etherealwinds's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Traveler (Battle) WiP]

I think you are the most perfect human being. This is fantastic!! MORE PLS C:

headphoamz responds:

Thank you my dearest EW <3

[the fight]

I think that you've really done a great job here. I think this track as well as Steam's is extremely final worthy. For some reason, I find myself getting hooked to this track a little more though. I really like the movement of the section starting at 2:13, however at 2:22, I can hear distortion in the two of the drum hits (perhaps this was intended! ((I'm not experienced with the glitching effect)))! This is one of those tracks that is easy to instantly fall in love with and rather action-packed. I can imagine it in an online beat-em-up game or something and I'd just pause it so that I could listen to this track.

This sure is going to be a close final!! <3

johnfn responds:

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. That is in fact part of the glitch, though I can understand it being a little jarring, especially if you haven't heard glitchy stuff before.

There's definitely a degree to which more epic stuff is more instantly likeable. It's something I sometimes have a problem with, since I'm not always in the mood to write super explosive songs. (And I don't think that epic songs are necessarily better, just easier to like.)

Thanks for the review man! I need some time to recuperate but we definitely have to do that 8 bit collab. :D

[A Weirdo's Gigue]

A final-worthy piece indeed. This demonstrates your ability to transfer your strong musical identity through genres! This has your Steamprints all over it. What always astounds me is your attention to detail in both the composition and mixing. Everything just seems so perfectly placed and I will never know how you manage to do that. My mind finds it a little hard to distinguish the structure of this song, I think as somebody else mentioned. I'm not sure what it is that makes it difficult o_o I also didn't expect it to end so abruptly. I expected the repeated part at the end to carry on as long as before and for a separate outro to come in and tie things off.

Really well executed and another amazing Steampianist track. My favourite from you so far. It's so great to see how the NGADM has progressed into this point where we're left with two near-flawless tracks from two very talented artists. Impeccable! :)

steampianist responds:

your having trouble figuring out the form its pretty simple or so i thought

thanks for the review! dude

[Graveyard Shenanigans]

Hello Steam!!

Great to see yet another track, Steam doing what Steam does best. I can't hear any flaws at all in the production technique. That's one thing I truly envy about you. You have such a technical ear for knowing exactly where to place each instrument, the levels, the reverb or lack of... everything that I struggle with! You're a master.

In its own right, this track is also masterful, just like you. It's like you put a part of you into every track you make. It really comes alive and that is something you cannot learn to do. You've also inspired my Halloween costume through this song! To look at things in a wider perspective, there is one thing having a niche or a personal sound that people instantly recognise as being personal to you (I'm very much that type of artist myself!). However, it can get to a point where things start to sound a bit 'samey'. I mean this in the sense that I don't really hear anything new hear that you haven't already done. That being said, what you've already done has always been executed so successfully! (I usually avoid giving personal critique on stuff such as this because it could come across as offensive, although that is far from my intention!! ;^ ^)

I'm a huge fan of your work SP, truly. I'm going to be listening to your existing and future tracks for a long while to go and I am jealous of your production techniques. Please give me some tips some time ;_;

steampianist responds:

Thanks man and its probably obvious im a big fan of your work as well.

Uhm yeah it is kinda samey and lolz cmon give me some slack its hard to think of something "new"
anyways thanks for the review and congrats for winning 3rd dude for someone who is fresh in newgrounds thats awesome

[wide world]

This is simply gorgeous. I really really love synth and jazzy piano together, such a nice complement, especially with the drums throughout. I love the piano part at 1:12, but I think a change in drum rhythm would add to the transitioning here! ^ ^

I can imagine hearing this being performed at a fancy restaurant. It creates that sort of homely and comfortable atmosphere. The transition to the drum and bass part, as you've said, is really quite sudden for me. I think separately, the more reserved section of the song and that part are both amazing on their own, but for me I feel as if the d&b cancels out the atmosphere that's been created. Perhaps less repetition and more variety would help this piece out!

I think that you are extremely, extremely talented and totally deserve to be this far into the competition and proceed further too. It's an honour to hear your work.

johnfn responds:

HOW I HAVE I NOT RESPONDED TO THIS. I wrote up a response for it like 5 times in a row but then I kept on turning off my computer without submitting it for some reason. Anywho... The dnb was definitely a mistake as is, but I'm glad the rest of the piece worked for you :) Your point about atmosphere is a great one, especially because in my mind you are the king of atmosphere.

Thanks for the review!

[Lover's Lament]

Two words..

Mesmerisingly beautiful.

bassfiddlejones responds:

Aw, thanks etherealwinds!

[Divine Prayer [Live]]

This tickles my fancy.

samulis responds:

Lovely, good sir!

[Silent Night]

I really love the tone of your voice and your range really shines in pieces like this. There aren't many that could do every part of harmonies. Your harmonies are practically spot on which is a hard feat for anyone. I think your voice really flourishes when singing harmonies. Are you in a choir or barbershop group or something similar? It seems that way.

I feel like your higher range when singing solo, specifically the "All is calm" sounds a little shaky and pitchy, so perhaps your higher range is something to work on controlling better! :) Also, take care when it comes to diction. For example, in the solo part, "all is bright". Take extra care to enunciate clearly as it sounds more like "all is bwight". It's not a huge thing, but just something that can become a little obvious, especially solo.

This is really quite something though and I'm certainly in the Christmas spirit now damn you heh! All the best :)

raggd46 responds:

thank you! I will work hard on my upper limits (or sneakily find a tenor who can sing them for me :P )

[Beauty Who Turned & Fled]

This is really gorgeous. Reminds me of an Agnes Obel track!

headphoamz responds:

Oh! Thanks for listening to this. I'm glad you did, it's an older track but I still enjoy it. Now I'm looking up Agnes Obel :P Thanks EW :)

[Everything is Broken]

This sounds mighty fine. All the different textures and glitches please my ears which is always a good thing. I feel as though the backing orchestral layer almost sounds too underwhelmed in this piece. I really love the constantly moving progression of this piece and the abstraction twinned with a familiar theme throughout to tie it all into one.

Really enjoyed it! :)

InvisibleObserver responds:

I'm going to blame Edirol for being a nuisance to write with and mix with.

And if you fall for that I'll swat at you for looking at the man behind the curtain. :P