ChronoNomad's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - Pond of Stars]

Yeah, bro! Diggin' that funky VG vibe, for sure. A very fun and spirited romp. Pun intended. I can really see those ghosts hoppin and boppin all up and down the haunted pond. And for some reason, I imagine the moon opening up one gigantic eye, all to watch over the proceedings.

That is a whole lot of reverb on the hat and snare, man! Like whoa. Maybe just the tiniest bit too much? lol Anyway, I totally dig the jam. Best of luck in AIM, man!

[AIM - Lost in a Frozen Dreamland]

This starts out so warm, instrument-wise, despite the frigid landscape in the art. It gives me all kinds of shivers, and I simply adore that flute just before the midsection. Very vivid images are being conjured up within my mind's eye by this, and the only word that really fits is "breathtaking."

So short, though! Oh my goodness, I could have easily lost myself to the music for far longer, but you do wrap it all up so very beautifully. Even though it seems like they would clash, the overall vibe is both serene and triumphant, and it's a wonderful thing. A few more times around the frozen tundra block for me, I think! Brilliantly done.

Everratic responds:

Thank you for the lovely review!

I was heavily inspired by many of Skyrim's exploration songs, which I would also describe as breathtaking :D

To get this warm, smooth sound, I made significant EQ cuts around the 4k area on both the master and individual tracks, particularly on the strings. This loss of high-mids comes with the additional bonus of being able to use very-high end instruments for special emphasis; this helps the cymbals, chimes, and solo flute shine, and it makes the climactic moments sound more majestic. The one downside I found is that the track sounds much quieter, which I don't mind, but I know many casual listeners prefer a much higher perceived volume.

The song sounds both serene and triumphant by design - I'm glad you noticed! I carefully crafted the chord progressions, and the arrangement accordingly, to smoothly switch between those vibes. The song is meant to sound more serene during the suspended/ambiguous chords, and more triumphant during the major chords.

Thanks again, and good luck in the contest!

[AIM - Nowhere to Hide]

Man, I almost missed your track because it's just text without any preview images in my feed and in the AIM submission forum! Suffice to say, I'm really glad that I didn't miss out on this gem.

First off, between the music and the artwork that inspired it, all I can envision is an even more militant version of Watership Down. And oh my goodness, some of the individual sections - despite how brief they are - have crazy long titles! Of course, since it's such an excellent listen, it feels like the whole thing is over in the space of a few heartbeats. Very professionally orchestrated, in general. Well done!

Now, as I listen again for a second time, it actually makes me feel like I'm listening to the score for a rabbit-themed version of Star Wars. John Williams himself would enjoy this, methinks. There are a ton of changes throughout, and all of your transitions are as smooth as silk. I can't really write fast enough to keep up with it at all, but there is no part that I don't love.

Encore! No, seriously...I have to listen just ONE more time. This is a truly fantastic piece, CloakedSoup! Best of luck with your AIM submission, man.

CloakedSoup responds:

Thanks a ton! Like I said in the description, I'm going to be updating it with a better mix + some slightly adjusted orchestration. Glad you liked it though! :D

[AIM - The Tower]

Yeah, this one's decent as is, but I can tell that it was super rushed. I hope you'll work on it some more after the contest!

While I dig the vibe, there are a few things that I want to make note of that could use more time and polish. First off, it's just too repetitive for a 3-minute jam. Because it's so short it really needs more variation.

Secondly, there are several instances where your instruments are not particularly harmonious. Now, while I am a fan of dissonance, the elements still have to sound good together. It's just two or three moments in the entire song, but those moments are wonky enough to be of notice.

Third and finally, the ending, well...isn't really an ending at all. I suspect it's just because of the rushed nature of the track, so I'll chalk it up to that. Hopefully you'll pick it up and flesh it out more once AIM is over. Good luck!

Teckmo-X responds:

Yeah I'm kinda bummed I didn't get to fully finish it. I rushed really quick to try and make it before the deadline. I know it's definitely not perfect and you're right. I'll definitely be working on it and edit before I repost that rework. I think I'm much more proud of Singularity than this one tbh. thanks for your input!

[AIM - Singularity]

Very cool, cosmic vibes here, Teck. I think it fits the imagery very nicely, and I can totally envision traveling across the limitless expanse of space. When the beat hits hard and the tension kicks up, I envisioned epic dogfights among the stars.

Honestly, about the only thing I'm not in love with is that abrupt bass cutoff at the end. A smoother fade, even a really short one right at the end, could have made that feel a bit less jarring.

I really hope that they'll allow your tracks in the contest. They were only a few minutes past the deadline, so I'm thinking you'll be good. Best of luck in the AIM!

