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The Last Ninja Suite (Orchestral) - arranged by Chris Abbott offline

Review by Poke16384, 11/09/2020

After the 3rd time of listening through the whole 11 minutes & 40 seconds, I'm still totally unimpressed! This should be telling me a story, taking me on a journey… but I feel like I've been left at the start with lost luggage. There are some serious problems in the arrangement itself with discordant notes hiding behind the melody in more than a few places. The arrangement often builds & promises to go somewhere.. but then, sadly doesn't. The mix is another reason that this piece feels like a long, mediocre trudge in the mud. The instrument balances are literally, all over the place. The quiet passages are much too quiet & the crescendos lack power & oomph! Loud phrases jump out at you, unexpectedly and then vanish as quickly as they came. It all sounds disorganised and unplanned as an arrangement and lacks ideas. The final thing which detracts from any realism in the piece is the choice of iterations in the instruments. If you try to play fast string runs using an 'arco' iteration, you get a mushy sound that lacks definition; and there are examples galore in this piece of the wrong iteration on most instruments. The use of increased volume doesn't create a crescendo. You have to combine the instruments, using the correct iterations and build. I understand the desire to be the 100th Last Ninja Remix.. but this needed a lot more work, more attention to detail and definitely a greater understanding of how the instruments in an orchestra are actually played. I was nodding off at 4 minutes.. and nothing afterwards woke me up…
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Tusker - 03 - Metal Tribute (2020 Rework) - arranged by XxDUSTYxX

Review by Waz, 10/09/2020

If the likes of Slayer or Obituary were to take on Tusker, this is pretty much how it would sound. Double bass drum for the absolute win.
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Slow Slower - arranged by wigo

Review by Tas, 10/09/2020

Welcome Wigo. For a first remix that's been uploaded that's a damn good effort. The sound picture is nice though the choice of lead or the continuous choice of the same lead is what lets it down slightly. A little more variety would help. Good effort though - hope we hear more from you.
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Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix) - arranged by Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon

Review by Tomsk, 03/09/2020

When I first heard this in the compo I found it difficult to appreciate fully… a tune often takes a few listens before you begin to appreciate it, and I didn't know the SID either. So now it's a remix 64, I've managed that, and have to say it's beautiful. A lovely intro is followed by some absolutely perfect synth n bass. The bassline in particular is tremendous, and the drums suit perfectly. What a great SID tune and amazing remix. My only critique would be the join between the orchestral and synth part… and the cut short ending… surely this epic deserves a proper ending. Brilliant effort by all involved.
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Contaxia - arranged by Ctrl-Z

Review by mv0nti, 02/09/2020

With nice blirp sounds, but without overusing them. And it's a tune I had never heared a remix of before!
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Relicta Caleo (from Destronnauth) - arranged by NecroPolo

Review by LaLa, 02/09/2020

Your style is truly one of a kind! I think the best way I can describe it is heavy metal jazz on the SID. It's grungy, raw, elemental, yet not off-putting or overly dissonant. At the same time the chord progressions and the arrangements seem to be infused with jazzy elements. This is definitely not easily digestible popular music - I think your compositions demand a certain amount of concentration and intelligence from the listener. This ain't the kind of casual music one could listen to in the background!

And that's why I'm upvoting this remix of your own SID tune (which is actually a remix of this tune, making this remix the original - phiew, got that? 😊 ) - I want to celebrate your uniqueness and your craftsmanship, because I think it deserves praise.
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So-Phisticated III (part 1) I Adore My C64 Edit - arranged by JLD

Review by LaLa, 01/09/2020

A technically well-executed synthwave style remix (I hesitate to call it an '80s remix, because it sounds so much better, more modern). Adding the voice samples was a touch of genius. Plus points for remixing a kickass 20CC tune that everybody else seemed to have ignored so far.
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So-Phisticated III (part 1) I Adore My C64 Edit - arranged by JLD

Review by Poke16384, 31/08/2020

This is a very well-crafted remix. The way that alternative sounds are used to 'answer' the refrains of the main lead sound demonstrates an understanding of how to structure an arrangement. I like the 'patience' that you show in letting the intro lead us in… This may be an electronic pop tune but the soundscape is rich & finally; somebody programmes an actual drum-track, (rather than using 1 or 2 loops). I see your 'newcomer' tag but I suspect you have more experience than a newcomer. This is a remix by somebody who knows exactly what they're doing.
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The Last Ninja - The Wilderness - arranged by SIDNIFY

Review by LaLa, 28/08/2020

There are many-many remixes of this tune available, both on RKO and on released albums. After I listened to some of my favorite ones and then this remix by SIDNIFY, it's still hard to pick a clear winner, but hot damn, this one is definitely there on the top! What a tour de force! All done with the kind of professionalism we've come to expect from SIDNIFY: an amazing, fresh arrangement, spotless instrumentation, mixed to perfection. Fantastic job, guys!
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PCW-Tune 88 (Tribute To Edwin) - arranged by DMC

Review by LaLa, 28/08/2020

An emotional, sorrowful tribute.

