I like the bouncy piano lead at the beginning. The chord progression is pretty generic, but I like the string pads too. Not sure I liked the idea of using pitched drums at :36 - they kinda clash with the rest of the instruments here. The crisp beats at 1:04 are nice, although I might’ve liked the pads to come through the mix a bit stronger there. You could look into mixing tools like stereo widening to help you accomplish that. There’s a good sense of build into 1:51, and I like the blissful melodies there and the filtering at 2:11. The transition at 2:29 is a bit abrupt, but the string and piano re-intro there was a good idea. The melodic variations at 3:06 are nice, but at some point I would’ve liked to see you switch up the harmonic framework, especially since the one you’re using is so cliche. Still, the extended melodic section at 4:02 is nice, and the key change at 4:42 is a good way of adding a sense of progression and climax towards the end of the piece. I might’ve liked to see you come up with a more creative ending than a fade-out, but overall the narrative arc of the piece comes together well. Overall, my biggest problem with this piece is probably how generic it is - from the chord progression to the arrangement to the sound design. Finding ways of creating variety and “surprising” the listener a bit with your instrumentation, progression, and the overall structure of your song would really help take your composition to the next level. Still, I admire the strong production quality, blissful mood, and solid melody writing here. Keep it up, Matt! ^_^
Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10