Codefreq's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Orbit]

This captures the feeling of outer space, and by extention, orbit, really well. There's a slight sense of cold, which is fitting as well.

I'm curious to hear from you what your intent was. It could help me provide better feedback and a more accurate rating, and I wouldn't have to base this entirely on my own taste.

That said, I like this piece. In addition to what I said above, It's peaceful, relaxing, emotional, and expansive, all at once. Very nice.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

[Failing Upwards]

I'm curious what your thought process was in making this song. It would help me give more constructive feedback and a more accurate rating, both of which would be based more on how well I thought your intent came across rather than simply by my own taste.

For example, Failing Upwards is an interesting title. Why did you pick that?

Also, the artwork you chose for your piece's thumbnail reflects a different genre than Hip Hop or Trap. I'm curious about why you chose that as well, considering the artwork in question is typical of Synthwave (and to a lesser extent, Vaporwave) rather than the genre you chose.

Speaking from my own experience, generally, if everything fits together smoothly, the piece is more focused and potentially better than it would have been.

In terms of my own taste, Trap and Hip Hop aren't really my thing. I'd like to be of more help, but as of now, I can't.

I hope this info is helpful to you. :)

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

[Adventure]

Sounds like a title screen to a retro-themed adventure game. Not sure if that's exactly what you're going for, but that's what I think it sounds like.

What was your thought process when you created this piece? That could help clear things up and I may be able to provide more useful feedback.

I like this piece. It's well mixed. I'm not sure why you made the icon artwork what you did, though.

Unfortunately, at this moment that's about all I can say without having your input.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

SovRin responds:

Hi there and thanks for your review. It's a song i came up with during a new project i am working on thus i called it adventure. I always look for a retro gaming vibe, so if that came over to you that is exactly as intended.
The Picture really has nothing to do with the track it's just my favourite Charakter Portrait from Baldurs Gate

[Tranquility]

I think this piece feels like what I'd be listening to if I were looking out the window of an apartment complex in the downtown area of a city while it's raining at night.

For an electronic song, it's quite peaceful. I wouldn't necessarily call it "Dubstep" but for the most part your submission and its various descriptors fit together nicely.

I think it would be beneficial if you put your thought process in your description so I'd have a better idea of what you were going for. That way, I can judge based on how clearly your intent came across rather than my own taste. I could also potentially provide a more accurate rating.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

[Dreams]

The vibe I get from this song is the feeling of total exhaustion somehow combined with the inability to sleep. I'd play this in the middle of the night because the shoe fits.

The thing is, although I can guess the vibe based on your description, I'm not sure how these elements fit together. Your icon artwork, the piece's title, the "sad" tag, the description, the piece itself, none of it seems to fit together.

I think it would be helpful to both of us if you put in your description what you were trying to do, what your thought process was when you created this piece. Knowing that would be very helpful because I could rate more accurately and possibly provide better feedback based on how well I thought your intent came across rather than my own taste.

I actually kind of like the piece. My 2 and 1/2 star rating is only because I have pretty much zero information on what your intent was. Oh, and you left about 32 seconds of dead silence that, for all I know, could mean something. However, without your input, there's no way to know.

I wish I could be of more help, but as it is, I can't.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

[Downward Spiral Of Depression]

Interestingly, this piece sounds to me less like depression and more like a complex, dramatic, romantic kiss scene from a movie.

It has a sad vibe, sure, but that's not what came to my mind at first.

Considering depression can feel less like traditional sadness and more like a painfully numb, low energy struggle (speaking from my own experience, here) I think the saying "less is more" would apply here. What you did isn't necessarily wrong; I can't speak for everyone with depression. That said, I personally think it could be more powerful if you pulled both pulled back on the arrangement and, as an aside, made the song longer.

I'm giving this the rating of 2 1/2 stars not because I dislike it, you understand; I really like it. I'm rating it this way because I feel the message of a "downward spiral of depression" got lost. I want this piece to succeed because I think it has potential to. It just needs a lot of work to get there.

