OCR01006 - Sonic the Hedgehog 'sonik special' [Archive]

Darkmoogle

07-09-2003, 06:09 AM

Fuuuunky. One more addition to the class of music I have dubbed 'urban' because I don't know if it has a classification other than 'techno groove' or 'funk techno' or 'groove funk' or something like that. It's good, and I like it. I can see myself cruising through town to this... if the bassline were any more prominent, I could even see myself losing some speakers to it. Great work.

Rexy

07-09-2003, 07:41 AM

I thought it seemed cool too, with the instruments given the urban effect and making this a powerful remake of the Special Stage theme. But I could have enjoyed it a lot more if the music suddenly didn't stop pausing every two seconds o.O;

Speaking of which, did anyone else face the same problems?

Kamikaze Noodle

07-09-2003, 11:34 AM

Sounds like you were trying to stream it without a good connection, but anyway...
This is awesome. The groove factor is through the roof. And at times the great mastering reminded me of some of Radiohead's earlier stuff, which is a great example of excellent EQing and such. And as a drummer I have to say it's good to hear electronic music that actually grooves as well as this. A lot of people seem to just toss drums in there as an afterthought, but this actually sounds fantastic in the drum department. The effects used are used very tastefully, and the whole mix just makes you wanna get up and dance.
I could see this being used at the end of an auto insurance company commecial. Don't ask.

Very Nice Work. :nicework:

Murmeli Walan

07-09-2003, 03:27 PM

analoq, do you ever cease to amaze me? Extremely funky mix. I started grooving in my chair. :)

Eccles

07-09-2003, 04:02 PM

The bubble synths at the beginning and that play throughout irritate me.
I dont know what it is about them exactly...but they make me go >_~ and I dont like them.

The guitar is pretty good...though the timing is a little weird at first it gets better as you listen to it again.

The whole track is pretty repetetive though...I dont like that about it...it could quite easily have been cut right down and made much better.

Prety good, but could be much better.

Moogle!

07-09-2003, 05:50 PM

Woah! All the trippy sounds. Dude, it like, moves left and right. Or does it move right and left. It all confuses me man!!!!!.........I think I'm having, like, a flashback.....Oohh.....look at the colors.....64 trippy colors............Woah......small blue creature........TRIPPY!!!!!

Xelebes

07-09-2003, 06:32 PM

I'm liking the intro.

My only qualm is the pad that gets started right before the guitar. Makes me wanna ask why that was even put there... seemed a little jarring to put in there.

However... the acid line is interesting and pretty cool. And the mid-section between acid line and guitar with the robo-disto was waay cool.

Light post-funk this is... but it doesn't set in a scenario, but it is nonetheless groovy and I could only see this in a shot-backing lounge.... nothing else. Unless that was what Analoq was going for, then I say "Yay!"

pHr33kAcHu

07-09-2003, 06:55 PM

Hell yeah, I'm diggin this mix! It's got that whole Spyro The Dragon vibe, it's sounds like that level where you have to flame the wizards to make the platforms lower. This mix on a technical level deserves the phrase "OMFG" to describe it. This is what I'd expect on a CD. Also for all of you people who hate the synths? Shut up.

[quote="Kamikaze Noodle"]
I could see this being used at the end of an auto insurance company commecial. Don't ask.[quote]

More specifically, a GEICO commercial, at 00:38 it would kick in and say GEICO, and whatever else the Geico guy says, and then it plays and fades off.

endblink

07-09-2003, 08:36 PM

a very light-hearted twist for boss music.And by "Boss Music", you meant "Special Stage Music", right? ;)

Riddler Sensei

07-09-2003, 09:31 PM

When the drums first come in, that is SOOO Ocean's 11. :lol:

At any rate, I love what you did with the tune. I always despised the bonus level music with a passion. However, this is very listenable. This is something that's just good to kick back and listen to.

spacepony

07-09-2003, 09:38 PM

analoq,

On the plus side, you do have a very distinctive sound. It’s quite apparent that you're not without musical talent.

IMHO though, Thin Glow is far and away your best work to date. This one just doesn’t do it for me.

