Sound Test Saturday: Pre-Mania Launch Edition!

We’re just one last, impossible weekend away to Sonic Mania, so I feel it’s only appropriate to highlight one celebrated aspect of the game: its music! The news of Tee Lopes’ hiring as Mania‘s composer was met with widespread acclaim across the Sonic community, and over the past year, we were gifted with a number of his contributions to the soundtrack.

For the occasion, I am bringing back Sound Test Saturday and have catalogued one remix for every Zone confirmed by SEGA in Sonic Mania, as well as a few bonuses! Don’t forget to support and follow these artists in the links provided below. Now, enjoy!

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: Pre-Mania Launch Edition!

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Sound Test Saturday: Super Sonic Racing – Otamatone Deluxe Cover

Mere words cannot do justice to this cover by self-proclaimed “World’s Okayest Violinist and Master Otamatonist” Mklachu, but never in my life have I needed something so much and never known until I received it.

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: Super Sonic Racing – Otamatone Deluxe Cover

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Sound Test Saturday: Spooky Scary Mystic Mansion

Isn’t this that time of year where you put on a costume and threaten to prank strangers if they don’t give you candy? You know, New Year’s!

Boom jokes aside, the season of Halloween is indeed upon us, and for tonight’s Sound Test Saturday, we’re putting the remix spotlight on one of the more haunted locales of the entire Sonic series: Mystic Mansion from Sonic Heroes. Naofumi Hataya and Jun Senoue masterfully set the tone for the teams’ respective treks through the eerie manor, crawling with evil spirits and spooky scary skeletons around every corner. Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: Spooky Scary Mystic Mansion

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Sound Test Saturday: See the Sights! Experience the Sounds! Visit Amazing Studiopolis!

Ladies and gentlemen, it is good to be back.

Long time readers might remember an old weekly feature called “Sound Test Saturday,” where I highlight Sonic music remixes from across the vastness of the Internet—either found by me or submitted to the site by you—bringing you double the audio goodness alongside Mash-Up Monday. I’m happy to announce that this feature is a-go once again!

Tcommemorate this occasion, we’re kicking things off with two unique takes on the theme for Studiopolis Zone, composed by Tee Lopes from the upcoming Sonic Mania. First up below is a freestyle rap by Smooth4lyfe over the original song, with catchy lyrics that I can guarantee you won’t be able to listen to the song again without!

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: See the Sights! Experience the Sounds! Visit Amazing Studiopolis!

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Sound Test Saturday Archives: Summer of Sound 2012

Kick up your feet, pour out a glass of your finest wine (or grape juice), light up the fireplace, and put on your finest bathrobe and fez! It’s time to revisit your favourite tunes of the past summer as we tune in to the Archives!

Today, we look back onto previous artists and remixes featured over the previous season! Fall is upon us now, but let us bid our final farewell to the toasty weather and sunny skies of the summer.

August and September are viewable after the jump!

July

The Sound Check w/Freen in Green: The first of Sound Test Saturdays on SEGASonic: Radio, this occasion was celebrated with the introduction of The Sound Check, a subfeature of STS which highlights remixers rather than remixes! Who better to have on Round 1 than a group with an impressive playlist on both the Sonic and original side? From the Great White North, the crazy band known as Freen in Green!

Sonic World Runner: A set of five original tracks, and damn fine ones too! Put together for an up and coming fan game in the making, we look into some of the music Sonic World Runner will have to offer! Names such as Plumegeist, Freen in Green, TheSymphonicGames, and DJ MAX-E have contributed some fantastic sounds! Get a sneak peek at the music of the Cascade Grove, Floral Springs, Transit Metropolis, Bumper Boulevard, and Alpine Eruption Zones!

