Neon-Bard's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[the fight]

NGADM Review

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Oh dear....this is ridiculously late! My apologies johnfn ol' chap. However, without further ado, here comes the review.

This track is all kinds of awesome, I absolutely love it! Everything from the 8bit instruments, to the outstanding glitching, to the varied percussion that keeps everything else anchored - this track just shines. The entire track is catchy, but I really enjoyed how you transitioned out of the break at 1:45 to 2:11 – where we then enter the highlight of the song. I can hear the effort that you put into this man, it really shows.

The only thing that sort of bothered me was the conclusion. It seems that the track was building up to this epic ending, packed full of glitchy 8bit synths and melodic structure, but it just fades out. Now, don't get me wrong...I think this works quite well, and it is certainly a nice way to wrap the song up in a clean way. However, I would have liked to hear a little more depth to the ending, perhaps everything culminating into a glitched chip explosion!

This was certainly a fantastic way to wrap up the NGADM, well done! I am looking forward to listening to your other work in the future! :)

Score: 9.75/10

P.S. This is like crazy alien music! ;)

johnfn responds:

I think you summarized the problem with the ending most clearly and you've managed to convince me that a more explosive ending would have added a lot. (Also, it might be that it's been a few weeks since I wrote the song, so I have a more objective view.) Still though I appreciate everything you've said.

Thank you for all the things you've done for NGADM. :)

P.S. Alien music is the best genre :D

[A Weirdo's Gigue]

NGADM Review

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I was not expecting this from you, and I must say that I was more than pleasantly surprised! 8bit suits your composition style remarkably well, it's actually quite crazy how well it suits you. Everything about this track just blends into a culmination of 8bit excellence. I must say that the instruments, along with the time signature of the track and finally the overall mix, give amazing sound quality results. The entire song is awesome, but I really enjoyed listening from 1:40 to 2:50 - it's just so well coordinated.

As others have said, my only issue with this track is with the ending. It just cuts out so suddenly that it makes me wonder what else you could have done...however, this works well in a neat little way, too. It sort of sounds like you are turning off a game!

This review is long overdue, my apologies steampianist. It has been a pleasure listening to your songs and watching you progress through the NGADM without skipping a beat through the entire duration of the contest. I will be keeping my eye out for your future tracks, my friend! Keep making music! :D

Score: 9.5/10

steampianist responds:

its all cool belated merry xmas btw hehe

[3 Reasons]

Nice job at building up the track, everything comes together quite nicely throughout. Your lower frequencies are great and that flickering synth that begins dancing behind the main synth (and therefore melody) is pretty awesome! It was nice to hear a breakdown around the 3:05 mark, too.

The song does become a bit repetitive over time so I would suggest using more variety with your synths...in particular, the gritty saw that lies just in the background.The mixing could use some work so that everything sounds balanced. Try adding some depth to your kick to make things sound more dynamic. Also, increase the volume a tad on those lower frequencies to bring out that 'moody' tone a little more!

This is an interesting track, keep it up! :)

GershBeats responds:

I think you're voicing my own 2 biggest ideas for improving this song - I may sidechain the song to the kick more vigorously, and boosting the bass would be cool I think - although a bit of a mastering challenge.

Anyhoo, I really appreciate the time you take to listen, the criticism, and the compliments! :)

[wide world]

NGADM Review

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I was looking forward to your round five track, and I was not disappointed.

Your melodic work is always incredible so I usually find myself humming something from your tracks several hours (or days) after I listen to them. The introduction sets the appropriate tone for the rest of the song and I dig the soothing synth jazz coupled with those smooth piano notes that you have sprinkled everywhere - ahhh it's all so good!!!

I really like how you walk the instruments down (particularly the bass) at 2:25, it really helps everything flow into the transition into the latter part of the song. By the way, the 3:00 mark to le fin is just so darn catchy and heartwarming that I couldn't help but smile! I think you really captured the theme well here. I absolutely loved the piano during this portion of the song. I should mentioned that mixing the jazz and breakcore genres was an interesting creative choice that worked surprisingly well! The overall mixing is pretty good.

