JandreParis's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[How to Destroy Angels - A Drowning (Qvarcos Mix)]

Very interesting.

Probably the second or third ambient track I've reviewed thus far, and gotta say, this one is pretty good too. It's highly dynamic, ethereal, creepy and eerie. It gives me a bit of the shivers listening back to it, which means you've certainly accomplished your goal.

While the instrumentation is mostly percussive, it is quite complex. That phasing/flanging deal you've got going on really fits with the theme, as does the bitcrushed kick. I will say that the hi-hats are a bit too harsh on the highs there. Could be a little more dulled with EQ or just a decrease in level, probably by about -6 to -12 dB, where it's still audible but not as "in your face." Same goes for some of that filtering.

Pads are pretty sweet; they're soft and unobtrusive. The bell-like leads you have fit well for some nuanced complements. They linger just enough to add to the ambiance.

If you've ever seen an anime called "Trigun," or listened to the OST of it, look out for two tracks: 'Blue Summers' and 'Perfect Night'. They encompass the kind of atmosphere and themes you were trying to achieve here (and maybe they'll help you in the future!) Very gritty and industrial like.

I like, I like. A good job, sir!

-J.P.

[~Echo~ Eternity (WIP)]

Not bad, not bad.

Gave this a little over 24 hours to listen back and think over it.

I'll start with some cons:

- Piano reverb is a bit much on the highs. EQ on that could make that a little more tame without being tad too harsh. Otherwise, makes the track sound a little too washy. But, aesthetically, I know what you're going for. I think a side-verb for that would probably work better than a mid, in this case. You can get the same amount of atmosphere with less of the wash and muddiness.

- Snareclap is a little lacking, at least for my tastes. Needs more clap and a bit more of that mid-high meat to make it snappier.

- Patterns could use more transitional phrasing, where the kit is concerned. What I mean is that it'd help to keep the percussive interest by changing up the beat every four to eight bars. It'll sound less like one lengthy stream of consciousness and more of a morphing and progressive theme.

- Transitions from one phrase to the next could be smoother. Another swell here or there, especially from verse to breakdown, where the kit gives the indication that things have changed. You've got build-ups down pat.

Pros:

+ Ethereal and atmospheric. Very ambient.

+ Pretty good melodic and harmonic themes that support each other strongly and continuously change from moment to moment and section to section.

+ Arps are pretty nice. They flow well with the swells and the risers. Bassline is pretty creamy.

+ The kit is well constructed. Kick is fairly meaty and hits hard. Could use a little more sub for extra warmth though. Snareclap sounds fairly humanistic with the way it flams the clap.

+ Structure is sound. A little more variety in patterns nearing the end would help it progress even further, but as it stands, pretty good.

Overall, a great piece. Couple of nitpicky things here and there, but great. Good job!

-J.P.

aliaspharow responds:

Thank you so much JP! :D Tremendously useful feedback all around. I will most like follow the majority of your points because I agree with the majority of them. Also I uploaded an updated version that already addresses some of your points.

[Nightfall [Teaser]]

This isn't much? This? You need more confidence in yourself.

It took me just ten seconds for me to realize how fantastic this is.

There is so much emotion, so much push and pull, a metric popsicle ton of harmony and melody in these fifty seconds. It's beautiful, it's innocent -- there's so much vulnerability about it! As far as I'm concerned, it's nigh-flawless to my ears. I could have this on repeat for an hour. I'm not even joking about that.

I am unable to nitpick because there isn't much for me to nitpick about. It just... sound great.

The only thing that saddens me about it... is that it isn't finished and I am unable to experience what the final product will sound like.

Please. Get on that. I feverishly await it.

-J.P.

Troisnyx responds:

Thanks, meep! I hope to finish it soonish, so that when it comes out, I may share it with you.
(I'll admit I need more confidence in myself; I have next to none of it.)