The Sound Check w/xTrickyWolfy: Trekking on to Round 2, I’m joined by the lovely lady Shelbi for the Sound Check! A recurring remixer on the front page, and for good reason! You never know what kind of track she’ll pull out of her metaphorical hat next! On the side, TrickyWolfy is also the one behind rather… interesting… tributes to Sonic Heroes

The X Makes it Sound Cool: There are two things Sonic fans can associate to the letter “X”: the Sonic X anime and the could’ve-been Sonic X-treme. A trio of exceptional tunes have been chosen for your excellent-taste-in-music tastebuds! First up was a collab between Shelbi and sonicsneakers/Jesse, remaking a recurring theme in Sonic X called Sonic’s Fight; DJ Andy G pays tribute to the infamous Space Queens track synonymous to the cancelled Saturn title; Edobean sings the Shining Road ending from Sonic X with such beautiful vocals!

August

The Sound Check w/Ring Energy: As unexpected and crazy like a kick in the nuts, I’m joined by the superpsycho and musicman Psyguy, the surprising and sweet singer SerenaMidori, and the snap, crikey, Aussie lyricist CrikeyDave in this wacky edition of the Sound Check! Logic? We don’t have any! Maturity? You won’t find it here! It’s Ring Energy!

The Sound Check w/Falk: Coinciding with the happening that is SAGE’12, one of the musicians behind Sonic Before the Sequel’12 takes centre stage! With the kind of music he makes, why doesn’t this guy work for SEGA already!? All eyes and ears on the one and only Falkness monster, Falk!

Audial Assault Zone: Original Sonic-inspired tunes! Introducing letterONE’s FAST BLUE HEDGEHOG, followed by double trouble from Slide20xl with Depth City and Amazing Highway, this Sound Test doesn’t know when to quit! And then it pulls an Aerial Ambush Act 1 for an upcoming Sonic OVA fan game, all by LtheHedgehog? Slow down there!

Sonic Paradox Remix Shorts: A different kind of Shorts Volume from the Sonic Paradox community, and the first of many to come! Led by Jesse Proper, this album is packed with glorious music from some of the best artists the Paradox has to offer! Race to Win by Jesse and Mardic? Chocolate Chipped Cream Sundae Supreme by Rexy? Bang it Out by EAR? Tonite at Club Labyrinth by Recorderdude? Download this 24 track odyssey of sound you won’t hear anywhere else! If you haven’t already, you should feel ashamed! Redeem yourself by downloading the album now!

September

Chills, Spills, and Thrills: Exposure to this Sound Test may lead to exactly as it says on the tin! Funkflash, last seen on Sound Test Saturday’s premiere, contributes some of the finest percussion to Planet Wisp; Joshua Taipale and General Offensive! showcases the fruit of their teamwork for a beautiful remix to Lost Labyrinth Act 3. If these haven’t gotten your mouths watering, then may I direct you to HeroBoy1092′s Modern Hydrocity worthy of Generations? How about some Golden Rings on the side by Shadowlink4321, with a music video by Tigura21 to accompany it?

The Sound Check w/Dr. Mack Foxx: If you’ve heard a piano/MIDI cover of a Sonic tune somewhere on the web, chances are high that it has Mack and EspioKaos’ names on it. One of the Sonic Paradox community, I chat with one who has been working with Kaos for years: the wise Doctor of the electronic ebony and ivory himself, Dr. Mack Foxx!

Heroic Hedgehogs: Oh man! These tunes are so smooth I can’t take it! MisterMacanulty wows with a medley of the four Sonic Heroes team themes with Heroic Hedgehogs! Next up, Dill Tasker gives Sky Fortress Act 2 a D&B makeover! And if those two aren’t enough, 331Erock comes forward with a way past cool metal tribute to his childhood through Sonic Meets Metal! Do these tracks get you sliding out of your chair?

Aching to travel back further through time? Then here are the Archives for Spring 2012!

See you all next week, everyone! Stay tuned for the upcoming interview with Hideki Naganuma, as well as the next Sound Check with Rocket Ship Resort! Keep sending in any and all music you find or made for future Sound Tests at vizardjeffhog@sonicstadium.org!

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Sound Test Saturday: Heroic Hedgehog

What is this day filled with so many wonders, casting its spell that I am now under?