The mixing, as stated above, is alright but could use some work. I loved the piano work, but applying some more reverb and taking the 'dryness' out of the sound could really bring out the emotion in the instrument. Things also tend to get a bit fuzzy around the 3:00 mark when you bring in the break-beat percussion...things sound cluttered and it becomes a little hard to focus on your cool melody due to this. On the topic of percussion, the drums in the introduction are just a tad too loud. Otherwise, this is just a solid track that I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Well done johnfn! I cannot wait to hear what you create next! I am sure I will be humming this song for a while. :)

Score: 9.25/10

johnfn responds:

Thanks Neon-Bard! I think we're pretty much in agreement on your points. I'm glad you liked it, and let's see if I can find enough time to mix my next submission ;-)

P.S. Nice catch on the falling bass at 2:25. I always enjoy a good chromatic descending baseline. :D

[Graveyard Shenanigans]

NGADM Review

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I had a strange feeling that since the Halloween season is upon us, you would be creating something to suit the season. You hit the nail on the head with this song. Heck...you broke the darn thing. I believe that this track is the epitome of the 'steampianist' sound - mischief, craziness, intricate mixing and instrumentation and last but not least, good ol' auditory fun.

You start the song off with a strong introduction that carries the mischievous vibe throughout the entirety of the track. I should also mention that you have thrown in some very interesting melodies that just seem to go with the flow. Your percussion is mixed remarkably and it is always changing so there is always something refreshing about this track. The overall mixing is fantastic by the way.

The biggest issue that this track has is the fact that it sounds a bit too much like your other work. I mentioned above that this sounded very characteristic of your...well...sound. I know that is an obvious statement, you are your own artist so to speak, you know? However, it sounds a little too 'steampianist' get my drift? The conclusion is well executed, but I was expecting more of a build-up to supplement the high-energy nature of the song.

Amazing track steampianist, keep it up! :)

Score: 9.5/10

steampianist responds:

yeah i decided to kill two birds with one stone :) anyways thanks for the review man

[Busy Feet]

NGADM Review

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Such atmosphere! Like your other entries, this track shines with a pleasantly whimsical sound. I love it. The introduction starts out strong and due to your fantastic instrument choice, the rest of the piece builds marvellously. I like the fact that you juxtapose the idea and theme of the song with 'lighter' instruments such as the harp and ocarina...it fits in a strange, yet satisfying way. On topic of the theme, I pictured a very cold and frost-bound city with many people bustling about – this track has a wintry feel to it.

As with all of your other songs, your voice is near impeccable; I truly envy the control you have over your voice. A perfect example of your excellent voice control stands out at 2:47 and continues until 3:06. The lyrics are thoughtful and most certainly interesting as well. Your transitions are practically seamless and the mixing is quite something (aside from a few short sections here and there).

I have to say that there is little bass or lower frequencies in this track. The overall atmosphere and the general depth of your instruments and your voice could have used a slight boost from some deeper sounding instruments, you know? I also feel as if the song could be split in two in some ways. The introduction and first half of the track is quite heavy on the instrumental side of things, which is nice because everything sounded so delicate! However, the second half of the track tends to become fixated on your voice and while this is not a bad thing, the piece starts to flow with a little less energy. These

It has been an absolute pleasure listening to your amazing songs etherealwinds. I hope that you stick around the community for a long time to come. Keep creating and composing music and you'll always have somebody listening...that I can assure you! I am looking forward to your upcoming work my friend! :)

Score: 9.5/10

etherealwinds responds:

Thank you for the review! I actually am limited to mixing with ...yep... iPod headphones. We all know that they can be rather tinny and focused in the high ended sounds, so producing bass for me is rather hit-and-miss. I should probably invest in proper headphones.

