SoulSecure's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[(F) _Ventilation_]

Cool use of gating. I really enjoy the fullness of the sound. You know what? I really like this. It's Akira Yamaoka-esque and extremely pleasant. Well done.

Fubaka responds:

I thank you for the kind words.

Stick around, cause more music is coming!

[chrolspach123vox]

This song is really good, but I don't like the whole racist lyrics bit. Despite not enjoying the lyrics, I will not factor it into my score.

The mix is perfect. I don't feel that the vocals are being drowned by the instrumental, I understand and hear every lyric. I think the vocals are in the sweet spot really and sound great the way they are. If they were crisp or louder it would sound like shit, the fuzzy sound is what makes it perfect. You really couldn't make a better mix, man!

The song's musicality is phenomenal. It sounds just like that electronic music we were hearing back in the early 2000s. Really takes me back.

Super awesome song, man!

snoballandthmonyshot responds:

thanks man.
You meant racial rather than 'racist' right? The man who did the vocal bears the name of his forefathers slave master.
Px

[Majora's Mask Swamp Theme]

Lol, bro! You made this song sound like if Majora's Mask and FF7 (specifically the games, not the composers of the music) ripped each other off! Imagine Link with a buster sword and spiked up hair, hah!

I enjoy the composition for what it is. It's definitely fresh and while not exactly 'original' (deerrp) I think it pulls off an odd and kind of original quality. For one thing, there isn't a hint of evil in it unlike the original. More of a sadness (AERITH DIIIIIIIED).

I don't really feel the 'swamp' bit. Then again, you wouldn't call it, "That Overarching Majora's Mask Theme That Plays In Each Realm Initially, Until You Beat The Boss In That Area's Temple," so the name works.

Your mixing sounds great, but I think the panoramic sound is leaning a little to the left even when the music swells. I think I might be having issues with my right ear right now, though... I can't be sure.

I like this and I don't want to be a twat, but I feel like it needs to be longer. I can accept it as a sort of short theme for a scene, but Aerith can only die so many times (I gotta stop saying that). I feel like this really has the potential to be a longer song, maybe even a medley (I know how overdone that is, but still).

Anyway, fantastic piece, want it to be longer and that's it.

headphoamz responds:

Thanks man, glad you like it! :)

[The Tomb Shaker]

You (might) know how I am about world music, so let's get my punk ass a review in and get it over with, haha!

First things first, I do enjoy your composition, it doesn't really have any boring parts like some of the orchestra songs on here, where it sounds like they just wrote it while on the loo. Your compositional use of the dan tranh is commendable too, good show! Is it endearingly special, though? I think I'm going to have to say no on that. On that mark your 15 hour sprint shows.

The feel of the song, I'd say, does not really reflect the desert, as you have in your tags. I'm thinking it's more along the line of mountains. Like a mountain with an over-wealth of partially menacing greenery, or perhaps a barren and brown mountain. I just don't really get a desert feel and the main reason for this, I think, is the dan tranh and it's composition. If that was replaced with a different instrument and composition, I could easily see it swaying by way of desert winds. (I am also reminded of the Metal Gear Solid series)

I enjoy that the length isn't overwhelming and can be listened to casually. This is a good marketing strategy, lol. It could always be longer, but I must keep in mind that this is a demo for a VST when it comes to length.

I have an issue with how some things are mixed, though. The strings and choirs are an excellent way of 'beefing up' your track as you say, but they get a little too fatty at some points and become burger-like, rather than a steak (in other words, they get too fuckin' loud, G). I'm not bashing your use of dynamics, it's that they overpower the dan tranh a little too much at some points.

I also wish you would cut some of those low mids on those loud drums. It bothered me a lot on the first listen through, but not so much now (7th listen or so).

To wrap it up, you have a good song on your hands with extremely minor mixing issues that are more than likely just opinionated criticism, but it doesn't 'wow' me enough.

Step responds:

Whoa, big review! Thanks a million, Rehmemhotep!

"First things first, I do enjoy your composition, it doesn't really have any boring parts like some of the orchestra songs on here, where it sounds like they just wrote it while on the loo."

Hey hey, don't diss the loo. Some amazing ideas come out of there. Yup.

"Your compositional use of the dan tranh is commendable too, good show! Is it endearingly special, though? I think I'm going to have to say no on that. On that mark your 15 hour sprint shows."

I can't agree more. I won't say that if I had more time, the melodies would've been better - I would've tried to make some more interesting stuff, but in the end I don't have much control over it. Sometimes I go through droughts and other times through bouts of creativity. This time round I was feeling pretty uninspired, and the tight deadline didn't help.

"The feel of the song, I'd say, does not really reflect the desert, as you have in your tags. I'm thinking it's more along the line of mountains. Like a mountain with an over-wealth of partially menacing greenery, or perhaps a barren and brown mountain. I just don't really get a desert feel and the main reason for this, I think, is the dan tranh and it's composition. If that was replaced with a different instrument and composition, I could easily see it swaying by way of desert winds. (I am also reminded of the Metal Gear Solid series)"

Metal Gear Solid is awesome, so I'm glad it reminds you of it haha. I find that it's quite hard to make something reminiscent of a desert without it sounding thematically typical. I wasn't really aiming for a desert in this track but there are four tags and I'm not very creative with tags :3.

"I enjoy that the length isn't overwhelming and can be listened to casually. This is a good marketing strategy, lol. It could always be longer, but I must keep in mind that this is a demo for a VST when it comes to length."

A good but unintentional marketing strategy! I only made it this long because I didn't have time to lengthen it. In retrospect, that's probably a good thing for the purposes of the VST.

