Marks-a-lot's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Music Can Change The World]

Strong messege...

The meaning behind this song is definitely a strong one. Nice job with the melody and progression. The strings really added some emotion to the song. I am really liking the idea behind this song. this kind of reminds me of Flobots, with the parallelism in the verses. and with the style in singing to I guess. One thing that I will say about the vocals, I heard a sniffle, I don't know if that was intentional or not but that was pretty nasty. Other than that though the vocals were pretty good. I think that some fx and some more types of accompaniment would have really polished the singing.

It feel like there is something missing in this song....let me think and listen for a while. Okay, you might want to add some more types of strings to really use the full sound spectrum. I am hearing some white noise too, that is probably what is making your track seem a little empty. That could be easily fixed though with some EQ'ing or filtering. A chorus would have really made the song stronger and more interesting to listen too. But I guess that wasn't really up to you since you weren't the lyricist or vocalist.

I love the idea of this song, I love the melody of this song, and I think the vocals are average. The song just needs a little more unity, and it needs to sound more fuller. Nice song though. Great job and keep up the good work.

5/5
-[V]-

FairSquare responds:

Thanks for the review!
Probably there'll be a new version of this song, without the sniffle :P
I'll keep you updated :-)

MH16

PS: Thanks for the advice too! :P

[MH16: Walk Through Life]

Very nice!

that harp was a very good choice! everything really goes well together and as usual the progressions are very nice. But the structure of the song is very lackluster, the abrupt stops and starts throw me off as a listener. It is pretty short too for a song, don't be afraid of repetition. Repetition can make a song great when used correctly. Another thing that I am not really liking is this snare. I think it is far to wide for this kind of music. and although the quality of this sample is very high it doesn't necessarily mean that it is the right one for this song. All of your percussion seem to be very sloppy (wide) which can sometimes be a good thing but usually in classical type pieces such as this you should try out some tighter sounding drums. A little more work with your high end percussion could have really brought out more in this track too. Things like suspended cymbals, gongs, rides, and crashes. Maybe some orchestral things like timpani's could add more to this song too. There isn't really a bass in this song either, you should probably add one, maybe something like a Cello/contra bass with a lot of brightness and other various timbre adjustments.

On the flip side, I really like the harp I just can't get enough of it. This song kind of reminds me of the game Age of Empires (great music.) the piano and wind instrument blend nicely with the harp. Although I have given you many criticisms about you drums I am actually liking you hi-hats. Maybe you could use a little more of a flange and filter on your hi-hits to get a crisper sound though. The title only makes the song even better, nice job with that.

so the only thing that I would really like to hear from you in upcoming songs is the attention to the little things. Things like filtering, FX, and working with compressions and frequency outputs (like adjusting how much of a sound comes out at a certain point in the spectrum, you can does this through adjusting the mixer or using a compressor.) It is clear to me that you can write outstanding music, and it is obvious that you know/have a feel for music. just keep working on the fine details, and don't focus to much on one thing, look, listen, and feel the song as a whole.

Keep up the good work and I'm sorry that I am just getting to this, it's been a while since I have been on NG :'(

5/5
-[V]-

FairSquare responds:

Wow, that's a very long and very helpful review! :-)
I'll work on the things you said like filtering, FX, working with compressions and stuff.
Thanks for this review! My response may be short, but my graditude is big :-)

MH16

[MH16: Always Here]

Nice...

This reminds me a TV show theme, at first it does anyway. It turns kind of dark at the end. Very happy though at the start. This piano progression kind of sounds like "Clocks" by Coldplay, but a little more 'Raveified' if you will with the style of this piano. The drum samples still sound nice (same ones I take it?) good stuff though. I'm not sure if I like that ending yet though...I'm sure it could be worked upon to maybe get a slower transition. It kind of hit me by surprise, try to find ways to let your listeners know that a change in the song is coming. Some things that you might be able to use in reference to this song could be an elongated drum fill, Fading in with a lead or progression that matches or is similar to the new riff, or maybe, (I'm just brainstorming right now) but maybe everything stops and a viola/violin type thing plays and builds into your ending. It doesn't really feel like there is a middle to this song though. It is like there is only a intro and an end.

