00:00
00:00
Newgrounds Background Image Theme

JackfruitClock just joined the crew!

We need you on the team, too.

Support Newgrounds and get tons of perks for just $2.99!

Create a Free Account and then..

Become a Supporter!

Escape From Ragavan's Castle

Share Download this song

Author Comments

Here's my round 1 submission for the Newgrounds Audio Deathmatch 2024!


I wanted to conceptualise a high energy track with some different elements than what I usually use. Omnisphere has some lovely ethnic patches that I rarely delve into.


I really liked Dorian Concept's use of arpeggiated ideas to create a motif. I've taken inspiration from him for the main head of the track. Then just lots of obtuse patches and compositional ideas!


Hope you enjoy! Good luck to those entering!

Log in / sign up to vote & review!

This reminds me of video games I played as a child, including Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart DS. The busier parts of the track sound like they could fit in a racing game. The composition is lively and energetic with multiple catchy melodies. The instrumentation gives it a hint of an eastern flavor while also sounding somewhat whimsical. I like the synth sound design as well. The modulation at 1:49 provides a burst of fresh energy, preventing the track from feeling stale. You did a good job varying the sections to keep the composition engaging without having too much contrast, which could feel disorienting with this style. The transitions are all smooth and pleasant.

Although I like the intro, I’m not sure if the full 34 seconds is necessary. It works well on the first listen, but as I repeat the track, I feel like it’s so different in intensity that I just want to return to the “meat” of the track. I think this may be because of my association with video game soundtracks.

The mix sounds like it’s lacking some bass and low mids. I think strengthening the low end of the kick and bass and giving them higher relative volume levels can help the track feel fuller and more grounded. It’s important to ensure they don’t clash at the same frequency. The kick can possibly be boosted between 60-80hz and the bass can be boosted between 100-150hz, and you can make cuts in these ranges on the other channel to improve separation. When the bass has enough bass frequencies, you can use multiband compression or dynamic EQ to prevent the fundamental frequencies from shifting too much as the bass line rises. It’s important to have a stable bass to keep the mix feeling full. You can potentially boost some highs on the percussion while reducing highs on some of the melodic instruments, particularly the one at :52, which feels brittle.

I enjoyed this a lot! Improving the mix and tonal balance can take this to the next level!

Very interesting sounds. I was visibly nodding my head while listening to this, it goes hard and the way all the sounds mesh is great. Very nice work!

Woahhh :0 this sounds really good, the melody, the rhythm, are catchy, plus it's very well set. Just perfect.
It's one of the few songs that I've rated with 5 stars. It really is a very good song!

Credits & Info

Listens
162
Faves:
3
Downloads
4
Votes
10
Score
4.65 / 5.00

Uploaded
Aug 20, 2024
11:50 AM EDT
Genre
Video Game
File Info
Song
3.1 MB
2 min 43 sec

Licensing Terms

You are free to copy, distribute and transmit this work under the following conditions:

Attribution:
You must give credit to the artist.
Noncommercial:
You may not use this work for commercial purposes. *
Share Alike:
If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting creation only under a license identical to this one.

*Please contact me if you would like to use this in a commercial project. We can discuss the details.