AceMantra's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Twin Helix]

Very moving piece. You certainly know how to capture a visual idea and turn it into a musical journey. This is a perfect example that art isn't just there to look or sound pretty. It holds a much deeper meaning, and a reason for why it was conceived. Thank you for reminding me of that.
"Know the rules of art, but do not always follow them. Break them when you have a reason to."

Phonometrologist responds:

Hey Ace! I'm glad you appreciate it. I'm reminded of John Cage, "Consider everything an experiment." Personally, it's the process in discovering that reveals insight to the beauty of music.
In this case, it was in tinkering around a couple of notes and utilizing a rule that I contrived onto myself that freed up the creative process. From that, I was directed by the music to create in a specific manner similarly to how nature is led to creating us. The mystery of why is still left to interpretation.

[Adaptation]

This gave me so many feels! You've come a long way with your sound. The piece is so complex, yet satisfying to listen to. I think the percussion is what really got me; soooo goooood.

Keep up the good fight, friend. Stay safe. :)

zybor responds:

How are you doing? :)

Thank you for your review! Stay safe and stay strong!

[Heart U]

Nice song! I really love the lyrics and the smooth, mellow vibe you got going on. I have no critiques; I just wanted to say this track is great.

TeraVex responds:

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[Open Your Eyes]

How does I maek teh wubz?

Great track, man! I keep coming back to listen to it. This track should be called "Open Your Mouth" because this mix is warm, buttery, and delicious like popcorn. Yeah I said it. Yeah I might be hungry. Whatever.

Jacob responds:

Thank you, Ace! That means a lot.
The wubz were made in Sytrus. I was able to automate with slides in the piano roll, which made it super easy. Not as complex or hard hitting as something from Serum, but I thought it fit nicely.

Now I want popcorn, too. With caramel, or cheese. Why are those tins seasonal?

[Goat of Duty]

I was going to leave a review, but I lost my train of thought. Fuck. Um, what was I going to say?

Jacob responds:

I like you.

[Onwards!]

Woah, this song jumps right into it. The intro is powerful and fully establishes the tone of the piece. I especially love the part between 1:35 - 2:10; it hits me right in the feels. I only wish it was longer. Otherwise, great job. Keep it up. :)

KevinMueller responds:

Thank you for your kind review. :) I'm glad you liked it.

[Percussive Visions]

An lovely piece! I was drawn in within the first 30 seconds; not a lot of songs can do that. There's a lot of percussion going on, and they all fit together very well. The harp was a nice touch as well. Good job. :)

[Countdown to Extinction]

Dammit, Bonnot! This is awesome!

zybor responds:

Hey Ace, how's COVID-19 treating ya! Just kidding! hope you doing well :)

["Sea of Echoes" (Sewol Ferry Disaster Tribute)]

I just had to leave a comment. The raw emotion in this piece is powerful. Excellent work.

JessieYun responds:

Thanks a dozen, Ace. Glad you enjoyed it <3

[Help - Minor Keys]

I like what you have so far; I can imagine it as the start of a Synthwave song already. :)
There isn't anything wrong with a common chord progression, but I understand the difficulty of moving from one progression to another while keeping the same feel. One method you could try is to use the progression again with slight alteration to one or two of the chords.

Another thing to try is to keep the pattern and add a new progression entirely. The familiarity of the pattern might help prevent a jarring listening experience, and the different progression will provide some fresh variety.

I have other ideas if those don't help, so feel free to PM me if you want. Good luck with your album! :)