Christmas Special Editorial: 20 years of RKO (The charts revisited)
Published: 24/12/2020 by Neil Carr
In the year 2000 Jan Lund Thomsen's RKO (remix.kwed.org) was born. Finally, a resource that enabled remixers to uploaded their remixes for the world to enjoy. Before that time the remixing scene were made up of several websites spread around the internet. Finding these sites and jumping around from one to another was a painful and a somewhat chaotic experience. Over the years RKO would establish itself to be the one stop shop to get your c64 remix fix. In this Christmas editorial special we go back through the years and present the top 3 remixes voted by our readers from each year to the current day. So grab a cuppa sit back and enjoy whilst we take you on a nostalgia trip. Oh! and if you haven't voted yet on these remixes here's a chance to do so. Happy Christmas everyone.
*Ratings are correct at the time of publish. Ratings subject to varience should votes be cast.
YEAR: 2000
Capitaine: Crazyyy! It's just the original tune atmosphere. Many thanks for this :)
cinemaniac: Perhaps the best remix of this, the best C64 theme out there ever!
banador: Just so good and interesting picture of the Nemesis that this music creates.
92%
Dumper: Absolutely brilliant.
LaLa: Almost two decades later still a powerful, emotional remix, a must-have classic!
karter: Must have for every collection. Outstanding!
93%
eliot: Very very very outstanding :)
countzorg: Shimmering
condor: Agreed with ommoroca - wonderful!
92%
Year 2001
machinae supremacy - Great Giana Sisters
MORBID: I am totally addicted to all these guitar-remixes! This one is just OUTSTANDING! More guitars! More punch! More drums..... Hell YEAH!:)
koroner: Brilliant!
niccin: Awesome!
96%
Tonka - Last Ninja - Palace Gardens (Loader)
Heshan: I LOVE this version and play it loud in my tesla
REYN: Best energy, best buildup, best drum programming EVER!!! Gigantic!!
sebuko: I love this version since over years. It´s the best last ninja version i´ve ever heard. Please rmx some more last ninja tunes. You´re really great!!!!
93%
DHS - Max Headroom (Orbital 3241 Elevator Mix)
aero: Simply gorgeous
plokolp: Love this. 2 tunes in one.
NecroPolo: I think it's the best tune pack of Whittaker. The first section doesn't really cut through for me as much as the following parts - but that's just a subjective footnote, the remix is very cool all the way.
91%
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
MORBID: Awesome! Red one!
Kalamarr: Enjoyed this one.
Zoldex: Astounding!
96%
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
romeo_knight: Simply amazing! Just a pity the fantastic singing has no lyrics...
MORBID: This is brilliant!
LaLa: Emotional, excellent, superb, magnificent, outstanding, unbelievable, beautiful, moving, amazing, rocks, perfect.
95%
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
Dan: Best remix on RKO, period.
Reverend Kirdneh: This tune is epic!
madrigal: Wonderful, with such "barbarian epic style". Glyn, this is your masterpiece!:)
95%
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
KorbenDallas: This song is awsome. Best I've heard so far.
condor: You know, othere remixes were great but this remix is historical.
Makke: Together with Reyn Ouwehands Deflector, this tune defines the perfect Commodore 64 remix.
93%
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
Supergrobi123: Ooooooutstanding, man!!!
humorguy: I give this an Outstanding, because it Satnds Out from the rest by quite a margin. Excellent.
snorski: Epic
93%
Mordi: Lovely rendition of a nice tune
bratac: Simply wonderful!
mz1453: Sounds like Kitaro! Relaxing, clear and yet powerful!
91%
Year 2004
Waz: Damn this is very very good. Lots of symphonic stuff that reminds me of the recent King Arthur movie, sensible use of vocals (very a la Enya for some reason) and thoroughly enjoyable.
ggeudraco: I just love the fantasy style singing mixed with orchestra mixed with the modern synthesiser. It works well, and I'm pleased I regularly request this track on SLAY
Ryrynz: Awesome remix.
97%
97%
DHS - The Human Race (Bando alle Seghe)
Sodden: Stunning!!! Top ten! Great Work..
Dumper: I gave this an orange before, but hearing it quite a bit lately I now feel it deserves a nice big red one.
c64glen: DHS covers Hubbard like no one else can....
