SourJovis's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[[SNES] Tunnels of the Forgotten Gods]

So both this song and your earlier song "[SNES] Underground Jungle" are based on the same song? Maybe I haven't listened to them well enough, but I can't believe how different you made them sound. I like this one best I must say. It sounds less "computery" if you know what I mean. The other one sounds good if you like chiptune. This one simply sounds good. It sounds more like a song you may hear outside of a computer game as well. I like how despite of that, you can still hear the familiar snes sounds. I hope I'm making sense.

Alyxandr responds:

OH, I forgot to update the description! I'll change that quick. It's based off of Hunter's song "Ramestunnels".

Anyway, thank you!! I'm glad you like this one so much! This is the song that went through the most revisions in the game project so far and was more challenging to complete overall. Hunter compared it to Stickerbrush Symphony from Donkey Kong Country!

[[SNES] Boss]

Cool song. Well chosen sounds. The short high pitched snares are interesting in combination with the long low pitched snares. Nice blend of styles.

Alyxandr responds:

Thank you!!

[Gallop at the Jolly Ranch [game music, looped]]

Good thing you didn't resist making something, or we would've really missed out. Now I've read your description it does indeed sound like a horse galloping, because of the rhythm, that sounds a bit like the way the legs move. And I don't just mean the percussion with rhythm. It works well as a loop. Get's better the longer you listen to it, and you hear different things each time. It has a nice spontaneous improvised sound that makes it stay interesting despite it actually staying the same with each play. Somehow you just don't notice. Really helps this song loop.

BenTibbetts responds:

Thanks! I appreciate your attentive listening, glad you enjoyed it.

[[SNES] Undertown]

Nice song. What's it about. Sounds a bit dark, but not scary, because of the higher notes that sound happy. Makes me think you're underground and hear segments from what's above ground. The higher notes you hear are parts of the song Abyss right. Come to think of it; that's a bit of a scary title for a song that's that relaxed and happy. You made this song for the game by Terrat Nuh right? I read something like that on Patreon. Makes me wonder what the game is about.

Alyxandr responds:

That's an imaginative take on the music! I'm happy that you are able to imagine a world with just the music and title alone. The dark parts of the song signify the danger of Undertown and the light parts represent the main character's hopeful drive to persevere!

And yes, the melody of Undertown shares a subtle leitmotif from Abyss! I'm shocked you found that! I believe Undertown is the area right next to the abyss area, so I wanted to make it feel like you're venturing out into unknown territory.

I think Terrat Nuh is his nickname or screen name. His real name is Hunter Hatfield. I don't know much about the game besides the bare minimum. "13" is a metroidvania game with SNES-style visuals that takes place in the caves of an alien planet. The game is very early in development right now; so early that I'm delightfully surprised I'm even making music this early on.

Thank you for the 5 stars too! ^_^

[The Wizard's Grimoire]

Good song. I read the description while I was listening, and you can really hear what each part is about once you know it. I like how the song tells a story, If you don't read the description the song may tell a different story. Which is also nice. The sound allows for different interpretations. Maybe it's just me, but when I hear chiptune, I always start to wonder what instruments would be used if it weren't chiptune. This song can go multiple directions in that regard. It could be symphonic. Could be pop. Could be instrumental or it could be sung. The sound it has right now is also very pleasant by itself, so it's not like it would become better with different instruments, but that's just me wondering. I actually just like how you can have a lot of different stories with the same song.

ChronoNomad responds:

Many thanks, SourJovis! Interestingly enough, although I've listed out my own ideas for the song, I had rather hoped that some would simply let their own imaginations run wild to tell a unique and varied story. That's part of the fun, after all! Music is wonderfully subjective that way.

The past couple of years especially, my Pixel Day goal has been to create a track that embraces a number of genres...besides the obvious Chiptune, of course. Classic Fantasy RPG themes, but with a twist. Your review has made me feel like this has been a success, and ultimately makes the whole endeavor worthwhile.

So many tales could be told through such a soundtrack. So many songs could be sung. The imagination truly is a miraculous thing, and I thank you very much for listening.

[[SNES] Abyss]

Great song. The snes sounds make it feel very familiar and nostalgic, but the fact it's 16-bit doesn't take away from the quality at all. Only few composers manage to have that effect on me. David Wise being one of those few.

Alyxandr responds:

That's incredibly flattering, thank you!!! Having modern tools at your disposal rather than coding music makes the process MUCH simpler and straightforward.

David Wise in particular had to jump through a lot of hurdles to create the music that he did for Super Nintendo. Nerdwriter did a video essay on Aquatic Ambiance from Donkey Kong Country. In that essay, he explained how Wise meticulously cut and sampled a droning filter sweep in order to adapt it to SNES hardware. Something like that can be done in a few simple clicks these days, but back then required David Wise five weeks of work to pull off.

[Pixel Pursuit]

Nice sounds. I like how energetic it is. Nice orchestra hits.

Hyenaedon responds:

Thanks! =)

[Felix Zophar - The Progression]

Great song. Super energetic. I like the sound. Very full and phat. Happy pixelday!

FelixZophar responds:

Thank you! :D

[Revolt !]

Great song! Quite catchy melody. I like the bit crushed drum sounds. Exactly what you would hear in an old nes game. Really gets me into the mood. Happy Pixelday!

LexRodent responds:

Happy Pixelday mate !
Glad to know I gave it the right sound. Thanks for listening.

[Call of the Warrior]

Glad you were allowed in. Interesting song. Original combination of instruments I'd say. The only nitpicking I can do is the instruments sound a little clean and like presets. Maybe you could've dirtied them up a little (or perhaps that's just my taste) I think the drums could've been more hardhitting. Quite a good song for so few hours. The halveway point is where it really starts to sound good I think. There's a lift that takes it to another level. It's those powerfull chords that do the trick. Way to go.

Spadezer responds:

Sweet. Good to hear. I'll admit, I don't spend much time tweaking presets. I just take what I find and run with it. Thanks for the review and good luck.