SplatterDash's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Crab Rave [Genocide Route]]

you're gonna have a crab time

[Cutting Corners]

Well, I'm going out on a bang with my round 1 reviews. This is really good, and probably on par with the other cinematic piece I heard in this round. I especially like how there's so much going on in terms of the music, and how every part is so interpretive. Plus, it almost sounds like an actual orchestra rather than a bunch of VSTs, which is a plus on my end.

There's two general issues I have with the piece, first being the sounds. I like the general sounds that are on, but there's some that just sound weird in this (for example, the reverse cymbal at the beginning). I just feel that some of them need to be changed out or removed altogether. Second, the volume. I feel that this is a little too soft, and that you can raise the volume up a bit. After all, the big dramatic moments, in order to be dramatic, need to be brought out and in the listener's face in order to get them to feel the tension going on.

Overall, a great piece. In my opinion, this can really work in NGADM. Great job to you, and good luck to you and everyone else in NGADM :D

[On Go]

Well I'm glad that I got On Good songs for ONGOADM with OnGoing greatness. I approve of this song pretty well. It's got that casual 1f1n1ty vibe that I find in most of your stuff, plus some cOnGos, bOnGos, and other stuffs that give it this kinda trance-y house vibe having it On Go with ambiance. In a way, it kinda reminds me of Lockyn's remix of 3mber and Srk's "Night Owls".

My issue for this would most likely come in the form of the key change. You see, I would kinda expect it at 3:54, when it stops slowing down, but then it comes out of nowhere at 4:00. While it is unique, and I will give it credit for that, it just seems a little rocky, especially since we're already establishing the second main part and then here comes this key change about 4 measures late. It's not a big problem, but it's a generally small one that I have with this.

Overall, I like this a lot. In my opinion, it has a great chance in NGADM. Great job and good luck :D

Onefin responds:

oh yeah you're right i should have just put the key change there! that would have been much more effective

thanks for the thoughts! i find your opiniOn Good and constructive :)

[Could've]

I must admit, my thoughts on what to expect were a bit different than what actually happened. At the same time, though, that was a really good thing, because I got more than I thought I would get. I really like the beat that enters in at 0:58 and pulls the entire piece together. And the transition from retro to real was flawless. I still enjoy the piece because, after listening to it twice, it holds very well, even with the beginning being a tad bit misleading (again, a good thing because it gives more than what you'd expect).

Probably my only complaint would be with the bass drum throughout the piece. It just feels a little too soft, even after listening to a different lo-fi piece. I'm not asking for it to be loud, since that would kinda take away from it being lo-fi, but I want it to come out just a little.

Overall, this is a very good standing piece. In my opinion, a great contender in NGADM. Great job and good luck :)

acxle responds:

thank you so much! i'll pay more attention to the drums next time!

[in time // rewind]

Ah, the legendary johnfn. Master of the chips, memer of the eggs... and fellow competitor in NGADM. I enjoy this song that you have made, mainly because it blends so many feelings in creative ways. It combines the funk it's named after, a little glitch hop, and a bit of chiptune... and a bunch of others I probably still haven't found lol. I also enjoy the occasional reversed sample, which is much more obvious at 2:24, that gives this piece texture.

Probably my only complaint is the lower, bassy side of the song. The song sounds a little thin, and I'm getting a lot less bass, so it just makes it a lot more airy than other things I have heard. I would honestly just suggest adding a little bit down there, just to make sure it doesn't become too airy.

Overall, though, I like this a lot. In my opinion, this can really stand well in NGADM. Great job and good luck :D

[breaking glass]

I can see why this is cinematic. I can almost imagine this being straight out of a spy movie because it's that realistic. The chords, the beat, the strings... kinda reminds me of a game here on Newgrounds called Rotate because it's that much of a spy song.

There's really only one thing I have to say about this, and that's the one weird section the piano has at 0:15. The notes don't fit in to me, and it's probably because of the rest of them being in minor with this one section. It adds difference, but it also adds a little bit of confusion, since those notes come out of nowhere.

