So, Sonic Frontiers. Definitely not a perfect game, but easily one of the most enjoyable 3D Sonics we've gotten in a while, and it's soundtrack is fantastic. There's a lot to love in Frontiers music-wise, like the metalcore boss themes or the intense overworld themes, but for me, I have been listening to the music for the Cyberspace stages non-stop since the game's came out. It's just a stellar EDM album on its own right, one that spans so many styles and even almost feels like a revival of that late-90s/early-2000s trend of jungle and trance video game soundtracks. It's great, and I hope the series continues with this direction, but for now, we got 30 fantastic songs, and I want to rank them:
30. Deja Vu (2-5)
Yeah, this one didn't really do it for me. After a pretty solid intro, the main melody can feel a bit hard to listen to between the heavily sampled vocals and the wubs interrupting the beat. Even worse is the fact that it's really repetitive, barely evolving or changing throughout the course of the song. Like, it's not awful or anything, but it's a song I tend to skip.
29. Rewind To Go Ahead (4-7)
This one's just kinda forgettable, honestly. It feels like the entire song is building up towards a chorus it never ends up hitting. Bonus points for using the Digital Cave choir though.
28. Escape The Loop (3-1)
This song is so frustrating! It has such a great first minute, with a strong driving piano melody that flows super well with the vocals, only for the song to basically feel like it comes to a screeching halt whenever the chorus shows up. The chorus isn't as bad as Deja Vu but it has similar issues of choppy-sounding vocals and feeling repetitive, but the strong first half keeps this one above it.
27. No Pain, No Gain (4-8)
This is just a plain fun song. The beat is catchy, the vocal sample is kinda dumb but endearingly so, and it's an easy song to bop your head to, even if it can feel a bit repetitive by its second half.
26. Time Flyer (1-7)
This song just feels very Sonic-y to me, it's determined and fast-paced. Otherwise, there really isn't too much I can about it outside of the fact that I really like those brief high-pitched parts. I don't know, I just think they're fun.
25. Memory Will Tell (3-3)
Now this feels like a Forces track, with the mix of a dark foreboding synth and piano almost reminds me of Mortar Canyon, at least in the verse. The chorus is the real highlight, though, a simple but very effective synth melody that kinda reminds me of Safe Haven from Va-11 Hall-A. Either way, it's a good mix of EDM styles.
24. Wishes In The Wind (4-4)
Wishes In The Wind is a solid DnB track carried by Rintaro Soma's distinct synths. They're just so sparkly and pleasing to listen to, and every once in a while, the song pulls out an entirely new sound I've never heard before. It also builds up to a pretty magical chorus, just a good song all around.
23. Arrow Of Time (4-5)
Similarly to Wishes In The Wind, the instrumentation makes this song. That screechy synth sound that forms the central beat is so distinct and haunting. And once again, the chorus is great, another real Forces-sounding bit.
22. BMB (3-5)
Okay, I know this is the fan least favorite of the bunch and I'll admit it's pretty repetitive, but I don't know, there's something about BMB that just sounds so satisfying. The vocals, the synths, the drop, it all makes for such an easy listen. It also fits with the one drift-centric stage pretty much perfectly, almost sounding like it could fit a racing game.
21. Genshi (1-4)
Probably the most pure DnB track of the bunch, amen breaks and all. That chorus even sounds straight out of Super Monkey Ball. Seriously, I hope Rintaro Soma sticks around with Sega because he nails that PS1 jungle vibe to a tee.
20. Floating In The Blue (2-7)
Floating In The Blue is a vibe, definitely one of the most feel-good Cyberspace tracks of the game. There's something so nostalgic about this song, it almost feels like Nintendo E-Shop music, which I mean in a good way. And the drop in the chorus is just fantastic.
19. Hype Street (2-4)
Hype Street is just a fun track. That driving percussion really makes this one, almost reminding me of Savannah Citadel from Sonic Unleashed. It does mostly stick to the same beat, but the ways Ohtani occasionally interrupts it is always fun to listen to.
18. Constructure (3-4)
It's hard to really describe why I like Soma's instrumentation so much, it just sounds pleasing to the ears. Constructure feels like a blend of Planet Robobot and Mega Man Battle Network, with a great chorus that utilizes these vocal-sounding synths to great effect.
17. Database (1-1)
Given the reused locations, there's only so much the Cyberspace themes could do to really fit their respective levels, but this... this is a first level theme, almost perfectly fitting Sonic's state at the start of the game. It's dark and eerie, giving off an unfamiliar feeling, further aiding by the haunting yet surprisingly catchy robotic lyrics. And it's also a pretty massive bop in its own right.
16. Slice & Sway (2-1)
Slice & Sway feels like a mix of a variety of different EDM genres, with a very jungle backing track and a lo-fi sounding melody, and yet they both mesh super well together, culminating in a pretty seamless chorus.
15. Go Slap (3-2)
This is another one of the happier cyberspace themes, boasting a pretty groovy slap bass bit in the middle of the song. But despite that, my favorite part of Go Slap is actually that quiet part at the end where it's just you and the melody. Structure-wise, this song reminds me a lot of Imperial Tower with how it rises and falls.