Teckmo-X responds:

I'm actually really happy with the way this turned out. The whole Notaker and Au5 vibe I was looking for actually became the reality. I really want to try and continue to make music similar to their style. This is by far one of my proudest moments of beat making. I really want to improve and I've come a long way but it's not enough. I must try and replicate similar work like this. Singularity is no doubt one of my favorites too. Thank you!

[The Fall that Broke Me]

Honestly, Lucid. This is absolutely stunning, which comes as no surprise whenever you sit at a piano and let your mind dance along its keys. I have no trouble imagining you as a professional concert pianist with chops like this.

In my opinion, you really brought the emotional feeling out of the imagery and honed it to a razor's edge. I salute your talent!

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thanks, dude!
It had actually been several months since I properly composed on the piano, which is very rare. I think I would have to practice at least thrice as much as I do now to become a concert pianist though, I fear!

I'm glad you think that the composition suits the artwork well enough! This year, I decided to take a bit of a different approach, in that it is based more of the story of the artwork, rather than its immediate appearance. Thanks again!

[Lunar Vessel]

That is quite the trippy, cosmic vibe you've cooked up. When it started up, my first impression was "Very Metroid Prime-like, if the music had incorporated mostly Chiptune elements." By the end, I had decided that it also had that super quirky EarthBound-esque quality to it, as well. Quite the combination! ...Of course, maybe it's just me who hears those things. xD

Lighthearted musings aside, I think your track complements the imagery in a very unique and interesting way. You did a good job mixing it up through a variety of motifs, though I did feel that a couple sections went on a bit too long without much in the way of variety. Stretching something like this out isn't easy, though I think it could have benefited from a change in pace since the rhythm stays fairly constant from start to finish.

I found the ending to be appropriately weird, and actually like it quite a lot, though it would have made a really cool lead-in for a key change, too! Which would also have been cool. Once again, I feel like your percussive work is the stand-out performance and really raises the bar.

A very cool (and slightly creepy) entry, Snug! Well done.

[AIM - Children of the Sea]

So very pretty, straight out of the gate! Your orchestral sound always gets me right in my heart-box, tugging at my own strings even as yours play on.

It ramps up a little, then calms back down...rising and falling, like some kind of underwater carnival. There's a childlike innocence to the softer melodies, but a very intriguing tension that lies just on the edge of the deeper strings. A beautiful sense of unpredictability that resolves itself so very sweetly, if that makes sense.

As I always say with such excellent music, it seems to be over in mere moments despite being over three minutes in length! You have most certainly brought the scenery to life through music, and I always find myself wishing that the artist would leave a review, just so that we could know their impressions. A rare treat, to be sure.

Your instrument choices actually remind me just a bit of my own 2015 submission for the Deserted Island Contest, despite the fact that those were just simple samples for the contest guidelines. Your instruments and suites have a much richer sound of course, but the similarity in itself makes me smile. Such is the nature of water music, I suppose.

A wonderful undersea journey! Quite serene and mysterious.

Everratic responds:

I have a soft spot for childlike innocent melodies. To tell a story through the music, I knew I needed to include some tension and mysterious elements as well. I'm glad the music shifts between these different moods in a pleasant manner.

I'll be thrilled if Moonshen leaves a review. I agree that hearing the artists' thoughts on any AIM submission would be very interesting.

I listened to "Called to the Sea" again. I reviewed and favorited it in 2017 - I assume LSD showed it to me then. I get what you mean; mallet percussion + harp seems to be a highly effective combo for a sea theme.

Thank you for the review!

[Äventyraren]

You've crafted a very energetic and fun dance theme here, and while I don't really have anything negative to say about it, and it ultimately sounds very organic, I'm here to offer up constructive feedback regardless. The Adventurer demands it.

First off, I applaud the source of your inspiration, and have personally spent far too many hours listening to the hauntingly beautiful songs of Skyrim. I suppose it's a testament to the game's legacy that I still very much enjoy exploring, battling, shouting, and generally meandering across land and sea whenever the mood arises. You have done that experience great justice with this rousing folk song, and all that's really missing - to my mind - is a competent bard to sing of The Adventurer's praises!

The main melodies are lovingly crafted, and sound like they could be spilling from one of Skyrim's many alehouses. The violin strings sound a little extra slippery at times (too much rosin, perhaps), but I can certainly appreciate all those jaunty grace notes all the same. Your instrument choices are highly appropriate for the genre, and the overall mixing and mastering feel highly polished.

Key changes. Who doesn't love key changes? Once you hit the midpoint, they happen with relative frequency, and they seem to go up, up, up! However, I feel that the sheer number of key changes could have been supported even better by additional changes in tempo. As the notes rise in the scale, so too could the frenzied speed of the dance! Just a thought, mind you...but it seems like that sort of Riverdance-esque increase could really benefit the mood by ramping up towards the song's climax.

