Animith's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Rastafari]

Review Request Club

You set up a really nice feel right from the start. While it's definitely a drum and bass song, you do have this sort of laid back feel to it, as if it was just a Rasta guy walking down a street and this was the song accompanying him.

It's got some really nice melodies which develop pretty nicely through the track; you keep adding in these new synths or new ideas, and it really helps keep the variety up. The transitions in particular were probably the best part about this track, because there was not a single one which didn't work really well with itself.

While there are a lot of transitions (Perhaps even too many? Or maybe it's just because my DnB experience is from NG and I'm used to only hearing 0 transitions in a track xD), I think the main melody could have done with a change at some point. Given the length of the song, I think you probably could have had a transition into an entirely new idea at one point, or maybe a really nice buildup. It's obvious from this track that you've got a lot of skill in what you do, and so you have a lot of scope insofar as pushing the boat out in changes and melodies.

Really nice track, in all, and coming from a person who doesn't really like DnB. Definitely keep it up, I look forward to seeing more stuff from you requested in the club.

-Review Request Club

Skela responds:

Thanks for the review!

[Initiate]

Review Request Club

The opening pads are a little weird, and drown out the /very quiet/ bell sound. it's weird that they cut out like they do at 0:15, but not overly so. I like how the second synth comes out of the texture, and definitely has a really nice depth to it, and the automations it has are pretty nice. However, I did find myself turning the volume down because you built it up more by volume than anything else.

...really couldn't get on board with the spoken vocals. They sometimes work well, but I think here they're more of a distraction from the rest of the track, which sounds incredibly cool. To the point where I'm almost relieved at 2:11 when they come out again.

The glitches are a nice touch, though I think overdone at 2:10-2:30ish. Glitch the melody, fine, but I think glitching everything is a little much. But the section after it is really nice and has a lot of depth to it...perhaps lacking a nice prominent bass line, but atmospheric nonetheless.

The cut-out at 4:00 was nice, but I think it would have been better if it transitioned into something slightly newer, as some of the melodies were now several minutes old. You've definitely got a lot of good elements in this song, but I think each section is slightly longer than it should be, and so by the 5th minute is has a definite drag to it, especially because it doesn't seem to move much between there and the end.

I think definitely this could use a condensing. You've got a LOT of good ideas in here, but I think they're wasted on a song this long. Cut down the sizing and mix the elements together a little more, make the sections shorter...and I think you'd have a pretty epic track. Definitely take a second thought about the spoken vocals, because I think they do more harm than good. Overall, this is a stellar effort, but I think would be better suited to a shorter track.

-Review Request Club

DJ-Chilvan responds:

Thanks for the review! Yea, I feel the same way you do about the vocals and the pad getting quiet at :15. The bells, are actually part of the pad vsti, so the only way I can bring them out is by EQing, but if they come out too much, it will kind of mess up the overall mood.
I'm going to make a more curtailed version of this song, and will release it before the end of May. It will be between 3-4 minutes long, and won't have vocals or any glitching at all. Just a track for mood.

[In Luv With U {^}-{Alix1}-{^}]

Review Request Club

The piano at the start sounds quite artificial, could definitely use some more reverb to it. It's got an alright melody, but some of the notes do seem a little off
0:14-Whatever that sound effect is, it really doesn't work at all for me, especially when it's being used behind a piano and with the frequency it's being used in. If you're going to use it, I think it needs some manipulation, even just turning it down the octave would have helped a lot. Definitely at 0:26-0:28 it was really excessive.

The transition at 0:28 is nice, but the synths here need a lot of work, they just don't really work well together, the drum's not really doing anything but cutting through everything with the bass, the 0:14 sound effect is still cutting through everything,
The melody synth, while having a nice sound, is still playing the same thing it was at the beginning and could definitely use a different melody and more harmony. The piano sounds like it might be playing something different in parts, but I really can't tell past the harsher synths.
I like the concept you have at 1:27 with the different parts coming in and out, but the synths you use totally wreck the idea. I'll stop labouring the point, but...yeah, in general I think the synths wreck this track for you.

The transitions in general are alright, but anti-climactic. At 'another level', it didn't really go anywhere at all, and you had the scope to change it up a lot. I think there's a few good things in here, but the synths need revamped. There's a few good points, like the start and end, and some of the ideas you had...but they were a little lost in the exection. Has promise, but needs a lot of work.

-Review Request Club

alix1 responds:

i know i have a lot of work to do on all my tracks. Someday soon I plan on fixing every one of them that I still have the project files for.

[Stargenx - Spring Fling]

Review Request Club

This has a really nice, upbeat start to it from the get-go. The transition into the thicker tectures was nice, but I think the part at 0:28...with what sounds like a wind instrument...could have used something else. Even just that new instrument turned up a bit, because it had a nice sound to it, but more than that, the fact if's sandwiched by two pretty thick textures and is pretty sparse itself.

