LucidShadowDreamer's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Traveller]

This is a wonderful track, dude! o.O
I can't believe no one has reviewed it yet. with you here, we definitely have a new great orchestral composer to add to our lists, hehhe.

The mixing is splendid, and the quality sounds really good to me. I also like the atmospheric sounds (there was some birdlike sfx, for example). Even though the track has a slow (yet beautiful) intro, it develops into quite the powerful melody.
I have heard a few people here get a bit more power out of a climax. Maybe there's a slight lack of dynaics here? I couldn't do it better myself at this point, but I think the end could use a bit more emphasis on some points nonetheless. It would add not only realism, but it would also make it easier to really live into the music and feel it!

Otherwise, I loved everything, and I favorited the track. The melodies, the structure, and the intrumentation is great.

Great job, and good luck ;)
Keep it up!

Ylmir responds:

Thank you, it really means a lot to me ! :)

Actually, I love experimenting with sounds, this is how I ended up getting these sounds in the intro, for example. The main instrument is actually composed of four different instruments (celesta + glockenspiel + crotales + an acoustic guitar played unconventionally, the hammered chordophone from FrozenPlain), and the "birdlike SFX" is just a sine synth with some effects. For this one, I wanted to get a space-y feeling, something evocating a spatial transmission or something like that. And then I messed up with the glide setting of the synth, and loved this feeling of artificial life it gave. This second approach was maybe less coherent with the story, but I couldn't resist. xD

I think you're right about the dynamics. I spent a lot of time lately working on hybrid orchestral, and on this one I decided to limit the "hybrid" part of the most powerful section to some hi percussion and a string-like synth, yet I think I continued to work on it as I worked on the hybrid epic tracks I was mentioning, where I usually use my electric guitar to give more life to the track. But I'll definitely think about it, since it's always been harder to me to write something epic for a "conventional" orchestra, and it may be the cause. Oh, and by the way, I especially had a hard time getting the last brass/violin notes right - if you listen carefully, they still sound a little bit synthy IMO.

Thank you again for your review ! ;)

[~ Decay ~]

I love it!
The simplicity really works for the benefit of this track. The mixing feels full enough with only this harp. There are a few other things I hear, but it sounds like it's just biproducts of the harp and the reverb? The melody is simple, but the chords are great. Especially the first one gets me on every loop.

Great job ;)

larrynachos responds:

Yeah, it's just a harp sample and reverb. It's a high quality library, so maybe that led to some sweet additives in the reverb.

That first chord made my ears ejaculate. This whole song was done in under an hour because I was so passionate about it.

I'm glad you enjoyed this song :D

[For Love is strong as Death]

Is it time to begin this journey? I think it is.
Sorry for the slightly delayed review, I should've been the first to review this, as I'm pretty sure I was the very first to listen. But I didn't have enough time at that point, and I wanted to give this a thorough review, hehhe.

First off, incredibly well pulled off references to "Return". Sometimes these things can accidentally occur subconsciously, but I refuse to believe that's the case here. Especially taking into note the context of "Return", and the name and context of this piece. I know that the violin used for return is real. Is that the case in this piece too? It feels so alive, with its sound, and all the dynamic.

Once again, I was surprised to have heard the entire piece, and I thought it not that long, and then when I look at the time at the end, a good 6 minutes have passed. Something about your tracks really help me live into them, to such an extent that I don't even notice the flow of time, which is otherwise something I'm very conscious about. It's a good feeling, being able to dive so deeply into a piece that the world around you becomes unimportant, if just for a moment in time.

While you say this is not a conventional love song, I'm not entirely sure I agree. Having watched thousands of movies, I've often heard similar themes reflecting several situations when it comes to love. This is not the stereotypical "forbidden" love with all of its cheesy romance and excitement. This is the love, surrounded deep feelings, doubts, perhaps even dangers, and very complex and hard to grasp situations. The only people that really get it are the involved. In some cases, this might even be possible to depict one-sided love gone wrong. Or even worse, the depth or fear for a loved one. Or simply, very complex and unique situations. But as I said, similar themes have been used to depict different kinds of love before. For an example, one could take music by Bernard Herrmann, used in Hitchcock movies. Take a theme from Vertigo as an example (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC5AzFc3coo). While it's a mystery/thriller, it has a lot of romance in it as well. I'm sure you'll notice a few similarities in the theme, and I suspect might even have heard it before, hehhe.

