I like the ominous atmosphere at the beginning. The lead at :18 is nice and quirky, and the sweeps in the background give the texture a distinct extraterrestrial feel. I like how the piece “resets” itself at around :54, and the furtive vocals at 1:10 are haunting. The mix is a bit over-saturated with reverb by the 2-minute mark, and sometimes the vocal harmonies at 2:03 don’t blend very well together, and might benefit from being re-recorded. I also would’ve liked to hear the vocals be more up-front in the mix, especially between 2:03 and 2:43, when they make up most of the moving notes in the texture. The transitions in this piece are simultaneously bold and very smooth - I especially like the one between 3:03 and 3:18. Somehow the guitar solo at 3:20 is both a big surprise and something that really fits with the flow of the piece. With the repeat of the quirky transitory material at 3:30 or so, I feel like the piece lost a bit of momentum. Perhaps it would’ve helped keep the energy level up if the drums were a bit punchier in the mix.

The transition into 4:18 was another really good one. The vocal phrase at 4:28 is probably my favorite of the piece - very expressive and dynamic. Reminds me of @Garlagan’s vocal style, actually. Also, the thin percussion at 4:47 adds a great, whimsical vibe to an otherwise pretty dark-sounding part of the piece. The dissonant “oom-pah” chords at 5:07 continue the comical, almost circus-like theme of the previous section. The stop-start transition at 5:57 is another one of my favorites. Up to that point, almost all of the transitions in the piece have been smooth and gradual, but in a longer piece with a lot of moving parts, a moment like 5:57 really forces the listener to keep paying attention, right before the outro. The chaotic guitar riff there feels like a dream sequence - I might even suggest scaling back some of the reverb on the harmony parts there for clarity in the mix. The drone-like bass at 6:20 helps the piece come full-circle in a way - it’s just as ominous as the quirky atmosphere at the very beginning. The crash rolls and phasing effects on the final chord are just icing on the cake.

Overall, I’m really impressed with the arrangement and composition here. The sound design is another highlight - a TON of variety and, other than the vocals early on, great blending and a rich texture throughout. The mixing and mastering could be a lot tighter, but other than that my complaints are very minor here. Massive props to you guys for going with such a bold and variational composition for this contest. Keep it up! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

pros:
-creative and dynamic composition
-consist of many emotions effectively linked together
-somewhat realistic drum patterns with variations
-great harmony and solidity between instruments and appacella

cons:
-over-compression can be heard throughout the vocals
-an excessive low-mid frequency range
-certain instruments sounding awkwardly loud in certain segments
+3:23 piano
+5:06 brass(?)

C: 5 P: 4.5 M/M: 3.5 U: 4.5 O: 5
My score: 22.5/25

Liking the motion on that synth in the beginning. Feels like brauer motion -- could be generic rhode oscillating. I would like if that were to stop at some point, though it's interesting. The accompanying nnnnnnyeeeeaow texture could oppose it in terms of panning for depth.

On the drums in that opening hook I'd like to hear a bit more dirt on the snare, some crunch, and perhaps a bit more bite on the kick transient.

Vocals on 1:24 are not bad. Don't apologize. Could just a bit of de-ess on tweety s's. That's about it. I would also potentially apply harder compression, perhaps distortion even, to it. The choral portion hard panned reminds me of Queen. Lots of layers here and interesting choices in writing -- atmospheric. Potentially bring the lead vocal up by 2 dB.

2:44 is intended to be a massive section -- I can hear it. I would reduce cymbal and kick volume slightly, reduce reverb wet, and bring up the keys. Double track another patch for what is written in piano, and pan that left. More subtle oscillation on the rhodes for this section.

Compositionally speaking however, this is great. Lots of interesting progression and tasteful use of dissonance. I wish the snare popped more throughout, and the whole arrangement was more in your face. Really, I think there is room for low-tuned, high gain rhythm guitar.

Other than that, I quite enjoyed it. The section at 4:56 is gold -- again I would take up the lead vocal and perhaps drop wet signal on it some.

Guitar solos are a high point in this piece also.

Outro sounds great!

This track definitely has a very unique vibe, one that I'm not entirely sure I could pinpoint if I tried, and it's almost crazy how quickly those seven minutes go by. You guys held my attention from one end to the other, and oh my goodness those lead guitar licks are fire. The experience almost feels like an out of body one, the whole trip being so incredibly surreal; slipping from chaotic disharmony to harmony, and back again. I really enjoyed your use of panning effects, but even more impressive is the dynamic quality of the track, which is anything but a solid brick wall, and very much appreciated.

The lyrics are strange and wonderful in equal measure, vocalized beautifully despite some rather odd syntax from time to time. The percussion just plain fits all the way through, never detracting from the other instruments and vocals, but adding just the right amount of rhythm. During the verses about time, those ticking clock-like effects really bring the idea home.

Seriously, you guys just really brought the overall production quality to the table. I'm listening through for the third time already, and trying to absorb something different each time, but your mix is so full and rich that it's hard to merely focus on the individual layers. Beautifully mixed, mastered, and so fantastically bizarre. I'm not sure what else to say, but WOW. Keep the band together and make a career out of it. Seriously.

Score: 9.7/10