ReMix: Sonic & Knuckles 'Catapult'
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- Game: Sonic & Knuckles (Sega, 1994, GEN)
- ReMixer(s): Beatdrop
- Composer(s): Howard Drossin, Jun Senoue, Masaru Setsumaru, Masayuki Nagao, Sachio Ogawa, Tatsuyuki Maeda, Tokuhiko Uwabo, Tomonori Sawada, Yoshiaki Kashima
- Song(s): 'Flying Battery Zone: Act 1'
- Posted: 2005-08-26, evaluated by the judges
Dropper of beats Dain Olsen triumphantly returns from a half-year hiatus with some pre-eminently danceable Sonic + Knuckles electronica, in classic Beatdrop style:
"It's a remix from Sonic and Knuckles of Flying Battery Zone. Felt like pulling out my breakbeat skills once more after that DDR remix awhile back. This one completely sapped my computer for everything it had."
Sounds like it, too. This lil gem has sections that represent the very best of what I've heard Dain put together, with 3'37" taking the aural cake for heavy, downright ill ("as the kids say") grooves n' textures. The beats certainly fly, and some of the synths have all the electricity and bite of battery acid (for a microcosmic example, lick both connectors on a nine volt), so the zone is being well-represented, Olsen style. Shnabubula does an excellent two-paragraph job of summing things up:
"2:11 was the highlight of the track for me. The bass drums pound each beat into my head almost knocking me over but the tight-as-hell synth catches me leaving me bouncing back and forth to the groove. Later at 2:39 when the additional distorted synth joins in by emphasising the off beats, the entire dance apparatus has finally been constructed and it does what it's supposed to.
After all the HARD-core sounds the sweet talkin' synth that shows up at 3:25 hit's the spot. It's like "I only hurt you cause I love you baby!" Right right, so we got tight rhythm work [not just drumwork since all of the instruments get in on forming the backbone of the beat] some nice occasional contrasts and a not-all-that heavily interpreted source with a good amount of original material mixed in."
Did you see how Sam capitalized the "hard" in "hardcore"? Wasn't that neat? Dain certainly ain't no softy, that's for sure, with little concern for fluffy puppies or cute babies when it comes to decimating the sonic soundscape using an arsenal of aggressive analog and alternative axes, brought to you by the letter "A". Over the years, his sound has evolved, and while it's lost of none of its edge, it's gained slickness and knowing technique in the production arena, which is a bit more important for genres of music that lean on sound harder than they do composition. Dain plainly remains able to again maintain and sustain the same balance of arrangement with more original components, and you can still tell it's a sonic mix, albeit one mutated by galvanized, acidic substances. Sorta like when Jack Nicholson fell into the green chemicalstuffs in Batman and came out all kooky and workin' his mojo, only on a musical level. At any rate, hopefully this marks a more consistent return of one of unofficial game music arrangement's electronica veterans, but even if it don't, it's dash wicked and phat beats, and fie on any who claim otherwise. Like the intuitively-named 'Electric Slide' that they traumatized me for life by forcing me to dance in 7th grade gym class, Dain's latest is, indeed, electric.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the - Crulex on July 4, 2011
Very good stuff, one of my favorite Beatdrop tracks.
- OA on April 22, 2010
This is now on my workout playlist.
- Level 99 on February 17, 2010
When the lead plays at 1:27 and 3:36, I'm led to believe that key notes were chosen and sustained to facilitate smooth sailing through the electrifying soundscape. The first 4/5 notes are the hook, and the tail end drops 5 notes from the source. The whistle-y synth that pops up at 0:57 and 3:21 carries more off-the-wall notes from the source, probably because it isn't bound to act as the sole focus. And at last the chorus at 1:55 and 3:49 plays by the book, capping off the arrangement/driving it home.
Play it loud and play it proud.
- Polo on May 16, 2009
Lava Reef Zone? Launch Base Zone? or am I just hearing things? :?
The mix doesn't really stick close enough to the source for my liking.
All in all, it's an o.k. mix.
- 42 on January 22, 2009
The beat, instruments, tempo, and overall electric feel really do add something special to an already amazing track (the original was what kept me playing the game again and again =3). Its got the kind of rhythm that won't let your feet or head sit still, but at the same time the instruments don't feel like they're giving enough "oomph" to the remix. Also, the ending felt... cliched? Or maybe that's just me...
Jivemaster beat Beatdrop to using the jutter effect during the chorus (or 2:01 - 2:04), which is a shame since that would have really boosted the remix.
Its interesting to note where Beatdrop ruled is where Jivemaster stumbled, et visa versa (IMO). The intro to this remix suits it nicely, compared to a rather deafening bass line in Jivemaster's "rAAw Battery". Yet Jivemaster hit it spot on with the chorus, while Beatdrop's seemed to falter.
I love this, and yet I groan about it. This track is nice once in a while, but don't expect to be putting it on "Repeat 1" anytime soon...
Maybe the two songs should be combined? Only time will tell...
- camelchild on May 26, 2006
- Beat, the Sonic Superhero on May 7, 2006
- darkmelee on April 28, 2006
Too say that this remix is awesome isn't enough, it isn't even near it. It's Über-Duper-Super-Mega-Omni-Awesome. It shocks your mind and sets your entire body in motion.
Kingpun wrote: I kept expecting it to break out into something really impressive and blow me away, but it never did.
Yes it did. The only problem is that it was located in the beginning, so didn't have much time expecting for it. Then it holds that pace until the end of it. Sure, it would be great if there would a terrific ending to it all, but I'm very stisfied with the beginning. It gets down to business right away. Definitly worth a download.
- Bummer on April 28, 2006
- Steve1 on February 25, 2006
- jorgandar on December 5, 2005
- TX-419 on November 29, 2005
- Drack on October 12, 2005
