TheVodouQueen's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[FF5 x FF9 ~ Planet Cleyravan (Cursed Earth, Freya's Theme)]

♥ Ya'll are on a roll this week...

Keep it up! :D

pixelseph responds:

Since we’re up against Zack this round, we had to come prepared. Gonna be a nail-biter on the vote!

[FF4 x FF7 ~ Psycho Giant (Within the Giant, Crazy Motorcycle Chase)]

♥ A fuckin' banger... It was an honor to go head-to-head, toe-to-toe with you guys! :D :3 Was a tough battle indeed, but so worth it...

Keep me on my toes, 'aight? ;)

pixelseph responds:

You are a worthy combatant and don’t ever forget it! There’s a collab in our future, I’m sure 😄

[FD - Where Did the Time Go]

** A NGAIC REVIEW **

o/ :)

COMPLIMENTS:

- Man, IDK if I am being stalked by an SCP, got warped inside the dreaded Backrooms, or am trippin' on some illicit 'shrooms given to me by Slenderman, but this has very creepy Vaporwave / Lo-Fi trappings to it befitting an Analog Horror video. :D

- Love the eerie ambience. ♥ Reminds me of some stuff by M.O.O.N. and songs from the Hotline Miami 1 & 2 OSTs. Half-expecting to start wearing an animal mask and get told by a weird pizza guy on the phone to go shoot up some Russian mobsters holed up in an abandoned warehouse somewhere...

- Love the story that goes along with this too! (Yes, I read it all. ;) )

CRITIQUE:

- Although I did not get bored listening to this (on repeat), I did wonder how much more this could've expanded with a bit of dynamic play with your sounds used. Nothing too crazy, just like very subtle changes in volume--for example--or, pitch shifts. Even like a quick 'dip' in semitones and some ping-ponged panning. At the moment it's pretty static, and if that was the vibe you were going for, you've done it to a fantastic effect. These are more-so just things I thought of as I was listening to it. . . .

This is wacky, but in a good way. :) I very much enjoyed it, as I'm wont to do with weirder, more atypical songs now and then!

Good luck with the remaining layers! :3 I look forward to hearing more from you!

ForgottenDawn responds:

Cheers! Thanks for your feedback :)

[Débonnaire Inc.]

** A NGAIC REVIEW **

o/ :)

COMPLIMENTS:

- Love the arpeggios (and the trumpet sounds!); this song edges the line between Jazzstep and Electro-Swing, and the odd buzzing brass with the Lounge-feel woodwinds and DnB works very well together!

- Reminds me of something Duke Ellington would do if he was still around... :)

- Got that SkullGirls / Cuphead vibe... Half-expecting Big Band to come outta nowhere and kick all our asses while this plays! xD

CRITIQUE:

- It was hard to hear some of the Upright Bass working in the background. Could've maybe turned up the volume on that a little bit, so that it pokes out of the mix a bit more (currently, it's even hard to hear it during the softer moments of the song when it's just the drums and winds workin' the vibe.)

- I've really got no other complaints. This song is mixed very well, and there's subtle, natural dynamics going on throughout--enough where you never feel tired of listening to it or it's repetitive. :D I don't know if you humanized your realistic instrument synths, but from the sounds of it, you have done. So props for that as well!

Good luck with the remaining layers! :3 I look forward to hearing more from you!

Daru925 responds:

Thanks for -once again- taking the time to write a very detailled review^^
Really appreciated and glad you liked the music :)

You're right about double bass, it could be more upfront, i think i need to hear more songs featuring it to get a good idea of its natural power.
Cowboy beebop ost seems like a good start^^

See you next layer o/ I think we're gonna start seeing really weird genres pop out^^

[Particulate Matter]

** A NGAIC REVIEW **

o/ :)

COMPLIMENTS:

- This feels...odd...to listen to. It hits me like I'm hearing pure dread and anxiety. I am unsure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it reminds me of a short documentary / commentary I saw with composers talking about how they create horror sounds, stings, and full compositions. It is MEANT to be uncomfortable, by the read of your Wiki excerpt on particle matter. You're supposed to be scared. You're supposed to be unable to think clearly. It's audible fear. @LD-W would be proud. ;)

- This feels like something meant for a suspense sci-fi score. Love it. ♥

- The humming strings are also brilliant with the droning noise. They almost flow on the same frequency and kinda blend and meld around each other, and start to sound like the same thing. It is intriguing to hear and experience, and I am glad I took the shot to listen to this, despite not being a huge fan of "drone songs".

CRITIQUE:

- I think a bit of sine or square wave manipulation, or pitch bending, would've been in order...just to ratchet that tension some more.

- Also half-expected to hear some panning play, either by filtering plugin or phasing plugin. Wish it was so. ♥

- Perhaps it is just me, but I think the 4 mins was a bit too long for this. IMO, I think you could have achieved the same effect and possibly even more impact if it was literally cut in half, introducing the small variations you have that I can hear within the droning (what sounds like an electric static FX and choral humming / chanting) earlier in the runtime....

