Tomoya Ohtani on Sonic Colors Original Soundtrack:
I have done my best in this work, too. The diverse new action produced through the combination of Sonic and space aliens (Wisps) becomes the core while being derived from the day stages of Sonic Unleashed. Having heard the statement in the beginning, I started the composition of the opening theme (theme song) since early stage while counting backwards from the trailer announcement around E3 held in Los Angeles in June 2010. Reach for the Stars demo continued to turn into form gradually while making the images expand. For example, the effective vocal part in which I seemed to have added the varied quality even though it is human voice from the keyword known as the combination with Sonic and space aliens, while also actively adding the sound like more colors (pop), and synthesizer from the fact that the space is the scene, while making the fast tempo, cheerfulness, and positiveness as the principle like Endless Possibilities as well. In continuing to list the lyrics’ keywords, it was “color” from Producer Iizuka and as for me, “star,” we talked about things like wanting to include the words. On the other hand, for the ending theme Speak with Your Heart, I went on looking for the clues on what kind of melody would be suitable and what lyrics one should sing while reading the scenario. In the story, the time when becoming able to talk with the space alien Yacker after Tails’s translation machine is finished is already the farewell moment…. When I thought of things like expanding that part, the song that makes the communication as the theme, and the effective and yet lively vocal which human and space aliens would seem to be singing together, the image of the completed version continuously took shape based on a certain idea appeared from Mariko Nanba, who is the collaborator of this song, and for the rest, we both went on deciding the form while communicating the composition data.
And for the singer selection, Jun Senoue cooperated this time, too. I had progressed at the same time of discussing while telling the composition concept of Sonic Colors and the things desired in the singer, but among the few groups of candidates, the reason of appointing the members of Cash Cash, the pop rock band distinctive in electronic sound from New Jersey, for the vocals of both opening and ending themes is that I thought their style matches the aimed band sound × synthesizer × effective vocal track in the vocal songs of this game. The one who sings Reach for the Stars is Jean Paul Makhlouf, who’s also the lead vocal of Cash Cash. The vocal singer of Speak with Your Heart that used a talking modulator is Alex Luke Makhlouf, who’s also in charge of Cash Cash’s keyboard. It means that one group of artists took charge of two vocal songs, but I think that the parts where each becomes entirely different timbre are unique. After finishing the recording of drum, bass, and guitar, which becomes the foundation of the song, in Japan, with Senoue, we both went towards their private studio in Roseland, New Jersey, a place just like an area of villas in my sense and where we had traveled to for about 30 or 40 minutes by car from New York City for the purpose of the vocal recording. They’re artists of just 20-year-old, 12 years younger than me. With music as the common language, it was very stimulating to finish the job together with them of different generations living at a faraway place on earth. (By the way, they are big fans of Sonic.) By the fact that their vocal was included, I think that the hybrid impression you can expect only in this game increased and that it was completed as catchy, fresh, and stimulating sound in the same way as the described image. The “Stars” of Reach for the Stars means everyone’s dreams, hopes, and others, and Speak with Your Heart is a positive message song. Both are important songs, so I would be happy if you could like them.
I had produced the music of the action stages as if the characteristic of each stage would strongly be reflected. The music of Sonic Unleashed was expressing the diversity by adopting the elements of world music around the globe, whereas in Sonic Colors, I am expressing it with the programmed sound through synthesizer and the like, and the condition blended with live performance. Since the project’s initial stage, we had also decided the specification in which the music would change when activating the Color Power as one of the gimmicks that presents the enjoyment, but first of all, in order to test the programming for that purpose, the music of Yellow Drill included using temporary idea ended up fitting in with the game unnoticeably and it turned out to be adopted in the end. No matter which action stage it is, while preparing the music that has strong affirmation, the timbre will change if activating the boost, and what’s more, the music itself will change if activating the Color Power … I include the plans rich in changes you can expect only in the game as well, but I think such part, where it is too much, is the sound characteristic of Sonic series.
Finally, I thought of the album title of this original soundtrack crossing the two keywords: “vivid colors” of the Color Powers and “hybrid sound” in which the live performance and artificial sound combined. I had been particular making the package design all the way to the details of artwork this time as well, so I would be happy if you could enjoy the sound of Sonic Colors altogether. Please support the sound of Sonic series even from now on.
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