94%
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
DaManiac72: I love what you have done with this. You have created one of the best tunes ever.
chabee: Well done!
ulfepulf: Nice one :)
95%
Marcel Donné - Something Stranger Remake
merl: ^^ Just amazing how one mans sound can rule my feelings for 5 minutes....... Jean-Michel Donné ROCKS!!!!!
infamous: This tune makes me want to have marcels babies....
romeo_knight: Yes, I have to admit this is a little bit FANTASTIC! ;-) (though I wouldn't have done the double time drums in the end)
93%
Tas: I almost knew this would be outstanding before hearing it.. As usual another top quality (mike oldfield-esque) track from Glyn.
Waz: This is a bit good to say the least. Lovely use of guitar for the lead parts, which convey just the right amount of emotion. And plenty of gentle and neat touches to make it a beautiful emotional piece. Download it. Now.
Sodden: Top 10!,, Wonderful tune. Don
92%
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
prowler: Perfect arrengement! The guitar is totally awesome! LMans style works wonderful, much like his Hard'n'Heavy family remix.
hillsman: The original was one of the best.... So emotional and ahead of its time. This builds upon that superbly!
Ph0B1uS: A really good remix. I LOVE the guitar in this one, a defininite faviourite
96%
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
jaytee: BRILLIANT! Love it. Even the shrill synth (shrill was the point, surely). This is exactly how I would have remixed this (had I any talent).
mania: Awesome tune and the synth sound at 1:19 rocks, don't listen to them ;)
vernest: Love it!;-)
93%
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
Snake1: Brilliant!
Dr. Bongo: I REALLY like this. I`m jelous of the guitar work, wish mine was up to that standard.
gp300: An absolute masterpiece! IMO the best one of the three parts.
93%
YEAR 2007
Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret (live at The Church)
prq: Absolutely outstanding, all instruments are excellent.
inqisit0r: Very nice. Update:This obviously deserves an outstanding. Amazing. This is a flowing, imaginative, original composition. Everything comes together.
stainless_steel: Awesome rulage by master reyn rockin the curch. Amen!
97%
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
sidbrowser: Great to listen while driving in my car! Top Remix!
klosterkatten: This tune is great! You really improved! Well done, I cant give anything but this cute red smiley.
k_rostoen: What Skitz said.
93%
Waz: Another excellent job by Dafunk here. Gorgeous heavy bass and drums that underpin the tune wonderfully, and the piano lead is just the right side of full on. And you have to love those vocals - beautifully placed.
eliot: Thiz time he got it right...
Nebdar: It is outstanding it instantly focus my attention and ears on this track
93%
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
Ic3m4n: \O/ Awesome stuff!
maverickbna: New interpretation of Plastic Pop gets a red smiley!:)
bratac: The arpeggios in the background are nice touch.
93%
Dafunk - Hardcore Power (We Believe In Goa - Remix)
Dr-Duke: Is it just me, or seems there to be a little Boz-train after the beginning? *smiles* Besides joking, very nice track Dafunk. Personally I most love the intro on this one.
Nada: Nice!!!
Agemixer: Nicely advancing one, good development since the original which is awesome aswell! I just love all the melodic "silent moments" in the middle and especially all those dafunk style, strong low modulation sounds.. Kickass!
93%
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
Varan: Builds up the mood very nicely the first minutes and then releases a nice melody. Very dreamy indeed. The ending feels a bit "flat" though.
xo: Su-bloody-perb.
Zilog: Simply PERFECT
92%
YEAR 2009
Firestorm - Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit)
k_rostoen: This calls for a lot of!!! 's and 111's. Brilliant stuff!!!1! 1 The beat after two and a half minutes is awesome.
chilli_uk: F*** Some samples are dodgy but this has never been dont before and jesus holy mother of god - where did you get this from! AMAZING
alpi: Awesome arrangement and brilliant-sounding, thumbs up *cheers
96%
Jogeir Liljedahl - Synth Sample - The Stationary Ark
inqisit0r: Ive changed my review of this song twice. Ive given it mediocre "criticisms", but hearing it 5 times.. UNBELIEVEABLE! But why? 1 note off pitch in so many places and it would flop. Its so simple, how is it so beautiful?
deleyt: Great stuff!
DoubleMan: Oh my God... Thats so beatifull...
96%
Xtrabyte: Excellent
schlicky: Everything Mordi does is outstanding!
Shark: Yes great work really liked it better then all these dance tracks of late and I can never get enough ocean loader remixs so cheers!
94%
YEAR 2010
95%
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
Karmar: Beautiful
Metal_VIB: Pure porn! A tad too mellow for my taste though, but a really good arrangement of the track.
