Phaded's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Random Acts Assassins]

DeX.

The intro to this song is very good. I read through the lyrics as well as listened to this song without them. Therefore I listened three times before I reviewed this song.

The intro, I feel could have hit harder. I love the lyrics, this song's content is fucking beasty as hell. The vocabulary is off the charts (compared to the rest of rap). Either way, I noticed a few things that caught my attention. I loved how the last bar of each verse and chorus is cut off. The echo really adds this.. "personality" to the song itself. It's uniqueness that I've learned to appreciate from the less mainstream rap.

I feel as if this whole song had almost too much delivery. Throughout the song, instead of high adrenaline vocals, I got more of a fake angry appearance. This was mainly from Burly. You had that 'over-aggressive' feeling too, but it wasn't too obvious.

The EQ'ing on this song needs some work, that's what made you guys seem off the mark as far as movement/pace. It's much harder to hear a song as serious when you have someone rapping and it's not fluid with the song itself. I know this just because I'm a 'punk ass whiteboy' who tries to act all tough on tracks. Lol.

The content of this track was phenomenal. The wordplay followed up by the vocabulary truly shined in this track. That's why I gave you an eight. Because no matter how the track itself plays, the meaning of it is very serious. The lyrics have no problem being catchy, unique and a good mixture of punch and multi.

If anything, the only true lacking in this song is delivery. The lyrics seem to fight the song. When you listen, you can hear the forced rhymes and studdered flow. When you listen to rap, you always want a rhymescheme that isn't hard to manage to choke out during the song. When you connect to the listener, he needs to be able to repeat the words easily. If it's hard to spit the rhymes initially, just reword it to fit in the line. I've always done that, and that's why you respect me as a 'punchline rapper' =]]

See, I'm not used to the multi's in songs. The way you made 2 short lines in one bar, or a few syllable phrases. You know I'm not like that. I give you guys mad props for being able to do such thing. Because as you know, I'm way too obvious and elementary to be at that level. So even though I criticize this song, you taught me something at the same time. :D

DeX, the reason I respect you as a rapper more than anything else... is because you can connect without stating shit multiple times. I have to say shit so clearly and obvious that it's annoying. Even now, I feel stupid as fuck... because I have rap friends telling me to 'smarten' up. Some people tell me to 'dumb it down' for the general fan base. I'm known for finding a healthy balance of both, just so I don't get too far above anyone's head. See, that's the strategy that requires the talent you have that I lack. Your multi's tell stories and shit with a few lines. I need a whole verse to get a point across. (Refer to my track: I Love You.) You truly have what it takes. The only thing I'm doing is giving you the criticism the world would give when you came out the gates with your album.

I've already gotten half of this shit from the cats who stepped all over me when I wasn't good. Now that I have respect, no one even wants to step to me. So I'm definitely trying my best to help you in any way I possibly can.

Look DeX, I don't know it all.. I'm just giving you my advice. If you don't agree with anything I say, don't hesitate to ignore it. I'm only telling you that I THINK will help. Lol.

DeX, we need to collab. Get at me man.
If you want to. And thanks for all the advice you've given me.
Putting all the music aside, you're a great ass friend too.
I had to thank you either now or later... so it better off be now.

DL'd
5'd 4.34 / 5.00 (+ 0.00032) Damn, you have like 1000 votes.

-Phade
www.Phade.tk

HeLLsGaUrDiAn responds:

I appreciate all the criticism I can get my dude. I always take what people take into consideration but at the same time I stay true to my own style. Live and learn is my motto and I'll always follow that. I respect all the words you've just stated in this review and you know that I'll have all the respect in the world for you as an artist and as a person. You're definitely right in the delivery critique cause this was our first submission to this site and it was also our breakout song. What I mean is that this song is what gave birth to out style and personality as underground hip-hop artists.

This song was also the first time I got to try out my new mic so that was also a work in progress looking for the right volume levels so that's why the EQ'ing in this track was "iffy." But aside from all of that, I appreciate this review and the time you spent writing it, I wish I had more to say but thank you, for real. I think both Burly and I have progressed a lot since this track and I hope that we'll continue to improve in order to deliver Real Hip-Hop to everyone.

We WILL do a collab soon enough, don't worry about that. I really do want to work on a track with you but right now, we've taken too many projects and we have to start finishing them up and we only keep adding to that list. But as soon as I can find time between a track, I'll hit you up and we'll drop something to blow everyone away with, stay up and take care of yourself. Don't hesitate to hit me up about anything too.

[WF1/KTR Breaking Restraints]

Much Love..

I have to say that the intro was quite intriguing. I loved the melody in the beginning stages. I also loved the attention to detail such as the slight reverb in the melodies. The introduction to the strings truly gave this a sense that it wasn't stopping it's advancement in pace.

During the beginning stages, it seemed to remove me from the atmosphere. I heard the song, and it seemed to be a "I could be in the moment if I tried" feelings. The latter parts of the song had no problem at all absorbing me in them though. I feel that if anything it's just there aren't any pads or surrounding noise to the melodies. [EDIT: After the third time listening, I think it's actually the lo-fi/low treble I get out the piano that makes it feel empty] I'm sure you wanted significant attention paid to just the melody itself though, so it's a bit of this for that.

I truly have no complaints as far as the synths are concerned. They all had a very real and very earthy sound. The strings were far beyond my reach I must say. They seemed to attack perfectly, just as a real orchestral peice would play. Truthfully, I would love to learn from you how to master such abilities to find synth's that play wonderfully together while also composing such incredible harmony.

It's still taking me a minute to digest the drums.
On first impression, I feel as though the actual drum riff doesn't hit enough. They seem to lack the 'feeling' I usually get from music like this. The drums almost seemed like a support beam to hold the melodies [which shine through the song, in my opinion]. My only complaint with the drums is that they seemed less involved and more of just a 'filler'. If anything, the thunderous kick between bars truly set a mood that wasn't followed by the drums. I expected the 'breaking of restraints' to be a more serious and involved drum. Although I'm not too familiar with Techno/Trance/Up-Tempo material. It may only be me that would state these things because of my hip-hop influence.

To be completely honest, the only 'major' fault I see at all with the music at all is the duration. I think that most songs tell a story and the way this song is built, it just seems to end on a 'To be continued...' note. Just as the notes seem to be dying down from adrenaline to either break into a slower section or build up to a much needed peak, the song is finished. I felt that it was missing those 'plotted' elements to make the song re-enact a story in your head. It was like watching a preview for a video game. You get so pumped up hearing the best parts of it. You get so into how intricately it's made, how many new things you see and hear. Then, it's over.

Most techno I have experience with, has usually taken the alternate approach. I usually run into techno that's too repetitive or tells a story so long that I cannot finish it but rather get bored with the normality of the song. This is why it stunned me so much when I heard the looping of the song beginning again. My mind didn't want it to be over, but simply just to bring me something even more shocking/pleasing than the first.

I don't mean to sound critical. Nor am I trying to outdo you. But if anyone deserves my true opinion and a real review, it would be you. This song touched me just as closely as my own songs do. I now enjoy writing the truth. Consider yourself an inspiration. =]]

5'd + Download = Congratulations.

-Phade
www.Phade.tk

KTRECORDS responds:

Thx for the lengthy feedback man! We'll be sure to take everything you said to heart. As far as the length of the song goes... were actually going for that "to be continued" feel. We were modeling the song after the stereotypical anime intro, so we are glad we pulled it off. Thx again for the feedback!

-Jason
KTRECORDS