14. Nostalgic Sweep (2-3)
Befitting the name, Nostalgic Sweep throws in a bit of chiptune into its backing track, but outside of that, it's far from a cherry retro throwback. Nostalgic Sweep is a pretty dark and intense theme with a foreboarding melody, and it makes for a fantastic listen.
13. Transparent Highway (2-6)
Another one of the more Sonic-y tracks, and a very good one at that. Super energetic and driven. It's really all about that drop at the 50-ish second mark, so much build-up all paid off pretty much perfectly. Kanon Oguni made this one and expect some more impeccable drops from the guy, he's really good at them.
12. Exceed Mach (4-1)
I hated this song at first. As much as I've grown to like EDM, I was never big on dubstep, it was always too loud and grating. But damn it, this song is too good! The main melody is fantastic, the builds and drops are spot-on and always satisfying (goddamn it, Oguni!), I have no complaints. I've praised a lot of the Cyberspace themes for sounding like they're from the early 2000s, but this is very much a 2010s piece and I'm fine with that. The joke about how the opening sounds like the intro for a Minecraft Youtuber is very funny, though.
11. Heavenly Sky (2-2)
Also by Tomoya Ohtani, Heavenly Sky has a similar dark vibe to Nostalgic Sweep, but what pushes this one above it a bit is that serene part in the middle. The plucky synths sound straight out of Donkey Kong Country 2, perfectly complementing the serene Sky Sanctuary setting.
10. Enjoy This World (3-6)
This was hands down the biggest surprise on the soundtrack because if there's one genre I wasn't expecting, it's future bass. Seriously, this feels like a long lost Snail's House song, and I couldn't be happier. The vocals also really aid this one, especially when the track reaches its climax. It really does make me want to enjoy this world.
9. Signs (4-9)
This feels like Arsenal Pyramid: Act 2, like it has almost the exact same type of build-up and drop. While I do still prefer Arsenal Pyramid, this is still a massive banger, a fittingly climactic-sounding final Cyberspace theme that just keeps building and building. Also, shoutout to that burst of icy synths that occasionally come in, really gives me Mega Man 11 vibes.
8. Flowing (1-2)
Flowing is the fan favorite, and for good reason. It's catchy, fast-paced, and very Sonic. It's so addictive and fun that even after grinding for S-ranks, people still haven't seemed to have gotten tired of it.
7. Rumble Rave (4-3)
Absolutely phenomenal trance piece, very reminiscent of something you'd hear in a Wipeout game. Despite keeping the same driving backing melody, Rintaro Soma pulls all sorts of tricks to keep the song feeling fresh throughout, culminating in one of my favorite bits in any of the Cyberspace themes: That repeating part from 1:23-1:46.
6. Go Back 2 Your Roots (1-6)
Go Back 2 Your Roots is hands down the most fun song in the game. From the slap bass, to the cheery melody, to the ring sound effects being used, to that happy chorus, this song is just nonstop good vibes. The only thing is that I just wish I knew what genre it is. It reminds of One Step From Eden's The Forest or the phenomenal Touhou remix 514, but I just can't pin down the name.
5. All Reality (3-7)
I can never shake the feeling that maybe Rhea Island should've been the last part of the game and let's face it, All Reality doesn't help matters. This really feels like a final level theme. It's incredibly climactic, captures the themes of Cyberspace perfectly, and has hands down the best vocal implementation out of all the Cyberspace tracks. Simply chill-inducing, and while most of these tracks deserved better levels than the ones we got, this one probably did the most.
4. Fog Funk (4-6)
I think I'm speaking for everyone when I say this is very Sonic Rush, and I mean that as the highest form of praise. Fog Funk is an absolute jam, impeccably funky and super dynamic. I love how the driving synth sounds like crushed DS samples, and how the chorus almost sounds like it's being
3. Ephemeral (4-2)
I remember hearing this track in that Cyberspace Mix and it instantly grabbed me. The Sonic 06 vibes were noticeable right from the very start, especially compared to something like End Of The World. The haunting synth, the driving drum-and-bass, the eerie vocals, it all shows Ohtani hasn't missed a single beat since the soundtrack that truly put him on the map.
2. Dropahloic (1-5)
Yeah, given what I've been saying about him, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Kanon Oguni's best song is literally called Dropaholic, show-off. This song is amazing, it's so high energy and relentless, and I just adore the "Go! Go! Go!" samples in the chorus. Even the parts before the beat-drop are fantastic.
1. Digital Cave (1-3)
Similarly to Ephemeral, Digital Cave sounds straight-out of Sonic 06, just as haunting and bleak-sounding as the rest of that godly soundtrack. However, what pushes this one into first place for me is easily that chorus, holy crap. From the twinkly synth to the backing DnB to the beautiful choir (hey, remember that from 4-7?), the climax of Digital Cave is one of the most stunning pieces of Sonic music period and perfectly encapsulates the lonely vibe Sonic Frontiers is going for.
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