Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
Everratic, Lowlands Scrapyard: 10,10,10,10

Very lovely orchestrations and elements. Providing me with info in the author's comments was a common point I levied at users who failed to make an effort to write much. That one element can guide judges and listeners to the musician's inspirations possibly not apparent via the music alone. Music doesn't always speak for itself (though my favorite tracks did), it's always worth sharing your thoughts or feelings for the users that are willing to engage with it. This is a community first and foremost that rewards honest engagement. The track was also good enough that I couldn't really be bothered to wait until the end of the track to give you a perfect score for emotion. The orchestral transitions were lovely, chimes and cymbal swells well used. Even a little gentle synth play midway. This is an expertly done soundscape the relies on many traditional elements, very professional and commercial.

I asked many other users to make use of atmospheric samples to echo back to the illustrations. That storm at 2:16 was very subtle. I looked at the image again and there is a hint of rainfall. That illuminated ending gives way as if a storm is gently passing. The intro might have benefit from some running water SFX but I actually thought I heard water drops on my first listen. After going back and really listening for it I realized it was a percussive instrument. This track implied a lot with very little. I suppose I could nitpick the mix being a little quiet but despite that tiny waveform the instruments manage to be full and lush. You orchestral people and your paradoxically small wave shapes are an enigma to us hardstyle EDM losers.

Out of 92 tracks I reviewed, you are the 6th and final perfect score. I had hoped the other judges were little more critical to make up for my friendly scores to avoid a short list of perfect 40s. I wish you the best and encourage you to listen to the other submissions. This contest is always a blast because I get the opportunity to get to know Newgrounds musicians a little better. Though I recognized your name in my score sheet I'm giving everyone the same critical eye but I couldn't take off any points for this without feeling overly critical. It would have hurt me to do so. Have a wonderful day Ever <3

Very ominous vibe!

PRESTIGIOUS!

It's very whimsical and mythical, with a sense of grand scale? No that's not the right word... mysterious?

Ugh, I'm horrible at describing things

For an entry that is almost 3.5 minutes long, there are a lot of ideas and moods at play here and I think that made this piece quite engaging as you never really know when or where the mood or atmosphere will shift. I like how it starts all cutesy and whimsical but there's this long held, off-key tone that slowly wedges its way into the composition that makes things feel a bit unsettling but in a way that feels like foreshadowing for sections to come.

That reed instrument playing the melody...an oboe(?) at 0:30 was a great way to transition, timbre-wise into the less chipper atmosphere set by the first section. I can tell each section had a lot of detail and thought put behind it. One thing I was curious about was that each mood/atmosphere in every little section felt like it existed on its own, the main example being that sudden shift from the mysterious tones to a more uplifting tone at 1:42. What was the intention of having each mood be a standalone section, or do you see it as such? Personally I felt like in an exploration in an RPG-esque manner would take more time in between sections, whereas the amount of time spent in most sections here feels quite short.

I see this piece as a score for a short film based on the art inspiration if it were animated. The playing around with the spontaneously changing sections seems to suit the change of different scenes in quick succession, so in that sense, it brings the art inspiration to life.

I love the cutesy vibe at the beginning and the instrumentation. The clarinet and violin solos toward the middle of the piece fit nicely, and this piece has a number of really well-crafted transitions, like at 1:43. The more subdued tone at 2:25 is also beautiful - that's the part that sounded most like the art to me. :) The bright tone at the beginning was a nice way to close out the piece too. Feels like, while earlier in the piece the protagonist was wandering around amidst a number of eerie, shadowy figures, at the end the sun has risen on this new world and it turns out the figures were just large dandelions. ^_^ Strong work, Everratic!