ReMix: Sonic the Hedgehog 'Drowning My Lives Away'

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Sonic the Hedgehog

Four for the Fourth!

We decided to celebrate the 4th of July with FOUR mixes, all from Sonic games, posted in the order said games were released. Why? Because the Founding Fathers would have wanted it that way, that's why... Had, you know, they been aware of television, video games, and video game music... minor details. While I'm proud of the fact that OCR has a global community that includes artists and VGM fans from all over the world, homebase is the US of A, and many of you will no doubt be patriotically BBQing and setting off low-grade explosives to honor the day Jeff Goldblum uploaded a virus to the alien mothership using a MacBook and saved the planet. Also, the whole 1776 thing. First up we've got halc, who writes:

"This is a Labyrinth Zone ReMix that was originally set to appear on the The Sound of Speed, though I pulled it from the album in favor of Ben's (superior :p) mix of the same theme. In a fairly recent playthrough of the game I have managed to actually KILL Robotnik in Labyrinth Zone (if you're aware of how that boss fight works, you know that's no easy task).. just thought I'd share that. As for the mix, uh.. enjoy!"

This isn't the most popular source from the original Sonic OST, but you know you can count on Drew to do it justice. A swimming intro quickly gives way to super peppy bass, chirpy chip lead synths, and crunchy beats. At 1'25" when the beat drops back in with backing synths that beef up the melody, it's pretty disco-fabulous. But what's this? 2'03" begins an accelerando as we, the listeners, drown in an accelerating asphyxiation of rapidity until a cathartic release back into the main melody, at a mellower & more oxygenated tempo. A cute fx ending rounds out a great, sugary-sweet treat of a mix that takes one of the less orthodox, somewhat more Latin tracks from the classic OST and dresses it up to the 9s, halc-style.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
I can't decide which one is better, Ben's or Halc's. :lol: But seriously, I really enjoyed how you managed to work in the "Gasping for air" theme into this ReMix. The transition between the two were seemless and fit together like a puzzle piece. The sound effects are used well and your music style shines in this one. Not much else to say other than I love it.

- Crulex on April 19, 2011
I'm still pissed that you won't put this on The Sound of Speed, even as a bonus track. Ben's mix is really, really good, but I feel like this one works better on a conceptual level with the way you worked in sound effects and changed up the groove halfway through. I really am a sucker for mixes that work on a concept that fits the game it came from and this is one of the best-executed examples of this I can find on OCR.
This is still one of my favorite mixes from you Drew after the 42-ish songs I've heard from you. Love every second of it :-)

- Emunator on December 11, 2010
Oh, chiptune. Who can resist your magic?
The middle section is my favorite part. Great, nostalgic mix :D

- Holy Land on November 11, 2010
I HATE Robotnik in Labyrinth Zone. For years and years I could only beat that game but level-skipping once I got to the Labyrinth Zone, lol.
I love this mix, on the other hand.

- cloudkitt on October 15, 2010
Bear with me I'm relatively new to the community mostly just because I've never followed thorough & signed up like I should have but having grown up on Sonic the Hedgehog its Always exciting to hear the old songs i grew up with remix & completely re-envisioned into such beautiful & unique works of art. This song truly rocks by the way! lol

- LoKi KhAoS on August 25, 2010
The Zomelean;704705 wrote: FINALLY! A Labyrinth Zone remix!!!
With amazing work fitting in sound effects as well as the "Gasping For Air" theme (as well as it being accepted on OCR), this is by far the best Labyrinth Zone remix you will ever find. Period.

oh ho ho, I think you might change your mind once The Sound of Speed drops ;-)
thanks for the comments, i'm glad you love it!

- halc on August 10, 2010
FINALLY! A Labyrinth Zone remix!!!
With amazing work fitting in sound effects as well as the "Gasping For Air" theme (as well as it being accepted on OCR), this is by far the best Labyrinth Zone remix you will ever find. Period.

- The Zomelean on August 9, 2010
This track's been on my mind for the last few weeks.
It's absolutely excellent. It invokes thoughts of swimming in a pleasant pool of musical vibrations. It hasn't hesitated to put me in a pleasant mood, even with the "drowning" in the middle.
Speaking of the drowning, I found that pretty innovative, too. Very nice indeed.

- Slide20xl on July 25, 2010
Nice choice of synths and an arrangement that I can only describe as upbeat and, well, cute.
Furthermore, I agree with what was said about the drowning section starting at 2:00. Very nice, playful touch.

- Martin Penwald on July 24, 2010
This is the perfect song for a Friday.
Halc, we can be good musical friends. :-)

- OA on July 16, 2010
Master_Yoshi;695866 wrote: Brave. Labyrinth is one of the weakest sources on the OST, but you take it on like a pro.

what you talkin' about? it's the best! :P
to you and everyone else who's commented, thanks! i'm glad you all like it! <3

- halc on July 13, 2010
Brave. Labyrinth is one of the weakest sources on the OST, but you take it on like a pro. Awesome to hear the drowning theme, I have fond memories of nearly killing sonic so I could get that experience you reference so well near the middle of the track; the intensity of drowning followed by the reprieve of finding an air bubble big enough to support the blue flash.
Usually I hate it when mixes meander around musically, but this does such a nice job, and the chippy world is so retro and lush, that I can't help but enjoy myself. Good on ya!

- Master_Yoshi on July 12, 2010
I never really listened to the source tune much but it's pretty good, and what you did with the mix here was work your usual magic of getting that nostalgic feeling embedded throughout the song. It never feels forced, and the things that could have sounded really cheesy (like the hiccup and the tempo acceleration) ended up effectively used and add to that "I remember playing it" feel. Even if I never really played it. Consider it standard halc fare, which is quite exemplary as a standard. Keep it up, bud.

- Level 99 on July 12, 2010
This remix has a consistently excellent quality throughout: there is no one part I liked more than the rest.

- Mr Azar on July 9, 2010
I love it when I'm "meh" about a track, and then a brilliant remixer comes in and makes me love it. I wish I had that kind of creative talent.
Sorry, I had to interrupt the playback to write this, so I don't have a comment on the whole thing, just that the first 2 minutes were glorious. Now it's time to listen to the rest...
Thumbs up, man. :)

- LunaYoshi on July 9, 2010