ReMix:Sonic the Hedgehog 3 "How Machines Fly" 3:12

News flash: Quinn Fox is a REALLY interesting ReMixer, and he's back. Mr. Fox's Strider ReMix holds a special place in my heart, he's got my same penchant for Sega source material, and his library of mixes offer a pretty rich variety along with distinct, unusual aesthetics. He's also produced some very worthwhile originals that you should definitely check out over on his homepage; I'd love to hear him incorporate some vocal work into one of his game arrangements. The artist writes:

"An older remix of the 'Machine Base' music from level six of Sonic 3. I simply couldn't resist that bass line. I'm not sure why I sat on this for so long; I may have been worried about sound quality and reverb issues, but I don't remember. Either way, I'm doing some game remixing after a loooonnngg break, and I thought this might be a good knock on the door... Liberties were taken, mostly with the electric piano, but it's otherwise rather faithful."

Some of the production here is dated, but Quinn always makes things work - a modulating, filtered, sustained synth bass, sitting under funk drums, cross-panned harp bits, plus clav riffs and brass hits, slap bass, organ licks, and who knows what else. It's a very strange amalgamation of instrumentation, and it's all treated with a generous helping of what sounds like small-to-medium hall reverb, but that's a sound that has served Quinn well and that he knows how to control. Some of the clav/brass bits get a little muffled, and at times the verb can be overbearing, but the arrangement is always hot. AnSo writes:

"Really solid groove here. The arrangement is top notch with some good personalization all around. Sometimes it feels like it could be a bit more dynamic but it's minor. The production is also up there but I, like Shariq, thought you could scale back the reverb a little bit. I also thought the balance of the lead compared to the rest of the track was a bit of a downer, it could've been more up front and I think the track would benefit. I don't have much else to add, this is a solid remix serving with a distinct sonic flavor you just can't resist. Glad to see you back :)"

Glad indeed; this isn't as refined as some of Quinn's other tracks, but it still holds up well, and actually represents a bit of a funky departure & expansion of his sound into new territory. If you're not familiar with his other tracks, you should definitely check them out, and hopefully this knock on our door will be followed by a full-fledged visit with some new material in the future!