1st listen:
There are some things in this track that sound like a break-beat DJ ducking the volume just before a drop. It's really distracting... I think DJs do it to call attention to the manual, real-time efforts they take in manipulating sound, a central aspect of DJing (scratching & juggling being prime examples). It feels very strange in this track.
2nd listen:
I suspect it's the sidechain thing mentioned by Hearts. If the intention is to make a pause (like 1:07 & 4:07?), be sure to make the separation complete - top the sidechained pads, let some reverb carry the listener over the silence, and start a new note on the downbeat. The space will be more pronounced, and the impact of the downbeat will be stronger.
I hear / see (in a stereograph) the kick being manipulated a bit. Sounds like it's high-passed sometimes... and that sounds great. Adds coherence. Though, when it's used as an accent (1:22, 1:37, 3:46)... duplicate it to another channel (so the sample & verb aren't high-passed after) add some reverb like at 5:19. Maybe that bass-drop at the end could be used ... like at 4:07?
3rd, 4th, 5th listen:
At 1:37... count 4 has a snare hit that sounds off right before the quarter note snares start into the build. It works at 4:07 because it's already present in the mix before that hit on count 4.
The transitions at 4:22, and 4:52 are my favorite parts... simple, but really slick!
The textures (the low-passed arpeggiator, reverb & steady pads), at the end really point to a mood that feels more thoughtful (deliberate & pensive) than the rest of the track. It's probably the sidechain being a SO prevalent everywhere else. The bass drop at the end sounds cool, even cooler if the long reverb from the other instruments didn't persist afterwards.
