ReMix: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 'Memories Frozen in Time'
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- Game: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Sega, 1994, GEN)
- ReMixer(s): DCT, Just Us
- Composer(s): Bobby Brooks, Brad Buxer, Darryl Ross, Doug Grigsby III, Geoff Grace, Jun Senoue, Michael Jackson, Scirocco, Tatsuyuki Maeda, Tomonori Sawada
- Song(s): 'IceCap Zone: Act 1'
- Posted: 2005-05-09, evaluated by the judges
DCT's submitted a couple near-misses in the past, but it was always clear he had something going on. With this quintessentially chill Sonic 3 mix he's refined his formula and teamed up with some allies to deftly transform the game's most ubiquitous track into a hip-hop beast. Ice Cap gets mixed often, so there's always a bit of the ole' gratuitous eye-rollin' when we see yet another take on what is admittedly some great music but has seen many a techno incarnation, often on auto-pilot. This ain't that, fortunately, as Duane joins the few, the proud, the OC ReMixers who aren't afraid to submit rap/hip-hop mixes. We've actually gotten some subs with damn good rapping where unfortunately the backdrop was a verbatim copy of the original with, you guessed it, a drum loop on top, so it's good to see talent paired up like this. DCT writeth:
"Everyone seems to look down on Ice Cap remixes because of the overwhelming amount of mixes that exist. Hopefully mine is different enough to stand out. It's a hip-hop mix (I know people are gonna HATE that), and there's rapping in it by a member of Urbanizm Music group Just Us (people are REALLY gonna hate that) ...there are homages to McVaffe's IceCapped and DarkeSword's Hot Ice, as well as a section of DarkeSword's original piece The Moonlight Ballroom (1st Movement)."
Hopefully, the artist's prognostications of hatin' proove false, but if you're not into rap/hip-hop it's admittedly unlikely this piece is going to bring you around. That being said, what we've got here is a good solid five minutes of fluid verse and smooth accompaniment. The bassline's been adapted to fit the more deliberate and syncopated context, drums have necessarily been reworked, with some nice stereo effects, and the core Ice Cap melody's covered by synth and bells, with tres mellow backing chords. There's no question that the background alone wouldn't work for all five minutes without something special to eat up the spotlight on top, so it's definitely a symbiotic thing. Lyrics here are wonderful... I can't relate personally to half of it, myself, but it's all very honest and comes off as authentic and not grandstanding - little breaks like "Nobody knows... I'll be alright though - I'll be okay" at 2'53" come off with just the right timing and sincerity, and anyone who's ever just felt strongly about music can relate to at least the overall theme. Now's a good time to introduce our newest addition to the judges panel, Harmony, who writes:
"The production on this track is top notch from A to Z. Very cleanly recorded vocals with layered tracks that accent, not overpower, the main flow. DCT’s beat has got a straight northern hip-hop vibe and the relentless lyrical flow takes me back to classic NYC rap groups like Camp Lo and even Digable Planets."
Yes, we weren't going to fill the position any time soon, but Brandon's name popped up and things seemed to click nicely. This is a very cool, memorable mix that's easy to get into from the get-go. I took a personal oath never to consistently watch any reality television whatsoever, but I have to confess to breaking my vows, as I've been tuning in to The Contender, and I can't help but thinking this track would make inspiring training music. At any rate, a hearty welcome to Duane, who's improved his craft considerably, our newest judge Harmony, who'll be helping us quell the storm of submissions, and shouts out to the respective members of Just Us, who along with DCT have put together a memorable, funky + decidedly new interpretation of a classic.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the - rebelnyell on January 17, 2011
- paladin777 on January 16, 2011
I really dig this track. I'm not really into the gangsta-rap side of hip hop, but this on the other hand, I can listen to this stuff on repeat for a while. The lyrics are inspiring (and I thought they were well written/performed/recorded), and the groove is soothing. Excellent work, guys!
- big giant circles on December 2, 2010
- WesternZypher on November 7, 2010
Ridiculously good, don't miss this one.
- OA on September 1, 2010
- freeza on July 28, 2010
And also, to everyone who's been asking for the instrumental for this track, it's been here NOT getting downloaded - http://sonicskillz.com/?p=95
-D
- DCT on June 8, 2010
I'm not sure if it's due to the source or arrangement (most likely both) but I found myself humming little phrases from the melody and bassline as I was walking from class to class yesterday. Also, I just find the structure of the song helps with the flow of pictures in my head - in short, this would have a really touching music video if there was one.
I found this after looking for Hip-Hop on the site and to find one of this quality is pretty damn cool and satisfying. The break/switch-up at about 2:38 came a touch too suddenly for me but once I got over that, it sounds beautiful and keeps things fresh.
The lyrical content is inspirational, I find that whether it's relational or not is secondary to being able to provide the listener with a window into the rapper's world, which was done really well. Without rambling on for too long, this had me thinking about quite a lot of things - some superficial, others personal. Thanks.
The ending with the distorted vocal clips just gets me every time I listen to this, just adds a nice aesthetic to it that I like.
- Wina A. Kamlongera on June 8, 2010
This song is basically rap done right. It has a great message in it, but I can't completely relate to it.
The beat is great to. I especially like the interlude or whatever around 2:40 followed by a sort of funky bassline (I'm not sure if I chose the right word there).
- urdailywater on April 22, 2010
But, here is my question, it's possible to get the instrumental of "Memories Frozen in Time"?. I love it!!. :-o
- Xero. on January 28, 2010
I really agree that this one feels like an homage/tribute to Eminem's Mockingbird, but the subject matter of the lyrics combined with the familiar IceCap meldoy makes this one unique enough to hold onto :-) Nice work fellas!
- Emunator on December 19, 2009
You guys should make another song for OCR.
- SwordBreaker on January 17, 2009
But to my views on the mix:
I'm a guy that remains pretty sheltered from rap/hip-hop, intentionally. I just see it as far too broad a genre to penetrate, and I also find it dauntingly homogeneous. That's why I love hip-hop artists that send out a helping hand to guide me through the battlefield: a hook or lure, some kind of metaphoric utensil that allows me to enjoy the craft without getting bored or alienated. I recently discovered Lupe Fiasco's ridiculously awesome melodic hooks that are complimented by the rapid-delivery so well. From that, I can really see what all the fuss is about, musically.
I also get the same vibe from this mix. Not that DCT and Just Us are much like Lupe Fiasco, but because they offer a great hook in the Ice Cap Theme. It's a great melody that doesn't intrude, is predictable but very co-operable, and it really works in providing a smooth track for the vocals to run on. Lyrics are cool, angst doesn't grate on me as much as stupid lyrics do, so this mix is in the clear on that one. I was also really overjoyed with the short break that offered a really serene moment, very rare in the generalised hip-hop scene. Great work, really impressive.
I also want to say that OCR should not be about making music that should sound radio-esque. Nor should it aspire to people's beliefs that all songs with the basis of videogame music should stay attached to videogame status. OCR is about the appreciation of videogame MUSIC, not the celebration or representation of videogames. The site is about creative license; if someone wants to make a rap song out of a tune that didn't traditionally conjure up the rap mood, that does not make the mix unjustified. I've seen a lot of people condemn this mix because they don't appreciate or understand the creative decisions made in relation to the original music. Noone should ever be discouraged from percieving material in new and non-traditional ways just because it may not seem like a natural progression. OCR is about expanding on something we all love as a form of expression, and I fail to see why this, and every other mix, doesn't belong here.
- Marmiduke on January 3, 2009
- Shadow Wolf on May 5, 2008
