I like the atmosphere at the beginning. It’s a little slow to progress, and the string sample at :45 was a little inauthentic - the uniform vibrato is a dead giveaway that’s not a real instrument. I like the melodic content in the strings, although the texture is very slow to change during the first couple of minutes of this piece. The string arpeggios at 1:45 could also sound a bit more distinct - I’d suggest being a little stricter with the equalization there. The staccato ambient synth that comes in at 1:56 is really cool. The first true emotional height of the piece is at 2:30, and I find it’s quite enjoyable and energetic. The breakdown at 3:20 was a nice structural touch, although (again) the sample isn’t the best. I also thought it sounded pretty unnatural the way it faded out by 3:40. Personally, 4:28 was probably my favorite part of the piece - I like how it exposes those quirky synths and has a lot of tension, even in the minimalism. That section also made the second climax at around the 5-minute mark feel especially cathartic. The part at 5:21 was a bit of an unexpected progression. Given how long this piece is, I’m not sure that it was necessary. There are a lot of twists and turns during the last minute or so of this piece, and I’m not sure all of them paid off for you. You could’ve used 5:49 as a stop-start transition right at 5:20, without the bizarre interlude in between. Still, that’s a little picky. Overall, this piece is strong. The texture is nice and full, and it has a great sense of atmosphere. Keep at it, Ectisity! :)
8.25/10