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I guess it would be the way that instruments are placed. You can have extremely short reverbs that'd do pretty much what I'm hearing. But you are right there isn't any reverb there. Some tips. The single largest issue you have going on that I can hear is that everything is fighting for the number one spot. That just doesn't happen. For one sound to have something it has to take away something from another. Choose one sound you want to be the focal point. Then make everything fit around that one sound, for example the strings. Now, the strings aren't going to be your instrument here. So, what is another big focus? How about those timpanis (they sound like them or they could be taikos, but the attack is different). There is a lot of sustain on them. You've now got a choice to make. Do you just let their sustained portion run into one another creating a constant rumble? Or do you space hits so that the sustain of each hit ends before the next hit? Or do you try and quell the rumble in the mix? Of course you still have to consider the rest of the percussion. The snare? Where is it going to sit in relation to the timpani and the strings? What about the hats? How are they going to interact with the strings, timpani, and snare? How about that guitar (again I think it is a guitar, almost like a picked bass)? How are you going to integrate that in with the rest of the instrumentation? These aren't just mix focused questions, they are compositional questions first and foremost because the start of a solid mix is where the composition has everything basically where it ought to be. Sure some sounds might need a nudge or two, but in general things should be working in the composition. Well before you ever hit the notion of mixing.

Thanks for the suggestion! I've got it on Soundcloud here. Reaper's being a bit funny in its labeling of renders and I grabbed the wrong one after listening to the track I wanted to upload. It should sound better. XD

You could always just post a link here to the right file (host it on Google drive or soundcloud) and I'm sure people would be happy to have a listen.)

Got-dangit, I just realized I uploaded the wrong mp3. Regardless, I'll be looking forward to the announcement of the winner, as well as the next source tune. I've missed these contests.

Well, I got my vote in this evening. Good look guys!