Dude. Seriously good job. This is an amazing song (barring a slightly awkward intro), and when I heard it, I knew I was basically done for in the NGADM. :P
You go win, okay? Otherwise, JDawg, Dutton, and I will have lost for nothing. GO GET 'EM! :D
Reviews for "Acidulus 8"
garlagan responds:
Thanks Lunacy!
I'LL DO MY BEST
This is an NGADM Round 1 Review.
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I am almost speechless. This is hands down my favourite electronic submission this round, and there was a lot of great electronic stuff this round. For starters, as is ALWAYS the case with your music, the production is godly. I absolutely love the clarity of everything, and the earcandy-filled sound palette you use. The drums are crisp and the textures you create with those synths are to die for. I've always been a HUGE fan of your production value and you continue setting the bar every damn time. I also loved the contrast between the VGM-infused first half and DnB-infused second half. It was a pleasure hearing the melody played first by that chiptune-esque lead synth with all that pitch automation you do on it and classic VGM-like arpeggios in the background, and then hearing it in all its glory later on in its more modernised counterpart.
Your melody is a ridiculous earworm by the way. You repeat the main motif quite a lot but have an appreciable amount of variety in the counter-melodies and continuations of your main melody so that didn't bother me much. It just did more to cement the melody in my head, and while I hate you for that since it won't be getting out any time soon, I can't deny it's ridiculously catchy! My only two complaints are the intro and the vocals. I like how you had a subtle foreshadowing of the vocals at the very beginning, but I felt like 7 seconds in, when you introduce the melody, you don't give it a suitable entrance. It just comes in out of nowhere, and while it wasn't too abrupt, I felt like it cheapened the melody a little over there. Additionally, the vocals were a nice idea, since it would've been cool to hear the melody played by what sounds like a large group of singers, but it came off sounding very offputting and artificial (as if you just recorded one note of yourself singing and then pitch-bent it for the rest of the notes).
I think you get the highest score of the round from me. I am a huge fan of this and I hope you continue to impress.
SCORE: 9.7/10
garlagan responds:
HOLY...
I don't even know what to type here. I'm astonished!
I had so many doubts about this track. But it seems keep working on it has paid off!
Ah, me hands be shakin. Best part of the NGADM right here, reading amazingly detailed reviews.. and not even knowing what to respond haha.
Really, your reviews are just too good Step.
You're right about the vocals, they kinda sound off in the track. I recorded myself like 40 times, doing eeee, oooo, uuu lol. It was fun! But I'm far from getting good at it YET :p.
By the way, the melody being an earworm is the greatest compliment I've ever received on a song. Can't thank you enough for that! And your favourite electronic submission !?!? This is just too much, heart attack incoming.
CHEERS STEP!
The chanty vocal part caught me off guard. Beautiful piece! Very good vibes coming from it.
garlagan responds:
Cheers Luny! :)
Oh, wow.
garlagan responds:
HELLO JOHN
Damn this is good, reaaaaally good :D
garlagan responds:
Thanks man!