Overall, I enjoy this. In my opinion, it has a pretty good chance in NGADM. Great job and good luck :)

Sequenced responds:

Melodic minor mah dude

[You're the Same]

Dude I swear every time I hear something from you it gets better and better. I enjoy this piece, and rightfully so, it has innocence and tragedy within it at the same time. Plus, the fact that this is all improv done on a simple keyboard... it blows me away.

My only complaint is the violin going up so unnaturally high from the beginning to 0:48 and again from 4:30 to the end. Usually I would not be as against it as in other pieces that do this, but here it sounds so strained. It doesn't fit in as well with the nature of this piece because it's a splitting strain that comes out heavily. I would suggest bringing it in a little, either through velocity or through hardness.

Overall, though, it's still great. In my opinion, it has a real good chance in NGADM. Wonderful job and good luck :D

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you! If every piece you hear seems improved, perhaps it's a sign I'm slowly getting better :)
It's funny you mention innocence. Some years ago, I made a collab with i0ta called "Threnody for Innocence", of a similar nature. We should remake it with some higher quality instruments at some point though.

https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/646300

Also, this composition is by no means an improvisation! This is a carefully planned out piece, start to finish, the piano played on my electric piano (link in the description). It's just not played with a strict tempo, because that adds to the emotion. Thus, I also have to personally disagree with the complaint about the high violin; it's exactly like I want it, compositionally. That said, I knew everyone wouldn't like it, if for nothing else than preferential reasons.

I wouldn't call the violin's playing unnaturally high though. The highest note is a high G note, the same that's demonstrated (fairly) cleanly in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LV0kUiWNxc

Thanks for listening to all of my latest music, as well as for the reviews!

[April]

So if there's one thing I noticed about this, it was the bird chirps, mainly because I read the description before playing it. As a progressive house/dnb piece, it kinda fits with the mood the title and description set. I could see the sun shining a bit, and I could see some of the clouds as well in the second half. Unlike sequenced, I didn't think it was too loud (unless my hearing is that bad :/ ).

I have two problems with this. First, the birds to thinderstorm. I heard the birds die out, but I never really got where it turned into a storm until about five seconds in. It's less obvious than it looks, and I feel there could have been ambiance to help make that transition. Second, the storm itself. For a piece like this, which is supposed to show things going from good to bad, I feel it may be okay to go all out on that storm segment, make it feel like a real storm. It just doesn't feel storm-y with wubs and a somewhat change in energy.

Overall, pretty good piece. It has, in my opinion, a fair chance in NGADM. Good job and good luck :)

Lubloom responds:

I did actually have thunderstorm ambience, it may have been to quiet compared to the rest of the things (it was during the break between the two sections). Perhaps I should've changed the progression in that part to something that sounded a bit darker.

Thank you!

[Dreameater - Amalgamation]

As we get out of the extended into at 1:00, we get the main part of the whole piece, the first melody. I like it a lot, it kinda reminds me of some other songs I have listened to before and liked. Afterwards, I kinda got the lo-fi feels, especially with that melody at 2:58, which sounds something out of a sci-fi sort of thing. I like the ideas in this piece as a whole and how they're portrayed.

One thing I will mention, though, is the mixing of the drums, particularly the bass, at some parts, mainly during the extended intro and ending parts. The bass just seems to throb since there's nothing that it needs to get over, and that's something that can be bad until stuff goes over it and dampens it a little. But until then, tone down the volume a bit on the bass and you will be good.

Overall, I like the ideas in this and how they're portrayed. In my opinion, this could stand a slim chance in NGADM. Good job and good luck :)

DreamEater responds:

Thank you very much for the extremely detailed review Splatterdash, I greatly appreciate your feedback :D

[a strong sense of wanderlust felt in a peculiarly glitchy sort of world (NGADM Cut)]

For a piece with a long title and feeling as unique as it's name suggests, this is not a disappointment. I like the various melodies that are encountered, and how each time they're all unique and special. When it finally built up completely at 2:34, it felt worth it. Even the end, which may be as out there as you can get, somehow fit in to the theme.

My main nitpick, though, is the build from 0:07 to 0:36. I felt that it could use some sort of pad to help move it along. Just a simple one, but a pad nonetheless. It just felt lingerie and weighted, and I feel something like a pad could help lighten it up.

Overall, I like this. This has a pretty good chance in NGADM. Good job and good luck :)