I like the busy percussion at the beginning, although I think it gets a little lost in the mix once the gritty bass comes in at :07. Some more careful equalizing and compression could really help you out there. Also, the piece is very slow to progress, and the stop-start transition at 1:12 was pretty awkward. You start taking the piece in a totally different direction by 1:24, yet it’s still very minimalistic. Also, I think you overdid the reverb on the low percussion at 1:24 - it sounds a bit indistinct and buried under the guitar. Toning down the reverb and adding a compressor could really help give it some clarity. I like the brighter tone the piece has by around 2:45, but I’m still waiting for some strong melodic content, and the texture still isn’t very rich or full. Given the minimalism and lack of coherence of the piece structurally, I really don’t think this needed to be 7 minutes long. I think you need to consolidate your ideas and structure your piece in a way that keeps your listener grounded more. I like the pads at around the 5-minute mark. They added a climactic and conclusive tone to that section. Still, the extended minimalistic, rhythmic section at 5:40 was entirely unnecessary and added almost nothing to the overarching structure and tone of the piece. I think you can accomplish what this piece has to offer in half the length. The ending also cuts off a little suddenly. There are some good ideas here, but the pacing, minimalism, and lack of structural variety really detract from my enjoyment of the piece. Keep at it, CSJForrester!

4.25/10