No real complaint for the next minute or so, the song's pretty much just riding by itself, there's a nice set of textures and depth to it, the drums got a nice beat to it, there's a nice harmonic change at around 1:10 which is really nicely done...one thin it's maybe lacking is a more prominent bass line, but that's not that big an issue.

By 1:38 I think the main melody was perhaps getting a little repetitive, but then again it's a pretty short track. I think if you have time to come back to this and make it longer, you could definitely throw a little more variety there in terms of transitions and synths. As it is though, it's a nice bright and happy track...with a melody that's now completely stuck in my head. Nicely done, overall

-Review Request Club

Stargenx responds:

Thanks for the review! I'm sorry it's stuck in your head :(
I just got my new speakers so I could mix this a bit more.

[[herd] Snowy Morning]

Review Request Club

Aha, it's funny, as soon as the song started I kinda thought of winter. It sort of reminded me of the music the game Pikmin had at the start of it, in the winter atmosphere of the planet.

The sounds are pretty cool, but the one at 0:25 I really didn't like all that much; the one that takes over its melody at 0:42 feels like it fits a lot more. You had a nice set of instruments (though some of them sounded a little too preset), and some felt like they had a few automations to them and/or you were changing them pretty frequently, which worked well. The melodies were fine, if a little overused across the three minutes, I definitely think you could have used a few more melodies or countermelodies in this,

The transitions generally work well, though I think the buildup at 1:52-2:13 needs something else in it, because it feels very empty with just the drum and the distant bell sound; maybe a pad sound or sweep or something. just to thicken it out a bit more.

In general, it's an okay track. Needs a bit more work on the sounds and levels to improve it, but it definitely shows promise, so keep it up.

-Review Request Club

Herdunculus responds:

Yes, I was kind of hesitant with that build up at 1:52. And your right, i think I should work on more variety in my songs like in melodies. Appreciate the review man. Thanks.

[Gravitational Pull]

Review Request Club

Nice set of meodies; a little erratic at points, but they have a nice character to them. The lead synth especially was probably a highlight of the piece. One of your problems was perhaps that you didn't have enough synths to carry through the whole track; one pretty easy way to keep variety up is to change up the synths, or just have a few more ambient synths or pads to give an extra dimension to the track. But to have a melody that isn't repetitive on your first go is VERY important, because I think getting structure right is a lot easier to get than getting a melody right, so major kudos for that. Could have done with a few more melodies by the end of the track, but the initial melody did work well.

On structure...the transitions are a little unorthodox. Don't underestimate the power of a simple structure, because it's the foundations of the track that'll predict how well the track will go. Simple structure doesn't mean simple songs, you can have some really awesome melodies and transitions with the most generic structure, but you need that structure worked out to give the track more of a cohesion to it.

It could have done with being a little shorter, as the variety was somewhat lacking. A way to counter this is either by adding in a few countermelodies, or playing with the different transitions a little more; have an ambient section, have a buildup and climax, make the track go somewhere before it loops out again. It needs work, but there's a lot of promise here. Keep it up and you'll improve fast.

-Review Request Club

yours31f responds:

I appreciate it. I have started introducing more structure in my newer songs.

[WIP - echobass]

Review Request Club

I like the intro, you give a nice amount of depth right at the start, though I wish that sound had a little more to it, jsut to give an even thicker texture, as, at least for the first 40 seconds or so, it's carrying the main brunt of the melodic idea and its a little too distant to be doing that.

I like the drum beat and bass you have, though some parts of the drum could have done with being a little louder in places, and maybe even some lighter percussion on top of the drum beat to thicken it out more.

The choir sound was introduced really nicely,but again by the second minute I think they could have done with being a little louder, so they served as both the ambience and the main melody a little more. I think the break section with just the bass and drum around the 2:20 mark was DEFINITELY lacking something in the higher frequencies, even just a quiet pad sound to thicken the texture out a bit more, because you had this lush texture either side of it and then suddenly just the drum and bass.

You had some really nice melodies and sounds, but I think there wasn't enough of them-or enough manipulation of them-to justify the four minutes. I think you could probably do with, as it is, condensing it down by a minute or so to just avoid the repetitiveness you could get. Or just add in a few more melodic synths here and there to keep up the variety. It works really well as a track, but I think it's missing a fwe synths or a few transitions for it to be this long.

-Review Request Club

EoD696 responds:

Thanks for the review, and the score :) I think the drums continuity could be improved alot if I had better mastering tools. Not to worry, I have another computer I'll be finishing this up on (all the same softwares, just much improved hardware) and it should help with that.

The transition at 2:20 was meant to be pretty harsh, maybe I made it a bit too harsh. It's because during that breakdown I switch to the other part with a different set of progressions. I couldn't really figure a way to get the two to go together. Thats why I think structure will help, with more parts and more progressions, I'll have stuff to add in before, add to, and add in after that harsh breakdown to make it a bit smoother. Hopefully with my new hardware I can add in enough stuff and rearrange things to fulfill the full potential of the song, and I'm really glad you like it so far :) Thanks again.

