ReMix: Sonic & Knuckles 'Deep Damp Sandcastle'
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- Game: Sonic & Knuckles (Sega, 1994, GEN)
- ReMixer(s): Beatdrop
- Composer(s): Howard Drossin, Jun Senoue, Tomonori Sawada
- Song(s): 'Sandopolis Zone: Act 1'
- Posted: 2003-08-01, evaluated by the judges
This one REALLY grew on me. I think it was a little too different and 'whimsical' at times for me to really get into the first go-round, but I've had it on repeat while in the process of posting it after successful evaluation by the judges panel, and I'm much more appreciative now. While citing relative simplicity and lack of salient harmony or counter-melody like a couple others, judge Vigilante notes, "I really really really like the tempo/feel changes. this mix has excellent dynamics, which is something i dont hear often enough in the mixes on the judging board." - the tempo/tone change is what sort of jarred me the first time, but on further listens it's unquestionably the strength and memorable quality of the arrangement, and serves to assuage the simplicity elsewhere. I like some of the synth timbres, particularly an FM-ish tone that sounds like something you'd actually hear the Genesis' sound chip produce, but a bit higher quality. Dain has apparently been wanting to do something in sort of a semi-dub style, and this has aspects of that, while being hard to pin down exclusively to any single genre. I think I ended up actually liking this more than the judges did after hearing it a few times; it's a really conspicuous, tempo-changing, flamboyant piece of electronica that tries a couple new things and gets most of them right, and is certainly a change of pace for Beatdrop. Not everyone's cup of tea, and in my opinion definitely benefits from repeated listening, but on the average a different sort of mix from a talented ReMixer that's as worthy as arrangements in his forte genres. Good stuff.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the At least the ReMix kept up with the feel of the zone with the tempo
changes. No, seriously, I think that is what is best about this
ReMix. Starting off with a deep beat and then the tempo changing
into a more frantic "ghosts appearing and the pyramid getting
darker" feel before going right back into the "hit the light
switch, all is cool now" feeling. As much as I hate Sandopolis
Zone, this ReMix is something I can't even frown at, being so good.
- Crulex on July 12, 2011
- Crulex on July 12, 2011
The tempo changes in this song are the major focal point. As a
couple of other people have mentioned I think it was done on
purpose. :mrgreen: The actual game level was slightly frustrating
because of lights, and doors that only stayed on/open for a limited
amount of time. This remix reflects that and the underground feel
really well. :)
- Skinner3D on November 19, 2010
- Skinner3D on November 19, 2010
I wasn't really captured from the first minute or so of the song,
not that it was really bad. It just seemed very bland, and does
seem bland until some of the drums, FX, and speed change at 1:20.
Even then, there's really nothing that sticks out and grabs me.
It's adequate, but just overall, I guess I was anticipating some
more. I did like the echoes of some of the snare hits and the way
it switched up and back and then up again at the end, but overall,
this wasn't my bag.
- Level 99 on February 17, 2010
- Level 99 on February 17, 2010
definitely a unique take on the source. I found it really
interesting, and while I can see where the mixed reviews are coming
from, I found it to be a pretty sweet track overall. I love when
creative risks are taken, and there are plenty in this track that
paid off.
Nice work. :-)
- OA on December 22, 2009
Nice work. :-)
- OA on December 22, 2009
Eh... no.
If this mix was a sine wave, the period of it would change occasionally, but a sine wave is still a lazy, lolling sine wave.
Also the echo effects on some of the notes feel very poorly implemented.
While one has to be an active listener for this track, I feel it's for the wrong reasons. I don't really recommend this track.
- 42 on December 5, 2009
If this mix was a sine wave, the period of it would change occasionally, but a sine wave is still a lazy, lolling sine wave.
Also the echo effects on some of the notes feel very poorly implemented.
While one has to be an active listener for this track, I feel it's for the wrong reasons. I don't really recommend this track.
- 42 on December 5, 2009
This work was pretty cool.
The one thing I found annoying, however, was the tempo changes... Until then it was quite relaxing to listen to. I can actually picture being out on a hot desert listening to this...
- KogeJoe on January 29, 2007
The one thing I found annoying, however, was the tempo changes... Until then it was quite relaxing to listen to. I can actually picture being out on a hot desert listening to this...
- KogeJoe on January 29, 2007
This is definitely one that NEEDS to grow on you. I was very fond
of the feel, but the "whimsical" bit do tend to make it
rather...uhhh...odd? i've had renditions of this song in my head
before, but i never quite cross THAT many lines...not that it's a
bad piece, don't get me wrong. it's actually quite awesome.
Like...a LOT. It's just not my perfectionistic taste, but it's cool
to listen to, nonetheless. Kudos.
- darkmelee on April 28, 2006
- darkmelee on April 28, 2006
Well this is obviously different from Beatdrop's Catapult, but this one was also made two years before
that. At first I thought that Beatdrop actually was going to do
something calm and ambient, since this castle is so damp, but at
many places in the arrangement, that wasn't the case.
The turns might've been to sudden or simply too different. If you switch to a different melody perhaps, but this is two different music styles. I like what you did with the beginning, some bass and a silent sitra laying in irs loneliness, then BOOOooooommmm....it changes style to calm again. It's like if it cannot decide if it's gonna be relaxing and deep or fast and jumpy.
I liked the part that began at 2:35, since the strings and the sitra worked well together and created this ancient feel to this arrangement, and when the synth appeared it went alot more smooth than the previous time. But when it went a level higher, it didn't smooth anymore, and the it suddenly started to fade and that was the end of it.
