sonicmusicmusings:

I request final fortress and eternal engine.

- mediarebel 

Happy Friday, everyone! While Final Fortress has been done, I can supply you with Eternal Engine!

I love the opening this one has, it’s really driving and forceful. Lots of harmonized guitar lines, in the same distortion level that is normal for all the Tails levels in this game. I like the little synth aspects going on as well—it really emphasizes that we’re in space, that futuristic techno feel. The bass is really busy in the background, without being too overpowering; the most it’s heard is during the synth lead, during the second half of the melody. The drums are pretty straight forward, except for the top and the fills spread out throughout the track. This track has an overall major feel, standard for the Tails levels, and while the vibe is similar to Sonic’s levels, it has its own flair that distinguishes itself from them. Kind of what Tails journey is all about!

sonicmusicmusings:

Hey there! Just wanted to say I love your blog, and I have a request. ^-^ The theme from Rouge’s stage, Security Hall— it’s been one of my favoritees ever since I first played SA2B all those years ago. The song always reminds me of a spy movie with it’s jazzy beat and rhythm. :D Really, all of Rouge’s stage songs are amazing, but something really stands out about Security Hall!

- eternallysleepyotaku

Thank you! Happy Memorial Day, for all of you folks in the US who get the long weekend! Let’s jazz it up!

All of Rouge’s stages feature these sexy jazz samba beats, which I really love. This one’s a little faster than usual because, well, you only have five minutes to get three of the Chaos emeralds in this crazy maze of a security hall. I really love the mix, the electric organ comping in the way back, the busy bass line, and all of those horn kicks (especially the bari sax that rips at the bottom, sweet!). The vocal riffs make for a really nice touch as well, adding another color to the mix (additionally, the artist doing all the vocal kicks is Tabitha Fair, the same woman who sings Rouge’s “image song” for this soundtrack). The percussion is limited to a simple drum kit, with a couple additions—a cowbell and a bongo perhaps—which is a bit of a contrast to some of the other songs that have a lot of aux. latin percussion. It helps keep this track very driving and straight forward.

The vibes really stand out in this piece, imitating different melody lines that the track contains at opposite parts of the song, as well as adding some nice improv solo pieces. It stands out, but at the same time, the mellow sound molds with the rest of the mix and doesn’t make it too obtrusive. I find it interesting that when some of the horn kicks climax, the trumpets don’t shake; I’m almost expecting it, but they end with a clean sound, which probably is a nod to the style, and doesn’t take the track too far. This is overall a very fun piece, and makes up for some of us screaming at Rouge when she says in the cut scene before, “Fifteen? I can do it in five minutes.” Rouge, no.

sonicmusicmusings:

Thoughts on The Supernatural from SA2/SA2B?

- jayceerocha 

Hey there, everyone! Have a Shadow stage to kick off your work week!

This is an interesting little number, characteristic of many of Shadow’s level themes. It has that industrial, drum and bass sort of feel going on, with a lot of synth work as well. It has a certain mood to it, the tonal center being both clear and somewhat vague at the same time. It’s not a melodic track in the slightest, relying on rhythmic aspects and synth work to carry the song through. I usually don’t pay much attention, since I’m too occupied with the gravity tubes in this level, but there are lyrics in this track! I can’t decipher a lot of them, but I can hear that it starts with: “I am the ultimate life…” Fitting, considering who we’re dealing with here. There is some other vocal sampling going on besides any lyrical content as well, adding to the mood of the piece. I know when I’m playing the level, all I can really hear is the driving percussion; it’s the focal point of the track. A nice loop!

sonicmusicmusings:

How’s it goin’, cats? Today is Sonic’s birthday! Happy 21st, you sassy, speedy thing! This one’s for you!

I think that if you know Sonic, you definitely know this song, right from the beginning lick. And I’ve gotta say, that lick is very catchy! I love the vocals for this—I think this is one of Crush 40’s best numbers, at least vocally. I love the guitar background for the verses, my ear is drawn to it, and it creates that little bit of depth that I really like. The pre-chorus has the drive to it that brings us to the climax of the chorus, with some nice choral movement. I love the harmonies in the vocals there, in both the pre-chorus and chorus, even though they’re fairly simple. The guitar fills that are thrown in throughout are also very nice; they squeal, but it suits the genre and fits with the mix. I love the main solo, I spent quite a while transcribing it doing my 8-bit arrange of this piece, and I love how it dips and dives, and even the obnoxious meedly-meedly-mee’s at the end sound cool because of the genre. The bridge section right after that mixes it up with the  prominence of that that chromatic chord, the flat-IImaj(7), which is very effective. It’s also something your ear isn’t used to in a rock tune like this.

I think my favorite part is the last chorus, because it integrates this background riff in there: 

It’s not that complicated, just a syncopated scale rhythm, but it sounds so cool in the back of the mix! Not to mention all the straight eighth guitar rhythms that are in the back during all the choruses. You can say this game is overrated, but this theme is pretty damn cool, if you ask me. This is also a theme where the time given to beat up the final boss in question, good ol’ Finalhazard, is the same length as the song, which is  4:28. I think I did it in 4:29 or something really close, so that the screen was flashing red, and everyone on ARK was screaming at me to HURRY UP. It was good times. 

At any rate, you’re all Sonic lovers, so I hope you celebrate his birthday in style! I know the blue blur has been pretty influential to me, in the little over a year that I’ve known him. Keep on keepin’ on!

“But you can hardly swallow, your fears and pain. When you can’t help but follow, it puts you right back where you came.”

story-mode:

Dive into the Mellow [Aquatic Mine] - Hunnid-P [Sonic Adventure 2 Battle]

sonicmusicmusings:

So, I hear you like Knux…how about some Space Trip Steps/Meteor Herd from SA2? :D 

- araiyoudechan 

Oh man, yes I do love Knux, and I don’t know if I’m ready to go in space. Are you ready, my dear friends?

I love the synths that are going on in this track, it really gives you that ethreal feel, while the bass and kit are pretty straightforward, keeping the groove right on track. There is some extra vocal sampling going on in the background besides the rap, and I think it helps amp up the energy. The rap overall is really laid back, as if you’re letting the lack of gravity take you over, until we get past the meat of it, then it locks into the drum and bass groove. The breakdown at the end of the loop is cool, breaking up the feel of everything just enough. There are a lot of places where it does that, actually, keeping the mix really fresh the whole way through, even though it is fairly repetitive. It does keep you moving, when you’re flying from gravity field to gravity field tearing your hair out in frustration, because where are those stupid emeralds?

“Don’t let it hit your move…”