[In Orbit]

Throwin' a review right back at cha ;)

Intro is extremely lengthy. For this case, especially since it's ambient, I enjoy it being a minute and twenty-some-odd seconds. It's enough time to get lost in the melodies and just relax.

Though, when put into perspective of the piece as a whole, it could definitely have been shorter and more consistent with it's presentation - and what I mean by this is that I hear that you're trying to establish your theme, but it kind of sounds like it's all over the place at times.

The only consistency is in your right hand play, but the left hand is kind of jumbling around on chords, both arpeggiated and non. There's a set couple that match, but then it kind of falls off at times (and I'm using these right/left hand markers to differentiate between the high and low octaves, just to make that clear).

After 1:30, the key-change is welcome, but the moments leading up to it didn't really help facilitate its change. The right hand went into it, but the left hand didn't join in for the follow-up. A build up would have better used at that point, if a follow-up didn't occur.

It's at this point that the piece really opens up, I like this section more than anything else around it. The only issue is that it doesn't expand upon its electronic-feel. A soft saw would have really widen the track; a couple other arped squares or triangles would have definitely been able to fill the space here. It also saddens me that the piano didn't really change up at this point. Variety would've taken this to the next level - changes in patterns, tones, textures, spacial and dynamic feel...

Overall:

It is very calming, but the only problem is how monotonous it is. The improvisation at the beginning was nice, but it needed consistency. In the next section, you went to a more patternized state, which gave it consistency, but where improv would have helped it breathe and become much livelier -- the section that I like oh so much!

It would seem as if two ideals are happening, but they aren't meshing too well. That aside, it's a chill piece. Just a little more glue here, some elbow grease there and you got yourself something sweet.

-J.P.

Greyhunter1 responds:

Hey thanks for the review man, very detailed feedback, probably the most detailed I've ever had so very useful!

[Melodic DnB/Drumstep]

The question is...

Do you really need Serum? 'Cause I can tell you right now, it's sounds pretty swell without it.

I'll agree with neB that the drums could use toning down. They are hella compressed and aren't breathing like they should - very much on the muddy side of things as well. Also agree that you've got the highs nailed, but the mids are lacking and the sub could be even warmer than it currently is.

Love the melody. The synth is great; just a little more thickness is all it needs. Otherwise, for a WIP, impressive. I eagerly await the finished product!

Cheers!

-J.P.

[Winter]

Pretty catchy.

Intro:

I like the accents on the hi-hats. The track starts fairly soon, and without much build-up or warning, besides a reverse cymbal. A harmonic line is established, but it wasn't enough time to get used to it. Some foreshadowing of your melody would have also made it a little more effective - fade-in, filter-in - an effect of some sort. At 00:40 and 1:05, the sudden stops confuse me. I'm thinking we're already at the breakdown by the first time it occurs.

The patterns you have playing 01:50 in would have been better placed after 00:50. It makes for better compositional coherence (meaning it would flow a little better rather than having two sudden stops nigh back to back). All 32 bars of that.

Breakdown:

Okay, so 02:24 in, some fairly creative orchestral pizzicato, which is then swapped out for some percussive variety. I like this section more than I do the intro because it seems the most interesting. Lasts a fairly long while (not that that's a bad thing, it's a nice change of pace).

Outro:

From that point on, essentially the same deal from the intro. Restates the main theme, which works.

After-thoughts:

It's not bad. I believe there could be some more melodic diversity in the intro. It could be a tad lengthier so that you can establish your themes better, as the ideas seem disjointed at times. Bassline could use a switch-up. The pattern that plays gets stale after the sixth time listening to it.

You've got most of what I'm talking about at that 2:25 mark, it just needs to extend everywhere else so that you can have the listener maintain more interest. Plus it'll make it more rounded.

As for synthesis and frequency spectrum, it's lacking some sub-bass warmth and high-end sizzle. You've got some percussion there to compensate, but it's not dynamic enough. It's especially noticeable during your breaks where there's not much going. I can feel and hear the emptiness between instruments. Perhaps a couple more nuances to fill the voids and some soft overall compression to give it more glue.

