Bezman's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Spanish Inspiration [Cardiac]]

Needs more variation. Would be an ace loop though!

I agree with anyone saying the intro ruined it a bit.

I do kinda feel the intro had a nice home-made quality and helped set a laid-back vibe, but mixing this in with other tunes in iTunes if I'm wanting some beats for work, exercise or play, I find that kind of intro a bit off-putting. Althoiugh granted I can set the start time to cut it out...

Anyway, the beats work really well. As you say, the 2 seemingly can't help but collide and the result is awesome.

It is maybe a bit repetitive due to the sorta genre, but I still reckon I'll keep this one to listen to.

I think this would make a great loop - maybe 10-20s long and capturing the essence of this. That would be awesome and certain to be used in a game.

If you want to make it into a better song, though, I suggest more instruments layered on and more variation.

You gotta make that short loop though!

.:Review Request Club:.

[Man In the Smoking Mirror]

Long build and cooldown. Radical mix of instrument

5/5 & keeping in iTunes.

I've been listening to this for a while. It's an odd vibe - I don't know if I really see it being used in a flash, but it's awesome to listen to.

The piano has a really creepy melody and rhythm to it and there are a few sorta slow drum rolls that sound like someone hitting a pipe. Really adds to the vibe.

It's not until half-way through that you really go into the full set of beats and even then, it's a quirkly little breakbeatish thing with one beat 'missing'. Whilst this'd make it hard to pace a game or movie to, though, it makes for a great amount of variation whenever it pops up on itunes during drawing or reading articles.

There's nothing much I can suggest to improve it. It's at the standard where I'd need to listen to it 10 more times before feeling qualified to suggest improvements. Removing the build-up/cool down would make it lose so much.

Hmm... maybe some strings in the centre, when it's going wild? Just an idea.

The song is totally Pico-esque. You really should rework it to resubmit if there's another Pico AP competition this year.

Looking forward to more stuff from you!

.:Review REquest Club:.

WritersBlock responds:

Cheers! It reminds you of pico? That's interesting, because I asked MindChamber to check this out for his Pico day flash, except that his movie is about p-bot, so it must have some sort of NG theme to it! Yeah, I couldn't really see this used in a game, but I think the song has some applications in certain movies, it just requires that particular feeling to fit.
Thanks for the review, 5 and DL.

[Mario Remix Holysheitesli]

remixed so many time

I like the instruments you use - it gives it a sorta calypso feel as do the soft bg beats. A nice, happy vibe.

It did sound like two of the notes in the main melody were timed a tad too close to each other maybe. Other than that, it was an enjoyable, if slightly generic, interpretation of a great tune that has unfortunately just been remixed so many times that the standard is now set incredibly high.

Why the profanity in your comments?

[Titanic Remix]

its lacking punch or real inspiration

When I started listening to this, after a few bars I thought it was 'Amazing Grace' or Rabbie Burns' 'Should Auld Aquantance be forgot'. For some reason. (This was on the NGAP Radio, where I didn't see the name.)

It's a fairly simple but effetive technique - replaying the melody using those vibrating instruments, then adding some beats. It sounded good, but yet a bit more could have been done - sometimes the modulation sorta times well with the beat or makes an extra rhythm of its own. Maybe you could've made mor of that?

Or maybe added some more layers etc?

It was fine to listen to, but just kinda sounds like its lacking punch or real inspiration at the minute.

[Ain't No Telling]

it'll only be compared unfavourably to the origin

There's a lot of sections where you sorta break the rhythm. On the other hand, the rhythmic sections (with repeated chords) seem kinda stilted - as if you're using great effort to do all this and you're not able to get into a proper flow.

There are some great bits of guitar-work, but it's interspersed by too many 'uncomfortable' bits and it'll only be compared unfavourably to the original.

Why not compose an original piece for your next effort, or pick a simpler tune and tweak it a bit?

[What you know (about math)]

made me chuckle

This isn't something I'm gonna be coming back to, but I liked the joke.

Some of the words could have been spat out a bit better - making for clearer audio.

It made me chuckle though, and I'm guessing that's all you were aiming for.

I know a lot about maths!

Gavin responds:

wonderful!

[Please]

Wonderful Streets of Rage-esque tune.

Have you played much Streets of Rage? This tune definitely has a bit of that sorta vibe about it.

Almost needless to say, I love the sorta electronic-jazzy technoish sound.

I felt the bit at around 1:14 sounds a tad bare.

Love the instrument that comes in around 1:27.

I don't have much to say about this - I'm just looking forward to getting back home and listening to more of your stuff. Do you also make loops?

It is all balanced brilliantly, the instruments complement each other well... as usual the only real suggestion for improvement I can think of is to add more going on.

But this is ace.

[Daddy are u going 2 poptart]

Not funny imo.

What I find mildly interesting is the flat emotion. Is the little girl scared? Or eager to have a poptart shoved up her little 'ass'? Just apathetic? We can't really tell.

I didn't really find it amusing though and felt the humour was its only attempt at being worthy.

[*Cillit Bang! Remix*]

What's Cillit Bang? Love speech in music.

Reading the reviews, it sounds as if it's not as original as I thought. What is Cillit Bang? I've never heard of it...

I just love hearing normal voices mixed into a tune and was gonna commend everything going on here. Fun to listen to!

My only suggestion would be maybe to add in more stuff going on, whether an extra layer of vocals at times or maybe a bit of a harder melody... it sounds too much like an unfinished novelty tune atm, which I suppose it is...

Looking forward to hearing this when finished!

BritZombie responds:

Its the greats advert in thw orld.

I thought the same aobut the xtra layers when I heard it recently. Thanks for review :)

[Losing Touch with the World]

Awesome funky vibe, but repetitive.

Loved it instantly when it came onto the NGAP Radio and after playing it a 2nd time, wanted to review it. But your own comment kinda sums up my big criticism - the repetition.

I love the basic loop going on, but it's kinda overpowering and whilst I can hear some funky stuff in the bg, it's not enough.

Around 2:19, some funky guitars are overlaid. If you had a layer like that running through the entire piece, it could totally rock.

Thing is that I love what you've got here - just feels unfinished to me - lacking one final layer. It reminds me of some of the Donkey Kong Country tunes for some reason and if some flowing guitars were laid over it all and it were made into a 1-1:30ish loop, it'd be totally awesome for some game.

Maybe a Game in which you're in an abandoned area full of delights - like Shadow Factory but with a funkier vibe.

Have you/will you ever continue this?

CJB100 responds:

Thnx! Liked this review better than your others; If possible, keep giving advice like you did here. I would love to continue making a lot of music, but my computer is messed up, and my DVD drive and Windows don't work right, meaning I have to use an older version of my Music Making software. Plz check my newest song (The Murderer's Planet). I'll make these better when I get my computer working.