Oh no. I got distracted there for a while, and I lost my train of thought and flow. I'll try to get it back...

Well, while I try to get it back, I'll talk about what I've learned simply by listening to this. I've learned the importance and effect that dynamics can bring. I mean, I already use that when I play the piano, automatically. But I notice lsitening to this that I've spent far too little time focusing on dynamics when it comes to orchestral arrangement. The volume dynamics really put an emphasis on the important and notable parts of the track.
If I hadn't just writted an epic piano composition inspired by SoundChris (it'll take a while for it to be uploaded, but look forward to it! It's not as deep as the track inspired by you, but it sure is good), I'd sit down by the piano right now, and start a new journey. I will use what I have learned anyway, and try to use the piano as well in ways that I usually might not, when the time is right.
Ah yes, train of thought. Welcome back.

Depsite the interestic harmony choices in the beginning, this track never gets creepy to me. I've heard similar chords used in "Dining Room", which is a royalty free track that was used in "Ib", but instead of being creepy like they were in that track, the chords and notes here give evoke more a sense of curiosity and mystery in me. I think it's because of the way you play it. I feel no creepiness in the piano seat, especially not hearing chords like 0:59. The short sections with moods like that somehow remind me of the theme "Kathryn", made by David Carney. A pice also about love, cooperation, and whatnot, with a hint of sadness. Sorry for all the references. I think you might enjoy looking up the tracks I mentioned though, as they're all a bit unique in their own way.

Another thing I love is the structure, and the way this track moves. Really makes me think. Sometimes the strings and piano just hint at progressing somewhere, but move back a bit instead. And then, out of nowhere, things start building up, with not only new chord choises, but more instruments, more dynamics, more drama, and clearer melodies. The piano rolls are wonderful. I've heard them used in orchestras from time to time, but you implement them really well.

Moving back a bit, I like how there are not only one climax in this track, but several. And even better, in between, the track gets a bit more reserved again. Wonderful structure. I really ought to learn from this.

Well, I think this is probably it for this track. I won't go so far into this as analyzing the different chords and melodies specifically, as that's not really my thing. Even if I can transcribe the chords and the melodies if I want to, they don't tell me nearly as much written on paper, as they do when I listen to this.
That said, this has still been more of an analysis, than a traditional review. My thoughts, while listening to this track. This is also making up for not reviewing return more properly. I have to say, while I find similarities between the tracks, in the core, they're still very different. Personally, I enjoy Return just a slight bit more (it's a track I just keep returning to). Something about the almost constant unforgiving drama and sorrow in that piece is something that will not easily be topped in my eyes and ears. That said, this tracks works way better with the slower and not as active parts, which instances of real intesity.
That said. As much as I have enjoyed your latest uploads, this is now my second favorite of yours that I have heard. And you said you might not have time to partake fully?
If this doesn't make it to the next round, I don't know what will.
Also, the sfx is very nice, even though it wasn't really in focus of my review.

Sorry for the long read! I don't much care to check my spelling at the moment, so I apologize for that too. Obviously, I have no criticism of this track, or I would've mentioned it long ago. I hope things will continue to develop well between you and said girl :)

I honestly, thoroughly enjoyed listening to this track. You keep surprising us all with great tracks, deeper than the deepest sea. I hope you'll keep that up ;)

Phonometrologist responds:

