Is Fumie Kumatani even working at SEGA still? She did nothing new for Generations. Same applies to Kenichi Tokoi...I always thought he'd get his turn to take charge of a Sonic soundtrack but it's never been the case, and when you look at Lost Worlds it was only handled by Ohtani and Takahito Eguchi.
Dude have you ever listened to Radical Highway? That song is metal as fuck yo. That Park Avenue song sounds nothing like Radical Highway's theme "Vengeance Is Mine". "Vengeance" is industrial metal with electronic beats that were ahead of it's time. That Park Avenue song is goofy-ass electro-pop in the vein of Sonic R except cringier. As for everyone suggesting Fumie Kuwatani, she WAS lead composer for Sonic Unleashed years ago. But Sega has let a lot of their composers go in recent years and she may be one of them along with Tokoi.
Tokoi's two most recent compositions are the main themes for the 2016 M&S Olympic game and Sega's 2015 Dengeki Bunko Fighting climax. In Generations he mostly remixed his tunes from Colours (Planet Wisp), Battle (Emerald Beach) and Adventure (Perfect Chaos). It'd be a real shame if Ohtani was the only composer for Forces, Sonic Advance 2 had half a dozen different composers contributing tunes, and it was so great! I'm really afraid of Sonic music becoming too monotonous if Sega did the Nintendo thing of only assigning one or two composers to an entire series (And no, Tee Lopes does not count)
God I hope she didn't quit... Or at least, if she did, she went somewhere that appreciates her talents. Like, christ, Sega, come on. All she got to do on the Colors soundtrack is some garbage cutscene music, and that's all she wrote since then. Also, vocals in "main" music like level themes or menu music are fuckin' awesome, as Persona 5 proves. Vocals aren't just for theme songs anymore.
I'm fairly certain Fumie is no long with Sega/Wave Master. Though I obviously wish that wasn't the case, and also doesn't prevent Sega from contracting her again. [Edit] Her two most recent listings on imdb are the re-use of My Sweet Passion in SSRTransformed, and the use of (Azure Blue World for) Emerald Coast in a tv documentary called RebelTaxi.
Wait, wasn't Tomoya Ohtani the lead composer for Unleashed? I don't see anything hinting that Kuwatani was in charge and instead I'm finding stuff that identifies Ohtani as lead composer.
I could have sworn it was Fumie because she did a lot more work on the game than Tomoya Ohtani but Ohtani DID compose the main theme so I guess it was him.
Pretty sure Unleashed onwards has been Ohtani in charge, although at least in Unleashed and Colors we also got Kumatani, Tokoi, and Kobayashi. Maybe someone could ask Jun Senoue on his Twitter if Kumatani and Tokoi still work at Wave Master? I'm really hoping the Lost World trend of one guy composing literally everything but the orchestral cutscene themes isn't sticking. Ohtani was fine as part of a group like in Unleashed, but he really doesn't have the variation needed to carry a whole game by himself. Where's Senoue when you need him?
It's rather crazy to think that we haven't had Senoue be lead composer (or just composer PERIOD) in any Sonic game after Generations, and Generations was the first "main" Sonic game he was lead composer for since Sonic Heroes. Senoue did Shadow, Sonic 4, and The Black Knight, but those were all "side" games, and since Generations he hasn't returned to Sonic. I miss his guitar work man
I honestly doubt Senoue even works for Wave Master anymore, or if he does he's so far up the ladder he no longer has any hands-on say about the music. Aside from Generations (Which was in 2010) he's done music for exactly ONE new game, and that was Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax in 2012. On VGMdb Kumatani has only been listed as a composer on a lot of compilation albums for a loooong time now.
I actually don't mind the track all that much but...that doesn't sound like anything that'd be playing in a garden-variety level like Park Avenue. It actually kinda sounds like something that should be playing much later in the game...? The production is kinda bland, but I don't think the lyrics/vocals are all that bad. I listen to the Sonic R and JP CD sound tracks earnestly, so maybe I'm just used to this kind of silly shit. Lol...funny thing is, that Classic GHZ has music that sounds like it easily came from Sonic 4's soundtrack...maybe they do have him back but they have him do that. Eeeeek
I tweeted Jun some time ago asking if Kumatani was still with the company and how she was doing, (I love her work and was curious) and got a "She's doing fine." He did the quote + response in the same tweet thing so there wasn't much room for more. So that's...something, I guess. Lol. As for Jun, if I recall, it's that he's climbed the ladder like Ashram suggested. As far as Park Avenue goes I actually think it's really catchy, but I'm with Dark Sonic in thinking it might work better without those vocals at the start.
After listening it for a couple (dozens) times I came to conclusion that I really like the track and would sing it in the shower. Screw those, who think it's shit.
I really miss Fumie Kumatani!! She was awe inspiring. I honestly can't find enough words to describe how much I love her work. Honestly, I really don't enjoy Tomoya's recent work compared to his older compositions. I feel like the EDM style is going to get outdated in a few years. The new track was a little... eh... I'm indifferent to the vocals. The female vocalist was a bit too vibrato for the song, but I will give it some slack until I hear more of the soundtrack. Ohtani's been getting a little simple. Maybe because he's doing most of the work... Another reason why more Sonic composers need to hop on and give him some breathing space! Tokoi is excellent with his orchestral work, I'd love to hear a comeback. Jun's guitar work is essentially the SOUND of the 3D Sonic series. I wish he was still lead, like old times. Can't wait to hear the new Crush 40 theme, if there is one!
My English is not perfect, but... Here come the enemies, strike them down. We can't let evil win, take them out, This is justice, this is what's right. -----> He clearly says "this is what's Fight" It would been much better "right", btw. Take on the enemy, mess them up. And bring 'em to their knees, do your stuff, Time for justice, time to go fight. (Destiny lies before you, I believe we have the power. Can you see the horizon, -----> I can't understand what she says, but it's something very different than "horizon", and I think she says "Can't you see". Victory for the taking.) EDIT: oh lol, Webber confimed the lyrics on Youtube... But I still can hear "Fight" where it says "right". D:
The official lyrics were posted in the comments to the upload by the media team, and they're not too much different to this. You're hearing "fight" because the S sound is merging with the R - combine that with some EQ on the vocals that have distorted it and I can see why you thought it was "fight". "Horizon" is also correct, the singer just mumbles it and almost doesn't produce the Z...
Something is strange about this new theme and I can't put my finger on it, but at least this is enjoyable. I really dislike what Ohtani has done with this game soundtrack up this point, at least this song is OK-pretty catchy, even if the clash of the guy and the girl singer is pretty confusing to me. It is like there are two different tracks clammed into one. But both work on their own so... ok. Sonic muic has always tried to go on with the times's most popular kind of music ( Eurodance at the 90's, rock at the early 2000...) and now EDM so I guess this fits the trend. Lyrics are stupid, yes. Even more than your regular sonic cheese. But we ain't here for good lyrics anyway so OK too.