[A Less Creative Title...]

Review Request Club

I was in two minds about the opening synth, but it might just be beacuse I'm not a House kinda person xD I thought the melody it was playing was pretty memorable, which is what you want, but thought the last three or four notes of it sounded a little weird.

The transition at 0:14 did sound quite awkward, you definitely could have done with something underneath the hi-hat just to carry that through a little more. But what it changed into sounded pretty cool, you had a pretty nice depth to it and the drum was playing a nice beat. But the SECOND the pitch-bend synth came in I really didn't like it xD It was just far too in the foreground and was cutting through everything.

Loved the transition at 0:44; the fact you keep changing it up and adding new synths is really good, you keep the beat but it doesn't get repetitive, which is definitely a good bullet to dodge. But....gah, I really have no love lost for the pitchbent synth. The sound of it is just very hard to get around if you want something else to listen to, which is annoying because it worked with the synth beneath it really nicely.

The transition at 1:46 was a little abrupt, but again went into something pretty cool. I definitely loved the glitches you put on the pitchbent synth, it made it a lot easier to listen to, and a lot easier to hear what was beneath it. That section was probably my favourite in the track, just because everything kinda fell together. It was a little messy at times when all the melodies played at the same time, but not overly so.

In general, this is a pretty cool track, but it does need work done to it. The pitchbent synth...I don't need to mention again xD. It lacks a cohesive climax to it, everything is kind of at the same level after the introduction and you could have done with a quieter section in the middle leading up into something huge to finish with. You've got some really good melodies and ideas, and they and the sound quality redeem the synth choices and drum beat.

-Review Request Club

BudGPStudios responds:

Thanks for the review. My real goal behind this song was to take my friend Kweaks's song and remix it house style. I'm not the best at house music, and my friend had a long song with many different melodies i had to try and fit into a 4 min song. Well i'll take your suggestions and try to work on this song some more, I do kinda feel that it wasn't the best i could have it either... I just didn't know what else it needed.

[Passive Ignorance]

Review Request Club

Sound quality leaves a little to be desired, but it's not overly detrimental. Like Fro, I kinda expected this to be heavier than it was based on the introduction, but it's fine as it is. You've got some nice-sounding riffs, but I think the mixing did let you down because the guitars do sound a little muddy together, and there's some transitions, like one near the start where you went from one guitar to a pretty fast drum beat and guitars which could have had a smoother transition than it did.

What's being played is nice, but it's lacking a really solid breakdown or a more coherent verse-chorus structure. Or even just a few more drum fills here and there to keep the beat up a little more. If it was possible, I'd say try and find a vocalist for this, because it's the kind of song that would really suit some lyrics and a decent singer to record them, just to emphasise that feel a little more.

Nice track, overall. Could do with a remix, and maybe a rerecord of some of the guitar parts just to make them a little more discernable from eachother, but in general it's pretty cool. Side note; the RRC doesn't get enough rock or metal tracks, at all. Feel more than free to request reviews on more of yours, if you have them? ;D

-Review Request Club

Sawdust responds:

Yeah, I could actually just tweak the effects I put on the guitars parts, probably get one to be really sharp, and the other to be bassy? And also do more EQing on it. Yeah. Probably a drum breakdown too.

About the vocals, well, I could probably write the sheet music down for all parts, then when I finally have a band, this will be one of our songs :D

Also yeah, I'll do more requesting then, I have plenty of rock songs in my pile of submissions. Thanks!

[EuroTechnic Vibes (Mans0n)]

Review Request Club

Nice intro. I'm in two minds about the kind of...rain sound? I don't know how to describe it. It felt like in the first 15 seconds there was perhaps something missing to fill the gap between the synth and whatever that sound...was.

But that's retty uch forgotten by 0:16; you've got a really nice depth and warmth of the pads going on, the drum beats prominent, but not overly so. By 0:44 I was sort of expecting something to change just to give it a little more variety, and I thought I heard a subtle difference between that and the repetition before it, but I think you could have varied it even more than you did, though perhaps that's too much to ask for a 90-second track.

The transition at 1:00 was nice, I like the rhythmic aspect you gave to the higher sound and then way it shifted in pitch all the way down at the end, that was very effective.

In general, I think this could probably do with being longer, just because then you have more room to play around and give it a bit more variation. The melody did change slightly midway through, but I think as a whole the piece didn't really travel much distance between 0:16 and the end. The levels are perfect, you've got some really nice automations and a good sound going, but I think you probably could have done more. But then again maybe that's just because I've heard a fair bit by you now and my standards have gotten higher, so I'm not going to wreck your perfect score for it. xD Keep up the good work, nonetheless. Would be interested to see a longer version of this at some point, perhaps.

-Review Request Club

Mans0n responds:

Your reviews are always so helpful! thanks for the advice, and I will be working on a longer version shortly!