As I'm typing my response, I'm listening to your music references, because I haven't heard any of these. Where does one start? Man, I enjoyed your review for sure, but I will say a few things:
The violin in Return is real, but the viola here in this piece is me playing on my keyboard via midi. Return is still my favorite piece as well because of what it took for me to write it. It's been one of the most fluent pieces I've written to project that feeling and thought that I was able to write.
Unfortunately, the only thing that links these two pieces together is my transparency in writing them. Most tracks I write are for fun or for some kind of purpose outside of myself, but with Return and this one, it's really just an expression of who I am. That being said, it really was part of my subconscious if you hear references between the two. And it only makes sense to me now that you would think of the two in that way. Even the philosophy behind the two pieces have parallels. For example, "Return" is about love and loss when it comes to a mother losing her unborn child. This piece derives from a similar love. Even in context to the Song of Solomon, which is what I find to be the most poetic description of love, has a verse that preludes 6-7 describing a passionate love between two lovers and a mother with her child:
"Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in labor with you;
there she who bore you was in labor." Verse 5
Why on earth would a dialogue between two romantic couples bring about Solomon seeing his fiance's mother in a vision being in labor with the one he loves? Kind of an odd place to put the two, but to me it makes sense when I see that love really is born from pain. I love life because I know how sorrowful it can be. Because I think of death, I can fully live per say.

"Something about your tracks really help me live into them, to such an extent that I don't even notice the flow of time, which is otherwise something I'm very conscious about. It's a good feeling, being able to dive so deeply into a piece that the world around you becomes unimportant, if just for a moment in time."
That's the greatest compliment as that's about all I could ever hope for when I compose. Hence why I like Philip Glass so much but in a different way whereas his music slows down the perception of time.
You mentioned so many encouraging things such as the structure and etc for which I thank you for letting me know. I'll continue to read this over again when I begin doubting myself again. And as for this girl that inspired this, I've come to the point that if I don't marry this girl, then I don't care to marry at all.

[Uplifter]

Them melodies! They're wonderful.

To begin with, I diagree with TaintedLogic about the high-pitched/harsh-soundingness at 0:14. I'm usually the first to notice if something is irritating to the ears (I easily get headaches), and I'd say that the sound design you used is actually pretty smooth. That said, it's not a super unique combination of instruments. The rhythm is very pleasant to listen to. The name really is perfect.

I don't mind the breakdown early in the piece from a structural standpoint. Actually, I think it's good taht you're breaking the normal formula, at least to some extent. I'm sure you just tried to develop the piece into something new there, which you did. The breakdown itself though, feels almost unnecessarily empty to me. There the white-noisy sounding crash (we both know I don't know the name of things), and some low pads. Not every section needs to have every frequency range in it, but to me there's something missing here, probably something a bit lower than 0:47, but higher than the pads, if that makes sense. Just a personal opinion though.
Something like that does enter at 0:53 though, so I guess you're forgiven this time (and what was missing was not necessarily anything melodic either).
The melodies that come next are simply brilliant, especially as they really start at 1:20. I know some people might not like the kind of lead you chose, but I love it! I really love the dual action at 1:40!!!

As you already know, the main melody sounds to me like it hints at the overworld theme from Mario, although just a little bit.
I don't know if this is necessarily too repetitive, even though some people have said that. As johnfn has said, a good melody deserves to be repeated. Usually people complain that I am not repetitive enough, and now people think this is too repetitive, even though you've got tons of variations in the similar parts, like different percussions or sub-melodies.
I'm especially surprised that TaintedLogic found this to be repetitive, as I know he is a fan of House music, and is always complaining that I repeat too little XD
Oh well.

To me, the mix sounds very solid, and I enjoyed all the melodies, including the section that starts at 02:27.

If you wonder why I gave this a solid 5/5, it is because even despite the criticism, this made me really happy, and I would have nothing to complain about if I didn't try analyze the piece (except for the weird emptiness in the first breakdown). And I'm a sucker for good melodies.
If I were a judge, I'd be a bit harsher, of course.

Just one question though! WHEN WILL YOU MAKE A "DOWNSINKER"? Hmmm?
I've been promised one, and I will not give up.

Either way, splendid job overall. Them percussions are really cool. Keep it up ;)
(Also, remember the medley of my tracks you promised to make hehhe? I sure am making sure you have unnecessary tasks, don't I? At least you shouldn't get bored [P.S. You don't have to do any of those things, but it'd be cool]).