You made the slowed down tempo work very well. I also really like the deep bass line, it pierces through the mix, making it even more melancholic. A remix worthy of Edwin's memory.
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Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix) - arranged by Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon

Review by LaLa, 22/08/2020

I have a policy of not commenting on tunes that remix SID tunes I'm not very familiar with. But from time to time a remix comes up that's so good, I just have to make an exception for it. This is one of those times.

The individual pieces sewn together really work to its advantage, bringing us on an epic cinematic experience. I suspect the organ-heavy intro is Peter's making, transitioning to ziona's part at around 1:30, then going back and forth a little between Peter and ziona, with the tune so obviously concluding with Slaygon's darker tones. I hope I got that right. 😉

Even though the remix quickly fades out, I suspect that's mostly due to the 2020 Árok remix compo's 4:30 time limit, because it feels like this could've been a lot longer.

Either way, a superb auditory experience, I really enjoy this, guys & gals!
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Ball Blasta Highscore (Chasm of Eternity) - arranged by Sonic Wanderer

Review by LaLa, 22/08/2020

Whoa! Welcome back, Sonic Wanderer!!! What a remix! Reminds me of some downtempo Tangerine Dream tracks ca. 1990s. Excellent choice of SID, flawless execution, I am really, really enjoying this!
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Boulder Dash (Arok edition) - arranged by Infamous

Review by LaLa, 22/08/2020

During the Árok remix compo broadcast of SLAY Radio on IRC somebody (perhaps Slaygon himself) remarked how the style of this remix is very similar to that of the the Futurama title music. And I totally agree with that! Same wackiness, rapid switching of instruments, dubstep-like beat - very, very creative!
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Zoids (epic vocal soundtrack) - arranged by Anthony Walters

Review by LaLa, 20/08/2020

It's epic! It's vocal! Wait… it actually has lyrics! OMG! And now it's a duet! OMG x 2! Massive respects for this vocal-heavy cinematic composition. Great job on the heavy drums, too. Truly: epic!

I think if you weren't constrained by the 2020 remix compo's 4:30 limit, this would've been longer, too.
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Thats the Way It is - arranged by Magnar

Review by LaLa, 20/08/2020

A really, really well-crafted remix! Upon hearing the slow intro I got very excited, I thought it's going to be like that all the way. Unfortunately, it's not, but then it switches up the tempo, an excellent bass guitar lick appears, and it just blossoms into an amazing piece. Unlike Poke16384, I will actually give you a +1 for the wolf-whistle, because it appears in the original SID, too, and I thought that was a nice touch. 😉
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Space Harrier - arranged by Peter Clarke

Review by Tas, 19/08/2020

Unreal. Feels like the original but its new and modern. You know a good remix when a tune feels like 2 mins but is 4 mins plus. Well done Peter you have again pleased my tiny little ears. 😊 I love the ending by the way!
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Space Harrier - arranged by Peter Clarke

Review by LaLa, 19/08/2020

That bass line - superb! That arrangement - phenomenal! That energy - uplifting! That vocoder - nice touch! That groove - it's, erm, groovy! Those orchestral riffs - spot on! The best British prog-rock style remix of this tune I ever heard! 😊
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Thats the Way It is - arranged by Magnar

Review by Poke16384, 18/08/2020

This is a slick remix by Magnar. It caught my ear on the competition and having now had a chance to re-listen, I haven't altered my opinion. It's a nice interpretation of JT's original and the instrumentation gives it a great 90's feel, (to my ears at least). The 'hooks' are nice and there's some great use of phasing & frequency-manipulation to get some real 'cut' on the licks. I'm gonna -1 you for repeating the wolf-whistle. Catchy as hell and well mixed & mastered.
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Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix) - arranged by Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon

Review by C64_Gamer, 18/08/2020

The track notes tell an interesting story and the remix lives up to the story. Well Done ziona, slaygon & peter clarke. This is a really powerful & moody journey. The sound is flawless to me and it has blended into one complete tale.
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Magic Johnsons Basketball - arranged by LPChip

Review by Poke16384, 18/08/2020

When I heard this on the SLAY / AROK competition, it grabbed me immediately. The 2 Fender Rhodes piano's split left & right are just so dirty & funky. The whole thing has a vibe that just drew me in. There are bits I could be picky about here but I'm not going to be. It's a great remix and has such a 'bad' thing going on. Well Done LPChip for producing a great remix which is different & really rocks!
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Deliverance Stormlord 2 Title Music - arranged by Amin Haji