Unreal: Yeaa! It is a great remix now!! I loves the feel, and the various elements and samples in the music! Congratulations, I am waitin' the next one, my friend!:)
92%
SIDrip Alliance - From First to Last (AROK12 tribute mix)
weasel: Wow! Truly _outstanding_, indeed!!! Thank you _very_, very much!! :-D
Waz: Let there be rock! It's a very good rendition of several LN tunes but done seamlessly with plenty of good nods to the original. It really does need some harder drums though, otherwise excellent all round.
hillsman: Some of the leads aren't great, but this is an otherwise awesome compendium of some top LN tracks. Not a huge electric guitar fan, but it sounds great here!
92%
YEAR 2011
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Jazzcat (007)
Melaure: What a wonderfull piece of Jazz. Sax, guitar, ... Not far from perfection!
Dees Productions: Are you serious? Really, man this made me want to pack that pipe with thart jazzy stuff and sit that lounge all night in'. Wow what a jazzmeister! Lovin' this!
Karmar: Bad? Why? It's amazing cover! THX moog!
93%
LaLa: Per-fect. Soft to the ear, smooth to the brain.
omoroca: Wonderful, as always! Mordi=Jogeir? Added to my collection.
Melaure: Excellent work again, and as unreal says with a touch fo Amiga! Congratulations!
94%
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
Pandarific: I absolutely LOVE THIS!
Foxfield: I want to see a movie with this one in it's soundtrack.
Shark: Liked it a lot and loved the THX type logo theme around 1.30.:)
93%
YEAR 2012
Comajim: Aah, nice composition and melody!
LaLa: Great rendition. But what this remix makes clear to me is that this tune is in despearate need of a remix with a singing duet...
zajos: :) :) :) Sounds amazing! Up to date, pro sound still reminds me of the original era.
94%
Andreas Wallström and NecroPolo - DMC demo IV 2 (Celtic Mission mix)
Chainsaw: Wow!
Dees Productions: Wow, such a great sound and energy in this song. I really like this!
Slayer: Now, thats music!:)
94%
Ryrynz: Love it.
Chainsaw: Just awesome great. This rocks!!! Red smile, because there is no higher one!
drm: Love the guitars!!! Awesome!!!
94%
YEAR 2013
N3XU5: A masterpiece =)
Grigul: Wow, great tune. The influence by Jean-Michel Jarre is obviously, but hey - I'm a huge fan of Jarre since 1979. Great Job, Peacemaker.
Ryrynz: Nicely done.
94%
LukHash - Supremacy (youtube vid)
celina w: !!!!!
weasel: LukHash is a BLAAAST!!!! :-D Really, really cool stuff he's doing here! KEEP ON GOING, pal! *Thumbs UP!*
eisei: Love the video too
93%
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
Melaure: Top of the charts!
omoroca: Brilliant! Amazing! This year's summer smash hit! Added to my collection.
bastard: Impressive production. If I'd known the original tune, I would have rated it red++
93%
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
Kate Eternal: Wonderful!
defiance: This is amazing..!
khisanth: GREAT stuff indeed.
95%
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
Snake1: Excellent!
NecroPolo: Very nice and fluent production with superb vocal tracks. My 2 picky notes are: 1- for energy it feels a little like an aeroplane with spinned up engines that doesn't take off at the end; 2- I really miss some witty outro that matches the brilliant track.
DJNutzZ: YES!!!
93%
Markus Schneider - Enlightenment - Druid II
Marmue: This is incredible!
The SIE: Well, what more can I say when everything is already said. OUTSTANDING.
NecroPolo: Man I must admit that in general I greatly dislike orchestral remixes. At least the ones that are not created with so much expertise like this one. It blasts the rest out of the pool (sorry guys). Kudos Markus!
93%
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
Kate Eternal: Incredible remix!
Jonazz: Oh.. Yeah my film composer do it again! He really are on fire..!
Ziphoid: Nice twist compared to the original SID which still can be recognized in this very enhanced state. Too bad it's a bit short, but I think this requires a play in a Cozy Corner in the future. :) Well done!
96%
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
N.o S.kill P.erformance: Das ist der erste C64-Remix-Track den ich sogar runtergeladen habe, um ihn in meinen Musikordner zu packen
linus: Extremely lovely!<3
Kalell: Great and very suggestive Atmosphere!
95%
MRT - Eagles (Easy Flight mix)
Pepe Pinapple: Two Steps ahead!
James T. Kork: Just brilliant.
JChambers: Amazing work!
