Codefreq's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[hypothermia]

I could see this in a Genesis-era game like Sonic The Hedgehog, as well as a Super Stickman Golf level. You've expressed a unique image of an urban environment with lots of snow and falling icicles in it.

IMO The name "hypothermia", however, doesn't fit the energy of the rest of the song. You may want to change the name.

The mixing is quiet. I recommend adding a compressor/limiter and/or normalizing the audio so the listener doesn't have to raise the volume for this one song.

The ending is abrupt. I suggest either having the piece resolve or find a way to cleanly loop it.

As much as I enjoy the imagery you've expressed, I think expanding the arrangement would make this song really hit the point home about feeling cold. Though I think the writing is good, I think experimenting with effects plugins and/or trying different instruments that make the song sound "larger" in scale would be beneficial.

That is, however, assuming you are going for a vast, snowy landscape feel. It's a little unclear what kind of ice level you want to make this piece for (retro-themed, compact, urban, modern, expansive, etc.) so I'll give this song the benefit of the doubt.

Either way, you did a fine job.

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

gamerjaym responds:

thanks

[BluFlame - The Seven Seas]

Somehow, you managed to have a pirate-sailor adventure vibe come through clearly despite using the very urban-city-oriented sound of Dubstep. You get bonus points for that. :)

The mixing is well done, too.

Personally, I found the ending to be a little anticlimactic given the bombast of the rest of the song.

Even still, awesome job!

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

TaylorBlue responds:

Hey! Thank you for your feedback, it's always appreciated.
I completely get what you mean about that ending though... by that point I simply didn't know what else to do! However, you're not the fist to say that, so from now on I'll try make those endings extra spicy when built up to like that :p

[Factory Beat (loop version)]

Nice choice of instrumentation. Synth-based dance music is usually urban-oriented by default, so the style fits the name really well IMO. I can see the factory where this takes place in my head.

I think the only thing I'd suggest changing is taking off the last kick of the beat or doing some kind of edit so it's an even number of bars. As it is, there's an extra beat if you loop it.

Still, great job! :)

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

[Breezy's MegaQuest - Boss Song]

This is good :)

The sense of tension you describe seems to me more like a sense of dread, but I can see how someone might think it is tension. Given the limitations of chiptune music, that's not easy by comparison to other genres. The energy is very action-oriented, like any good 80's NES game.

I think the abrupt ending is an incentive to change the file playback mode from "song" to "loop."

The mix could be a bit louder. You may want to try using a compressor and/or limiter, or simply normalizing the track so that the listener doesn't have to change the volume just for this song.

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

[The Last Chieftess]

Man, that description really sets the melancholy tone of the rest of the piece. It's as if the "rightful place" of the last chieftess is her grave, like a ghost being put to rest. Yet, despite the hopelessness of many parts of this piece, there are moments where hope still creeps in.

The fantasy-like feel of the song comes through really clearly.

The mixing could be louder. I recommend a light amount of compression or normalization, just enough to increase the volume but not enough to affect the dynamics; the dynamics are one of the best parts of this piece.

What a journey of a song. I love this! :)

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

dkDigital responds:

Glad to hear that you liked it! I was indeed trying to tell a sad yet hopeful story and the fact that you refer to it as a journey is exactly what I want to hear! ^.^

As for the compression, it is compressed. I didn't want to normalize as I needed the contrast between the softer and the harder parts. And I can't amplify it farther without it clipping... due in part to one sample I was using. I tried taking the sample out, but the song lost so much of it's power, and I don't currently have a suitable alternative.

[No Choice]

I think it's incredible that you did this in the space of about in hour. :D

It definitely feels like a throwback to Sega Genesis/SNES days, like a car chase or an action sequence of some kind.

The mixing is a little quiet; you may want to try using compression to boost the volume. That way the listener doesn't have to change the volume specifically for this song.

I'm curious to see what kind of game you make with this. Good luck! :)

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

Barzoom responds:

Thank you for the kind words buddy! Honestly speaking I didn't bother with mixing at all it just sort of fell into place like this so I didn't want to touch anything :X.

(The game will be some sort of quirky RPG probably, not entirely sure yet.)

[Vista Sounds - Long Way]

As far as EDM goes, this isn't bad. Personally, I'd qualify house as a subset of EDM.

I think, given the genre, the mix isn't bad, although in some parts of the song there is very noticeable distortion with the instruments. It's unclear if you meant it that way or not, but I think that distortion could make the piece tiring to listen to multiple times in a row.

What's the story behind the name? It's hard to make sense of it.

Still, it's pretty good, all things considered. I hope you find this feedback helpful for your future works. :)

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

Vista-Sound13 responds:

I really like your review, Thanks. I called it 'Long Way' because the melody (piano) to me sounds that happy and hopeful.

[Baka is a creep!]

This seems tongue-in-cheek, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. IMO The music sounds unfinished.

Who is Baka? What's the story behind that name?

The mixing isn't great. It's a little heavy on the compression and some of the instruments get muddy and lost in the mix because of it.

I said it seemed tongue-in-cheek, but the reality is your intent is unclear. If you provide your intent and thought process in the description it could influence my rating and review. As it is, I don't know what you are trying to do in creating and releasing this piece so I have to score it based on how much I like it rather than how effective I think your intent comes across in your music.

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

biyaonibakasan responds:

I really appreciate the feedback. and yes, it is sounds unfinished and insufficient with extended context on this track. Your Guidelines has a awesome Standard to make the artist feel more impulsive and more motivated to make better content for those creators like me. It may come in handy through my end. Thanks!

[Skerp - Staying Alive]

There's a certain pessimism to this piece. I'm not sure if this is your intent, but the repetition, although annoying if played on loop, makes me feel like doing the same thing every day just to stay alive in times like now, with the virus and all, is a real struggle. IMO the sparse instrumentation highlights the bore of having nothing to do.

Mixing wise, the song is pretty good, although I think the volume could be louder via compression.

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

Skerpp responds:

Thank you for the feedback I appriciate it very much, If you really dig deep in this beat and just play it over its a simple beat and makes you think its the same thing, what are we doing now what are we going through are we going through a loop hole right now through processes of life as everyone lives through one of these pandemics, history repeats itself, this track is what you take of it and what you think of it.

Thank you for the comment, I do think i could make the track louder as it is a tiny bit quite, thank you for the compliments as i appriciate it very very much and thank you so much for the feedback, stay safe and have a good week!!

- Skerp