Favorited ;)

LunacyEcho responds:

=> :14 =>

Thanks! Although it is a somewhat acquired taste from trance music that's ACTUALLY trance music and not this thing. :P

=> breakdown =>

I think the reason I added the emptiness is for, to quote TL, "dynamic contrast". I was thinking a lot about contrasts in this song to make it LESS repetitive, actually - consciously making changes to the chord progression, drum pattern, main lead, complexity level, backing tracks, etc. I think it made at least the first three minutes of the song quite engaging. :P Then I screwed it all up with a whole minute of the same melody but WHATEVER

=> something missing =>

I'm really bad at judging which frequencies to add, since I don't have as much of an ear for mixing. :P I was listening to this on the car stereo and the drums and the trance lead completely overpowered everything!

=> dual action at 1:40 =>

Thank johnfn for inspiring it in Light Up! (feels so weird to cite a johnfn song using capital letters)

=> repetitive =>

I think the reason I justified using the same melody over and over is that I had four separate eight-bar repetitions of it in the final minute or so, and each had a distinct variation. 2:54-3:07 had an obviously different backing rhythm, 3:07-3:20 was basically the same as the second chorus, 3:20-3:34 added a harmony, fat snare, and open hi-hats, and the ending is just the ending. I guess I sort of value how a melody works with the backing track, while others just value the repetition of a melody in general. :P

=> 2:27 =>

2:27-2:54 is my favorite melodic section :P

=> DOWNSINKER =>

WHEN DID I PROMISE YOU THIS

=> medley =>

If I don't get past the NGAUC round (probably a given) or the NGADM tryouts (hopefully not?), I'll do it. :P I was planning on doing it once I was less busy with competitions anyways :D

Thanks so much for the huge review! :P

[Room]

Simple and sweet, but awesome nonetheless :3
Reminds me of "Ib"
That is a very good thing ;)

[Tales of the Brave]

A very interesting track. I like the chords, transitions, and the moods. I especially like how you went with an arabic style, to some part XD
Is the bedtime story you listened to "One Thousand and One Nights"? :p
There was everything from adventure, wonder to mystery in this track.

I'm sure you know I love piano music, especially if it's good. The piano is very prominent in this track, which is a nice thing. And man, the melodies are super nice!
The percussion is pretty neat too. I love how you actually didn't use that many elements in the end, but did very well with the ones you used instead! The mixing sounds awesome.

A new favorite of yours for me. My one one complaint would be that the fadeout ending didn't work as well as it might have (imo). Especially as there's some silence at 2:40, but then at 2:41 there are a few more silent percussion hits.

Either way, great job! I think you have a good chance of making it to the finals with this ;)

LunyAlex responds:

> 4 year late reply:

Thank you for the kind words.
Glad you like the Arabic influences. I seem to have used and still use the phrygian scale a lot.

Sorry for not replying back then. Life kept getting in the way and I was not always in the right mindset to keep up with things.

Thanks again

[A_Vo_Ca_Do]

Wow, this sounds really nice! No wonder it has so many downloads :D
Seriously, great work!

Nice title too XD
Keep it up!

UrnSudden responds:

Thank you very much AH! :D
I forgot to mention, this track was probably around 80% a result of the feedback you gave me on my robot day submission. 20% listening to skrillex's first EP and falling in love with the sliced vocals, lolol. You'd said "not much melody" and despite it working for the flavor of that track, I thought "Wow, I don't ever build anything off of a melody really, golly! I should work on a more melodically driven track"
It devolved back into primarily a progression of rhythm, rather than variation in melody toward the middle, though. BUT HEY, IT'S COMING ALONG, HA
I gotta say, I really appreciate how active you are in the NG music community, it's great :D

[Is This What You Want?]

Yes! This is definitely what I want!
I want to rate 5; I want to favorite this.
I want to listen to this again.
I want to congratulate you on making something brilliant ;)

Ceevro responds:

I want to pretend I'm not crying...it's...it's...it'sjustsomethinginmyeye!!!!