As much variety as there is here, I must admit that I hoped for a slightly more varied tale as the motif progressed. I sort of guessed where you would go with the notes, and you went there. But sometimes I hoped you'd go in a slightly different direction and change the narrative a bit. An alternate minor key here, or switching up to the major key there. Nonetheless, this isn't my tale to tell, it is yours. Chalk it up to artistic differences, I suppose!

On a final note, in regards to your ritardando before the applause, I personally found it too brief. In my mind, I heard a more pronounced slow-down in the tempo, over a greater portion of the end of the song, even before it arrived. In reality, it was quite a bit more abrupt than expected, and the tempo never quite felt as though it eased up enough before the applause. I feel like a more subtle ritardando could have begun in the previous section, becoming just a bit more pronounced before that final note.

All that said, I truly enjoyed the journey from its humble soundscape beginning, right straight through to the applause! No complaints, just ideas—respectfully, from one artist to another. Thank you very much for sharing this with us.

Everratic responds:

Hey Chrono, it's nice to see you again. I'm waiting for a new song from you :)

Your feedback is very appreciated!

I too have been enthralled by the world of Skyrim. I think I played over 200 hours in my first few months, and I'm still actively listening to the soundtrack a year later. It would indeed be nice to have lyrics. I hope to be able to compose such music one day.

I'm glad to hear the melodies sounds skyrim-worthy. Lately I've been playing Skyrim songs on the piano (just melody and block chords), and it seems to have helped me subliminally understand how they were crafted. It also helps that I recently learned about authentic and imperfect cadences, which helped me separate the melody into two parts.

MIxing this song was a nightmare. but I'm glad it sounds polished now. I had to use a lot of multiband compression on the flutes and violin, make multiple surgical EQ cuts on the percussion, and meticulously cut out unnecessary frequencies across the board. I guess it was a good learning experience. Here's a tip I got from a professional mixer that helped me get the flute and violin to coexist comfortably:

" I think you should choose which instrument is going to be the "thickest" around 500-1k and then from 2-3k up, that's where the complementary instrument could live more. Of course I don't mean removing all the 1k from the violin or the flute, but making it a bit more thin around the first few harmonics. That way they should coexist better. "

I like your idea for the tempo changes! I should have experimented with that more. There actually is a subtle tempo change after the final key change. Regarding the key changes, the first one is deceptive. The change is -1 semitone, but it sounds as if it goes up because the melodic line goes up.

I tried to write a B section with different melodic material, but I couldn't come up with anything good. I later found that simply repeating the melodies with varying instrumentation and keys sounded pretty good, so I left it there. I intend to create more songs of this style in the near future, so I'm sure I'll get better at it with practice.

I agree, a more pronounced slow down would be nice. In hindsight, I didn't spend enough time on that tempo automation clip.

Thank you for the review!

Btw, the main flute is a free vst. It's "Ivory Wind" by Embertone. The other flute, Jubal Flute, is also cheap.

[Lucid]

Ah, Step! Always a pleasure to hear something fresh from your imagination. You really know how to take your listener on a journey. As usual, your music creates poignant mental images.

There are a number of really dramatic themes and ideas herein, and I also heard the strains reminiscent of Gröne Lunden that Jordi has previously mentioned. Early on, and here and there in the mix, it actually reminded me of music from a series called Mushishi. Then you've got some really nice Fantasy/medieval themes and instruments, as well as that beautiful yet subtle piano that slips in and out of the mix.

There's so much to love here, and the way that you weave these motifs together is really inspirational. Layers upon layers of dynamic music to please the senses. The changes in emotion feel so organic and transition so smoothly, you make it seem almost effortless. Of course, I know well enough that a *lot* of effort actually goes into such well-tempered production, but the average listener need not be privy to such truths. (;

Beautifully written and rendered. I take my proverbial hat off to you.

Step responds:

Chrono! You have no idea how great it is to hear from you again, genuinely. It's reviews like yours, Jordi's, FD's, Andrew's and everyone else here whom I've known for so long that make me extremely happy I'm still posting music here on Newgrounds and still welcomed by all you talented people. Comparatively, I posted my song on SoundCloud and it got 4 unique listens and 3 one-liner comments, two of which are from bots. Great.

You're absolutely on the ball that the transitions took a lot of effort! The 1:09 one went through two iterations, the 2:39 and 2:59 ones went through a lot of adjustments, the 3:34 one had to be remade at one point, and don't get me started on the 3:54 one! It's great to hear that it was worth the effort. I also tried hard to weave motifs together and make the song feel very cohesive, as if there's no single motif that doesn't belong and everything is part of a comprehensible whole.

Overall, as always, you've very observantly picked up on everything I put effort into and the feeling of validation that all that work didn't get lost into nuance is amazing. Thanks a million for dropping by!!