Other than the structure of the song it sounds really good! Very nice job on this one. I can't wait to hear the next one. I like your old title btw :D

5/5
-[V]-

FairSquare responds:

I use those drums samples most of the time, because they're so realistic and that really adds something extra to my songs.
And you're right about that it only seems like an intro and an outro, but i don't think i can change this song. I will try, but i really, really suck at making a song longer and better. Sometimes it works though, so i'll definatly give it a try.
Thanks for the ideas you've given me and as a ''reward'' i'll give the song it's original name :P
I appreciate your review!

MH16

[Dulcinea]

It's been a while....

And I can certainly hear that you are still rippin' shit up with your DnB! This is just laid back pro bono chill back and let the tunes take you away. The theme that you put to this song goes awesome with it to. I think my heart rate is slowing down as listen to this song. That lead is so soft and the flow of this song is simply amazing. The "think" break only makes it better, great job in using that.

I can't think of any criticisms so it looks like you get off scot-free.

5/5
-[V]-

Peptotrippin responds:

Most righteous!

[Human Impulse [DUBSTEP]]

Well, I am not really a bigfan of dub but...

Here is my opinion, you wobble is pretty weak and that is like the main thing to dub. You should put more subs in this too, if you want it to be more "dub" you should probably take some width off your wobble too. The wobble is really the only thing that I have a problem with. You could probably even open up your frequency range on the wobble to and get more of an Oizo sound or raise the attack a little. There isn't really much going on in this track though so I guess I have to stop there with the criticisms.

I really liked the vocal stuff, it made it a lot more interesting, that and the water droplet things. Nice job though, and keep em' coming. I hate to say it but Idon't think the cards are going to win.

4/5
-[V]-

Dredloch responds:

It was pretty much a minimal thing I did this morning. I was just fucking around with the mixer and whatnot, didnt spend a whole lot of time on it.

The vocal sample comes from the first Matrix move when Mouse was talking about the bitch in the red dress, in case you wanted to know.

And when it comes to the Cards, you gotta go for the underdog, you know? They probably don't have a chance in hell but hey, lol.

[*Dark Wave* [IZK]]

Damn!

this is some "choice" shit right here! Kudos on the biggest/widest Hi-hats I have ever heard, lol. drums sound pretty sweet though, I am diggin' the hi end frequencies on that kick. The snare flies a little bit under the radar but I can still hear it pretty good. that sub bass though...damn, at first I was like what sub bass I don't here anything then I reached down and found out that someone pretty much turned off my woofer so I turned that baby up and the sub bass hit me. My pants pretty much blew of from that sub bass and I it blew my dog across the room. I am starting to get a sense of your style now that I have been listening to your stuff. It's sloppy, but sloppy as in a compliment not a bad thing. You just always have 'Wide' samples, none of that thin stuff. This is like a mix between your style (you always have those nice pads) and korighan's (proly spelled that wrong) with all that air/reverb that he uses. I think that saw wav you have could be a little cleaner and a little less fat, But very nice job with the bass. It's nice to hear some dirt every now and then if you know what I mean. It may be short but it is definitely long enough to get a feel for the song. I kind of like short songs anyway. Okay, well great job on this song yet another prime DnB that will make a fine addition to the world's collection. Keep it up!

Oh and if you like IDM style music I am going to put out a Wisp/Aphex style song at midnight. I already posted two today so I have to wait till midnight :(

5/5
-[V]-

Now where the hell did my pants go?....

Jenni-Harry4eva3 responds:

Lol XD Just a mix of two hats to create a good enough rhythm and beat X3 Yeaaah. In the drums, the kick has a shaker and hi hat + ghost snare follow up, which creates that nice slide into the beats. Ooh... can't have the snare do that... but as long as it's only a little bit, then that's fine I spose.

Wow! You're pants and dog are gone XD hahaha. Dude... must be a pretty powerful set up there, man XD hahah. Ahh... my style? Well... really, it's mostly a style-crisis that I'm in, but that would be the general idea, yes. You've just defined it for me XD haha. Koriigahn is a big inspiration to me with darkstep. True true. I feel that a song is incomplete without a pad XD and some reverb lol.

Oooh.. dirty saw wav huh... It's usually what I'm prone to the most when it comes to these kinds of basses that I make. Yay! It's long enough ^_^ Glad. Thanks! Glad you really liked this one!

Ooh! I'll check it out once it hits midnight XD lol. Thanks man. You've been a great help.

GO FIND THOSE PANTS XD hahah.