Otherwise? For such a genre, this was extremely effective, mesmerizing, and--dare I say--creepy to listen to. I think I mentally checked-out a few times in hearing this, so had to listen to it a couple times just to absorb the whole of what you have made, and it was worth it. :)

Good luck with the remaining layers! :3 I look forward to hearing more from you!

nyxl responds:

Thanks for your detailed review, I agree with all of your points, gave me some great ideas for the future! :)

[To Destroy The Altar NGAIC Layer 4]

** A NGAIC REVIEW **

o/ :)

COMPLIMENTS:

- Oooo... This is throwing me back to hearing early-age Metallica, Killswitch Engage or Trivium-vibes! I am not as much of a fan of true Grunge/Thrash Metal, with or without the very growled singing, however I can appreciate the drive, passion and effort put into it!

- This defo is a solid effort on the genre, and everything sounds so crisp. The lead and bass guitars are going ham. Love it. ♥

- ...I got so invested in listening to this, I wish there were lyrics to go with it, so I could headbang/mosh like fuck properly. ;)

CRITIQUE:

I am by no means a professional or know what I am saying when it comes to the intricacies of making and mixing Heavy Metal. I listen to it, A LOT, so that's all I've got to go by--so please take these points with a grain of salt;

- Maybe it was just me, but the drums seemed a bit draggy behind the guitars and was struggling to keep up with the speedcore aspect of this piece. They did a lot better in the more paced, slower sections, than when the guitarist went full blast. So even post-record, maybe some adjustments could've been made to snap the kicks and snares a bit more to the speed of the overall arrangement.

- As much as I loved the solo towards the end, I felt it was also a bit off-beat (but since that was lead, that might've been the drum causing that weird effect by ear.) Also feel that the song shouldn't have ENDED with the solo. Might have been a slightly better send-off if it ended either on a small drum solo or a choral reprise. :)

Otherwise, this is some good shit! Defo had my head bobbing to the extreme WAR Metal! :D I look forward to hearing more from you!

Good luck with the remaining layers! :3

Banana-head responds:

hey! thanks for the review! i must say that the 2 critiques that you did on the drums and the solo were absolutely intentional lol
war metal is mostly a very sloppy genre with very questionable mixing, i tried replicating that by... well, doing what ive always done since i already dont know much about good mixing pratices lol.

[L'arrogantissime marquis Daru-Beaumont De Proutampré]

** A NGAIC REVIEW **

o/ :)

COMPLIMENTS:

- Despite it only being 00:35, this is SO detailed and intricate! I can just imagine the bougie aristocrats chatting it up and laughing at people less fortunate than themselves in this. It feels perfect for a short cutscene in a video game or visual novel.

- It's pretty accurate to French baroque-style. Well done!

- Love the violin. It's very lively and pretty strong in its articulation. :D

CRITIQUE:

- I am unsure if that 'pluck' is supposed to be some strange acoustic guitar or a harpsichord, but it doesn't really sound like either. I think a bit more mixing care is needed on it to pull out its strengths and curtail the weaknesses of the instrument(s), (namely, the louder end of the pluck, and softening the hit on the body/piano hammer). Some tiny cuts around the 500hz and 5k hz areas would stabilize the sound a wee bit.

- The violin seemed to have it, but your other instruments / synths used didn't sound humanized. They pretty much hit the same velocity throughout and doesn't have a lot of "human error" wiggle room with slight shifts of the MIDI (AKA: they not being locked in to the exact notation). Would give your piece a bit more vibrancy, movement and flow in feeling like an arrangement played live.

Otherwise, this is a lovely piece, and it feels built for dialogue. ♥ Glad I got to hear it!

Good luck with the remaining layers! :3

Daru925 responds:

Good evening VodouQueen, i hope this missive finds you well,

Thanks a lot for attending my bourgeoisie party and leaving a molecular level review!

The pluck is a noise i nonchalantly threw into a comb filter until it sounded like a "harpsichordulcimer" something^^
I agree i could work a lot more on the song, first time composing with violins, and if i do i'll make sure to incorporate all your precious feedback!

I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay at the manor, huhuhu!

Humblement,
Marquis Daru,

PS: It would seem i set the mansion on fire while writing this message, too much candles in this day and age.
Farewell, then.

[Burn in the snow]

** A NGAIC REVIEW **

o/ :)

COMPLIMENTS:

- Yup, I can feel the Hades-vibe...defo that strange mix between Argent Metal and old classical Greek music. The opposition/counterpoint in the music isn't distracting, but intriguing and the interplay is spot-on. Kinda awe-struck by it!

- Lots of variation in the chords, melody and harmony here... I love it.

- That guitar/bells is nigh perfect. Very haunting, and it sticks with you even after the song is well over....

CRITIQUE:

- The 'noise' effect behind the metal guitar (not the lyre-sounding acoustic) in some parts sound squished and muffled...and not in a good way. Unsure how to perhaps make it crisper. Reverb and some tiny de-essing (because of the harsh 'hissing' it makes) might alleviate some of that.

