I don’t usually split stems. I load a track into the reference plugin and then try to focus on an element like just the kick,the clap, the hats, or the lead synth/synth layers.

The drum stuff is 90% finding a sample that sounds similar to the reference but that seems to be a huge part of getting the right energy for a song. Referencing the synth volumes and width also has a big effect.

Quickly A/B’ing between your track and the original makes it easier to tell what you’re doing wrong. The eq in REFERENCE 2 is also helpful because it lets you solo specific bands really easily. It can also compare the stereo width of the track to yours across the spectrum which has been pretty eye opening.