…oh yeah, it’s Saturday! And what other wonder is there to feature on The Sonic Stadium save the Sound Test?

We’ve got a trio of remixes put together by members of the Sonic community: one that can only be done beautifully through the ebony and ivory, one that allows listeners to soar above raging dogfights, and one that can only be spelled through guitar as an epic win!

First up is, believe it or not, a compilation of all 4 Sonic Heroes themes in a wonderful 6 minute medley on the piano. Yes: Follow Me for Team Rose, We Can for Team Sonic, Team Chaotix for… well, Team Chaotix, and This Machine for Team Dark. Imagine my reaction when this landed in my inbox!

Without further ado, here’s Mister Macanulty with Heroic Hedgehogs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi8yJN1vjnM

Now this is the kind of thing I love seeing in my inbox! There’s nothing like a good piano rendition of some of my favourite tunes, you know? And Macanulty here did a spectacular job here weaving four entirely different tracks together. Nerves were soothed, emotions were calmed, and it was a start to a great day. Thanks for sending this gem over, Mac!

For Act 2, Dill Tasker sent over his take on Sonic 4 Episode 2‘s sky-piercing stage, Sky Fortress Act 2 D&B Remix!

Does this make you want to get up and dance like a pro? …or dance like an idiot when no one’s around, maybe? Yes? Good. Smooth to the ears, but with a fast pace to keep you going. A definite winner for a remix on a Sonic 4 piece. Great job, Dill!

And for a bombastic finale, we got something for the metalheads! To those who grew up with Sonic in the 90s, this mouthwatering medley put together by 331Erock is for you! Here’s Sonic Meets Metal!

Eric Calderone’s feat here is nothing short of the word amazing. I feel faint just listening to him tear his instrument a new one. As if his solo towards the end didn’t spell “awesome” out for you, this mixture of Green Hill, Emerald Hill, Chemical Plant, and the theme to SatAM is a true love letter to a way past cool childhood! Special thanks to Etna on the SSMB for the find!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be abusing the replay button to each of these tunes over and over again until I end up turning deaf.

Found an interesting remix, cover, or original track somewhere on the web? Got one of your own you’d want to show the world through The Sonic Stadium and SEGASonic: Radio? If you’ve answered yes to either question, then send everything you got over to vizardjeffhog@sonicstadium.org!

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The Sound Check with Dr. Mack Foxx

It’s Saturday night! Time for music!

Now, some would call me out on bias due to me being a pianist, but I would sometimes find myself enjoying piano renditions of Sonic tunes as some of the best things ever. So, for this week, that’s exactly what we’ve got for you!

One of a team of two, this week’s guest on the Sound Check has been covering Sonic music for quite some time already! They’ve been featured once before on Sound Test Saturday as well! With EspioKaos’ MIDIs, this man has breathed new life into old tunes through one of my favourite instrumentations around, and together they have brought over 50 tracks to the table! So, please welcome to the Sound Check from Sonic Paradox…

Continue reading The Sound Check with Dr. Mack Foxx

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Sound Test Saturday Archives: Now Loading…

Before the big move to SEGASonic:Radio, I believe that enough time has passed for me to, in a sense, archive all of the Sound Test Saturdays we’ve had over the past three months.

As we move on to bigger things on this column, feel free to dive back into the past and listen through all of the Sound Tests featured on The Sonic Stadium! Should everything go as planned, you can catch up to us on SEGASonic:Radio next week as Freen in Green will be interviewed!

You can catch May and June after the jump!

April

A Funky Premiere of Green Symphonies! Our kickoff on the new weekly column, showcasing Acts 1 and 2 of TheSymphonicGames’ Badnik Factory, a groovy drum cover of Hydrocity Zone Act 2 by FunkFlash, and Freen in Green’s take on Frog Forest from Sonic Heroes, “The Serene Beauty”.

What if Sound Test Saturday… had lyrics? The second issue highlights some hot vocal work from Smooth4Lyfe with “Heart of Fire” (Crisis City), and a rap duet between Darkspeeds and Speedio322 for “Speedway Jam” (Speed Highway).

