RetromanOMG's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Masq - The Finale]

I had to comment on this. I don't care for ambient music, but this is crazy. Listening to it as it progresses, I'm just sitting here, scratching my head at how you did all of this. Every part is noticeably unique, but it's all so seamlessly stitched together that it sounds like one flowing mass of sound. And then that bass portion came in.

That is the coolest thing I've heard in a while, and I expected nothing less from a producer like you. The best thing about it all is that, just like the segments preceding it, it matched the overall feel of the song, despite being detached in timbre. It starts off stable and almost predictable, as if luring me into thinking that it's going to become standard electronica finally, but then even that collapses into itself, which brings back the chaos this song is meant to embody.

Again, the whole free-form ambient style doesn't usually appeal to me, but this rocked.

jpbear responds:

graciaz holmes

[Ribbit]

I'm really digging this track. Minimalism in songs is something that always gets to me, and this song has it in comfortable supply. Between the subtle clicks and the smooth melody, this is a pretty calming song to listen to.

[Thump]

I wasn't feeling it that much. Very few of the sounds you used really meshed with each other well, up until 1:10. Unfortunately after that, it just went back to there being no cohesion in the track.

FrostyThePig responds:

Hey man, I really appreciate the review, even if it was negative lol, just glad to have some feedback! This was one of older works, and i will be uploading a new one soon, i'm hoping you could take the time to check that one out as well!

[TMFO3 - 1: Press start~]

This is pretty great. You can definitely feel the emotion that went into this track.

This might sound a little shallow, but it reminds me a lot of some of the songs in Minecraft's soundtrack. That said, I'd much rather hear this while playing.

Calamaistr responds:

havent played minecraft but ill take it as a nice compliment that you like to play this while playing a game :)
thanks -cal.

[Le Couscous C'est La Vie [LAPSE Remix]]

Holy crap. There's so much dissonance in this track, yet it's all executed with so much control. Chopped samples swirling in and out of the track with various levels of distortion, with the drums breaking their own flow periodically, tossing the listener even deeper into this song. I am amazed by this. Definitely one of your best.

LLAAPPSSEE responds:

Glad you dig, Retro. I think this turned out pretty well for only a days work (from like early morning to late night, ha). I put in some more today, just uploaded a new version of the track. Some minor adjustments / additions that had been throwing off my listen when I was reviewing it today. I had some fun with this one. As always, thank you for listening.

[Detious - S.I.Y.R (Remix)]

Damn, this was the shit. You really did a good job of mixing Rock with Dubstep, and you get extra points for doing something barely anyone here thinks of. I think I'm going to add this to my favorites.

DetiousMusic responds:

Wow, thanks dude! I had a hard time fitting it in a times. Haha.
Well maybe this song will give some people ideas!
Thanks again!

[N/A - Game Over]

Definitely needs variation

But overall, I'm really impressed that you achieved this sound with just amp feedback. The bass you created through this method could only hold one note, as you mentioned before, but I would personally try running it through something like DBlue Glitch (though that's just me) to get some form of variation out of it.

The melody was really simple, so much so that I feel that it was there primarily so the bassline could have something to hold on to. If there was more complexity, if you took the melody and made it change as the song progressed, it'd definitely come out better.

I actually liked the drum beat, though the last few reviews said it sounded generic. It reminds me of the shuffling beats from UK Garage tracks and the way you changed it up with the bass really kept the song's pace up when the melody couldn't.

I think when people are reviewing a song on Newgrounds, they forget that they're not listening to some big-time producer, and so they judge based on the precedents those people set. Many, if not all of us, are just people doing something we like, how we like.

But yeah. For the creativeness that went behind taking simple feedback and making a Dubstep song around it, I gotta say this track's pretty kickass. Still, with the simplicity of the melody, it also leaves much to be desired.

Mrmilkcarton responds:

Thank you, this was helpful.

[A DJ's Chorus - SG]

I thought PhinnyCupcakes was being an asshole...

But after going through all of your stuff, you seriously do use the same 3 four chord progressions in your songs.

All that crap aside, I will say you're using them right. There is a definite amount of work that goes into making a song, even with those progressions, and you're putting it forth. Furthermore (and this is what I like most about your music), your style is bringing back a sound I haven't heard since 2006. What with all the Dubstep and House music on Newgrounds (even I've moved to House), it really is refreshing to hear this stuff again.

My only main criticism is the chords. Change it up a little, go for a completely new sound with your songs, but keep that nostalgic style of yours going.

[Escape from Nothingness]

Seriously. We need to collab sometime.

I'd personally love to remix this. This is one of your best songs yet.

OpenLight responds:

Thanks! We can always collab on campus sometime. Feel free to remix this.

[Nightmare's End]

Very haunting...

It maintains the same dark and ill-willed vibe of the original, and the automated distortions that came in did a very good job of matching the disjoint I had put in my original.

Something I really enjoy about this version, though, is how video gamey it sounded. It reminded me of an endless ascent through a dark, futuristic castle, leading to a final boss.

Really cool sounding, as always.

OpenLight responds:

Thanks! My biggest issue was that glitch-like section because I'm not used to making my synth intentionally sound crazy and weird.

I always try to make my music sound like a game song I guess (in the back of my mind). I don't really know why haha.

Glad you liked it though!