NikolaosTheDark's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[DJ Cloud-Nocturne]

Close, but no cigar. Quite dry.

Don't get me wrong: This song was very well-produced. But this just doesn't drive me. It feels like typical Newgrounds trance. Go beyond that.

I'd take this chord structure/general motif and try to apply a different trance style. Contemporary progressive (Listen to some of Matt Darey's mixes) might work, but a Tritonal style might be even better. If you've listened to the original mix of "Utopia," that's a style that I have in mind.

CloudDJ responds:

I've listened to the song Utopia, its a nice song but its not what I had in mind when I made Nocturne.
By the overall comments I can see that many people have their own different opinion about this song, each one takes it to other place, so do I.
Thank you for the review.

[Session One - BeefourMusic]

That high saw synth....

I realize that you're using that saw to occupy both the lower and mid frequencies, but something about it is...obnoxious. I can't quite put my finger on it. Use another instrument to occupy the middle frequency and see how it sounds.

Otherwise, good song.

SUB4RU responds:

Yeah, I will do that and see how it sounds. It might break the tune up a bit more.

- BeefourMusic -

[Beautiful Reality]

It's definitely different.

I would've picked a more elaborate chord structure and melody, but good track, nonetheless.

Sounds like something Matt Darey would play with a pinch of breakbeat and tribal trance.

My only true criticism is the fact that this sounds like various different mixes of one song. If you split this out into separate tracks, it might seem more..."organized."

shades90 responds:

for the chord structure... I actually came up with the idea pounding around with a synth voice that I made and it was the first thing that came to mind after like... 10 seconds on the keyboard. I know I could have thought it out more (which I did later in the song) but it was really designed around a single idea from a single synth. The part that I mimicked is actually inaudible now that I wrote over it. It seemed like it was simply an after touch wah-wah affect (constructive waves made frequency change pitch change differnt than controlled). I had to copy it by ear.

About the splitting into two songs... if I did that, it would all sound the same. What I try to do differently than other electronic artists is maintain melodic diversity.

[<MWA> You're the World to Me]

Nice piece of electro house music.

Do you listen to Matt Darey's Nocturnal podcast? This style of progressive is something that he would love to throw down.

I have to say, this is some fantastic synthesis. Good choice of drums, simple yet effective saws, and an interesting bass. I wanted to say that it's a distorted triangle, but I'm not sure. Nice portamento saw that joins around 3:38.

My only problem is that I don't feel that the bass should be leading, but that the upper saws should. Then again, this seems to be a critical part of contemporary electro house, which I usually speak in an unflattering manner about. It then boils down to personal preference, really, but please do try it out to see how it sounds.

You have F-777's attention, so you must be doing something right. Keep making house music.

mjattie responds:

Thanks! gotta check him out, I guess.

the triplets aren't totally equally divided, but that was on purpose, I like it when it's not totally in sync haha.

Well, I already tried to make the saws lead, but the problem would be, that I'd have to change the bass, or else it'd sound muddy... But I liked the sound, so yea, it's a personal matter I think :P

Thanks again!

[My Black and White Keys]

Interesting piece of dubstep.

I rarely ever find any legitimate songs while sifting through the listings. This is a nice change.

Keep making melodic work. I'd like to hear more.

Zizmo responds:

Well if you like melodic dubstep then youve come to the right place! Thats what I try to aim for every time I write a track. Something thats catchy and cool but not just crazy amounts of bass and craziness. Make sure to take a look at my other tracks ;D

[SoisSideSoldiers - 789]

Whoa.

BJRA, xKore, SineRider? We're all doomed.

Seriously though, great job. Way to balance everything else around the heavy sub bass. I'd like to hear the upper wobble more (first heard around 1:02-1:03), though. The song felt really empty without it.

xKore responds:

fixed

[LOLWTFBBQ]

Please make a full track.

I haven't seen any exquisite Newgrounds tracks in quite a while. My music library is becoming stale. Can you be my savior?

DJ-Qwamii responds:

thanks.
Check out my latest track; Electrologic.
http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/liste n/380044
You'll like it better.
:)

[Fluxstyle - Voodoo 2]

Just not feeling it.

- A lot of this sounds like cliche SimSynth instruments.
- There's very little instrumental depth to this song. I feel as if big chunks are missing.
- If you're going for a Prodigy style, I'd definitely start listening to some of the harder DnB styles and look for some aggressive drums (and possibly drum loops).

unknowngoth responds:

Thanks for the feedback :D

[Electrologic (NG Cut)]

I know that it's electro house...

...but I think that you should have sidechained a little -less- with the kick drum. Just enough so we know that it's electro, but I'd like to hear what it's like if the synth downbeats were more present.

Also, it might just be personal preference, but I'd get a different snare/hat setup. I'm not accusing you of copying in the least bit, but ever since Deadmau5 released Ghosts n Stuff, that snare/clap has been EVERYWHERE. I see it as a pet peeve, and others might think so as well.

4/5. I know that your status in the house/trance scene is to be respected, and I'm glad to see that you're still posting.

DJ-Qwamii responds:

Yeah, I did that on purpose. I want to test how my synths will sound clashing with overpowered kicks. You're right though.

I understand. It's kinda overrated. By the way, this song was already released before using the same hat/snare far before Deadmau5 was into the mainstream.

Huge thanks for the helpful review! :)

[-YRX- Blue-Nightmare]

Needs work.

This might be personal preference more than anything else, but I'd start by moving away from the DnB feeling and just stick to a dubstep motif. The DnB motif just makes the song feel cluttered.

I'd also change the wobble.

Imagine your wobble as a party-goer. The more chill wobbles are those that just chill in a corner, sipping their drink. The melodic wobbles are probably on the dance floor, doing something elegant and coordinated. The straight-up filthy ones are the lovable-yet-batshit-drunk friends doing grotesque movements with the pelvis.

The current wobble setup, especially your initial wobble, feels like the intruder that nobody invited, and the host made all efforts to make sure that this individual didn't know about the party.

It sounds rather harsh, but I don't see any other way to personify it. Get the picture?

YouriX responds:

Well i would like to point out that what i was actually trying to make was DrumStep. Not Dubstep. So i was going more for the DnB feeling mixed with Dubstep.
Since this seems closer to Dubstep i labeled it so. I could however put this song in the DnB section but i thaugh i hardly have a song in the dubstep page so why not?

Change the wobble? Naaaah. I hardley do updates on my songs. When im done with a song im DONE!! I treat that song like a ex-girlfriend that you really dont want to meet. But still tell your frineds about her cuz she's hot.

This song is a personal experiment to combine DnB with Dubstep and then giving it a totally diffrint song structure. Also adding some interesting sound FX. That is why my wobble comes in uninvited becuase he really doesnt care what people think of him and just want to have a good time ;)