Green Groves and Jet Set! A very nice and faithful re-interpretation of Green Grove Act 1 from Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis) by Dr. Mack Foxx and EspioKaos, and a very cool Sonic-based original track for Jet Set Radio, put together by Ryuuji14, are featured.

CageKame’s Legendary Rock Covers: Sonic 3 & Knuckles gets some love from this talented Italian guitarist. Sky Sanctuary and Ice Cap gain some awesome solos as a result!

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday Archives: Now Loading…

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Sound Test Saturday: 21st Anniversary Edition!

My readers, this day is what all true Sonic fans strive for!

Yes, today is June 23rd, and you all know what that means! The Blue Blur himself, Sonic the Hedgehog, is celebrating his 21st birthday today!

So, let’s have a bit of an extravaganza ourselves! 21 is the magic number, so why not go for that many tracks, just for today? A great number of these tracks have been tipped by you guys, and I thank you all for your contributions!

Due to the sheer amount of music to be featured beyond the jump, I’ll refrain myself from commenting on each track. Instead, I will leave you all with this. If everything goes according to plan here, Sound Test Saturday will be moved to SEGASonic: Radio next week. Yes folks, SS:R will return sooner than you think! And with the big move, we will introduce a new feature on our weekly music column: interviews! First ones up are Freen in Green, followed by xTrickyWolfy and Ring Energy should all go well!

If there is any particular artist you would want featured on a future Sound Test Saturday, if there are any remixes, covers, or originals you want to share, if you have work of your own you would like to see up on the site, then do not hesitate to notify me at vizardjeffhog@sonicstadium.org!

That being said, Happy 21st Anniversary, Sonic the Hedgehog! Still unstoppable after 21 years!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlfoErrGMSo

Title: Green Hill Zone
Author: TheSymphonicGames
Tip: Faseehudeen

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: 21st Anniversary Edition!

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Sound Test Saturday: Summer is Upon Us!

Rocketing temperatures, trips planned to a number of resorts, schools closing their doors, burdens of all sorts being lifted from people’s shoulders… It can only mean one thing!

What time is it? Summertime! It’s our vacation!

And, to celebrate the oncoming season, it’s only fair that this week’s Sound Test Saturday joins in on the party as well, wouldn’t you say? We’ve got a total of five tracks to mark this joyous occasion (barring insanely hot temperatures), so kick back, take a nice swig of whatever you have in your glass or bottle, and relax!

First up on the playlist is a cover of Emerald Coast’s “Azure Blue World” from Sonic Adventure, put together by jparecki95!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y1fwZOSQos
Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: Summer is Upon Us!

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Sound Test Saturday: Generational Stylings

Sonic Generations was a game that set incredibly high expectations for the fans for one reason, and one reason alone: the stages chosen to represent Sonic’s best moments in two different styles. This stretched not only to the gameplay and level design, but to the music as well.

The final release’s level selection was met with high praise, what with highlighting some of the greatest parts of Sonic’s history… but of course, not everyone is left satisfied. As a result, many people from the music community have decided to take matters into their own hands. Already numerous dubbed “Classic” and “Modern” remixes of Sonic favourites have sprouted around the web.

That is why, for this week’s Sound Test Saturday, we will acknowledge a few of these artists who have payed tribute to Sonic Generations and the history of Sonic in their own special way.

With that, let’s begin with a remix that literally raised the bar much higher than some would favour… a White World mix of Sky Troops from Shadow the Hedgehog!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-atvd_6m-kc

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: Generational Stylings

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Sound Test Saturday: Spinball Edition

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWezf8aH3QQ

Because we all need is a good laugh to start things off!

Welcome back to Sound Test Saturday, Sonic netizens! We’ve got quite the music haul to highlight, so take a seat (though you’re likely already doing so), relax, grab some munchies, and ready your ears.