Your guitar does sound very nice, if not a little loud in places, but I just can’t get into it as much as said remix. I guess you set yourself some pretty high standards, initially.

Give me some more beautiful synth action.

Nice review, endblink.

Woffester

07-10-2003, 12:08 AM

This is the best remix OC has had in a LOOONG time...Leave it to analoq to do it...Good work.

Dj Orange

07-10-2003, 12:27 AM

The happiness of the melody really clashes with the bassline. This isn't a song I would have tried to 'urbanize' (thanks for the lingo, Darkmoogle). The drums are also unsatisfactory. They're pretty repetitive, and the reveerb applied to them sounds pretty bad. Yes, the guitar and synthwork is awesome, but the execution is rather odd...

EDIT: Sorry if this review sounds hypocritical. I'm just trying to justify not liking this mix, because I am positive that I don't like it.

Woffester

07-10-2003, 01:31 AM

Who are you?

DaleNorth

07-10-2003, 02:14 AM

this is tite. very stereo yo

but I am 100% in agreeance w/ Kamikaze Noodle about the auto insurance company commerical bit.

I busted a gut when I read that because I can SOOO hear it.

bawahahahahha

no really though, very very good remix.

incinerator

07-10-2003, 03:11 AM

Ahhh, Analoq comes through again with another badass Sonic remix. I must say, Analoq, I'm becoming more and more of a fan of yours with each new mix.

Starblaze

07-10-2003, 03:11 AM

Okay.

I've listened and listened and listened. I think the arrangement is great. I think the execution is top-knotch. Comma. BUT.

It's like you started out with a bad idea and expanded upon it with good stuff. The source melody does not work well with this style. At all. I can't enjoy this because it sounds like you had to try really hard to make it work or something. It's like me making a punk arrangement of the zelda overworld song. It could be done, it just doesn't fit.

Oh well. Different strokes for different folks.

Dj Orange

07-10-2003, 04:17 AM

analoq

07-10-2003, 08:26 AM

You post my ReMix! I Kiss You! anyways...

hey Geoff, you don't need to justify not liking this mix. at least not to me. to each his own, i say.

It's like you started out with a bad idea and expanded upon it with good stuff.
yay. you pointed out the primary flaw with this mix. someone give this guy a cookie. nah, give me that cookie instead.

ok, the story goes: KyleJCrb proposed a challenge to me and a few other remixers on IRC one fine night. "take the 'speical stage' music and make it funky/groovy." a not-so-easy challenge indeed, but i was up for it.

this meant i would have to do some serious reconstruction of the original. i had to take the original 3/4 melody and translate it into a 4/4 swinged rhythm. i had to give it a completely different chord progression (i decided on a simple I IV) and i had to write a new drum part, bassline and everything else besides the melody, and add anything else needed to try and make it work.

the result is odd and uncomfortable at first. but it becomes less odd and less uncomfortable with each listen to the point where it seems natual and fitting. at least this was the effect it had on me. if this doesn't work for you, i advise that you delete the track immediately and send me vehement insults in my email in retribution for wasting your time.

i knew the oddness would rub some people the wrong way, but i decided to submit it to OCR anyways. i didn't feel it was a "great" mix due to the flaw but i felt it was an interesting mix at least for what it was attempting to do, and that maybe some people would enjoy it for the good qualities. however like i told djp in my submission email, i won't be submitting any results of weird challenges like this in the (near) future.

in conclusion: starblaze, your observation was dead-on! but you don't deserve a cookie for it... (:

cheers.

Sir_NutS

07-10-2003, 08:58 AM

Well as analoq stated, this mix began as a little compo we had in irc between Analoq, Sadorf and I, the song was proposed by Kyle. It was the sonic Special stage remix, a catchy tune but with an odd time signature. I also added a rule: it has to be FUNKY. I think analoq completely fulfilled the purpose of that compo with this funky, catchy and addictive remix. Every sound is managed to get that funky-retro style that I was looking for in that compo. The sound quality is very good and, I'm happy to see that analoq actually worked on the drums a bit more than in his previous remixes. Also, he had to do the drums and the bassline from scratch, due to the different time signatures. As someone else stated, this is one of the best mixes ocr has had lately, and I'm looking foward for more great remixes from analoq (and more compos too).

endblink

07-10-2003, 05:01 PM

Nice review, endblink.Thanks, glad you liked it. ;)

the result is odd and uncomfortable at first. but it becomes less odd and less uncomfortable with each listen to the point where it seems natual and fitting.There's a psychological term for that... and dammit, I can't remember it. I remember going over this in my cognitive psychology class. What it essentially boiled down to is that anything can become bearable to listen to when you hear it enough times.

