Calamaistr's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[[Wr] 01: Main Menu]

With a two and a half minute main theme score who wants to even play the game? :P
And its pretty good aswell, i like how the progression glues to itself and doesnt stray wich gives a very threatening and glooming mood. Really crisp organ too, wish i had one of those.
-cal.

samulis responds:

I think the organ is actually from Garritan's organ pack. One of the garritan products that is actually worthwhile checking out. I've also heard some of their Instant Orchestra and it really sounds quite good, which is surprising.

[[Wr] 06: Tavern]

Getting a slight suikoden vibe here but its to short and i think other chord choices here and there wouldve made it better. :)

samulis responds:

Mmmm... it's just a little stinger for entering the tavern. There was going to be a little band in there playing.

[[Wr] 11: Battle, Pt. 1]

Very enjoyable, i like how the strings intersect. Thats hard to do right for most people.
All the percussive tingles and clingclangs in the background add alot of atmosphere aswell.

samulis responds:

I love playing around with string lines and counterpoint in my pieces. When the new game I'm doing music for, Airscape, comes out, you'll see a helluva lot more of that but with all sorts of instruments. Very contrapuntal stuff. :)

[Sound of Creation]

Breathtaking, ill have to listen to this again soon but write a quick review just to express myself.
Im a sucker for clocks, wich shouldnt come as a suprise as much of my own work revolves around the element of 'time'. I really, REALLY enjoy the much relaxing ticking in this track. Everything is crystal clear and kind on the ears. Tantric.

[Windows]

I enjoy how unpredictable this piece is, usually i can easily ''guess'' every progression, but not on this.
Thats often a mark for me to listen to more and put a composer in higher esteem.

-cal.

Step responds:

Thanks, that's genuinely great to hear! Glad you like it :3.

[Luer - Crazy Spells]

Whenever people call their work 8bit on the audio forum i feel reluctant to listen to it because in my experience todays youth doesnt understand the genre definition and just makes dubstep with a few squares and calls it chiptune. You on the other hand actually make 8bit music wich im happy for. Keep doing what you do and keep uploading here! You compose in the same melodically orientated contrapuntal style as i do and its invigorating. I do want to know where you got your sounds from cause theres a few in there i dont recognice from my own library.

What i enjoy about this track in particular is how its flawlessly sequenced. Spiralling around eachother, when i visualise it to a form. Brilliant bassline detail aswell.

-Cal.

[Tranquility (8-bit)]

I think you still have a lot to learn in terms of composing a proper melody, there was no direction or proper harmony in it (though ive heard much much worse, so its not all bad), the chords are fine but not enthralling and without deviations turn into a blur, cool for using magical8bit though! I use that one mostly myself too, and the percussion is allright, i personally hardly ever add it in chiptunes but it sounded pretty good. :)

greets and keep learning more, i suggest looking up stephen malinowski (good visuals) or studying some classical music like bach to understand how to create a good melody.
-cal.

stunkel responds:

The intention was to kind of make it open like this. I guess I didn't do such a good job though. I know you are a 8-bit artist so you might be expecting something better, sorry to disappoint there. Thanks for the review though!

-Ryan

[Corridors Of Time]

Best cover of this track i ever heard :)

[Slow Motion Lightning]

Pleasantly suprised on this, in honesty i cant say i was impressed by your video game entries but this style definately makes it right, i think you should keep making such.

Its a bit like listening to cybertracks of the virtual audio project. :)
Pure 80s on the road late night chillout feel.

greets and thanks for your review on one of my tracks.
-cal.

VideoGameManiac responds:

thanks! I have always liked videogame music since I was a child and I really like to remix them in a different way/style but my favourite genre is electronic ambient and I always use it on my original creations, sad you dont like my remixes but very glad you like this one xd

[Departure]

As if you can feel yourself sitting in a train that moves away from everything that you held dear, thats the emotion that this piece brings.

Very soft key hits and enjoyable radiance, and im not even that fond of cinematics to begin with, i prefer more coherent strict melodic structures. So this praise comes through a barrier ;)