Cyberdevil's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Surfin]

Surfin'... the net? A wave? Highways of the USA?

I can't quite place the element of either water or interwebz, but it does have a vibe you'd connect to momentum. Appreciative breaks. Builds. A crisp and vibrant sound quality and mix. The melody feels unique and catchy, and it flows well, all the way through... maybe that's how it ties in to the surf turf huh.

Interesting almost vocal-like effects that kick in around the two minute mark too, and that metallic background percussion...

Atmosphere's rich. Variation all the way. It ends almost cinematically somehow, or like a Game Over jingle in a game, and yet if you keep it on loop it starts right again thereafter too. :D Well-timed beginning and end.

Overall what a good sound too. It's a vibe.

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[Pleasure Vibes]

That satisfying... whatever sound that is that keeps repeating every four beats or so. So great sound design on that one bit.

It builds in a Daft Punk-kinda way too (I didn't look at the tags when I wrote this I swear XD), which is something I'd definitely correlate to a pleasurable kind of sound, and the mix is rich. The balance just perfect.

Let it be known it does get a bit monotone IMHO, but that is part of the genre after all! The vibe's great and groovy all.

Nice vibe throughout.

-cd-

[Lividness II]

This was... interesting. Atmospheric. Lucid and lush but... maybe not as riveting as it could be. Not with the variation nor with the flow, all the way through the sound is stalking; somewhat stagnant in how it seems to never reach the next natural stage...

The production's great, the sound's great, just feels like there could be more to it. The builds there but so slow, it takes about four minutes for it to kick in, and then... back to normal again.

Considering the name I would've thought this would be louder, or faster; somehow more intense. But maybe it's a boil under the surface too. A pent up anger bubbling and seething, erupting in re-occurring steam-like bursts of emotion... ambience and lividness though, it's a strange mix. :)

Anyway as far as the music goes it's great, just a little repetitive after all.

Nice work again!

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HaylenWillis responds:

oh why thank you i appreciate the kind words :), i do agree about the structure being questionable, the meaning that has to do with the title is quite complicated, a simpler way to explain my way of naming songs (at least half the time) is that i just think of whatever emotion i'm feeling around that period of time or i just try to create random images or scenes in my head and pick something or someone from that image that has a dope sounding name and chuck it in, there's rare times where i just come up with a completely made up word that sounds cool, i also find myself getting ideas from mostly phil elverum and aphex twin, it's a clusterfuck lmao.

and about repetition, i very much agree with this piece being a little repetitive, i was so proud of this track when making it, i honestly didn't even care lol. but the first demo of the track was like 7(1/2) minutes long without any second chorus or just a second anything, that same melody just went on for like 3-4 minutes lol so i'm really glad i still had the stems when i hopped back into working on the album that this track was in (which was much more flawed just a few months before release) nonetheless thank you a lot and i'm glad you like it :) ✌️

[Archscope - Just like the rest of 'em (demo)]

Feels almost like a spiritual journey initially.

Transcending this world; the void; the body.... though it goes on a bit long IMO. I guess that may be why it's still a demo? I wish the build would lead to something more; I wish there'd be some kind of conclusion or traversal, just a bit more variation maybe...

It sounds otherwordly though for sure. Airy. Atmospheric. Seemed it work well as a soundtrack for something equally pompous and beautiful...

-cd-

HaylenWillis responds:

i appreciate the kind words, and there’s other noteworthy reasons why this is a demo, this was late last year and i was still trying to figure out my kind of sound, i’m gonna have to agree with how you say it’s airy, making that kind off stuff is really not my strongsuit anymore imo, i’m much more about putting attack on the keys with delay and what not, stuff like steve roach’s track “reflections in suspension” or “azukiiro no kaori” by susumu yokota would be the best example, but either way thank you for the kind words :)

[Bop It]

Wonder what happened to the embedded image here...

The audio may be a little monotone overall, but a bop it is! The transitions are slick, the vocals feel a little flat compared to the rest of the mix but they do work well with it. Love the transmission-like clicks and clutches with the sound. A bit more variation this'd be amazing IMO - though of course it is a structure of the genre; stylistic choice too.

Keep up the good bops!

-cd-

[Never Know (w/SubSonic) (ft. kookA)]

Instrumentally this is really top notch. Great energy, great transitions, so rich sound design overall.

The vocals though... the voice is good but they don't really flow into the mix in the best way IMO, they don't feel as wide or vibrant as they could. Be that by lacking equipment or production, the quality just stands out a bit compared to the rest of the track. With both voices.

I love the lyrics though, and the vocal tone overall, it just seems they need something... more.

Otherwise what a banger this was. Meaningful words; masterful music. Great track.

-cd-

[YaGirlNicole - Starstruck]

Dubstep at it's finest! :D Unpredictable but rhythmic in the best possible way. Killer energy. Light notes and appreciatively starry bridges between other sections... certain parts do repeat themselves a bit, but for the most part it's a trip all the way.

Loud but clear mix too.

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[AGNOSIA]

Freaky groove... in a good way.

Love the layers. The slow brooding in back, the dubstep-like switches, the 'ah' hits, the distortions and pauses and everything... the sound design here's masterful. That crazy half minute towards the end feels maybe a bit too crazy for me, but it's a mood for sure! The mix is amazing. So intricate.

...and the description! Well that just takes this to a whole new level. Listening to this; imagining what it'd feel like to somehow perceive the whole world in sound... woah.

Awesome work.

-cd-

SoTshu responds:

yooo! thanks for stopping by! I'm so happy you like it!
cheers!

[Voices]

The title gave me the impression this'd be a bit more ominous somehow, a bit slower, a bit more atmospheric... but you do get there! Around the minute mark it turns how I thought it might turn initially, with an appreciative break from that initial machine; pace and monotony... but it does jump back.

Ultimately there's a bit of a conflict with the saw-like kinda House music I'm not a huge fan of, and the Trance-like breaks that I love, though there's a bit less of the latter... feels like the composition's a bit simple compared to the rest. Sounds vibrant; feels a little flat.

Solid production though; solid track overall. And impressive length!

Nice work.

-cd-

[Rain On Mars]

Unreal, in the best possible way. :) Is it a sound of the past or a sound of the future? Did it rain on Mars once? Will it again? Will it ever, when we get there, if we do?

The beat's appreciatively slow and consistent, like a the trudge of life, where you budge and fight, and keep moving on, and on, and on...

Hella atmospheric. Varied. Vibrant. Always moving on...

I love the concept; really like this song. Seems hopeful too... and like Shores of Time IF SAME AUTHOR it really goes full circle in a good way. It's like time's on a loop with this one time, the rain both past and present after all...

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