McGorilla42's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Machine]

Really like this. I see it fitting nicely into an action-based game on here. Enjoy the rhythmic basis of the track, but you employ good melodies into the chorus, which is nice. The mix is good, but I'm not too sold on that bass tone. Maybe it's just a little loud? I know this is an oldie for you, but I came here from your music thread :) Good work!

Aterum responds:

Thank you! yeah there's a few things I wish I could go back to change about this track but since it's last update I've have lost the project file, on top of the bass tones, I felt as though it had a very harsh high end especially towards the end of the track that makes it too unpleasant at high volume. I'm glad you enjoyed.

[BIT.TRIP REMIX [05] FATE]

Coming from R4R. Wow, this is nothing like I usually listen to and I'm not familiar with the songs that you have remixed, so hopefully I can give you some sort of meaningful view. If I must be honest, I actually have no idea what remixing involves, so I can't comment on how well you've done it, but it sounds flawless.

You create a uneasy atmosphere in the intro with some very interesting sound design. Curious to know what you did there, but I like it.

Overall the mix sounds pretty damn good. I'm really digging the sparse, dark atmosphere of the song and the slow build up. Each element you add sits nicely in the mix and there's little clutter. When you add something new, it takes the forefront and something else drops out, so it never feels messy, but there's always something to maintain interest in the mammoth of a song. Your melodies don't demand attention and remain subtle and I enjoy that. I actually envy it a little because I have a habit of wanting to make the melody the centre piece of my music and it prevents it from being too atmospheric in the way yours is (could totally picture your song in a game)

The change around 5:00 is good too. Enjoying the change in the rhythmic and percussive aspects of the song. Again, it feels like everything has been thought out and well placed in the mix. Nothing is there that shouldn't be there -- you aren't adding things to fill up space. I'm writing this review as I listen, I'm 7 minutes in and am in no way bored yet which is a feat within itself.

I haven't said anything bad yet. I don't even know what to criticise. I'm enjoying every aspect of this, from the musicality, to the production, from the sound design to the composition. You've done a great job here. Feel like I could learn a lot from you (if you have any resources to share, I'd love to see them!). I often feel like music in a similar vein shies away from elements of tradition composition, like melody and harmony and instead focus more on the percussive aspect of the music, but you've incorporated both the nerdier production side of music with the "traditional" aspects.

Great work! Looking forward to hearing more from you! :)

ganon95 responds:

glad you liked it. to do this remix i listened to the original source songs and placed all the notes by ear. for some parts that had too many electronic sounds to be able to figure out note placement I simply mixed in the source track with my own beat using EQ to make it sound consistent as I do not have the original sounds.

the BIT.TRIP remixes are all about adding length without being boring, which im happy to hear you enjoyed.

[Dark's Adventure, prologue]

Fantastic. Would love to hear and extended version of this. Love that you recorded a lot of it with actual instruments and you did a great job with it!

Troisnyx responds:

I hope to do one in future. Hope I don't forget...

[BIG RED PLUNGER BITCH]

You're either one of the greatest trolls of all time or the most deluded person on earth. Sounds like you recorded an entire band with a broken 58. This is unspeakable.

[The Man That Funk Built]

Really great job with the mix and the guitar sounds. This song is super cheesy, but in a good way (like an anime intro). Interesting change around 2:00. I like that you've managed to integrate real instruments and vocals in with some more 8-bitty synth sounds and have it sound consistent and good -- the guitar vs synth solo was 5/5.

The big problem I have with this piece s the vocals, or maybe the autotune on the vocals. Initially, it felt almost deliberate and fitting with the style, but the more it went on the more I disliked it. It's almost too small an amount to feel like a deliberate effect, but too much if it's not actually meant to be heard. You are pretty competent so I'm guessing it was deliberate, but my opinion would be to crank the hell outta that pitch corrector if you want it to be heard at all, otherwise make it more subtle with melodyne.

