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Flimbo's Concerto (Opus 12 in C major) - arranged by Peter ClarkeReview by LaLa, 23/04/2012 Quite a tour de force! It took me time to warm up to the slowed down tempo of these tunes, but they work wonderfully in the context of an orchestra. I also like how this concerto is arranged in several movements, they form a nice storyline. The individual subtunes of the original are also instrumented rather tastefully.The only issues I have with this piece is that a) it could've used a bit more dynamic range, b) the mix sounds a little too compressed with few high-ends (except for the occasional brass). The ending feels somewhat abrupt, a few wind-down notes would've helped there. All in all, I'm sure this will touch everybody who listens to it in one way or another, and that's what great art is all about. |
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Trick Bag - arranged by DJ Skitz & MordiReview by LaLa, 20/04/2012 I'll be honest, my yardstick here is Dafunk's superb rendition of the same tune. That one is just perfect: every note, every blend, every modification in it is just perfectly placed.Here the melody seems to hiccuphere and there compared to that version, probably because Dafunk's additions to it made the original melody so much better. From 1:14 the flute is completely lost - the notes are not held long enough. The transition from the mellow to the dancey part is very well done, but frankly, I don't think the dancey part fits this tune well. Those aside it's a nice tribute, but it leaves me a bit unsatisfied. |
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Mutants (Sub 2 Mutation) - arranged by vurtXReview by K8-bit, 24/03/2012 A very good arrangement, with a very distinctive choice of instruments that catches the attention.The song itself however, is somewhat uninspiring in its structure, and does not hold the attention all that much. A good arrangement with impressive instrumentation of a structurally uninspiring piece (IMO!) that may have benefited from a leaner length… says Kate of the day-long epics, lol |
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Druid (Magic Golem Dance) - arranged by MontyReview by K8-bit, 08/03/2012 Really nice take on the original, with some gorgeous smooth instrumentation… *except* for the snare from about 1:30 on.. it seems a bit.. out of place.A pet hate of mine also is the otherwise lovely simple flat-tone lead instrument. I like how it grounds the whole piece in warm-fuzzy 8-bitness.. but I think it sounds awfully cold as it doesent have any vibrato to give it any warmth - I felt much the same towards the from first to lastlast ninja medley. Other than that, I loved it |
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The Last V8 - arranged by Digital KnurdReview by infamous, 07/03/2012 So, its the last v8.. One of those tunes that Hubbardites hold high and tend to dance around like the monolith in 2001 a space oddessy.. Whats different about this one?lets have a listen. Well it starts with a bass noise which sounds lifted from one of those old 60's beach movies and though it does feel out of place, it does work.. so kudos for that. we move pretty swiftly into a high paced drum and bass affair, which pretty much copies the original tune note for note but with a driving over compressed and slightly too bouncy in reverb drum pattern (which does change and variate as the tune goes on which is a good thing.. its very easy to make a quick 16bar drumloop and just loop it, at least knurd has changed things up nicely).. theres not much else to it that can be pointed out. The upsides of the tune, is that its the last v8.. its a classic c64 tune and its composed near perfect so if your looking for a v8 tune.. here ya go. the downsides, the reverb, its been over used im afraid and I cant stress just how much it does sound like your listening to it inside a tunnel, admittedly its not like its 20 yards down the tunnel, your close to the sound source but it does muddy things up a bit and could do with a few more dry signals and a better use of the stereo feild. Overall, theres a fair bit of talent here on show, and it'll be interesting to see what knurd comes up with next (hopefully he/she does) and again if your looking for a v8 remix this isnt a bad one to pick aslong as you turn off any natural reverb your player already has on. |
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Flimbo's Concerto (Opus 12 in C major) - arranged by Peter ClarkeReview by K8-bit, 07/03/2012 ok! Completely got my reviews mixed up and vexed poor Peter with my totally bizarre (and not at all correct for this piece!) comments!
