Posted 2010-01-19, evaluated by the judges panel


VERY cool debut ReMix from Cyril the Wolf & M-One, aka Connor Pelkey and Matthew Dunne - also our first mix from Sonic's next-gen HD debut! While the game itself received what I'll call "mixed" reviews, the music was pretty hot. Actually, the original source track being ReMixed here had vocals that were written and sung by Lee Brotherton, alias Bentley Jones, and ALSO known as LeeBro - the very same ReMixer from OCR days of yore! So the chronology there goes something like:

  • LeeBro gets mixes posted on OCR (2001-2002)
  • He then goes on to work in the VGM industry and records the vocals to this track from Sonic (2006)
  • The very same track gets ReMixed by Cyril & M-One (2009-2010)

Pretty cool, eh? We actually got in touch with Lee to see what he thought about the mix:

"As soon as I heard there was going to be a cover of DOAA I was curious as to what style it would be done in… especially since it’s been done already so many times on YouTube and such. But this was a very pleasant breath of fresh air. The combination of Connor’s acoustic elements and Matthew’s vocals are well matched, and considering this is the result of a long-running experiment I’m truly glad they followed through and finished it. Matthew’s vocals are warm, relaxed and despite having a few filters on still have a rich quality that allows me to indulge in one of my own songs and not feel so narcissistic about it!! (^^) Connor’s mixing is great and helps the song swell from one section to the next; building and dropping in just the right places without getting too muddy.

I’m very happy (and honoured) with this reworking and I think the guys should be too!"

I'll ditto that as well. Bentley Jones actually JUST released (as in TODAY) "So Much More...," his new single from Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing - you can buy it online and/or check out the YouTube preview & competition info; great stuff!

Connor & Matthew's mix is a departure from the electronica roots of the original, steering the melody & vocal into more Peter Gabriel territory. That's territory that I'm bound to love, since I'm a big PG fan, and territory that it is pretty unique here on OCR. They've made several revisions to the mix based on panel feedback, and all of them have been improvements; I feel like the final version does Connor's original concept justice. He writes:

"Back in July 2008, I was being plagued by Dreams of an Absolution being stuck in my head. A few days later, though I was talking to Matthew about the fact that he owed me a song, and I instantly thought of a doing this, because this song could really benefit from both his voice and his amazing wealth of instruments. So, I showed him the original song and he was hooked, soon enough I had a nice live percussion part on my computer. The vocals took awhile, 4 months to be exact, but I finally got them, and placed them in the mix. Then, someone suggested that it may be fit for OverClocked ReMix with the proper editing and mastering. So, I did so. And then Matt took the liberty of mastering it as well. Very polished for something that just started as a selfish little way to get a song out of my head."

Matt adds:

"This collaboration is the result of days after days of hard work. Though I must admit, we did have a near 4 month period of doing nothing, due to me being overly critical about my voice and not actually sending them to Connor until I re-did it. Though once that was out of the way, I gradually started to really love this version. All the acoustic-ness and groove sets me going and singing along. I would have more to say about this song, but I am currently speechless. I just hope that you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed performing and collaborating with Connor."

I'm really glad the artists took the time to remaster and produce a polished version, because it's an excellent take on an excellent theme, in a distinct style that we just don't see very often. And hey, bonus, the original vocalist - also a posted ReMixer - digs the mix, too! Looking forward to hearing more arrangements from Connor, who we hung out with at MAG, in the future. In the meantime, check out Bentley Jones' new single, and enjoy this Sonic ReMix from Cyril the Wolf and M-One!

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Black_Doom
on 2015-02-20 23:03:29

Oh... This is different from the original. But it still has the same emotions. The acoustic instrumentation is so neat. Especially the percussion. The vocals are a bit flat sometimes, but they're good anyway. Superb work!

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maverickbna
on 2014-06-10 21:59:53
The original track is better imo.

Both are great - personally, I prefer the LB vs. JS remix. :)

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Gnarly
on 2014-06-10 17:49:08

The original track is better imo.

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maverickbna
on 2014-04-21 15:11:04

While I prefer the original track and the LB vs. JS remix, this still isn't bad. It could grow on me. Keep up the good work! I'd love to see more remixes of this tune.

