OCR01975 - Sonic the Hedgehog (XB360) 'Absolution Comes in Dreams'

[djpretzel]

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

[Emunator]

Yes! I've been waiting for this one to hit the front page for a long time. The original was actually probably a highlight of the game it came from. I never even knew the OCR connection between the original singer, either, so that was pretty cool :-) That was likely the longest writeup I've ever seen.

As for the song itself, it feels very emotional and personal, which offers a nice foil to the original, especially since the lyrics remain unchanged. Very interesting to listen to the original alongside this remix, as both are very good.

I can see this mix becoming very popular, it's got all the right ingredients to make it the sort of thing you can listen to on repeat and never get tired of. Bravo, both of you! :-D

[FlashX]

wow this is great! very awesome rendition of this song. well done

[hchano]

I was just reading the desc and thought it was kinda funny LeeBro said,
"Matthew’s vocals are warm, relaxed and despite having a few filters on
still have a rich quality[...]" while the original song that..he sang? [right?]...
is auto-tuned up the wazoo LOL. I am a bit biased tho, I really hate
overused autotune...so the original song I didn't so much care for.

This cover is sooo nice, though. So much better than the original =)
I just had it on in the BG on YouTube, and was enjoying it when I realized
M-One was singing LOL. [I used to stalk him on an art site, so this reminded
me I need to check his stuff!]

/end ramble

[DragonAvenger]

This is reminding me a bit of Fireflies (one of the few pop songs I've actually enjoyed quite a bit) in terms of the effects on the vocals, and the general feel of the song itself. I agree with everyone that this has a nice warm feel to it which is really nice to listen to. Very relaxing, and a nice collab between the two artists.

[diotrans]

Funny, Palp just introduced me to this source a few days ago. Really digging this new arrangement! Lots of great elements in here, like the acoustic guitar and awesome vocals.

I'm still learning as a producer myself, but to me the production sounds good overall. At around 2 minutes in, I think the vocals get swallowed a little by all the other elements that come in then. Love the quiet part at 3 minutes, very sparse but is still compelling and a nice build up to the next chorus -- and then I looove that moment when the beat comes in. After that, the timing feels a little off in some of the percussive elements, I don't know whether this is due to the playing or it could be excess reverb/delay in the high end. Or maybe just my headphones ^_^; Great vocal stylings at the end.

Overall very enjoyable mix, will definitely be repeat listening to this one!

[OA]

I love this remix- congrats to both you guys, and thanks for taking the time to let this one really shine! :-)

[HitoriJaNai]

I love this mix a lot. I'm a huge fan of the original, enough of one to follow Lee into his alter ego stage and watch him continue to grow as an artist (though I just couldn't believe the part that he was actually LeeBro... I actually thought it was someone else that happened to be using his name, but really cool that it IS actually him).

But back to the mix. I liked how you both utilized your talents well and yet didn't feel the need to go into utterly over-the-top showing off. Matt... holy crap, your voice fit this song like I thought no one else's would. Good job! And Connor, great job on your guitar playing! Despite the loose playing and such, it gave it a kind of easygoing feel that made me relax and enjoy it more.

Finally, of course, congrats on both of you for becoming OC ReMixers! W00T W00T! :-P

[taelusramza]

I absolutely adore the source tune in this one, and this mix of it is utterly outstanding. Thanks to both of you for doing such a damn fine job on it.

[Demonstray]

I'm not surprised at all that this one passed; this is an extremely well-made and well-performed arrangement. Excellent work, guys! ;-)

[Liontamer]

Death to anyone who doesn't like the source tune! :lol: I'm a big, big fan of it, plus, this ReMix delivers! Nice work, bros!

And now we just wait for some kneejerk vocal haters to inevitably show up...

[A-RoN]

Wow, this is a really solid arrangement. The chord structures mostly maintain themselves and keep things in perfect motion. The at break 3:03 to 3:17 leading to the strings and drum beat's entrance is a refreshing touch. Usually a drum track makes it's debut in less that 2 minutes in a mix, but it pops in later, making this thing a beast. Despite simple words, the lyrics are also extremely well written compared to alot of mainstream rock music I've been hearing these days.

However:

And now we just wait for some kneejerk vocal haters to inevitably show up...

Although, I do not have anything negative to say about the actual vocals in general, I also read the judges panel on the vocal mastering and I still have to agree on some level that the mastering is still incomplete. Part of the problem too lies in the auto-tune/vocoder effect that was added. Lots and lots and LOTS of producers use vocoder effects and many of the harmonic frequencies are still drowned out on the low end. Some of the words seem like they're "missing" in the song too if you listen closely. I also find that the vocalist can sing, so why bother throwing a auto-tune effect on when he'll sound just as good with pure and raw aside from compression and EQ? Is it really necessary just to add something for the sake of smoke and lights to get more DLs or because everyone else is doing it? Sorry. It's just an opinion, but vocoding to me is highly over-rated.

9/10

[M-One]

so why bother throwing a auto-tune effect on when he'll sound just as good with pure and raw aside from compression and EQ? Is it really necessary just to add something for the sake of smoke and lights to get more DLs or because everyone else is doing it? Sorry. It's just an opinion, but vocoding to me is highly over-rated.