Review by Poke16384, 11/08/2020

A nice vibe, once it gets going. I always loved the late 80's & early 90's for these sounds. Has a lot of promise for a 1st remix! Needs a little more in the soundscape & arrangement for the red faces but a great effort. I'm ready to hear more from you, Amin.
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Deliverance Stormlord 2 Title Music - arranged by Amin Haji

Review by LaLa, 30/07/2020

Starts out like a MOD, then it gets bright and sparkly, which gives it a distinct 80s feeling, then I get echoes of Depeche Mode. All we are missing is a vocal over it. 😊 Quite a good remix for a newcomer, hope to hear more from you!
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Ocean Loader 3 The Revenge - arranged by Lello Caliendo

Review by LaLa, 30/07/2020

This remix is attempting to be bouncy and cheery with lots of staccato instruments, but I don't think it quite succeeds in that. I think you pushed the staccato-ness a bit too far. The basic instrumentation sounds solid, the arrangement is fairly faithful of the original SID, but the staccato-everything is too much.
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Last Ninja 2 InGameLvl 1 - arranged by SirRobin

Review by LaLa, 14/07/2020

Welcome to RKO, SirRobin! I think your first remix here shows a lot of promise, because the arrangement is pretty good and all the notes are in the right places. 😊 But I think the muddy recordings of the live instruments really put a dent in the overall quality of this tune. This is even more evident in the synth-only sections which sounds pretty good by themselves - until the guitar comes in. Your guitar skills are commendable, but in this mix it sounds like you're playing in an entirely different room and we're listening to you through a closed door. I hope you consider joining the Remix64 forum where you can ask for and get some advice on mic recordings and mixing, because your music production skills show a lot of promise, they just need refining.
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Last Ninja 2 InGameLvl 1 - arranged by SirRobin

Review by Poke16384, 12/07/2020

A damn decent effort for your 1st remix. Negatives first.. It IS muddy in the low-mid range instruments with the guitars getting almost lost amidst the synths. It makes the snare stand out a bit too much and the equal-velocities on the snare-rolls sound a bit 'machine-gun'-ish. That said, there are some really big positives here. The arrangement has creativity & good ideas which are only let down by the mix. I listened to the whole 6:07 to hear what else might be here. Welcome to RMX64 and give me more good arranging like this.
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Yie Ar Kung-Fu 2 - arranged by Tim Forsyth

Review by LaLa, 07/07/2020

Welcome back to RKO, Tim! 😊

Reminds me of late 80s, early 90s synth-heavy movie scores, like Carpenter, except more melancholic. I'm especially fond of the wobbling chords in the first half of the tune, and the melody improvs in the second half.
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Barbarian Ultimate Warrior (grand piano) - arranged by Paul Nelsen

Review by LaLa, 30/06/2020

What a great transcription to piano! Definitely gets the spirit of the original SID through. Minor gripes: the tempo is not consistent throughout the piece. Also, the left and right channels are swapped (lower octaves are usually mixed to the left, not to the right).
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Byterapers intro (djupt i hjartat av harddisken) - arranged by Wobbler

Review by Poke16384, 30/06/2020

The soundscape of this whole remix is nice and is a departure from the longer, 'drawly' notation of the original. The beat here has more definition and the chosen sounds compliment this. If you take a SID that is just 1:25 in it's original form, It's important to go somewhere with it, especially if you expect to hit 'top marks' for your remix.. In the arrangement department, this does deviate a little but not enough for me.. The original synth riff from the 'Yazoo' song 'Don't Go' is still in there and the chord-play behind that is nice. The drum-loop coulda shoulda varied more to lift the tempo as the remix progresses and to stop it from just being a single loop from start to finish.. Good effort and a pleasant listen overall.. Needed more for the big red smilies though..
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1942 High-Score Theme (You-were-there mix) - arranged by Perhaps-a-Doobie

Review by LaLa, 27/06/2020

Never fails to bring a smile to my face! Brilliant! 😊 The singing, the lounge atmosphere, the instrumentation… The only bad thing about this remix is that I cannot listen to this SID tune any more without hearing Boz's lovely voice. 😊
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Batman the Movie - Gotham City Cathedral - arranged by MellowNoiseKiev

Review by Poke16384, 26/06/2020

This remix starts off so promisingly with a lot of high-energy feel to it. Although I'm not the greatest fan of 'Untz-Untz', the energy grabbed me early on.. What a shame that from 2:00 all the way to the end, it then just seemed to lose creativity even in the drum-part. The same 8-bar loop makes it just feel repetitive after that.. Good 1st effort and don't be disheartened.. Please get your creative head on and submit another remix..
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