Anyway, great work!! :)

ConnorGrail responds:

Thanks! Yep the vocals were definitely on purpose, wanted him to sound like a cyborg. Mostly I just thought it sounded cool (which is why it was a common occurrence throughout the EP), but thanks for the good feedback Gorilla friend

[TheFatRat ft. Laura Brehm - Monody (GTB Remix) [NG cut]]

It's your lucky day! Because of the nonsense in the R4R thread, you get a whopping FOURTH review for your jammy trance number because everyone is nice and we believe in equality and justice. I made sure that Chliz reviewed your work before I reviewed his, but his review was so lackluster and disinterested, I should've reviewed yours properly first. Hope this makes up for that.

Really enjoying the 90s/early 00s feel of this piece, especially when the vocals kick in. Although they feel somewhat old-school, the vocalist feels modern and reminds me of Elle Goulding. The mix, for the most part, is good too!

Intro - jumps straight in which is cool. Maybe a slight intro or build up would be nice, but it works how it is. I feel like there should be a hook here to maintain interest here. There's that tinkly melody on top, but it's not really at the forefront, and isn't powerful, so perhaps bringing it out a little or changing the sound and backing the bass off a little could brighten up this section.

Verse - I like these vocals a lot. Good job with the recording, processing and effects Maybe a touch too much verb, but it feels pretty tasteful considering the style. Instrumentally, I wish it changed up a little in this section. You added a couple new chords to the progression which is nice, but that bass is quite insistent and unrelenting throughout the whole piece so a little something new, or maybe a little something less, would've made it even better.

Chorus - I like the filter automation going on with that chord pad. Wish there was a bit more of a melodic element here. That cool plucky instrument finally pops out and makes itself clearly as the chord stab pad fades out and it'd be nice to have heard it a little sooner, a little more clearly.

I feel like overall, this is mixed pretty well, has great elements and absolutely captures a nostalgic element of early 2000s trance music that I listened to when I was much younger. The shortcomings really come down to the arrangement. The song is very repetitive, but it somehow lacks familiarity without any previous sections reappearing. I remember hearing it fade out at the end when I listened to it for the first time and thinking "Oh. I thought there was going to be another verse and then another chorus", but three and a half minutes had already passed. I think by tightening up the arrangement and adding stronger hooks and melodies in the instrumental parts, you could come up with some really fantastic stuff!

Great job either way and I'm looking forward to hearing more from you :) Good luck with your next R4R

[Remember Me]

This piece is cute and I think it has a lot of potential to be good. The melody in the intro is simple and catchy and builds up nicely. I can hear what you're aiming for, but I think the mix is a bit off, with the drums being too loud in the verse, then way too quiet in the chorus after the drop where they really should be driving force behind the section.

Also, I'm not too sure about the 3/4 timing after the drop. Maybe it's one of those things that my ear would adjust to after a few listens, but it feels like it's begging to be in 4/4 instead.

At 0:48 there's a weird dissonant note in that chord.

I see that you're only 11 and this is really impressive for your age. Keep writing and learning and improving and you'll be great in a few years!

Chliz responds:

Thanks for the constructive criticism! I agree that I need to work on drops a bit more.

[City Clocktower]

You're so versatile and prolific. Comparing this to your AIM submission I commented on previously, the style is drastically different, but equally competent. You're really great at this. Would love to learn from you. Are you studying composition or just yoloing along with fancy ears, talent and hard work? Really enjoy your work :)

ConnorGrail responds:

Thanks so much for checking out more of my stuff! And to answer your question - no formal composition study, I listen to a lot and write even more, and strive to improve every day. Although I am set to take some Game Audio courses this summer.

[AIM - Not You Again...]

Good grief this is absolutely damn brilliant!!! So layered, such great melodies, such a perfect arrangement...Wow. Incredible stuff

ConnorGrail responds:

I just can't help but get absolutely carried away with layers... I'm happy that someone enjoys it like I do though!

[AIM - RPM Overdrive]

Hell yeah. I was going to say that this reminds me of smashing trucks in Excite Truck and then I looked at the picture and that's basically what it was. Cool as hell, man! Keep it up! :D Hope this does well in AIM.

+1 star for tasteful use of pinch harmonics
+1 star for that cool stutter thing (x2)
+1 star for weird modulation thing at 2:20
+1 star for sextuplets
+1 star for half time feel at end

TSRBand responds:

Thanks so much! Glad you liked how this one turned out :D