Hey A-RoN,
As the vocalist in this remix, I can safely say that no vocoders were used. What you're hearing is vocal harmonies, even then, there's only pitch correction on the higher vocals (and the high pass effect sections.. for effect, and not for smoke and lights) as I was having to sing in falsetto (due to having a naturally deep voice).

I hope this clears some things up.

Also, thank you very much everyone for your comments, I really appreciate everything you've said and are saying about this remix. They certainly bring a smile to my face, especially that surprise comment from Lee Brotherton himself. Thanks Lee!
:3

- M-One

[BlackPanther]

I haven't heard the source I'll have to check it out later, but all I know is that this remix is amazing guys! My only complaint is that the chorus part( the part comin in at around 1:47) seemed cluttered because I was havin a hard time understanding the vocals maybe it's just me and my hearing but from first impression it sounded cluttered same goes with other hook part comin in at 3:32 and actually I felt the song could have done without the extra elements like the snare and the tambourine because up until that point the song did without it so beautifully, but I guess that was too keep the mix from bein stagnant it doesn't make the song any worse it was just unexpected. But yeah like I said great job guys I'm glad school started back up and I can get on the internet because I don't think I could have gone without this song on my ipod lol xD.

On a side note:
My first pseudo in-depth review. I'm gettin better at this maybe lol?

[MechaFone]

Oh man. I can't believe I didn't know an OC Remixer had done the original song! I LOVE that song.
This remix was also awesome. Great job, and what an epic situation! Kudos and cake for everyone!

[SwordBreaker]

Nice factoids in Dave's write-up. I'm not familiar with LeeBro's work in OCR, but good for him that he's in the industry...working on a series he apparently loves no less.

Wasn't familiar with the source tune before this remix...though I really dug Sonic 2006's main theme, "His World" (can someone tackle that for OCR, please?). Upon listening to Dreams of Absolution on YouTube, I found it to be just as solid. Sonic music always never disappoints, even if the recent games themselves aren't as awesome as the classics.

As for this remix, truly excellent stuff. I would totally believe it if someone told me this is a bonus track of the game's actual OST. Love the alternate "unplugged-style" of the track compared to the original's techno. Professional production values indeed. The acoustic guitars are so well-played. Loving the bass. Absolutely loving the "warmth" of the vocals that everyone has been praising. Vocal harmonies are not bad as well...some of the lyrics do indeed sound a bit muffled, but it's still catchy. While I enjoyed the minimalistic feel of the track, it's great that you guys evolved the sound in minute 3 with some nice orchestral ambiance and full-fledged drums...really made the track sound unique and lessened the repetition. This can really suit the game's end credits or something.

Great work, guys! Hoping for more collabs from you!

[letterONE]

I really do like this, but a couple of the lyrics are a little messed up. Like in the second verse for example. I do believe it should be "mend a faux pas, with one last chance", not "there's a furball, with one last chance". But besides that, this mix is truly beautiful.

[audio fidelity]

yay! connor is an official mixer finally! congratz buddy! :D

i really like this song and what you guys did - the chorus really soars and the hook feels awesome

the old version was still a little more special for me, with the blend and maybe cause it just blew me away first, but I can understand the gripes.

and i just need to say that the vocalist in this track is amazing - i really like your voice dude - the processing is very tasteful and I really don't appreciate over-processed vox

[42]

This
is
amazing.

I love this mix so much.

I really just love the acoustic vibe to it. This feels so wonderfully natural with that regular breathing rhythm to it. All in all, sheer amazing and beautiful. You both rock!

[ProjectSpam]

This is such a chill and emotional song... love the vibe to it. And like djp said, this is a style that isn't really hit on OCR all that often if at all, so I really dig its uniqueness.

[Bahamut]

Hey, nice song! I was wondering when a jam style like this that I've heard people do at MAGFest with the likes of Taucer and Harmony would make it onto here.

So I think I hear some pops in the song from the filter as LeeBro mentioned in the writeup. Other than that, the song is pretty solid - it does what it sets out to do in a tasteful fashion. Great job on the debut mix!

[metaphist]

I, like others, also didn't know of LeeBro's success in the industry, so belated congrats to him.

I'm glad they eased off the vocoder for this remix, though. Another solid vocal effort for OCR, this is.

[Hale-Bopp]

It took some time, but this song really grew on me. I love the vocal performance and the panning on them. I love the entire acoustic nature of the track. So open and energetic. Impressive arrangement altogether. Vocals seemed slightly buried at 3:44 but not enough to detract from enjoying them. Man, the whole last minute or so is really addictive to listen to, such a fun jam. I love it when a new vocal remix comes along and this one totally delivers. Great stuff, guys!

[Didaji]

Very nice tune there, i really loved it. Thanks.

[LuckyXIII]

I really dig the mellow vibe on this. The vocals remind me of Peter Gabriel, specifically from his song for Wall*E, "Down to Earth" - and that's meant as a compliment.