You can betcha bottom dollar I'll be sticking around. I'm glad to have discovered this website and the NGADM. I hope I'll see you around more often! Thank you :)

[the traveller]

NGADM Review

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This is such a happy track, I just love the feeling it gives me! Every section of the song sounds delightful and thoughtfully written (my favourite being the travelling section, especially at 1:14...so peaceful and slightly reminiscent of Pokemon). There are so many instruments to listen to that you never get bored! I like the level of variety in this track, it enables you to tell a full story with lots of imaginative detail. Each section has its own special charm and catchy quality. In fact, I think if you were to split up each section, you would have a full soundtrack to a video game...no joke (I love it). Though I felt it was a bit silly (I actually laughed), the little guitar lick at the end was great! Also, not sure if this was your intention, but I loved how the woodwind sounded like a train whistle.

There are some mixing issues, mostly with percussion though. The drums after 4:00 are just a tad loud. While I loved each section, and I think they are connected quite nicely, each transition could use some work in order for the listening experience to sound seamless. Now, there is one last thing that needs to be addressed: the cymbal! Unfortunately, the cymbal is not mixed appropriately and it is used a bit too much. Other than these things, this song is a gem.

Score: 8.5/10

johnfn responds:

You have successfully called me out. My goal was actually to write an entire video game soundtrack, then condense it down to 6 minutes and submit it to NGADM. Alright, that might not be true, but it is true that I was taking a lot of inspiration from vg tunes, which is all very apparent in the song. Also that I wasn't able to focus in on a single idea and instead combined a ton of ideas.

DRUMS CAN NEVER BE TOO LOUD! Alright they may be too loud. :v

I am definitely taking your criticism into account on future tracks!

[Real Life Absurdities]

NGADM Review

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This is awesome. Actually it's kind of reminiscent of the N64 Banjo-Kazooie games! :)

Do you know what's absurd? How well all of these whacky melodies and effects fit together so perfectly with no issues when it comes to pacing...how on earth do you do it steampianist?! Overall mixing is great, and the instrumentation is wicked! I couldn't help but smile the whole way through because I was just imagining all of the crazy things that this song could be based on.

There are really only two things I can complain about: the length of the track and the rather simple 'circus' drum-line. The length of the track was just a bit of a letdown. I feel as if you could have had a period of musical relaxation where everything just settled down long enough for things to get all zany again (much like 0:36 – 0:42). As for the drum-line, there was nothing really 'wrong' with it at all, just slightly generic. However, your clever use of other percussive instruments were the spotlight and therefore it isn't much of an issue!

Fantastic all the way through, keep it up steampianist!

Score: 9.25

steampianist responds:

Yes Absurd is something unreasonable/irrational (see my description)

the review from you finally arrived. i really appreciate it dude, thank you

"There are really only two things I can complain about: the length of the track and the rather simple 'circus' drum-line."

yeah i might make something like this again but this time with a decent length and maybe some variations on the beat :) though there is a reason why it is short.. and it is health related.
too much exposure to this kind of music damages your sense of reality so yeah.. :P

[With You]

NGADM Review

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What a pleasant song, garlagan. I really dig the relaxed approach with this track. Solid introduction, and a great transition into the verse...especially with those vocals! Although the lyrics are rather simplistic, I think they are quite nice. Going back to the vocals, I think you sing this line brilliantly “I'm leaving you for the stars”! The mixing and mastering you have done with this track is fantastic, everything sounds so dynamic and full.

The conclusion was a little weak and I would have liked to hear more work on melodies. Stepping outside of the typical song structure would have been a nice touch, too. Other than that, there isn't much to fret over. This is a great track!

Keep it up garlagan, this is fantastic! :)

Score: 9/10

[Mystical Mountain]

NGADM Review

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I cannot get over the amount of detail and the amazing orchestration and instrumentation in this track. The mixing, pacing, thematic choice, overall instrument quality....everything is phenomenal. The theme of this piece is particularly exciting and uplifting, and with a title like 'Mystical Mountain' you can't help but smile at the magnificence of this piece. I can only praise your musical talent!

The only thing I can really complain about is that this track has that quintessential generic Hollywood sound about it. Now...don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that per say, it's just that it doesn't sound quite as unique as it could, you know? The different sections seem to be connected for sure, but they also feel just slightly disjointed, too. Regardless...this is too fantastic.

I have nothing more to say. I love this. :)

Score: 9.5/10