Instrumentation is spot-on, as is its appropriate use (ie no instrument misuses - octave 1 flutes for example!) 2:30 and you can't help but grin when the almighty main theme starts, again - reinforcing the movie-like quality. Nice use of NICE brass sounds too, no PARPS here, lol. The whole thing has a lovely flowing rhythm, it doesent sound mechanical as can often be a side-effect of sequencing. I'm not the biggest fan of the original tunes (or game) but I appreciate their technical artistry, and this does it a LOT of honest complimentary homage |
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Trick Bag - arranged by DJ Skitz & MordiReview by K8-bit, 07/03/2012 Another lush tune - its got a very Amiga kind of vibe to it, I think - and is exactly the kind of style of music I used to love hearing.Catchy, beautiful, and poignant in so many ways. |
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Mutants - arranged by RazmoReview by K8-bit, 07/03/2012 LOVELY!A favorite of mine, which has been covered before by others, some good, some excellent, but I really like this particular take on it, a nice progressive synthy style. Fab |
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Rambo Reloaded - arranged by Allister BrimbleReview by LaLa, 16/02/2012 Before I start tearing this apart, let me say that overall it's an excellent remix, hugely enjoyable! I have yet to figure out what the Morse-code spells out in the intro, but I'll get to it eventually.Having said that, the devil is in the details. This orchestral remix is in dire need of more dynamics: the powerful sections are not powerful enough, the soft sections are not soft enough. I think it would help if the military march drums were silenced during the soft parts (e. g. 1:32-1:52). And they should be supported by big timpani or even by rock-band drums during the powerful parts. Those also need stronger brass and strings. But I really like your arrangement variations on the original SID. What I do miss are those short little trills (e. g. at 1:09) that provide some nice ear-candy in the original. Hair-splitting apart, it's definitely a keeper. I'm already looking forward to your next orchestral epic! |
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Wizball (Music for Starchildren New Age Mix) - arranged by Slow PoisonReview by nettuno, 04/02/2012 Technically is a good music, but… there's more beyond the muiscal theory. This music is good for starting a really good sleep. No more. Always the same background, always the same melody, no variations, no virtuosisms, it seems made with thecopy & paste. Artistically, maybe can be valid, but my stomach says No, no, no!so I must say (burp) no. Nostalgia… oh yes, I had great nostalgy of the STOPbutton, but I have listened the music until the end. |
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Commando Hi-Scores Live Piano Concert V.2 - arranged by Noviello PippoReview by nettuno, 04/02/2012 Hi Pippo, technically the proposed melody is easy, and (maybe) your touch do not haveverveor not enough of it. But is good enough, you play the piano well, without lose any note. Your interpretation is clean, cristalline, played with the soul. |
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The DJ Rocks the planet(GODS) - arranged by PowerTraceReview by Trydowave, 26/01/2012 Excellent. Love this. I wish some of the reviewers woould stop moaning. This is fresh. Much better than all that bland techno dance crap floating about in remix land. Well done. |
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Storm (Its more fun to remix) - arranged by ifadeoReview by Fishs, 25/01/2012 Definitely needs more edge. Bass does the original justice, but the beat just doesn't match its beef and the lead could use much less synth. The intro is awkward and its a bit to dainty and airy fair at times. |
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Human Race - arranged by SpacedrinkReview by Mouse Face, 15/01/2012 Not a bad effort to try something different to wake up this quite dull (by hubbards standards) tune. |
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Alibi (steady-state remix) - arranged by Patrick [Major Minor] CeuppensReview by Ryrynz, 06/01/2012 Just sounds a bit too shallow and repetitive for my liking, the clapping gets a bit annoying, the background beat sounds a bit overbearing and the lead is whiny and without any passion. I actually think this is one of the weaker sounding remixes of this tune. I actually prefer listening to the original SID. I like Darkman's remix a lot more. |
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Supremacy - arranged by moog (Sebastian Bachliñski)Review by LaLa, 31/12/2011 I'm sure I am being very tough on you with my vote, Sebastian, but unfortunately for you, Supremacy is one of those tunes about which I have a very precise ''remix'' in my head whenever I listen to the original SID. Yours comes tantalizingly close to that in some aspects, but other times it veers away too much.Let's start with the intro which is a single-instrument solo in the original. You have used a clarinet (?) for that, which I am not too crazy about, but you also added very nice piano riffs to it, which I found a pleasant surprise and it works wonderfully. Then when the melody repeats, you added an orchestral arrangement - me likey! Then the transition has a rather weak drum in it. Needs more power, more oomph! More orchestral instrumentation follows - me likey! Then it turns into a sort of modern game soundtrack (orchestral with heavy drums), although yet again the arrangement could've used more power, more