This week, we’ll be taking a look at five Sonic Spinball remixes! And what better way is there to start things off… than with a rearrangement by one of the game’s composers, Howard Drossin?

Let’s boot up the spinball machine and “Return to the Toxic Caves”!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4YnlV2AlLk

Flip on through the rest after the jump!

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: Spinball Edition

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Sound Test Saturday: Tales of a Hedgehog

Now let’s be honest for a second: there aren’t enough remixes of songs from the Storybook series, so far comprised of Sonic and the Secret Rings and Sonic and the Black Knight. Say what you will of the games themselves, but you can’t deny that they have their golden moments, their soundtracks being no exception. That’s why I’m a little stumped as to find only a handful of Storybook mixes out there! Disappoint, Sonic community!

For that reason, this week’s Sound Test Saturday will pay tribute to the spin-off (or is it canon now?) entries and the music that accompanied them!

Let’s start things off with DjReds‘ take on “The Palace That Was Found” from SatSR‘s own Evil Foundry!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfaz55_66G4

Dive into the “Dragon’s Lair” and finish with the “Unawakening Float” after the jump!

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: Tales of a Hedgehog

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Sound Test Saturday: CageKame’s Legendary Rock Covers

It’s a given that searching for any given video game track on YouTube will lead you to a big number of assorted covers. Some will seem mediocre, some will seem just “meh”, and some are okay.

Then there’s covers like these.

This week’s Sound Test Saturday takes a look into the musical stylings of CageKame, an extremely talented artist from Italy who favours the guitar. You’ll end up finding tons of rock covers for video game tracks on his channel, all well made.

However, I think the term “rock cover” is too basic to describe this guy’s skills, because they are not your everyday vanilla-flavoured cover. What blows his remixes out of the water over all others are not only the energy and spirit he puts into his playing, it’s how his guitar solos take the spotlight. He truly knows how to make each song he comes across into his own.

If you want proof, check out two of his rock remakes down below: Sky Sanctuary and Ice Cap from Sonic 3 & Knuckles!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH-qLee4Z0w

Check out the obligated (yet still amazingly well done!) Ice Cap Zone cover after the jump!

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: CageKame’s Legendary Rock Covers

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Sound Test Saturday: Green Groves and Jet Set!

To celebrate the upcoming re-release of Dreamcast favourite this summer, this week’s Sound Test Saturday will tackle a really cool original song that fits to the stylings of both Sonic the Hedgehog and Jet Set Radio! But, you’ll have to check that one out after the break though, because there is this really cool pair of artists I want you all to be acquainted with first.

Those two are Dr. Mack Foxx and EspioKaos!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JRU_A9_-QQ

Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: Green Groves and Jet Set!

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What if Sound Test Saturday… had lyrics?

In that case, it would be an awesome Sound Test Saturday, wouldn’t it!

April is a beautiful month, is it not? Spring is here, snow is gone, and the weather is beginning to warm up! Warmth and heat is always a nice thing… unless the whole city’s on fire!

For this week’s column, we got a couple of hot song covers for you all! And not just any kind of music covers: I mean high quality, grade A, top of the line, hot hot hot singing and songwriting! That’s right, this week’s Sound Test Saturday brings you pre-existing Sonic music with lyrics!

Let’s turn the heat up and start off with Smooth4Lyfe‘s energetic cover of Modern Crisis City, “Heart of Fire”!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzOSmhWSVHM

Continue reading What if Sound Test Saturday… had lyrics?

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Sound Test Saturday: A Funky Premiere of Green Symphonies!

Hello, readers! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week through April’s first seven days. If not, then hopefully this is the sort of that is sure to boost your spirits! Ladies and gentlehogs, you are now reading the premiere article of an all new weekly column: Sound Test Saturday! Just like Mash-Up Mondays feature music mash-ups between Sonic and any other party, Sound Test Saturdays will highlight music – original compositions, covers, or remixes – made by the Sonic community. That’s right! Sound Test Saturdays will concentrate on music created by you! Continue reading Sound Test Saturday: A Funky Premiere of Green Symphonies!

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