For that bass, a new timbre or tonal quality could be applied to make it stand out between sections, rather than just repeating the same tone. Same goes for the melodic line.

I believe that's all I had to comment on.

It's catchy, but the catchy-ness wears pretty thin after more than a couple listens (at least that's how I feel).

Keep on keepin' on!

-J.P.

TheSubfrost responds:

Amazing feedback! Very helpful and detailed. Thank you very much!

[[DnB] Tribal Heart - Sure]

Hm. Hmm.

I listened to this yesterday, thought I'd give it a review, but didn't come back to it until today, and having heard it again, I think I'm solidified in what I want to say.

I've heard many liquid tracks on this site, and as a producer of liquid myself, I've heard a variety from good to seemingly okay. There's ton of potential 'round these parts, and you're no exception.

Positives:
+ Great use of filter effects. Gives your synths some good variety and nigh naturalistic timbre.
+ First drop is pretty swell. The kit is well constructed.
+ Sound design is great. Sounds like a mesh between Harmless and Sakura (since the plucking and tone is fairly distinct).
+ Automation is quite well done. Tons of sweeps, risers, slight pitch shifts (especially that arp into pitch down 'round 3:15). Also sweet vibrato at 3:50 and 4:11.
+ 2:29 was a great change of pace. Good cutoff to indicate breakdown.
+ 3:30 has nice harmonic and melodic themes, totally different from what was heard at the beginning, though all the same related to your initial and well established theme.
+ Nuances are placed throughout to give it some harmonic variety, which is greatly appreciated.
+ Outro is just about what I expected it to be. Filter effect and fade out into digital silence.

Negatives:
- Kick and snare immediately suffer from the polarity of your hat when that comes into the next bar. A peak controller or some volume control (along with a polarity reversal) here would help so that they doesn't lose that vital "snap" and "thump" when it's introduced.
- Some EQ can be done with that sharp high note prior to your second breakdown. It's quite harsh. That's really the only stand-outish thing I can point out with that synth in particular.
- From First (technically still the 'Build-up') to Second Drop, the driving force is a little lacking -- mostly attributed to the drum kit. You can certainly have it fairly sparse from percussive activity to indicate different phrases, but without that content that comes from the high-end, it kind of boils down to a mundane speed. Especially with Drum & Bass that is usually at a high pace, it left me wanting more from it.
- Into your main theme, I notice that there's something missing...
What's missing is "fullness." You've got these great melodic themes that harmonize well with each other, but it doesn't sound as together as it can be. It needs more warmth, a little more sub, a little more mids, both high and low, to fill out the entire spectrum. This can usually be done with DSP (Dynamic Signal Processing) effects to make your track much wider than it currently is. Just some reverb, some delay here and there, soft compression and you'll be golden. It is a fairly "dry" affair ;). I do notice that some of your synths have them, but there could be 'slightly' more.

Suggestions:

A little more synth layering can be done to give you some more tonal quality and timbre to your sounds. Two or three more under your main line can give you some interesting results. This can give your track some more thickness.

Some slight EQ tweaks as most of your synthesis is based upon Saw waves, which can be fairly harsh as they are chocked full of harmonic overtones. A chorusing or flangeing effect can make it smoother (and it's a little easier on the ears!). This gives them their own space.

Overall:

A quality track. For "something new," it's well done. Some nit-picky things here and there, but a great job. Production quality is good and the composition is, also, quite quite good.

I'll be keeping my eye on you.

-J.P.

BlackACE321 responds:

Thanks a lot for your criticism, I really need it, even though I don't really understand some of your arguments, but that's because I have a different point of view, I just really like the way it is :)
Thanks for all your time, because it seems writing this down took some, really appreciate it ^^

Have a nice day