Crush 40 and Runblebee probably don’t need much of an introduction – anyone who got into gaming at the turn of the century has certainly encountered their music before. Together, they’re a big reason behind the lasting memorability of many Sonic The Hedgehog titles in the 2000’s, and it also served as my introduction to alternative rock as a whole.
Today we’re highlighting a cover of the theme song for Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity. I think it demonstrates best how Runblebee takes the hard approach of using lyrics for their instrumental value; favoring the sound, pronunciation and intent of the words used rather than just telling a story with them. It’s quirky and it breaks the rules, yet it’s a style that works. The lyrics might make little sense when you listen too closely, but the aesthetic it gives off just feels right in the moment, and doubly so when it’s in context. It’s no wonder they suit the aesthetic of Sonic games so well.
I haven’t actually played Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, but the first game in the series was excellent, with its own industrial techno soundtrack that stands out even from other spinoff games in the franchise. I still hope that an another studio will deliver on the untapped potential of an arcade racer on hoverboards – it has simply been too long of a wait.
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