Bezman's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Hardcore]

I'm a fan as it is.

I enjoyed how it started off with almost retro computer game shooting sounds, then focused more on the guitar.

The beats really remind me of shooting - it'd go well with something set on a battlefield. Maybe with robots. And mean monkeys. And all sorts of menacing mechanical creatures.

My favourite part was just after the 2 min mark where you had the more 'natural' guitar and switched the distortion on and off.

I reckon having another guitar in there might make it even cooler and more diversity is always a plus in music, but I gotta say I'm a fan as it is.

Also, the song loops reasonably well.

[childhood music box memories]

has a different feel to most tunes here

I'd maybe have liked it even more if you changed around the main melody that starts at 0:09 a bit more.

I do really love all the changes you make with the beats and the switching around the goes on right at the start/end. It keeps it interesting.

Whilst it has a 'real' start and end, it loops about adequately.

The production is great.

It definitely has a different feel to most tunes. I'd say that the beats take away from the theme of the title and make it a bit more of a typical submission, but you definitely retain your surreal, slightly nostalgic feel. Although the minor key definitely gives it slightly menacing undertones imo.

[what i ask of this dream]

Surreal and keeps us guessing.

I assume that's you recording yourself playing on a single track?

I kinda liked the composition - it had a surreal nature to it and the notes had an almost random quality.

I felt it could have been nicer a bit more legato.

Also, there's a few bits of static or distortion on the mic that annoyed me.

But I'm really looking forward to hearing more from you.

thelotusbox responds:

why thank you, it more of an experimental piece

[CanonTech]

an uplifting tune

This really reminded me of that pop song - 'All Together Now'. At least for the start anyway, before you changed the lead melody.

When you got away from that, I started enjoying the tune for what it was and found that whilst it could have a bit more diversity at some points, specially in the lead melody, it made for a good background piece.

I liked how you mixed up the beats and various bg layers though and liked the soft melody around the 2:24 mark. That was maybe my favourite bit and I kinda wish you'd kept that particular layer going a bit longer.

Anyway, it was generally an uplifting tune and commend all the production work on this.

[(SM64) Sleeping Piranha P]

I did enjoy it

I can't remember exactly how many of the tracks are your composition and how many are from the game, but it's well produced and good to listen to - relaxing for the most part.

I did notice your little shifts in melody - missing out notes and holding others others or whatever - when I paid attention and I appreciated that. I did feel it could have had more diversity though.

The instrument you used for the little plinky notes in the bg kinda annoyed me - I kinda felt they ended too quickly and with a bit more sustain would have fitted in better.

I really liked the last 20s or whatever - the way that the notes kinda shifted to that 'falling asleep now' mood.

I did enjoy it, but listening to it repeatedly, I find the plinky noises and slight lack of diversity a tad annoying.

[Fly (quickie version)]

Chirpy upbeat and uptempo.

Is that melody taken from something? The one played by the piccollo-ish instrument. I'm sure I recognise it...

The strings sound great as do the drums, in both guises. And I love that big buzzy whirry thing! Sounds kinda like an electronic didgeridoo!

I think you could mix it up yet more, furthing the variety and aural interest.

But it's an enjoyable piece to listen to as is and I salute you.

[fite thru out the night]

surreal lyrics and silliness.

The loop you have in the background adds to the surreal feel and kinda reminds me of midnight walks. Near water. Maybe blowing bubbles with soap solution in Venice, or beside the Clyde in Glasgow at around 2am.

Anyway, the voices were terribly recorded with far too much static.

I kinda enjoyed it though, the surreal lyrics and silliness.

[Mistahmoo Goo Gai Pan]

it's a cool sound

The first loop you start with has a sorta tropical feel to it - it almost sounds like a sorta prehistoric tune. I was gonna say it sounded like they're playing little bones, but on 2nd thoughts maybe it doesn't sound like that much at all... I can't place what it is...

Anyway, the xylophone/bell-type instrument's melody gives it a nice vibe and it all comes together really nicely.

I enjoy all the layers and the timing, general production work... is all spot on.

I did feel though that the xylophoney melody could have shifted after every phrase or 2 instead of after every 2 or 4.

Also, I can't help feeling how much cooler this would have been if it looped properly rather than coming to a complete stop before starting up again. Maybe having a sparse section, for variety, but having it a real loop.

Anyway, it's a cool sound and I'd love to hear how it'd go if you persued this avenue a bit further with the aim of making quality loops.

mistahmoo responds:

Hey, thanks for your input, man. Well, seeing as I was primarily experimenting with the different sounds I could get with the FL engine, I wasn't expecting to go anywhere with this piece. As for the prehistoric vibe, I was going for that at first, but I decided to go for more of a Chinese approach. I'm happy you can discern that from the rest of the loops. The thing with NGAP is that the songs never loops properly, no matter how close together you make the beginning and the end. Well, once again, thanks for the review, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Now Is Time To Play]

More variation and subtler lead instrument, please

As a potential loop, it's really not up to scratch.

Mainly thanks to the overly reptitive keyboard-sounding lead melody, I got tired of it after just a few minutes.

When I put on my headphones (as opposed to listening to speakers) all the ambient noises really came to life and I do like the little woody 'trrrrr' sample you use. There's a lot going on there and maybe you should have faded out the main melody - at least at points.

Basically my main gripe is that it's just too repetitive. After listening to it for maybe 12 minutes, it's actually starting to get on my tits and aggravate me. Might sound like quite a while, but a good game loop needs to be able to be listenable for much longer than that.

More variation and subtler lead instrument, please!

[Guitar Dance]

I still love it

I really love that guitar loop, but it sorta sounds like you got a funky loop but didn't have enough energy to do much with it.

The opening bit is cool and it's all superbly produced. The tune just now is really of 2 halves, with the sweeping notes kinda bringing to mind some desolate landscape with howling winds blowing sand around.

Then the guitar loops start and it's all jolly.

I'd have liked to hear the guitar brought in more gradually, maybe as if there's a guitar party happening in a cathedral on a post-apocalyptic landscape and we're getting closer and closer to it, if you see what I mean.

Also, I'd have liked to hear the guitar have more variation - whilst there's the introduction of a few more layers around 1:00 and 1:12, the sound then seems to remain pretty constant until it gets broken down towards the end. I'm kinda in favour of having each bar be a little different from the previous one, then when you break it down, keep it with muted notes and wood-tapping for a while, maybe play some light finger-plucking melody on top, then bring it back up.

It could be a totally kick-ass loop if more was done to it, or maybe a better full song.

I still love it because of that awesome guitar strumming, but can't help but feel disappointed that it doesn't see more development.