Marifax's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[windswept]

Gorgeous! Great collection of elements, I really like how it build itself up. Love the recording, every instrument feels very organic and alive. Could almost hear some Midwest Emo vocals on top of this as it evolved, it has that same melancholic/yearning vibe. Great job, keep it up!

Bitbeak responds:

Thanks so much for the review! I was on the fence for a while about whether or not to add vocals or not, may still end up doing a version later on with some singing :)

[They Call Me]

Man, this is perfect! So vast and comforting. Reminds me a bit of Hammock. Mix is great, production is stellar. Only nitpick is the bass ending so abruptly - grabs your attention a bit. Other than that I can't think of any way to improve this. Great job!

[A Room With No Doors]

C R U N C H Y - Love the various textures, something very tactile about them. Some of the high frequencies could use a slight touch of EQ, but then again it might take away from the textural element. Great job!

[Moonland]

Nice! Love the melodies, feels very nostalgic. Some parts make me think of Solar Winds/Mirror's Edge. Would love more drums/bass in the mix, but it has a nice ambient vibe as is. Great job!

[\\FROSTBORNE\\]

Really nice! Great melodies/chords, feels very coherent. Mix is nice and balanced. Love the glitchy hi-hats. Would've loved some more movement in the bass, but that's just a stylistic preference (and bass player bias). Great job! :)

[Luminophore]

Nice! Feels like I'm floating in space. The B section kinda reminds me of Brian Eno's Ambient Volumes. Keep it up!

Nemira responds:

Thanks! I've never heard of it so I'll check it out!

[Station 7]

Awesome! Really fresh composition. Feels busy without being too wanky. The climax at 02:50 ties it all together nicely. The groove is amazing!

The mix takes away from the experience, mostly the low end. Feels like the bass gets buried beneath the kick throughout the track. I think placing the bass "above" the kick would clear up the low end and make it feel more focused. The snare and toms also feel a bit bass-heavy which adds to the clutter.

Great job man! Looking forward to hearing the EP.

[Restless]

Beautiful! I think you've got a great melody going.
The harmony could use some variation though. Maybe some Fmaj7 to Fm7 and E7 instead of Em at times to add a little more spice without sabotaging the lovely mood.

I really like the arpeggio that comes in together with the drums. Putting it in the center and removing the piano from that section would create some nice contrast. It feels like the piano kinda meanders on top without really adding much to that section. Letting it back in at 02:50 would feel like a big breath of fresh air.

The build up from around 03:50 feels kinda messy. Feels like all the elements are fighting for the limelight at the same time, especially when the second arpeggio comes in at 04:14. Don't be afraid of taking a more subtractive approach to a track like this. Maybe cut the piano at 03:56 and let the build up of the arpeggios shine through. I'd loop the part at 04:48 twice, it's a really nice conclusion to the piece, albeit short.

The mix is great, feels very spacious without being washy. Drums sound great, nice and deep with the right amount of punch. Something is making a slight clicking noise. It's mostly audible in the first part of the track at every chord change. Might be artifacts from the bass or something that isn't crossfaded properly. The ambient sounds really add a touch of magic, nicely done!

Feels like you have all the right parts. It's just a matter of some slight arrangement fixes and you'll have a lovely piece.
Great work!

[Noir romance]

Cool!

The chord vamp has a nice modern flavor. The sax lines are great, really smooth.

The drum patterns are really cool, but some different samples would help the whole track shine. I think some tight acoustic samples and a straight ride pattern on top would create more momentum. A little more movement in the bass would be nice too, just following the kick would create a more dynamic groove.

All in all you have several promising things going on here. I think you're a couple of tweaks away from a really nice track. Good job!

[i need more sleep]

Cool!

Interesting sound palette. The different sections provide good contrast without being jarring.
Really enjoyed the little lick at 0:16. It's a great motif, shame to only use it once. I think it would be cool to use as a bass lick at 00:36. Maybe put it in some kind of melody line during the 00:19 section.

I think you have all the parts for a longer arrangement. Maybe a verse section with only strummed guitar and kick? Something simple that allows you to build up to the drop for a longer time. More anticipation. It's a nice loop, but I could really hear it blossom as a full song.

Mix is nice and deep. Good separation in the low end. Everything sits nicely. Only thing that stuck out to me was the piano. It gets a bit buried at times. I think either some different EQ-ing or some different voicings would help it out.

Great job!