94%
YEAR 2016
DSMarine: I never liked the dance places back in the day... But maybe I just needed tracks like this one. D
Shark: Superb remix and liked the Cybernoid 1 part towards the end. Great stuff!
Megaboost: Absolutely Fantastic! Haven't heard anything this good in Years.
96%
Johan Andersson - Out Run - Splash Wave (surf mix)
Breadbox Bill: Great jazzy remix!
Blackstar: Love it!
Supergrobi123: Beautiful, nicely-balanced Remix
94%
bgmnt: One of the best!
L0rd3vyL: Awesome! ... Just awesome!
verm71: Exquisitely produced thumpy dance track!
95%
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
ZetaNicco: Your Will Be Doneeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
XxDUSTYxX: That's so dope! |m|
Flyingsaucer: Wonderful!!! Very Very Nice!!!
97%
Shargo: MRT and Danko o/ O/ o/
Castor: Awesome!
nummer2: The whole idea of this remix is just genuis and fresh I wish it was 1-2 minutes longer and it would have been perfect
94%
96%
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
lubber: Perfect cover! Thanks for those 3, 5 minutes!
Mordi: Awesome rendition. Superb guitar work!
DSMarine: This tune always hits me in my weak spot, and this version is superb!!
96%
LMan: Superb
KoYamaRo: Nice Arrangement and Mix, a Masterpiece!
marcel: Is there a superlative for epic? If there is, than this remix is it! Amazing bit of work Sir!
96%
FastLoaders - Ghouls and Ghosts
LaLa: Straight off their Progressive 64 album. Superb there, superb here.
drm: Quality tune!!
Amon73: Uno dei migliori che ho ascoltato qui :) Ci vorrebbero più FastLoaders nel mondo :) Perfetto!
94%
YEAR 2019
Peter Clarke - Firelord - Symphonic (a nod to Glyn)
_steve_: Love Glyn's original - this re-imagining of that is very well put together and is a great addition to it. Not sure omoroca is hearing the same tune as eveyone else.
C64_Gamer: Love the 2002 version and now I love this too
Marcus: I still love Glyn's version after all these years(2002)! It's almost impossible to improve his fantastic version or his Times of Lore. Your choir Peter fits perfectly your remix and I got goose bumps. Very Well Done! Both versions are just great for me.
97%
Glyn R Brown - Firelord (from 8Bit Symphony)
Chris Abbott: A huge upgrade to the iconic 2002 version. Make sure you catch the "pure symphony" version at http://www.8-bit-symphony.com
Tas: It's Glyn and his name is the new word for better than epic! So, This is full of Glynness!=)
Grigul: Is there anyone who can beat Glyn R. Brown? No, only Glyn himself - and he did it. He took one of his greatest Remixes - and improved it to a higher level. The old one is still epic - this one here is (my opinion): The Most Epic Track Ever!!
98%
97%
YEAR 2020
ziona: Excellent execution, and now I can’t even get it out of my head!:)
peterparker: Nice and fitting guitar solo!
archon: I listened to the original arcade and mainly the C64 version million times. This is a gigantic interpretation Sega should pay for and I'm sure everyone who knows the original would appreciate. So much effort in this, deserves alot of love :) Thank you!
96%
Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon - Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix)
XxDUSTYxX: Excellent collaboration! Thank you very much for this Remix, ziona, Slaygon and Peter Clarke!:)
MagicMosher: You guys should absolutely keep up the work together the harmony between the 3 styles of music takes me on a journey
tw1l1ght: Wow! You guys better be careful not being 'asked' to get a permit from the community before being allowed to submit more entries in that trio -> Puts each of your best sides into a complete package of awesomeness! <3 @3:30 - SO Slaygons part!;)
95%
SIDNIFY - The Last Ninja - The Wilderness
hillsman: One of the best remixes on RKO.... Period.
Tomsk: Quality right here. Brilliant mastering, superb use of the original SID, and punchy as anything! Love this!
JLD: Superb!
94%
People, we should considder ourselves lucky to be part of a community diverse enough to cover everything from the solitary hobbyist with a copy of Fruityloops to an 80-piece symphonic orchestra. The solitary remixer can afford to be out of pocket on a remix since the music isn’t his/her day job - the professional musician doesn’t have that luxury. Dismissing one over the other isn’t a way to take the hobby in new directions. If you prefer the freely available renditions, that’s fine by me - but don’t knock commercial efforts simply for having a cost. No one is in this to get rich.
Comments