I like the nature sound effects and tranquil piano chords at the beginning. The kick drum that fades in at around :20 is pretty generic, and the crash at :32 is a little loud. I like the upbeat mood and synth arpeggios, but I’m pretty sure a lot of those drum samples are FL Studio’s default ones...worth modifying or replacing with something more befitting of the piece. There’s a nice sense of climax into 1:32, and I like the more legato sound of the texture there, as helped by the string pads. I also thought it was a clever choice to filter out the drums at 2:08 momentarily instead of offering a full-length bridge/breakdown. The guitar solo at 2:17 was a nice way of capping off the piece, too. At some point, some more structural or harmonic variety would’ve been appreciated - switching up the chord progression or otherwise changing the tone of the piece. Still, I’m really enjoying the rich texture, upbeat harmonies, and solid production quality of this piece. Keep at it, Fiona! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

lots of really nice melodies in this, feels very dreamy and sweet. would be good to have a break from the drums in the middle, once they start they don't stop and it gets tiring. i think the default fl studio club kit is an odd choice too, especially with how they've been filtered to be very brushy and thin - i'd start with something a little softer and more natural. i don't mind field recordings in some genres if they're way in the background just to add a little texture, so i think i'd like the bird sample if it was a lot quieter. but it's a sweet little tune and i hope you make more!

important notes on my NGUAC review process: https://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1476427/18#bbspost26965604_post_text

Si comentarios wow

Those are some very soulful chords and that is very soulful piano playing. The arps add to this piece quite nicely. The lead is singable and memorable.
Drums are sounding a little bit thin in the mix, that they're buried behind much else, and I think the bass is equally thin as well -- these ground the piece, and without it, the song itself comes across as fairly thin.

Leading up to 2:21 you could always transition -- sparklies, cymbal rolls, timpani rolls can always create that nice crescendo into the next section and there's a reason that we use them for sound colour, and not just for rhythm. If you'd like something that heightens the impact without taking away from the progression that you've got, those are some quick fixes.

nice audio