- @ 02:04, I super love that weird horn-like synth that plays the melody (I recognize it from using BandLab before)...however, when it drops back into the Argent Metal @ 02:14, not a big fan with how it lingers. IMO, I feel that as soon as that metal guitar comes back, it should fade out entirely. It kind of (to me) overstays its welcome by being in the focal front of the mix and lingering in the background for awhile afterwards....

- Bass is the chef's kiss, but the metal drums and percs are buried a bit. Unsure if they're side-chained to the bass, but if they aren't, doing that would make them a tad more prominent in the mix, so they aren't as muffled. Otherwise, their placement and volume and how they're mixed all sound very good. :D

Really love this, TBH. Thank you so much for sharing and good luck with the remaining Layers! :3

SirSandman0 responds:

thanks for the feedback!

[NeverEndingStress(NGAIC layer 3)]

** A NGAIC REVIEW **

o/ :)

COMPLIMENTS:

- Sounds like this belongs in a 2D-sidescroller cyberpunk zombie shooter, or something very akin to Hotline Miami (also gives me M|O|O|N vibes--the guy behind the Hotline Miami soundtrack). Lovin' it.

- Bass is hot and pretty awesome (I am a sucker for some good bass structure and noise)!

- The melody is crisp and I really enjoy the synth! How did you make it / what instrument is it derived from?

CRITIQUE:

- Would make a lovely loopable piece of media, (you can get the song to loop on your end, I think, for other people when they listen to it to get that same effect without them having to manually click the button...)

- Oddly enough, I don't have a whole lot to critique on this piece. My small two-cents I think is by the time we get to @ 01:16 mark, the song might warrant a new small piece of instrumentation and addition to the chorus melody structure (e.g. a bell in an arpeggio). Would give it a bit of spice before the loop, but that's about it....

- Maybe some glitching with the bass (e.g. dBlue Glitch or some other plugin) @ 00:53 would be cool--again, just as a means to spice things up and keep the piece lively. :D The kick I think also needs to break through the mix a bit more, to be thumping, out there, and heard, so some side-chaining with the bass might need to be employed....

Wonderful! Although you say you don't know much about Industrial, you hit it pretty square in the head and made a dope song in the genre! Good luck with the remaining Layers! :3

Arponax responds:

I get that alot....i would like to make music for games, movies or various animations so im happy that i got the vibes :D

I tend to mess with basses quite alot (mostly upper layers tho...when it comes to how bass works and stuff...i have to learn alot its like pretty big topic)

The sounds are made in Vital....The bass and the crisp lead is based on few randomizers that tweak some knobs, so it saves me automating time and sounds interesting XD

Its looped now.

Im thinking that i could like finish the tracks i will make for NGAIC after it ends....so i may work on it a big.

Thanks tho i didnt expected such long feedback :D glad you like it. (Other genres will be the same tho cause as i said im lazy to read about genres....so who knows maybe ill be lucky and hit it exactly as it is XD

[Dreaming Under Metallic Skies (NGAIC)]

** A NGAIC REVIEW **

o/ :)

COMPLIMENTS:

Why does this feel like something we'd listen to at the end of a reel from the Blade Runner series? So melancholic...so solemn.... Like in and admist the brightly lit slums, under dusky, wretched, rain-filled clouds, all we can do is cry. Cry for our sins. Cry for our ineptitudes. Cry, in joyous celebration, of Man's defeat at the hands of unbound, unbridled capitalism, under said dystopian, acidic skies. I have 0 clue, but those are the feelings invoked within me in listening to this piano concerto. It's very beautiful and awe-inspiring, and a well done take on the three challenges you set out to conquer before you. :)

CRITIQUE:

I think I'm gonna somehow touch/drink some spicy 666 forbidden soup by even daring to critique something from the (in)famous LD-W, buuuuut...I guess just hear me out, take what I say with a grain of salt and the two shit cents that it is. xD Keeping in mind you went complete 'Solo Instrument' as part of the challenge, with 'Ambient' and 'Cinematic Soundtrack'...I think the piano you made could've done with a bit more variation. It stayed in the mid-to-high notes pretty consistently, and stayed within the same key pretty much throughout (AFAIK). It also kinda felt like it was played primarily one-handed, or two-handed on one side of the piano? I am unsure, however, I think utilizing more chords beneath the stunning upper-toned strikes would've added to the already given panoramic view via sound. If not, perhaps a change of key, or an interplay back and forth between two. Another idea that came to mind is specifically playing all white keys, or all black keys, as a form of leitmotif. Kinda like was done for Dark Souls with Gwyn's Lament / DS1 Theme, where the only keys played were whites. I'm unsure if any or all I've mentioned was employed, but that's my take.

Now I hope the chaos gods forgive me for my transgressions. :P

Good luck with the remaining Layers. TY for hosting the NGAIC this year, and I look forward to hearing more of your passionate work. :D

LD-W responds:

Thanks!

Yeah it's all fine: did what I could in 3 hours. Quick improv recording in one take and everything else slapped underneath it very quickly. If I was doing a piece like this for a more serious contest, I would definitely spend around x10 as much time, and go for a more complex and notation-rich result