I hope this helps. :)

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

ConnorHeather responds:

Cool, thanks for your interesting and in depth review much appreciated!

[Crazy Cancerology]

I'm not sure how this piece fits with the title or icon artwork. I recommend you add in the description what your thought process was when you made this so I can give you better feedback and potentially a more accurate rating. Right now, I can only go by my taste.

Why did you name this piece "Crazy Cancerology"? IMO it seem like an ill-fitted title for what you present here.

As far as my own taste goes, it's not something that wows me. The arrangement is a little sparse for my liking.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

[Into the Grid]

UPDATE:

Thank you for clarifying your intent in your response to my review. It seems you were indeed going for the vibe I described.

The only reason I didn't change my rating to 5 stars is because this piece doesn't seem like a soundtrack specifically for a rogue-like game on its own. I'd have to see the visual representation for it to click for me.

Apart from that, I stand by that you got the retro sythnwave-inspired futurism vibe really well nailed down. Good job. :)

Original 3 1/2 Star Review:

"First, you clearly put a lot of thought into the technical aspects of this song. That's undeniable given what you detailed in your description.

Second, be aware that in my reviews I'm less concerned with the technical aspects of arrangement, composition, and mixing on their own merits and more concerned with how all those elements fit together to present a feel or vibe that goes with the intent you have when you make the song.

Now, onto my review:

I think this presents a Synthwave-aesthetic-inspired sci-fi vibe quite well. It makes me think of almost a cyberpunk-type retro-futuristic city with neon lighting everywhere but through a nicer part of town.

That said, I don't think that's what you're going for if I read your description correctly, unless you're thinking of the old twin-stick arcade shooter, Robotron, in which case you did a pretty decent job with it. Since I'm just guessing, I'd like to hear more direct and concise input from you what vibe you were going for with this piece. Right now, it's hard to tell because your description meanders a lot and it makes it more difficult to parse what you are trying to do.

I hope you find this helpful. :)

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806"

Mik3l24 responds:

Sorry for a late reply, it was like 22 o'clock here in Poland when I've seen your review, way too late for me to write anything meaningful then.

I've noticed this discrepancy between the description of the game and the song itself too while writing it, but now that I'm thinking about it - I was going for the techno/synthwave vibe in terms of the music and a flashy, futuristic visual aesthetic from the beginning. I took inspiration from the soundtracks of PinOut, Tron and to a lesser extent - also Escape Goat, so… this song kinda met what I was going for.
In the first paragraph I more so rambled about my concepts for the story (and that's where the inspiration from HL1 lies) rather than the music or aesthetic. The reference to Nuclear Throne is about the general "arcade'y twin-stick shooter rougelike" gameplay structure, but now I realize that I want to make the visual style, and the game-feel much more like Hyper Light Drifter - which isn't even a rougelike. It still has quite a dark aesthetic, but combines that with some bright accent colors… which is also what I envisioned.
I think that it would make most sense to keep the beginning a bit more… brighter (not sure how to describe that), and only introduce darker, more distressing themes in the deeper parts of the Grid (the game world). This way we can keep this bright music and the dark story.
I hope that this cleared things up.

And… do you really think that I put thought into the technical aspects of this song? Huh. I've always found myself to be totally clueless and disorganized in these terms, always walking the thin line of intuition and trial and error. Well, it could be that I'm simply becoming more experienced in music making. Also, I just like over-explaining things.

[JacobTheCat - Specialized]

I can give you suggestions about what to say in your description. What was your thought process behind making this song? Why did you name this piece "Specialized"? Why is your audio icon what looks like a peppermint or whirly lollipop? How does this all fit together?

Providing such information could help me give better feedback and a more accurate rating. As it is, I'm limited to judging by my own personal taste rather than how well your intent came across.

As far as my own taste, honestly, I find this piece to be repetitive and the sidechain ducking too aggressive. Maybe that's what you're going for, but without your input I can't know for sure.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806