Phronemophobia's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Funkertron2000 [Remix] - ToeJam & Earl]

My only two bits of nitpicking are the sprinkling of TJ&E voice clips throughout and that this piece doesn't differentiate itself enough from other remixes of the same song outside of the use of those clips. "Big, Big, Big Earl" goes along with the music... becomes part of it. I'm all for that sort of thing. Then, there's the random "Rap!" and "Jammin!" that comes across as minor irritations/ They're just there for the sake of it, and I rather they were not. It's still a TJ&E remix though. The internet can always use more of those. This one just doesn't stand out much among them.

HoboKa responds:

Well, a lukewarm reception beats a frigid one. Thanks mate. I suspect I'll be getting the same comments in my compo, though I submitted it as a BONUS, not an eligible entry to vote on.
Still, I had fun making this.

Also, if you REALLY want my worst work, check out my sonic 2 remix. It'll kill you >:3

[SHMUP Stage Uno]

Man, I haven't heard a first stage shoot'em up sound this good since Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse~Bouche, though the tone is far different from the fun and quirky setting created by Virt's Radical Galaxy. This feels more like Streets of Rage... in Space!

HoboKa responds:

Nice, you always have the best comments man.

[[Front Mission 3] Frontline Powow]

Initially, I was beginning to feel slightly peeved by how "safe" you were playing it with this remix, but, halfway into it, I began to realize the differences and had to stop what I was doing in order to find the original piece and listen to this one again for a side-by-side comparison. It's a twenty-year-old game, so the improved sound quality is already appreciated, but you added a much needed layer to the music to help emphasize the mechanical aspect of the franchise that I thought the original was a little too soft about, and hearing it all come together from 2:15 onward is especially rewarding.

Now I'm curious. You wouldn't happen to have or thought about composing a remix from the Wars series, would you?

HoboKa responds:

Really appreciate the comments. This one actually won me a competition round at PRC (though there was only 1 other entry haha)
Don't have enough context about the 'Wars series'. And I never actually beat any of them, though I own 3 on psn. I used to own 4, but got side-tracked so many times and I just sold it along with all my other ps2 games. Guess I could download it...

But if you really want, you can PM me and maybe we can hash something out. I might do up a tune or 2 for you, provided there are MIDIs :)

[[Sonic CD remix] Titillating Tempest]

Not sure why Flops tagged me fo... oh shit! It's HoboKa from OCR!

I don't know enough about music to figure out why this wasn't included on the album, but I'm glad I have the chance to finally add it to the album's folder on my computer... where it belongs!

Thank you for this (and Jaded by Death), and welcome to Newgrounds!

Edit: Checking over my playlist, it IS on there. So, it actually did pass the bar?

HoboKa responds:

Uh...No. It did not pass. https://ocremix.org/community/topic/38074-no-sonic-cd-us-titillating-tempest/?tab=comments#comment-758792

In fact, that is the fate of many of my ReMixes*. J00j Panel** doesn't appreciate a lot of my music. So I needed to branch out with SoundCloud and Newgrounds. I hope this doesn't poison your image of me haha.

Anyhow, I really appreciate that you like Jaded by Death. Think I have a few other posted tunes too... (edit) Oh and I appreciate that you like this remix too, obviously. Lotta work went into this beast >:3

[endK - Gotta Go Blast!]

Not a major fan of Sonic (I prefer the spin-off games more than the main series), but the music is undeniably some of the best in all of medium. Mixing in a bit of Mega Man and, most importantly, a healthy portion of endK talent really turns this into one of my favorite Why-the-fuck-is-this-masterpiece-so-short! tracks that I normally only find in SiIvaGunner albums. I'd wish it was longer, but I'm always afraid the extended version would ruin the magic of the piece.

Anyways, good luck in the competition, Filip, and, as usual, I'll wait until this is on BC to download it.

endKmusic responds:

I'm sure that if there was no deadline it could've be longer.
However, I imagined this as a trailer, short and sweet.
Thanks for the feedback Phro, always love hearing from you! <3
I'll check those albums out.

[endK - Midnight Chariots]

I do love adding music to my Halloween playlist.
I do love adding music to my endKBertn playlist.

Imagine a modern day chase sequence happening, except the pursuer is the Headless Horseman. A ghost horse can move as fast as a car, right? Maybe?

endKmusic responds:

Hahahaha, wasn't intended to be haloween-ish, but here we are.
Yeah, for sure + there's no crashing risk.
...and most importantly - no need for insurance.
<3!

[Broken Souls]

This is definitely a rough song with the biggest issue I have being the messy vocals fighting to be heard over the rest of the music. I have no clue what is being said throughout most of it.

If you hadn't already mentioned it in your comments section, I probably wouldn't have had the heart to make any complaints.

:(

Quebi responds:

Yeah. It was impossible to manage with me packing for college and buying stuff and the vocalist doing the same, with NGUAC happening simultaneously. Mixing barely happened and mastering was non-existent. I do plan to fix all the issues when I'm moved into my dorm though, and release a polished version.

[endK - Resonance]

This sounds so serious... as if it's for an eighties training montage that occurs just prior to the final event that differentiates itself from a typical training montage by also intermittently showing clips of the traumatizing moments the film's protagonist had to deal with throughout the rest of the movie. (Also, it's a good song.)

I'm so glad to hear a new song from you again, Filip.
I missed ya.

endKmusic responds:

Missed ya too Phro!
Love how you described this.
Had to imagine it myself and it works great despite the ear fatigue (of hearing the melody 1000 times ._.)
Much thanks, always appreciate your support! <3

[Triumph]

I lack the knowledge to phrase it any better, but something about 0:26 to 0:36 sounded a little flat. After that, however, it's fantastic. Thrilling, even. It's as if you wanted to summarized one man's entire adventure within a single piece of music.

Excellent work, SirQ.

Quebi responds:

Thank you! The idea was actually making this uphill/downhill movement of a journey or adventure.

[Purple Noon (2012)]

During one of his many adventures, Power Man met up with a short, peculiar fellow calling himself the "Dreamland Musician." He roamed the land barefooted, yet socks hung from his belt like pouches. Midway into one of his songs, the strange little man reached into one of his socks and pulled out a handful of dust, which he immediately tossed into the air. A violet mist surrounded the both of them. As the musician danced and played, Power Man felt himself rising into the air and swimming through a sea of clouds. It was relaxing, soothing... kinda cold. By morning, the Dreamland Musician was gone, Power Man was floating face-up in a pond, and his socks were missing.

Bertn1991 responds:

That was quite the tale. Sounds like a shenanigan Power Man would find himself in. His business cards read exterminator, but at heart he's an adventurer. I too hope to meet this Dreamland Musician someday. Maybe he's the one whose been taking all my socks.