesn't adhere to the theme of the contest nearly as much as most of the other entries. The only retro elements I can pinpoint are it being synthwave, and maybe the filtering of the synth at the very end? While I can appreciate the retro-ness of synthwave itself, it hasn't really played a noticeable role in video games' history, with its most noticeable inclusions in games cropping up within the 20th century. This is the main thing I'm docking points for - I think the song itself is really great outside of the context of this contest.

Despite its shortcomings in theme, I still really adore this entry! There are very few flaws I can gather from it. Keep it up! :)

Cebster responds:

Wow thank you so much! I really appreciate it. This contest has been a wonderful experience and I’m awestruck by the amount of great reviews/criticism that so many highly skilled music producers have left me.

With your criticism, I couldn’t agree more. For a while there I became a bit audio blind to the art, near completion I looked back only to realize that I had pretty much missed the mark. So I pretty much knew that would be my biggest short coming. Thank you for the great review. <3

[Further Suns Inc. [VGM]]

VGMC, 8-Bit Wandering: "Further Suns Inc." Review

There are two things about this piece that really stood out to me: its evolution and its atmosphere. Starting with evolution, you managed to make an intriguing and detailed song consistent throughout its almost 4 minute span. This is largely due to the song's fluctuating dynamics, which you kindled by fading in and out its many moving parts at satisfying intervals. While the song's emotional highs aren't astronomical, I think the mellow nature of the song suits it well, and you operate well under the low dynamic ceiling you set for yourself. The atmosphere of your entry works hand in hand with its dynamics, the delay and reverb helping the song feel open and enveloping, and the bitcrushed timbre of everything curating a unique, Disasterpeace-ish world for the song to exist in. I'm impressed by how different every synth sounds, while working under the umbrella of bitcrush; you've utilized volume envelopes and whatever bitcrush plugin you used masterfully.

I guess if I had to critique something, it would be the production. While your track is produced better than most entries to my theme, there are still a few problems I'm able to hear with compression and balance. A lot of the low frequencies throughout this tune tend to bleed together in a subtle but dissonant way, probably due to the reverb you put on the sub. I also don't think the drums at 2:22 hit hard enough; I would love to hear a sharper transient on everything here, and more of the snare's fundamental. I also think the synth at 2:07 is way too high passed.

Aside from that, though, I really loved your entry! Definitely one of my favorites. Keep it up! :)

[Twilight Jungle]

VGMC, 8-Bit Wandering: "Twilight Jungle" Review

Reading the description of your song, the care you put into the story and concept of your entry is apparent. The steady pace of the song makes me feel as if I'm trodding through a cramped, humid jungle, keeping an eye out for the dangers this environment all too readily offers. I love the details you add to the song to keep it interesting - like the strings at 1:03 swelling in and out throughout the song, or the panning of the piano at 0:59 - it almost feels like you're keeping the listener on their toes. Additionally, the groove throughout this song, while its playfulness doesn't quite match the menace of the story you wrote, is filled with a moderate but persistent energy.

While I appreciate the groove of the song, I feel as if it's a bit too present in the song throughout its span. In other words, I think the song doesn't evolve enough, or should have some sections with lesser dynamics. For example, there's only one distinct section of the song where the drums drop out completely (which can be heard at 0:49), and it only runs for ~5 seconds. While this normally wouldn't be an issue for video game music, with songs often serving up only one or two distinct vibes, I feel like the story you wrote is a lot more dynamic than that, which makes the song's steadiness feel unambitious and a bit stagnant.

Overall, though, I think you've made a really solid piece! I like the approach you took to the retro nature of my theme - most people just used 8-bit sounds or bitcrushed synths to get their song to adhere. Nice work, keep at it! :)

OliRO responds:

Thank you so much for the detailed review! This means a lot to me. Everytime I get constructive feedback on my work I see this as a step forward. I agree with you, the description is way more intricate than the song itself. I kind of went overboard with the storyline compared to the effort I to put into the song. For the happy groove, I've got this observation from other people as well. I wanted to go with a Jurassic Park (Snes) kind of sound, but I understand that I could've worked it a bit more to fit the anxiousness of the song.

Thank you Stardew! :)

[Dream Zone [Final Sector]]

VGMC, 8-Bit Wandering: "Dream Zone [Final Sector]" Review

You mention in the description of this song that you had a lot of fun making it, and listening to the song, I can definitely tell! The sounds from 0:00 to ~2:00 are surreal and menacing; I really love how you intersperse the more obvious 8-bit sounds with the crunchier, machine-like glitches. While this section is somewhat unpredictable, a pattern will crop up occasionally (e.g. the repetition at 1:08), which makes it super intriguing to listen to.

The song dips a bit around 2:19. I love all the sounds you use here, and the groove is nice, but the melodies, chord progression, and overall feel of this section are kind of underwhelming to me. It's not the concept itself I dislike - I definitely believe there's a way to pull off the "waking up from a nightmare" story of this song - but I think this piece could benefit from a more thorough transition between its two distinct sections, to solidify the fact that we're out of the nightmare and into a happier place. I almost imagine the first part fading to near silence, before the happier riff starts fading in, like in Linda Perhacs' song "Parallelograms" around 3:30. I also think the interactions between the melody and countermelody of this section could use some looking at: they tend to clash a lot, with each other and the chord they're supposed to be resting on, fostering tension in a section that I think is meant to be free of it.

There are definitely some things I love about the second section, though! I adore the drums that come in at 3:36, for example, and the hi-hat pattering away above everything else helps keep the energy of the section steadfast and light. I think if you put some time into ironing out the details I mentioned earlier, it would make for a really great song! Keep at it. :)

9VoltBaby responds:

Thank you so much for all this feedback!!
I've taken note of everything and i'll be sure to try and improve to make an even better song next time!
Thank you again for listening to my track!

[Late Nights]

great stuff! love how the opening riff washes over everything :)

[Nadir]

i have already told you how much i love this on various platforms so here are some stars i guess

Onefin responds:

omg star like your name haha i get ur joke

[Jiving Jolly]

congrats on the frontpage! loved your entry to the secret santa :D