[Upthorn]

Haha, it was just a few weeks ago, during magfest, Cyril was telling me about how he had a remix of Dreams of an Absolution that wasn't posted yet, and I was asking him if he knew whether LeeBro from OCR was the same Lee Brotherton. Nice to see it confirmed.

Incidentally, I'm noticing that Lee Brotherton is missing from this remix's "original composer" field, and his artist profile only lists the Remixer role.

[Cyril the Wolf]

Firstly, let me thank all of your for your warming comments, reviews and congratulatory remarks! (cheesy line imminent)
It's nice to be on board.
And while I have ram doing flooring at my house, and I would love to have each of you drop in and put on some Rush and eat Gouda cheese. I think it would be easier for me to just say a big.

THANKS!

Also, for some reason people think I sing on this... NO! I have one small harmony line at the end, but other than that, its all multiple versions of M-One. :) I'm glad to see my guitar playing is appreciated, it was some intense recording sessions. SO MANY BARRE CHORDS!

Upthorn, I dunno why this is but a possible reason could be the fact the Mr. Bentley Jones only provided vocals and lyrics to DOAA. It was really composed by Minako Nanba.

Once again, thank you all. :)

[Lovablelink]

I was silly enough to read while listening to this song. It just so happened to play when I got to a very, very emotional part of the novel. I had known before hand that a death was going to happen in this book, so I prepared myself for it. But THEN, a read a letter sent from the boy before he had died, and this song was playing.

I still want to cry about it. This song intensified the emotion even from the novel. It is so full of feeling, and a song like this isn't made very often. I don't think I have ever had such a rush while reading any other book, while listening to any other song.

So well done to the remixer! And know that you brought a woman to tears with it-a woman who doesn't cry very often, and was even prepared before hand! :P

[yosefu]

All what i can say is that i just love this song!

[SonicTweaker]

Haha, it was just a few weeks ago, during magfest, Cyril was telling me about how he had a remix of Dreams of an Absolution that wasn't posted yet, and I was asking him if he knew whether LeeBro from OCR was the same Lee Brotherton. Nice to see it confirmed.

Incidentally, I'm noticing that Lee Brotherton is missing from this remix's "original composer" field, and his artist profile only lists the Remixer role.

That would be because Tomoya Ohtani is the actual composer of the song; Lee simply did the vocals, and perhaps an unconfirmed amount of actual music production. A quick look at the credits of the song and a few associated interviews will confirm this.

As for the mix itself, I'm very pleased with how it turned out! I love the more subdued acoustic vibe; it contrasts pretty heavily with the strong electronica that was the original song, but not in a bad way. In fact, I'd say the acoustics are more appropriate given the lyrics of the song! Very solid interpretation. Enjoying it loads. :)

[Martin Penwald]

I held off on commenting on this mix just so I could keep it in my need-to-listen-to-it-as-often-as-possible-so-I-can-comment-on-it queue. That should tell you how much I like it.

Some of the vocals are a bit hard to understand, but overall, they're simply great, as is the acoustic guitar.

Amazing mix; best one to be posted in a while.

[XiaoXiaoNeo]

Man, what a great song! I absolutely loved the vibe- very suave and melodic.

Really, really loving this mix. You guys did a kick ass job! Looking forward to more in the future!

[Doni]

I think there are a few too many repetitions of the course at the end but it sounds pretty solid. After hearing Cyril vocals in the megaman comp I think we can chalk up anything that didn't sound so great to lack of time and production... nice voice! And believe me I still think this song is a bit lame, BUT I can appreciate what you guys have put together in a big way. Good job

[Cyril the Wolf]

Ummm.... Doni, those vocals are not mine. I have a SMALL harmony part at the end.

The main vocals are by Matthew Dunne, or M-One. He doesn't do too much in the community around here, so I can understand the confusion, but still.

Thank you for the compliments. :)

Although I can say that my vocals don't generally suck as bad as they did on the Megaman comp. That was definitely due to time and because it was a friggin hard melody.

[Kadosho]

What a lovely take on DOAA. =D
I love the intro, it felt like a Santana song. Awesome.
With a more laidback tone, its still a fun tune.

[StreetFlare]

Honestly, I was going to compose a remix for this, with my instruments of choice (acoustic guitar & vocals), only for me to find this, which is basically acoustic. Now what, do I have to do a cover of His World? Coz to be honest, that's tempting (a little too hard for my technical level, but who cares?), this game had a brilliant soundtrack.

Aside for all that, I love this mix. One of the first I found, and the first one that really got me interested in remixing for a site like this. I was about to record an original track (my first ever full composition, so I was looking forward to it) only for my headset to die, which is a shame - I promised myself that track first, and possibly a Sonic Adventure or Sonic '06 remix after that. Oh well, maybe next time.

Just a little note on the lyrics, which most people know already, but I thought I'd have to say it - 'there's a furball with one last chance'? Seriously? Was that the ONLY thing you could have thought of?

[DrewGourley]

Guys, this thing is fantastic. Great song, great composition, POWERFUL lyrics. 100% perfect. Can't say how much I love this.