OK! Feedback time. I'll start off my saying I'm not familiar with the game or the source at all, so take that for what it is. I did look up the source before I listened to this WIP though to at least have a sense of the original, but I'm not really going to comment on use of source material here at all and instead just focus on your arrangement.
0:00 - 1:04: I love the ambiance here in the intro. The rain stick-ish thing sounds really nice and the bird chirps (while kind of gimmicky) were a nice touch too. Nice entrance of the piano too. Great playing (or sequencing) either way. The wind chimes at 0:39 were really cool, but it felt like it was being used as a transition for something else to enter, but instead it's just more of the same afterward. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it felt like it was building up to something more there. Now I don't like telling people to cut stuff out of their songs, but this intro does feel awfully long, like there is a bit too much repetition. There feels like there could be a little more movement in those low pads, which have a very nice sound, but remain pretty static throughout. Maybe change the notes up a bit more? Part of me wonders if it would feel more fluid with having the wind chimes at 0:39 transition right into the current part at 1:04 (which is the next time a new segment is introduced), and cut out the 0:39 - 1:04 altogether.
1:04 - 1:27: I like how the acoustic guitar instrument is more prominent here. It's got a really nice sound. The whole notes on that new bell (?) pad are nice too. The piano at 1:21 felt pretty empty and exposed. I know it was by design, but I wonder if an accompanying pad there would be a bit nice too. I think the other thing holding back the entire intro is the general lack of percussion. Some subtle ambient percussion textures might help keep the intro moving along too and not feel quite so long. Like even some really simple tom hits on 1 and 3 might do the trick.
1:27 - 2:16: This transition right at 1:27 felt very awkward on first listen, compared to the minimalistic atmosphere you created in the previous minute and a half. On repeat playthroughs it didn't feel as drastic though, and once it gets going though, I really enjoy it. Those arpeggio bell parts are really fun The drums feel a bit too aggressive and out of place, in my opinion. I guess it depends on the atmosphere you're going for though. If you're going for a more chill, laid-back vibe, then I think they're up in the forefront a bit too much. Maybe just mix them farther back in the soundscape or put more reverb/delay on them? You know what would be really cool though is to have some more organic sounding percussion altogether. Like maybe some
? An organic sound might fit the atmosphere you created here more so than the typical percussion set you're using. Just a thought. The piano is perfect throughout though. I love the lush sound it has.2:16 - 2:52: Not sure I'm completely sold on the choir pad, I love the idea, but the attacks feel a little too pronounced. If it had more of a legato sound between notes, it would be perfect. They also feel like they could be mixed a little more in the background too. I really like the instrument at 2:16, it has a really nice sound and delay on it. I'd watch some of the really high notes though, it sounds like something is clipping on that instrument (or it could just be the encoding on soundcloud), like some of the high frequencies need to be EQed down a bit. The instrument fits the atmosphere perfectly though. Love the transition at 2:50, nice switch up with the percussion there too. That's the other thing I noticed from 1:27 - 2:52 is that the percussion pattern doesn't really change at all, it begins to get a bit repetitive after awhile
2:52 - 3:04: nice, love it. Nice change of pace.
3:04 - 3:43: I agree with chimpazilla here. This section just feels pretty empty and plain as is. Beautiful background and textures here, but it feels like it's lacking a lead. I hear an instrument (the one that enters at 3:04) that feels like it's trying to be a lead, but is mixed far back and plays the same 8-beat pattern the whole section. That really does feel like the perfect section for a solo that expands on that 8-beat pattern, throwing in some arpeggios, maybe on a really nice and crisp square synth that would soar right over the great background textures you have here. I can imagine it in my head and it sounds awesome
3:44 - end: Wow really cool acoustic guitar part here. It's really beautiful, I love it. I think it's a really nice way to end the song, especially with those organicy sounds you have going on in the background too. Again, like the intro, though I feel like some ambient percussion elements here could really help.
Wow, so reading back over my comments it makes it sound like I didn't like this song, but no overall, I really enjoyed it. I think I'm just in 100% project director overdrive mode from all my Sonic CD crits, so please don't take anything personally But yeah, I really dig the atmosphere of this piece. It's got a really relaxing vibe and pretty darn good instrumentation throughout. I think my overarching thoughts are the intro feels a bit long without enough new switch-ups or percussion elements and the middle sections are a bit repetitive too. I think some more percussion variation and maybe a solo lead at 3:04 would really help. Without knowing your stylistic intent for the track though, I have trouble recommending adding/removing elements. Regardless, nice work Wes, I enjoyed it!