Nice remix, no questions, but it was more like two remixes in the same arrangement that argued of which one of them that would take the lead.
- Bummerdude on April 28, 2006
The turns might've been to sudden or simply too different. If you switch to a different melody perhaps, but this is two different music styles. I like what you did with the beginning, some bass and a silent sitra laying in irs loneliness, then BOOOooooommmm....it changes style to calm again. It's like if it cannot decide if it's gonna be relaxing and deep or fast and jumpy.
I liked the part that began at 2:35, since the strings and the sitra worked well together and created this ancient feel to this arrangement, and when the synth appeared it went alot more smooth than the previous time. But when it went a level higher, it didn't smooth anymore, and the it suddenly started to fade and that was the end of it.
Nice remix, no questions, but it was more like two remixes in the same arrangement that argued of which one of them that would take the lead.
- Bummerdude on April 28, 2006
I think the change of pace is the musical portrayal of the lights
going out in Sandopolis Zone 2. I didn't really think about it
until I noticed some of the beat sounds were very reminiscent of
the 'levers' you push to make the lights turn back on, and from
there was drawn back in time, imagining the ghosts which became
more violent as the lights dimmed more, making you wanna rush rush
rush to get to the next lever.
This mix really made me smile. Creativity aside, I caught myself tapping my foot more than once. Yay!
*boogie*
- Jemnisimi on August 29, 2005
This mix really made me smile. Creativity aside, I caught myself tapping my foot more than once. Yay!
*boogie*
- Jemnisimi on August 29, 2005
Man oh man this is nice. I dig how ambient and moody this track is.
It feels like your in some damp cave or somethin. Of course the
beats are great. The track has an excellent flow to it. It's great
stuff.
- Pip is uh..... on March 11, 2005
- Pip is uh..... on March 11, 2005
Dang I love when the song speeds up but it quickly goes away
The slow part isn't bad, its just too long, most of the song should be at that faster tempo
Anyways yeah, great at some parts. The slow parts not actually that bad, it's just not what you're looking for if you're looking for "trippy"
=)
- jordex on February 22, 2005
The slow part isn't bad, its just too long, most of the song should be at that faster tempo
Anyways yeah, great at some parts. The slow parts not actually that bad, it's just not what you're looking for if you're looking for "trippy"
=)
- jordex on February 22, 2005
What an utterly brilliant piece of work. Delightful contrast
between instruments, excellent bass line running through the
background, and a suitably scrumptious "Indiana Jones meets the
Sacrificial Altar" eerie-yet-addictive mood running throughout. My
personal favourite remix I've heard on the site so far. Playing
Sandopolis Zone in time with it on the keyboard, I couldn't stop
moving it was so catchy. I especially liked the sudden increment of
tempo at the "C; C; B; B; A-flat; A; B;" bit. Excellent. I'd say
about... 9.5/10 =P
- Error 404 KMA on April 11, 2004
- Error 404 KMA on April 11, 2004
The slow tempo tends to make the song drag a little, and can
sometimes make it hard to recgonise the tune. It'd fit nicely in a
videogame as an "Act 2", or a RARE style remix theme, as it works
better when you're more familiar with the theme. The end is the
point where this mix gets good though, when it starts to speed up.
It's a shame the song had to end so soon after the speedup.
- DistantJ on March 8, 2004
- DistantJ on March 8, 2004
I'm having mixed thoughts about this mix (no pun intended). On the
one hand, the instruments and SFX keep that creepy Egyptian
feeling. On the other hand, the slow tempo for most of the song
takes away from the feeling that it's a Sonic song. It also sounds
a little uncoordinated.
It's OK, but it needs work in a few areas.
Also:
Yes, the ghosts were scary, at first (I tried to avoid opening that capsule as Sonic for the first few times), until you remember the jumping and lever pulling paterns for the level. But I do remember that there are at least 2 giant rings in act 1 and one in act 2. All I can remember is that you should be going higher than the game makes you think you should.
The only thing I really hated about Sandopolis was the boss for Knuckles. For those of you who never played S&K, the Knuckles story line is shorter than Sonic's, about 2 zones shorter. To make up for this, it seems the designers decided to make the bosses for Knuckles harder. If you ever manage to get the game, by the time you get Knuckles to the Sandopolis boss(who, by the way, moves twice as fast as the one Sonic fights), you'll see what I mean.
- Nys SOB on March 1, 2004
It's OK, but it needs work in a few areas.
Also:
DrumUltimA wrote:Epsilon wrote: This level in the game used to scare the crap out of me when i was little, you know trying to keep the lights on in the temple or else the ghosts would getcha?
I hated Sandopolis Zone because:
1. Too frikken long
2. Impossible to find any giant rings
3. Scary ghosts
Yes, the ghosts were scary, at first (I tried to avoid opening that capsule as Sonic for the first few times), until you remember the jumping and lever pulling paterns for the level. But I do remember that there are at least 2 giant rings in act 1 and one in act 2. All I can remember is that you should be going higher than the game makes you think you should.
The only thing I really hated about Sandopolis was the boss for Knuckles. For those of you who never played S&K, the Knuckles story line is shorter than Sonic's, about 2 zones shorter. To make up for this, it seems the designers decided to make the bosses for Knuckles harder. If you ever manage to get the game, by the time you get Knuckles to the Sandopolis boss(who, by the way, moves twice as fast as the one Sonic fights), you'll see what I mean.
- Nys SOB on March 1, 2004
Wow, this is one of those songs you dont have to previously know to
like. The tempo change always gets me all hyped. Nice job with the
end I like that the best...
- nodspaw51 on February 14, 2004
- nodspaw51 on February 14, 2004
