I like the intro. It's an off the beat intro that had me hooked. A slightly quirky and upbeat feel. An initial issue that I notice is that the song feels like it doesn't move very purposefully at spots. It's not that it's repetitive, but it feels more stale, like it's missing some energy or some driving element. I say this lovingly, but the outro feels like a train wreck, and I don't mean that as an insult. It feels like impending doom that's uncomfortable for the listener lol. I don't like that it just ends

Mix wise, it doesn't feel that clean. I can't really put my thumb on it, but there's a lot of mid to high frequencies taking up the full mix. It doesn't sound too over compressed, and the balance is good for the most part. I do like your use of chiptune synths mixed in with modern softer synths. I feel like that's a good combo, even though a couple of sounds might be a little dry, for example, the sub bass at 2:05. Overall this is a pretty nice piece. It just feels like it's missing a few key things.

I like the quirky rhythmic emphasis at the beginning and the airy pads. The bass riff at :17 is catchy, and has a nice call-and-response going on with the dreamy synth lead. The jumpy melody at 1:02 is also cool, and the texture really attains something that feels “stable” at 1:19. The darker tone at 1:33 is good for some variety, and I really like the shape of the final phrase at 1:50, where the intensity level and register of the melody gradually increase. This piece felt like it could use one last climactic part towards the end to tie it together, although I like the unique structure and experimental details of the texture. Strong production quality overall, too. Beautiful piece, TheNormalMusic! Tropical Surge is a very fitting title. This piece sounds distinctly watery and light. Thanks for coming out to the NGUAC. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.5/10

Perhaps I'm not just the best when it comes to mastering, but it sounds really pleasantly mastered to me. There is something so bright and freeing about the feel of this track, and I definitely get summer vibes from it, as you said. This sounds really professional and I love the part at 1:17-1:48! The way the synths are dancing around each other is very much my jam. Very tasteful outro too. Good luck in the finalssss!