"I have an issue with how some things are mixed, though. The strings and choirs are an excellent way of 'beefing up' your track as you say, but they get a little too fatty at some points and become burger-like, rather than a steak (in other words, they get too fuckin' loud, G). I'm not bashing your use of dynamics, it's that they overpower the dan tranh a little too much at some points."

That's a good point that I hadn't thought about. Upon listening once again, I can hear exactly what you mean. I wanted to go for a massive, overwhelming kind of sound with the strings and choir, but might've gone too far and made a massive, overwhelming burger.

"I also wish you would cut some of those low mids on those loud drums. It bothered me a lot on the first listen through, but not so much now (7th listen or so)."

You talking about parts like 2:06? Because yeah, the low mids over there annoy me a little too!

"To wrap it up, you have a good song on your hands with extremely minor mixing issues that are more than likely just opinionated criticism, but it doesn't 'wow' me enough."

Very fair criticism! I agree - this unfortunately relies too much on loudness, powerful percussion, a fairly quick pace, etc... in an attempt to make it sound epic, but in the composition side, it's lacking in memorability.

Thanks for the super insightful and detailed review!

[Graveyard Shenanigans]

I like it, man. Real Banjo Kazooie sounding. Reminds me a bit of Gex and Mother 3 as well. You did this for the NGADM? Good luck on that there contest.

I don't enjoy giving 5s on things that I don't think deserve them. This deserves it. It's an excellently well mixed and cohesive song.

steampianist responds:

thanks man really appreciate it

[Lighthouse]

Honestly, I wasn't sure of what to expect from this since you only recently started uploading and you got on the top submissions, but I admit this is good music. I mean, starting at 1:33 it sounds like something I would write.

I think your drums feel alienated, though. I'd suggest either to use different samples or reverb, cutting out some of the low mid/bass punch in your snare and try to cut freqs where you can in your bass drum. I'm not telling you to make sacrifices in your bass drum, just see what you can EQ out of the picture, cuz it sounds a bit messy with all these low freqs from the piano (which I'd imagine you don't want to cut too much of).

I also feel a lack of panoramic depth. Play with the panning of your instruments so you can get a sweeter ambient feel.

It's a good song and I get the idea, it just need mixing work.

LunyAlex responds:

So you know that saying better late than never?
Eh. It's not a great saying really but here's a 6 years late reply:

Thank you for your detailed review and your constructive feedback. It was appreciated at the time, but there were times back then when I wasn't in the state of mind to reply. Sorry bout' that.

Now I'm trying to fill the gaps, haha.

Thanks again :D

[Apex Of The Universe]

This is pretty impressive work, man. I can only really criticize a few things, because the instrumental is pretty solid. Digging the Finnish style keyboard solo (hope you get my joke on the Finns).

Your lyrical delivery is making me wince at times. I understand that you're telling a story and that lyrics can sound pretty shitty and unromantic when you do this (I know, because I have written songs that go that route), but in the first half of the song you seem to be trying really hard to cram in some of those lyrics and sing them out. This might just be a product of your writing not working out in the end, but it sounds forced, man. Most of the song has good delivery, but just work on that.

The only other thing is that your vocals are mixed a tad loud.

Yeah. That's seriously all I have to complain about, because it's a pretty good song.

TheDoomrider responds:

The song is exactly how I wanted it to be, I wouldn't change anything and I am glad you enjoyed it, HELLYEAH!!!

[Augmented 13]

I don't really have any advice on this one since what it is, is straight forward. Sounds like you could easily turn this into a song with vocals if you made more parts.

Psilenth responds:

thanks

[Voices (Inside My Head)]

I enjoyed the dissonant chords and the constant ambiance you created by allowing the sustain to rule. The lyrics are good. I don't mind that the vocals aren't mixed over the guitar, because they meld together in an ambient frenzy.

Love this work, bro.

Vojife responds:

Thank you very much! What you wrote here was exactly what I was going for.
I am glad to hear you like it. :)

[VGA Dreamcoat (8-bit)]

Sorry, wrote this last night but internet went out

About time... You've made something I give two shits about.

First and foremost issue was leveling. If it was me, I'd have mixed the lead a little more quietly. There were certain other elements that weren't blended in well enough on the left pan and the bass needs to be a bit more dynamic, especially if you do make the lead more quiet. I mean, I'm not saying it doesn't stand out, but perhaps it should, more at certain points where I feel you're trying to get the bass to hit you in the face (otherwise, this would be a miniscule tweak in the mid range).

Second issue was little blips of clippage at certain points, most notably at the ending fade out sequence. I know that this ain't no mo'fuckin' dB clipping, so I couldn't tell you what the fuck is causing it.

Now, on to praise. The song carries that sort of Japanese metal/pop vibe throughout which I find quite pleasant and I think it could be successfully converted into that genre with the proper instrumentation (plus if I heard the lead as vocals like I am in my head, I think I'd love the resulting song). In this respect, you could classify it as 'happy hardcore', but it doesn't have the same mindlessness you get from other songs in that genre, so I'm not sure it would be due.

The song has a nice length. It could go for a switched up breakdown, but that's not exactly necessary in the least. So, what you have here is a well structured song with few issues, zero outstanding issues and a good hook. Great job, kardesh.

midimachine responds:

awesome, being the attention whore i am it makes me glad when i find out extra shits are being given about me! :)

the clipping is the wavetable channel and also the volume envelope changes; each individual sound channel is only 4-bit, which means only 15 different dynamic levels for each = you can hear soft clicks between each level.

as for genre, i'm not really fussed but i'm leaning more towards power pop or something like that.