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Crulex
on 2012-07-19 13:40:03

Alright, so this was a pretty nice take on the source and I did enjoy it as a good song to listen to in the background (that's about how I feel about a lot of easy-going acoustic tracks. Nice to chill to). The vocals sound good to me, don't get me wrong, but at some points it was hard to hear. Other than that, really nice ReMix with great instrumentation choices.

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The Zomelean
on 2012-07-07 12:52:46

I'm going to be perfectly honest; I didn't like this at all. The vocals quickly became a chore to listen to, and the melody just didn't seem to fit the original song. I know one version is techno (kinda) and the other is rock-n'-roll, and I do like the idea of a somewhat acoustic version, but this one just didn't work for me. Also, "Absolution Comes in Dreams"? Doesn't this seem a bit redundant (and kinda fake)?

If you liked this, that's great, more power to you, but IMO, I was expecting better, especially since this is OCRemix we're talking about, and LeeBro, a remixer on this site, did an amazing job on the original song, and "Dreams of an Absolution" is, itself, a fantastic song. I apologize if I sound like an ass, but this is my honest-to-God opinion, and hopefully, constructive criticism. 4/10.

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DrewGourley
on 2012-04-20 19:12:54

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

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StreetFlare
on 2012-03-11 08:42:34

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?

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Kadosho
on 2010-03-03 16:07:06

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.

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Cyril the Wolf
on 2010-03-03 14:27:48

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.

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Doni
on 2010-03-03 08:50:05

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

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XiaoXiaoNeo
on 2010-02-14 23:39:12

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!

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Martin Penwald
on 2010-02-06 10:56:02

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.

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SonicTweaker
on 2010-02-04 09:28:47
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. :)

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yosefu
on 2010-01-29 08:34:28

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

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega , 2006, XB360)
Music by Hideaki Kobayashi,Jun Senoue,Mariko Nanba,Seirou Okamoto,Taihei Sato,Takahito Eguchi,Tomoya Ohtani,Yasutaka Kume
Songs:
"Dreams of an Absolution ~Theme of Silver the Hedgehog~"

Tags (5)


Genre:
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Acoustic Guitar,Singing,Vocals: Male
Additional:
Lyrics > Lyrics: Existing
Origin > Collaboration

File Information


Name:
Sonic_the_Hedgehog_Absolution_Comes_in_Dreams_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
6,315,461 bytes
MD5:
6aba16d94f88fab69a5ae165b3ecc30e
Bitrate:
160Kbps
Duration:
5:11

In the night light, do you see what you dream?
All your troubles, are they all what they seem?
Look around you, then you may realize
All the creatures saw with the light

And I might know of our future
But then you still control the past
Only you know if you'll be together
Only you'll know if we shall last

(In the night light)

In the night light, do you still feel your pain?
For the valor, you wait, it never came
If you were able, would you go change the past?
There's a furball with one last chance

And I might know of our future
But then you still control the past
Only you know if you'll be together
Tonight

'Cause every night I will save your life
And every night I will be with you
'Cause every night I still lay awake
And I dream of an absolution

'Cause every night I will make it right
And every night I will come to you
But every night it just stays the same
In my dream of an absolution

(In the night light)

In the night light, do you see what you dream?
All your triumph and all you'll ever be?
Look around you, then you may realize
Happiness lies trapped in misery

And who knows what of our future?
We can all try to change the past
Only you know if you'll be together
Tonight

[instrumental]

'Cause every night I will save your life
And every night I will be with you
'Cause every night I still lay awake
And I dream of an absolution

'Cause every night I will make it right
And every night I will come to you
But every night it just stays the same
In my dream of an absolution

'Cause every night I will save your life (And you'll see)
And every night I will be with you (What you'll be)
'Cause every night I still lay awake (And you'll see)
And I dream of an absolution (All you can)

'Cause every night I will make it right
And every night I will come to you (And every night)
But every night it just stays the same (And every night)
In my dream of an absolution (I will dream)

'Cause every night I will save your life (And you'll see)
And every night I will be with you (That this is my dream)
'Cause every night I still lay awake (And you'll see)
And I dream of an absolution (Every night)

'Cause every night I will make it right (I will always dream)
And every night I will come to you (I will always dream)
But every night it just stays the same (I will always dream)
In my dream of an absolution (I will always dream)

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