~[IZK]

[Glowing Dreams[Dj-S](full)]

WELL LETS SEE WHAT WE HAVE HERE!

I am going to do this without caps lock if you don't mind. Okay, sounds like we have a little "castles in the sky" progression going on here. not bad at all, there are a lot of parts that I find pleasant to hear. Your synths sound pretty good, you have some deep sounding pads too, very nice. the piano actually sounds good too! I am suprised that someone actually used/got a good sounding piano. Usually it is just a default fl keys or something that had little or no work put into.

I think your drums/percussion sound a little flat though. The hat work seems very basic and unoriginal to this type of music (progressive trance) so next time put a little more into you percussion work, that's one thing that I really listen for. Maybe a little more mids in your kick, you need to brighton it up a bight more and really bring it out. the drums are pretty much the only thing that I think need to be tinkered with. Maybe a little level work and editing to but that's about it.

Nice song! good job with this and great job with the title you sold it with that. sorry I got here so late you should have just commented on my front page or sent me apm if you wanted a review. Keep up the good work!

5/5
-[V]-

Sacrafan responds:

=D thank you, this is a long review and i'm a little tired right now so i will answer in more depth tomorrow, i know i suck with drums even tho i'm a drummer...

[*Darkness Into Light* [IZK]]

Damn! Excuse me while I go change my pants...

Okay, very nice, very nice indeed! First of all let me say that that intro was the shit, that's why I had to change my pants. That amen is pretty damn sexy too. Your progression were pretty good and your FX were very nice. It would have been so sick though, if right when the synths come in, it was dirty as hell like a teebee or something. Something that was really rough, just preference though. I heard some clips to, I think it was from your sound samples in the intro. It happens w/e. But I can't seem to find them right now so maybe I am just messed up. One thing though that really kind of threw me off from the track was the inconsistency in levels. The drums sounded like they were constantly fading in and out, like there was some kind of leve phaser on them or something.

Those drums were what jumped the track though, they really brought it all together. Where would the drum and bass culture be without the amen break? *sigh* well great job anyhow, keep up the fine music too. Try just messin' around with saw wavs and stuff (tweaking harmonic levels, creating havoc in the wav editor, and some ring mod adjustments) get some really dirty DnB sounds. just for fun, who knows you might invent the next reese or something, lol.

5/5
See ya'round

-[V]-

Jenni-Harry4eva3 responds:

Hawtness. Thanks for the review, mate. Lol! You changed your pants?? The intro could not have that good, mate X3 Yes! Glad the amen rock your socks. It's the clearest that I have ever gotten it. Ah yes. I will consider the major distortion when the synth and drums come in lol XD Yeah, I fixed the clips. Ooh... inconsistency in levels... that's probably due to the sub bass =/ Yeah... that's probably why.

Muahaha. The drums rocked the track. =D I knooow. All credits are for the Winstons, for their "Amen, Brother". Sadly, they've never been able to receive their royalties... since they've long passed away :( Ah well. Thanks for the advice! Glad you liked it. Peace, mate.

~[IZK]

[****Walking on Stars****]

Wow!

You surprised me with this one, I was expecting something a little more amature to be honest with you. But this is far from it. I like your minimal style drums, they gently touch and tickle the eardrum and coincide very nicely with those harmonics and that airy pad. The percussion is what really made the feel for the song in my opinion, and again what a great feel it was. This song kind of has a creepy aura to it and it has a relaxing one as well. Which doesn't really make sense when you say it but that's just what I am feeling. lol, inspired by a banzai tree? nice... What else do I like about this song? Well, the title is awesome so I will just say that as well.

Now for some criticisms. And the only thing that is in my mind right now is the fact that this song doesn't really change that much (and I'm one to talk :s.) I could easily see this being an progressive ambient/trance type song. Just have some kind of build for like 2 min, and make sure it's epic, and that would pretty much put this one in the record books for greatest progressive ambient/trance type song ever made.

Nice job though and keep up the good work.

5/5
-[V]-

aliasf responds:

wow thanks so much for the comment...i greatly appreciate your time

i wish i could add more pop to it....like an extra drums here and there but my

program is o so basic lol....when i get my stuff updated ill def make something thats fire

thanks again bro

[[ 1 M 4 G 7 R G U Y ]]

Amazing...

It's like Gorillaz meets Venetian Snares. I am going to go buy your cd now.

Kingbastard responds:

cool:) Thanks very much for the review.