I'll get back to you if I find it...

I do have a question for analoq, though. Why is it encoded at less than a 128 kbps? It hurts the mix when I try to burn it to CD...

MegaManXxX

07-10-2003, 05:08 PM

Great Mix. The Bass line kept me moving the whole time. It's a good tune to Chill to and relax after a LONG HARD DAY at work. This is Definitely going on my play list.

X

spacepony

07-10-2003, 07:17 PM

Hmm, it seams that given this new information about the competition, my review could use a little amendment. In fairness, it’s not like analoq sat down and decided to remix this tune of his own accord. There were some predefined conditions set and on that basis the tune certainly achieves what it set out to do. This may well have sounded different, given a free hand.

Indecently, who won the comp.

endblink, just playin. :)

Atomic Dog

07-10-2003, 07:20 PM

You know... I love sonic mixes, and I love analoq's work... but for some reason, I just can't find myself keeping this song. I dunno, it just rubs me the wrong way or something. Mind you, I couldn't tell you what it is about it... there's a little of everything. The sound just seems off, it seems repetitive, it doesn't strike me with anything particular about the game... Usually one of those things (in small doses) wouldn't be enough to bug me, but for god knows what reason, the culmination of all this does.

Sorry.

Israfel

07-10-2003, 07:55 PM

Loved it man, really groovy piece. 8)

Morlock

07-10-2003, 08:15 PM

i have a soft spot for bouncy bass lines. just stuff that i can nod my head to while driving in my car, until it breaks down i mean. plus the cool guitar riffs near the end. i enjoyed it.

Wang

07-10-2003, 09:06 PM

a very light-hearted twist for boss music.And by "Boss Music", you meant "Special Stage Music", right? ;)

8O whoops...

GregHead

07-11-2003, 10:02 PM

I didn't see anything in that Special Stage Tune until this remix :)

Kaseijin

07-12-2003, 05:35 PM

the result is odd and uncomfortable at first. but it becomes less odd and less uncomfortable with each listen to the point where it seems natual and fitting.There's a psychological term for that... and dammit, I can't remember it. I remember going over this in my cognitive psychology class. What it essentially boiled down to is that anything can become bearable to listen to when you hear it enough times. Habituation.

Oddly, I experienced the opposite. When I first listened to this remix, the melody seemed unusual but hardly incongruous. The second time, it sounded forced, and when I held a tiebreaker, I wanted to filter it out. Actually, I think the instrumentation and processing had more to do with it than the arrangement; what works well with that guitar in "Sonik Azure" doesn't work so well here. Everything else is outstanding, though.

KyleJCrb

07-12-2003, 06:37 PM

It was awesome a few weeks ago, and it still rocks today :D In continuously repetitive words of you in Mae's chat: "Nice work! Let's masturbate!" :P

Domukaz

07-15-2003, 11:44 PM

Like AmIEvil's "Battle Rocks," this mix could very easily be placed in a heist flick, like "Ocean's Eleven."

Anyway, I love the bassline. Reminds me of the aforementioned heist flick. When the melody comes in-gold. It's something I'd crank up if I were a DJ at one of my school's dances.

nostalgic gen

07-19-2003, 12:55 AM

The overall quality of this song is as high as ever but, yeah, as stated earlier, it kinda goes downhill after the intro. The tune doesn't really match the style, and I'm not sure choosing an overdriven electric guitar really helps things either.

Oh yeah, I also queried the use of that pad in the intro, Xelebes.

I have to admit, though, I kinda have an issue with analoq's work: I remember when I first downloaded Stunt Race FX; I was really excited and promptly rushed off to analoq's ws to dl the rest of her stuff, but I was left a bit deflated by the fact that it all sounded the same, and this track is no exception.

