sonicmusicmusings:

The one that started it all. Green Hill Zone!

- Anonymous 

Happy Friday, you attractive individuals! I am completely down with a two day celebration of Sonic’s birthday, so it’s fitting that this track falls today! I have a special track lined up for tomorrow, oh hohoho. 

I think what draws me in the most at the intro is the eighth note synth line in the background, even more than that lovely chord structure. The song reminds me of summer very strongly, which makes it fitting for the time of this game’s release. The particular synth sound used for the main melody has a nice quality to it, and brings me a rush of nostalgia, even though I never played Sonic games as a child. All the auxiliary sounds, the comping, kicks, and countermelodies really fill out the track, and make a nice sonic bed. And who can forget that sixteenth note pickup run at the top of the track? The chromatic bass in the beginning is also a killer little line. The chord structure throughout the whole thing is also unique—even without playing it, I can hear a lot of seventh sounds rather than triads, which makes a very full sounding arrangement (besides, the major seventh is a lovely tension). The Genesis/Mega Drive percussion track has always been a pleasant sound in my ears, but I like how here it’s very straight forward, and it leaves room for all those melody lines and kicks to come through. The mix is full, but it’s not too busy. All the effects, the chords…this is really a show of how video game music is, quite frankly, serious business, and can be a work of art if done correctly. There’s a lot of stuff in there, especially at the earlier stages of the industry! I love it all!