Phonometrologist's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[soar]

You just had to enter in the contest. Alright, I quit lol

Okay I’ll stop with the puffery.
The detail in this piece is expansive. For example, I love the subtle pad in the beginning and behind the guitar. Your instruments just seem to take turns in presenting themselves one after another. This totally sounds like you, for example, those delayed/panned crash cymbals—I don’t know, perhaps, you’re not the only that does that, but I’ve come to associate you with this technique along with your signature melodic synth leads—it’s a recipe that works well for you. It’s hard to stay pessimistic while listening to your pieces.

Criticisms? Well there are a few things I can mention if I decide to take my microscope out, but really you can find something wrong with anything if that was one’s mindset and determination to find. If it wasn’t for the glitches on the percussion, then it would be quite bland. And as a personal taste, toward the end, the stream of consciousness crept into mind to detract me away from the music. Eh, maybe it’s because I’m currently at work and have been listening to music all day…I better stop writing.
Good job on a fun and beautiful piece as this would go well in a game. Yes, Realfaction plagiarized my thoughts on this…

johnfn responds:

> contest

I know you're sorta just joking but I don't really think the purpose of contests is to try to win. Rather I think it's to take advantage of the pressure of a deadline to create the awesomest thing possible! I really believe that deadlines are one of the best inventions ever in terms of pushing creativity forward.

(I also don't really expect to win... too many good other entrants! :D)

> seem to take turns in presenting themselves one after another

Haha yeah that was actually one of my overarching concepts for this piece, like each solo would be a different "scene" in the story of the trip that you take.

> those delayed/panned crash cymbals

Definitely not my invention, though I certainly use them a lot. I kinda think I'm starting to overuse them actually, they are like the poor man's transition. When I listen to real musicians, they generally have really clever transition ideas (rather than just doing cymbals everywhere heh), so I want to think more about transitions in the future.

> pessimistic

I'm actually an optimist and I'm pleasantly surprised that comes through my music!

> drums

Yeah I've been working on drums, I feel like they're generally the worst aspect of my music. At least in this song I made my own loops from one shots rather than chopping up premade loops (my typical strategy... a lot of people judge me for that haha). It's something I've been working on more.

Thanks for the review - glad you liked it. :)

[Steel and Claw (Updated)]

I know this isn’t minimalism, but the timbre of the organ and choir in the beginning reminds me of the early works of Philip Glass. This is a fun piece as it keeps my interest throughout. A bit short, but well done.

JesseNewkirk responds:

Thank you very much for your rating and comments. :) I'm actually a fan of Glass, ever since I heard his music involved with the live action Watchmen film and I sought out more of his work - so the comment is pretty encouraging. Have a nice week.

[POLY: Routine Maintenance]

This brings a smile to my face. love it

Anchorwind responds:

I'm glad you took the time to review another piece. Thanks. I'm even more glad you enjoy it. I will continue to try to make worthwhile things.

[Breaking Crystals]

Have to say that this is a fun piece of music you've written. Just to counter some of the perspectives, I didn't mind the guitar work so much as I heard worse. It reminded me a little bit of the late 90s first person shooter games. The synth progression at 2:20 is definitely the best part of the track.

aCreator responds:

Yes... This last part!
I really enjoy to play flemenco on the guitar and I always use this a, G, F, E theme. So I thought: Why not use this theme for this track?
Happy that you liked it!

[Digital Rebirth]

I’m curious how it will complement the game because I do hear the “consciousness” in the music, and it is good ambient piece that embodies the dark and unsettling feel that you mentioned. I visualize that synth I hear in the beginning portion of this piece that is delayed to each side of the speaker to be just that. The percussion during the second half is what I think stands out here in this track that will be the thing that I think will be the most recognizable if I were to play the game.
As a side note, and although I do like to write pieces that are what one would call “inspirational,” I do love the other side of the spectrum to music so I enjoyed this quite a bit. So, I would be obliged to listen if you would continue with it.

DamienFleisch responds:

Thanks for the great review! I haven't played a demo of the game yet myself, only a conceptual demo pre-music, but my friend used the phrase "cognitive dissonance." Visually it's not very dark so the music had to really sink in the weight of the story.

The darker side of music is where I tend to gravitate so there will be no shortage of it from me :D

[Light in the Darkness]

I got a bit excited to hear this when I saw that you posted your entry. The lush strings and horns in the beginning sound very pleasant to the ears. It’s a good progression you have in the beginning. Also, that horn at the end (2:12) was a great touch as I think that is what you would call a bend, no?
Since Realfaction couldn’t come up with any constructive criticism, I figure I’ll give a shot, but I’m not a judge either so consider it an admirer’s perspective.
The harp section was a nice contrast, but it seemed to just wander as it lacked direction after a certain point. But this is just a minor detail as it only does so for a fleeting moment before the next section.
Towards the end, I loved the rhythmic energy, and the descending melodic contour of the strings, but then this leads to the biggest problem I have with this piece that is the ending. I thought it was way too short. Kind of left a cliffhanger just like in the artwork—intentional?

Emid responds:

Wow thank you very much Phonometrologist for a detailed review.

Yes, this is bending at 2.12.
As for harp, I just wanted to give a soft touch to the girl's swinging part at the scene. Also, to depict a slower and less 'muddier' progression towards building a tensed one as you said.
Melody in the final part is indeed short but things going on in it are sufficient enough for the kind of art I was trying translate and give an ear for everyone to listen. I wanted not to overdo and transform into some epic sort of thing because I wanted to spare the softness of the art too. I might not have succeeded :( but yes it was indeed deliberate.
I hope this clarifies my view point.
Thank you so much for your very helpful insight.

[Park on the Beach]

Compositionally it isn’t bad at all. In fact, there are moments that I really do enjoy, and I really like the choices you make with the bass notes. However, the MIDI sound is just getting in the way for me. There isn’t enough resonance and it decays too quickly. The velocity sensitivity is a bit jarring at times. I understand that these things are what we have to deal with because it costs money alternatively. It shouldn’t take away from your performance but it does to a certain degree.
If you send me the Midi file, I’ll be happy to slap on a decent Piano library on it and send back to you the Wave and MP3. You don’t have to of course, but I’d be curious to see how much it would help the production of your piece.

[Yearn]

I feel a bit creeped out, but it intrigues me nonetheless. This fits somewhere in between what Syd Barrett would listen to, and what Ralph from the Simpsons would say, “tastes like grandma,” similar to when he’s eating the Tomaccos.

One thing I could see objectively that I didn’t like about this is the mix. Would have liked to hear more of that bass and some of that low end.

floppypawss responds:

thanks for the review.. glad you enjoyed it... the reason for why the mix was lacking is because believe it or not we did this in about 30 minutes!!!! perhaps we will revisit it. this was more of a "collection of noise" then a song.

[Final Battle]

Would love to hear more, and I’ll second that what Deshiel said if I could.
I’m really diggin the rhythm, progression, and sound of this piece. RealFaction is right that this could have used an additional layer of another instrument later in the piece but that doesn’t hinder my enjoyment of this regardless.

Depard responds:

More tracks will be here soon:)
And thank You for this great review!

[Well of Loneliness]

Stumbled upon this because of the A.I.M contest and I find this to be interesting.

Could be because I hear Chopin’s Nocturne in E minor Op. 72