SourJovis's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Hostile]

I would swear I'm listening to a high budget film score. To my ears this couldn't sound any better. Very well chosen samples. Very good performance, mixing and such. This would fit a scene without becoming overbearing, yet it's very powerful. I like tho structure and flow of the song. It remains interesting, because of the way the song develops. Good combination of orchestral, electronic and electric instruments. It blends well. You also mixed your live guitars in very well. Nothing sticks out, but it's all very transparent. I wish I had some helpful advise how you could make it better, but you must have spent enough time on this to make it as good as it can possibly be.

Mattashi responds:

Thanks for the great review man :)

[Brawnzer's Brawl]

Cool song. A lot is going on here. The beginning reminds me very much of the boss theme from FFVII. It's the guitar chords. I like the marimba. It's an instrument you don't really expect, and that makes the song sound more interesting. What also makes the song interesting is how it keeps changing all the time So many different instruments. Doesn't get repetitive. It loops very well. You can listen to this for several times and not get bored. I hope someone uses this in a good game.

Deemo-R responds:

Thank you for the compliments! I've actually never played a FF game in my life... but I know how impressive the music is, so the comparison is much appreciated! I doubt this will ever be used in anything, but that'd sure be cool. :3

[Prey And Predators]

Epic! This song has so many layers. You hear different things every time you listen. It's so well mixed you can hear all of the individual instruments. They work very well together. Each instrument adds something new to the whole. Also great sounding samples. You know just what to do with them. They should hire you to make their demo's. I will check out the entire ablum.

Mattashi responds:

Thanks allot man!

[i believe]

Great synth sounds. I like panning echo of the bells, and how the parameters change over time. Makes electronic sounds come to life. The blown up lead sounds very emotional. The drums sound pretty good as well. They perfectly support the song and fit the mix. I like the atmosphere of the song. I think it would fit the end credits of a futuristic film, or a scene where they play a full song with some self explanatory shots, like a video clip.

johnfn responds:

Man I get that my music sounds like ending credits music a lot! I wonder why... it must be because its kinda chill and upbeat or something, I dunno. Anyways, thanks for the review.

[Pareidolic War]

Great mood. I like the variety of the song. Each segment sounds different, yet it all fits together. It's like the song tells a story. It evokes images. The strings sound nice and emotional. I think I like the pad like elements of the song best. Like the part from 2:22 to 2:39. Of course it works best in the context of the song. Good resting point. The pds still sound great when other more prominent instruments play over them. Good luck in the competition.

Phonometrologist responds:

I'm glad you like the pad choice as well. It's a bit grainy and old sounding, and I thought it appropriate for this. And in regards to mood, I try for a more somber approach as well...then again, I don't know when I ever not strive for that.
Thank you for listening and leaving such a kind review. But kind or not, I enjoy them regardless. Likewise in terms of the competition!

[Towards Madness (alt)]

The base at the beginning and end of the song sounds sick. How did you get that sound? The panned snare drums sound very interesting. Perhaps you could make the velocity levels rice. That's always good for some lively sounding snare rolls. The instruments sound very epic. The low synth that kicks in at 1:51 sounds very dominant. I'd turn the volume down, and probably cut off some of the far lows. I like the harp at 2:14 as well. It's the most interesting instrument of that segment. I would turn up the volume and decrease the reverb. Also I would have it pan from left to right. You can change the velocity levels some more and have the arpeggios speed up and slow down. Like start slow and soft, make the speed and velocity rise as the arpeggio becomes higher, that drop everything nearing the end of the arpeggio and start over again. Have the uneven tones (1 and 3) sound louder than the even (2 and 4). The synth at 2:58 sounds better than the one before. Maybe that's because it doesn't drown out the other instruments. I like the recurring motifs. The little synth effects make the song more interesting to listen to. More is going on. They also make it sound faster. I think you're on the right track. I hope you can improve it some more even.

ET16 responds:

Thanks jorivs! I used your ideas there were much help! :)

[Action Hero Dance Party]

I like this song! Nice contrast between the action driven elements and the happy things (hence the titleAction Hero Dance Party I assume), but it doesn't contrast much, it actually blends very well in an interesting way. Makes the song very original. It indeed loops well.

Mawnz responds:

Yea imagine some action heroes being heroes and then taking a break to dance a little or something...! If it wouldn't have been this title I was thinking of something like "Summer", but this title was cooler ;D

Thank you for your thoughts on the song SourJovis, much appreciated!

[The Weapon]

I can hear how you were inspired by Elitistinen. Just like him you create a good combinaion of industrial electronic/metal music, epic orchestra and heavy percussion. It reminds me of Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's not so much that the music sounds alike, but your song just puts images in my mind of giant robots fighting supernatural creatures for the sake of human existence. I particularly like the choir sound, and how the people are actually singing words instead of just "Oohs" and "Aahs". I'm looking for some new software and plugins, so I'll check out the things you've used. The structure of the song is also very good. How it sounds like a machine gearing up, how the song's tension rises and falls, and how it ends in some sort of double time.

Mattashi responds:

The Symphonic Choir Word Builder is an awesome VST, probably one of my favorite from EWQL.
It does suck up allot of ram though (I had 2 of them running and I think I need to get my ram upgraded).
You can basically type words you want the choir to sing you should definitely check it out! :)
Thank you for the review!

[The Place of a Skull]

Interesting piece. I hadn't listed it as one omy favourites of the competition because I didn't really know what to do withthe style. Now I listen to it more carefully I think I really missed something before. It's a long piece with realy different parts. Even though it's experimental and rather abstract it still touches you, and that's what I think music needs. It tells a certain story of changing emotions. It's like Real Faction said. It sounds like it's about dying. Scary and painfull at first. But then you move on towards a whole new world. It sounds very cinematic. I like how all of the sounds are interwoven and balance each other out. Despite the sounds are strange and a little dissonant, it's still polished and good on the ears. My only complaint perhaps is the violins that start at 4:29. They sound a little direct and dry for my taste. It gets better later on, when more instruments join in. Then they sound very good. Perhaps they should start out more distant at first, and slowly grow stronger and closer while other instruments join in.

Phonometrologist responds:

I appreciate you enduring this and your approach to listening by giving your perspective. I love to hear even from those that haven't been accustomed to this style and even for those that would like to tell me how they don't like it.
Every word you used to describe this is well taken and insightful to me. I invite all to offer there own meaning to it by taking ownership of what they listen to. I would even use some of your words to describe this, but there is a hidden meaning to it as well which you touched on.
To get more technical, I agree about your complaint. I was in a super rush to reach the deadline though, and I didn't have enough RAM to keep all the instruments going as it was let alone add yet another plugin for the strings. I would have liked to add more to the strings, but this will have to do. I will just have to learn from it and take what you said into account for the next projects.
Thank you for the thorough review.

[Fleeting Forest Lights]

Very mystical. I like all of the atmospheric sounds you've used fo this. They blend well into a blanket of sounds.

Krichotomy responds:

I'm glad you like my atmospheric quilt.