level-up-audio's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Xochipilli (v2)]

I like the relaxed vibe of this track. I think you've created some cool textures and moods from your combination of instruments. It feels like 'thinking' music. Or 'searching' music. Good job!

[Shores of Dysphoria]

From a composition standpoint, this is really excellent. Lots of great interplay between guitar and piano. Love the vocals. I can't tell 100% for sure if the guitar is a sequenced virtual instrument or not, but I'm guessing it is. From a production standpoint, one tip for increasing the 'natural' feel of a virtual guitar (or piano) performance is to stagger the notes in the first pluck of a chord by a tiny tiny increment. For example, if you're playing an A Minor chord (A, C, E), stagger the A, C, and E notes very slightly from each other (like less than a 1/64th note) so that they don't all get plucked *quite* at the exact same time, but rather they get plucked in rapid sequence to give almost a strum effect. I probably didn't explain this too well, but hopefully it makes sense. Cheers!

Chemiqals responds:

Brilliant Watson!

=P

[337 [System Failure]]

This is excellent! A great soundscape you have created. I really like the ambient textures that you used. The keyboard melody is so haunting, and the vocal pads fit very well. I really enjoyed the entire track. My only suggestion from a production standpoint would be to maybe change some of the velocities on the notes in your keyboard melody, to give it a bit more variety and a natural feel. Or perhaps automate a band pass filter sweep or hi-cut or lo-cut filter on the keyboard melody to give it some movement and dynamics. Hi-cut filters on pianos/keyboards always give a really ethereal quality to them that I've always thought was really cool. Anyways, great track. Cheers!

Chemiqals responds:

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! That's a good suggestion for the melody! =P

This is why I need to hire a guy to stand there after I make a song and be like, "Sir... this new song is wonderful! But might I suggest an automated filter on that melody?". So I can be like, "Brilliant Watson!".

[Arashi (WIP/Preview)]

I'm not familiar with this sub-genre, but I enjoyed the track. I really liked the drum sequencing, and the synth pad you used had some really cool articulations which resulted in a really ethereal soundscape that I suppose is where the 'liquid' comes from in the genre name. Even though this music, on first glance, seems repetitive and simple, there is actually a lot of complexity in the composition and the production that makes me appreciate it. I really enjoyed this track by the end, which surprised me because I wasn't sure I would like it that much when I first started. I can tell that you have a lot of knowledge of your genre, and of your production techniques, and you use both well here. Cheers!

JandreParis responds:

I thank you kindly, good sir.

Pads, melodies and harmonies and usually what make up most liquid tracks. Quite the antithesis to most of the Drum & Bass people usually hear. I just like breakin' the norms ;)

Cheers!

-J.P.

[First Sunrise]

Great production on this track. I really appreciate the care you put into the arrangement, and your use of effects, and the minimal instrumentation. I really liked your first riser. The kick sounds great. I learned a lot from listening to this. I'm trying to get better at composing electronic music myself, and I really think you did some great work on this track. Cheers!

[Bloody Revolution]

This is great. Sorry for the one line review. The lead work is excellent. Cheers!

DanJohansen responds:

No prob man, glad you dig it! :D

[{!RGH} Glitchcore]

This is pretty cool. It almost feels like music from a SNES video game or something. I like that you fused two different styles from the intro to the main part of the song. I like the tones and instrumentation. Lots of cool stuff going on. Cheers!

RyeGuyHead responds:

Your review is greatly appreciated.

Glad your picking up what I'm putting down!

[Flutterwonder [Acoustic Cover]]

I haven't heard the original, but I really enjoyed this cover. The production is actually pretty decent for an understated track like this. The guitar sounds good, the vocal mix is nice, and the woodwind was great too. Nice harmonies as well. Cheers!

[Dubstep - OH NO]

I thought the main 'yoy-yoy' riff was fine, but could have used some variation, via some filters (hi or lo cut). Other than that, I liked the track overall, and I appreciated a lot of the well-executed production elements like your white noise and risers, and other stuff like that. The dubstep bass part in the latter half of the song had some good tones. Fast dubstep womp-womp basslines are really hard to do, so I admire anyone who does their take on it. I haven't figured out how to do that style of production yet, so I'm really fascinated by the process. Lastly, I enjoyed the synth solo very much. Cheers!

Zazzy responds:

Thank you mate!