This is an NGADM Round 2 Review

--

First off, got to apologise for the late review. Yesterday I finished reviewing frootza's track and was like "yeah that's the last of them" and I totally missed this one like an idiot. Anyway, time to rectify that!

You know, one of the standout characteristics of this track would be how you have such reverb-doused, atmospheric, warm melodic ambience going on, and then you have bone-dry percussion section with a crispy high end. It's a pretty huge contrast, and one that I thought was questionable at first, but it's a contrast that I admit grew on me, especially when you introduced the glitching at 0:34 and the kicks synchronising with the melody at 0:47. It oddly works, and what we're left with is a unique and genuinely interesting listening experience.

Your production is also solid, so where is the room for improvement? You probably saw this coming a mile away, but it's much too short! With just 1 minute and 30 seconds of basically the same style/mood, followed by an abrupt ending, we're left feeling like we weren't treated to a full song, but something unfinished. I'd have loved to hear this properly fleshed out.

Either way, what you have here is still a pleasure to listen to. Good luck in the next round!

--

SCORE: 7.9/10

NGADM Review:

Your compositional style is absolutely wonderful. You have really complex melodies and rhythms that compliment eachother so well. Honestly your synth design is absolutely wonderful as well. The feel of this music is really giving me the feels. I really usually don't like this style of music, but you are making an exception for me.

The reason I gave you an 8/10 is for two things. The song is WAY too short and doesn't have a proper ending. The compositional structure is really solid and I was grooving to it really nicely, and I really think this could have gone in a lot of unique directions from the point you started. The second reason is your drums. If your drums were a bit punchier and bigger, I think this track would be outstanding. You have really nice synths that create a nice bouncy sound to make the rhythmic element, but no drums to really back up the big feel that I'm looking for. This was a problem I had in your last track as well. Send me a PM if you want some help with making better drum samples (or making your drums stand out more). Great work.

8/10

-Ryan

This is a NGADM Round 2 Review.

-----

Good:
- The atmosphere is incredible.
- Nice, laid-back beat.
- Awesome sound texture.

Very nice, relaxing beat that you've WIP'd up. Yep, this is definitely a work-in-progress, there's no doubt about it. I won't focus on that a whole lot though. What you have created is a nice, short, and extremely laid-back track that has a ton of atmosphere. That short vocal sample added a lot of texture in the first 10 seconds alone, and I think you probably could have implemented more samples. I loved the soft piano that you added (something else I would have liked to hear more of). The stuttered kick was a really nice touch, too!

What to consider:
- 'Tis too short!
- Lacking progression.
- Conclusion is lacking, it just stops out of nowhere.
- The melodies, while good, are missing that...je ne sais quoi...

While this is a nice track, it is far too short. The ideas that you begin with could have easily been fleshed out and developed beyond where they currently stand. On top of that, the track just kind of...ends. It breaks the immersion. Honestly, those two things are my biggest gripes with this track. A small detail that I can't quite put my finger on, is that the melodies are lacking something. I'm not exactly sure what, but I can say that I agree with johnfn when he says that they aren't evocative enough. Yeah, perhaps that is it!

A nice track, though I would have liked to hear more! :)

Score: 8.5/10

=== This is an NGADM Round 2 Review ===

There isn't actually too much to say about this track.

I mean, the dang thing is so short! Not only that, but it has "WIP" right in the title. I know that the other judges have already done this, but I'm going to go and reprimand you again for turning in something that feels so obviously unfinished. This track basically has no sort of arrangement or progression to it at all. The energy level stays exactly the same throughout the entire track and almost nothing happens...

...And yet you'll notice that I actually still gave you a relatively high score. Why is that? Well, actually, I don't even know if I can boil it down into concrete factors, but in sum: your style is really awesome, and it really speaks to me. Let me just tell you some of the things that I like in this exceptionally short song:

The chord progression. It has a fantastic moody quality to it.
The lead that comes in around :34. The sound design is on point here, without being showy. The harsh vibrato doesn't always sit well with me, but other than that, the pitch bend and the flowy quality to it just nail the mood.
The spoken vocal sample. Short, but a perfect addition to the mood.
The subtle piano. How many times can I say the word "mood"? MOOD. SUCH GOOD MOOD.
The 4 note stutter at :47 and a few other places. Great way to add variation.
The 3 note riff that appears at :50 and maybe once or twice more. You really have a great knack for these little background ideas. You always add them very subtly - almost to the point where I wonder if you even know how good of an idea it is - but you do it so consistently that I have to assume that you do.
The mixing. The beats are mixed perfectly - nice job! (I don't say that too often.) Though perhaps there's a little too much reverb.

So what's bringing down this song? Aside from the obvious WIP nature of the track, which is easily the biggest detriment by far? I'd say my other big problem with it is that although the melodies set a mood very well, none of them are particularly compelling or evocative. I think I've heard you do more evocative melodies before, so it's not something out of your ability. It just seems like you ran out of time.

Anyway! Great, moody track. With more in the way of arrangement and a touch better melodies, there's not much that could stand in your way.

Score: 7.5

__--=***NGADM Review***=--__

A change of direction for you, but I like it. The drums sound good albeit a little harsh, I would have liked something warmer and less snappy for the snare to match the feel of the piece better. As always though, your mixing is spot-on outside of that once choice (and I say choice, not mistake), the synths sound incredible - rich and full, love them. That section around 0:39 is really captivating and I found myself really getting into even more from there. As always, I'm a big fan of your work despite our differences in genre.

However, why so short? That's gonna cost you... That ending too... :'(
Could have been 9.5 easily otherwise.
8.5/10