Comparing this with Stunt FX, some of the instruments used just sound like the same patch from the same synth to me, and then there's the same guitar... plus the arrangement is always to the same as well. It all sounds a bit, well, samey

Of course people develop their own style, but this goes beyond that for me. It sounds like the songs are being written to a formula.

Nobody who's heard analoq's music can miss her abundance of talent. As songs in their own right, I always enjoy the quality of the music and production. But next time I'd like to hear something that's a break from the mould: something to get excited about again :D

analoq

07-19-2003, 02:10 AM

But next time I'd like to hear something that's a break from the mould: something to get excited about again :D
k, how about a FF trance remix? i'll get started on it right away...

cheers.

KyleJCrb

07-19-2003, 02:43 AM

Nobody who's heard analoq's music can miss her abundance of talent.

Ahem...her?

http://www.aaronmatthews.com

;)

nostalgic gen

07-19-2003, 09:43 AM

According to him he's a her. I guess he has issues 8O

spacepony

07-19-2003, 02:08 PM

Hehe, she is very talented. Also, she simply adores trance. :P

nostalgic gen

07-19-2003, 05:04 PM

But next time I'd like to hear something that's a break from the mould: something to get excited about again :D
k, how about a FF trance remix? i'll get started on it right away...

cheers.

Amidst all this posting mayhem I missed your reply.

I look forward to hearing the end result :)

Moo2u

08-05-2003, 10:40 PM

Is anyone else reminded of the Futopia ads when they listen to this?

Probably some of analoq's best stuff. I like it. It's nice and layed back type of stuff that I like to listen to. Good job.

jordex

01-03-2005, 08:18 AM

funky monkey

im gonna be having trouble getting this song outa my head

all of analoq's songs are so... hip

w00t this is sweet *starts singing along*

Pip is uh.....

03-11-2005, 06:08 PM

This is the 2nd of Analoqs track's that I downloaded. The 1st being his spectacular Sonik Azure mix. When I first heard it I thought it was good but easy to pass by. I didn't listen to it much after that. Luckily one night after some hard "partyin" I came home blitzed and decided to listen to music before I went to bed. This track somehow found its way onto a cd I burned. After that I really loved the track. It's just oozing greatness. It has a real liquid feel to it. I think the mix really hits it's stride at 1:30 and after that its pure gold! Solid solid solid trippy stuff! Worth the download. Excellent job Analoq!

DarthSonicJK

08-02-2005, 07:00 PM

Yo Analoq i just wanted to say this is an awesome Remix :D I only heard the first 3 seconds and I knew I was gonna love it. I've heard alot of Sonic Remixes but this one, by far, is one of the best i've ever heard! I like the funky techno feel to it, I miss those kinda songs, but you have revived it. Keep up the great work!

Bummerdude

07-14-2006, 03:07 PM

How many funky Sonic remixes are we going to have exactly? This is like the 8th time I'm once again forced to use the words groovy, funky and swell, since there are no other words to describe it.

To transform the original track into this funky arrangement sure was a tough challenge, but from what I can remember, the Special Zone didn't really have a super-happy melody to begin with, at least compared with other games.

But as djpretzel said about every instrument being special, I think his right about that point. Although you used a gigantic arsenal of different samples and thingamajings, all of them shines on their own in their way and gives this remix some extra credit. It's like a cardhouse, if you remove one the house will most probably end up in a pile.

Funky, groovy and swell stuff, that's all I can say. Good stuff. :D

KogeJoe

01-29-2007, 07:32 AM

The music is pretty cool, no doubt about that. Good base, percussion... But it does not do this melody justice. Actually, this is not my most FAVORITE Sonic 1 piece, but I kinda liked it... More could have been done with this melody besides just sitting it on one chord for most of the song. And then when it goes into the bridge, WHY does it go down to the 5th instead of the flat VII chord? Kills the original melody. Sorry, but this piece makes the original melody sound boring and uninteresting. What's going on sounds really awesome, but more could have been done in terms of creative re-interpretation on the part of the chords, and maybe even the melody.