What is the genre of music? Can you post a link?
What limiter are you using to achieve this desired limiting sound thats adding the “punch”, and how much GR?
Usually too much limiting is what makes the audio lifeless. For broadcast radio, after an Obran Optimod it often gets even worse, or more quiet. In this case, assuming no expansion anywhere, and this is for streaming not radio, you are saying the opposite?
What were the dB RMS numbers of the track that Spotify rejected or was that -8db RMS as mentioned prior? Did you do error checks prior to submission?
Assuming you submitted a .wav file at 24bit/44.1/ 48/ 82.2 or 96k, you are aware that some headroom is needed or overs can happen when converted from .wav to MP3 correct?
You followed the mastered for i-tunes guidelines? Last I heard, Spotify was the same.