charisma. First bridge - quiet. I like it, although I think it should be more subtle, more quiet. Then a nice crescendo that doesn't have quite enough build-up. Weak or non-existent drums again in the transition. I find the second bridge a bit weak, and the rest sounds curiously unfulfilling to me. So, I guess two of my biggest complaints here would be that a) your remix does not have enough dynamic range between the subtle and powerful parts, and b) your instrumentation is lacking some oomph. There is one really, really amazing thing about your remix, though: I can play it in parallel with the original SID and two are in lock-step throughout the ENTIRE piece! Cheers for that! =) Sorry for tearing apart your remix in a play-by-play, but I am very passionate about this tune. I can hardly listen to it without conducting my virtual orchestra inside my head. =) |
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Monty on the Run (Monty Gets Orchestrated 2011) - arranged by Peter ClarkeReview by Musoman, 10/12/2011 I've heard many renditions of this particular C64 anthem and in my opinion, Chris Abbot has held theMontyremix crown for a long time. This little beauty, however, resets the bar. The original is here in full, nothing left out, nothing missed, nothing misinterpreted. The orchestral instruments weave together brilliantly even if the samples are not as authentic as some I've heard. In the first half of this remix, we get a little closer to The Devil's Gallopwhich Rob Hubbard admits to being influenced by in his original. I love the way the brass crescendos parp parpin from the background and the melodramatic feel the strings give in the early bars. In the second half, we go back to an 80's underground club with the driving bass and Fender Rhodes licks, but no Hammondthat I can hear. The whole feel of the break has a bit of a Supertrampthing about it and now the end guitar riffs remind me even more of Dire Straits, (from RH's home town). Brilliantly arranged and executed and would have been three reds but for the flat mix. Perhaps the arranger will warm it up and resubmit it. Overall, an excellent remix |
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Out Run (mileage may vary) - arranged by CanvasReview by japster, 09/12/2011 Catchy, funky and still faithful to the original, with some subtle and great changes!Haven't stopped playing this since downloading it - I actually (gasp!) prefer it to the arcade and C64 originals, and loving the mix of arcade and C64 sounds… Well done mate! |
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Tusker (Into the Heart of Darkness ft. Anna Black) - arranged by K8-bitReview by NecroPolo, 26/11/2011 Generally, folks take a SID and do something with it and that is a SID remix as a funny definition says. In the case of KateZ, it changes astake a SID and do something DIFFERENT with it. Adding elements of movie score-style complexity and a heavy dose of sound design, listening to her tracks give you a different experience. If you're open for that or not - you decide. Being an explorer has nothing to do with popularity. It is about breaking the barrier. It's something that has been always here in the C64 scene. This track oozes that message so this attitude is true to the spirit that keeps everyone coming back. Back to the remix itself, it reminds me a little of old (not necessarily fairy) tales released on phono, telling a story pretty well without using the eyes, stimulatiing the imagination. I miss those times. Thanks for the time travel! I really appreciate the way this 'tale' is presented. |
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The Alibi Cover - arranged by Darkman007Review by Ryrynz, 21/10/2011 Masterful how apt that word is to this arrangement. My brother does guitar recordings and from the other room he said how good the guitar work was. It's engaging, it's clear and crisp and wonderfully arranged.You can tell love has been put into this track. This is as good as they get. Amazing. |
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Last Ninja II-Central Park (Space Infaders Remix) - arranged by Space InfadersReview by LaLa, 20/10/2011 The positives:- Doesn't mess much with the original arrangement while at the same time it adds its own unique touches. Nicely done! - The powerful guitars really drive this tune. Great, great stuff. The negatives: - The relatively thin synthesizer (SID?) lead sounds. They make the remix sound thinner than it should be. Make them fatter (like the deep pad in the intro), and/or switch them to rhythm guitars. - Too many wrong notes in the bridge section between 3:22-4:08, they just really bother my ears. - It may be just my headphones, but the mix sounds a bit overcompressed to me. Overall, the stylistic choice may not be anything new or creative as far as long-time RKO listeners like me are concerned, but it's executed pretty well. |
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The Alibi Cover - arranged by Darkman007Review by LaLa, 18/10/2011 After having listened to this tune, uh, about a million times the past few days, I came to appreciate it even more. It gets every nuance right: the key changes, the minor blends, the quick trills, you name it. Every single instrument and every single note is absolutely essential in this remix to make this piece work as well as it does. Absolutely masterfully arranged and mixed, I'm still in awe! |
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Thundercats (Nervous Gattuso Edit) - arranged by N-JOYReview by Arcade4ever, 16/10/2011 Absolutely the best version and remix of Thundercats so far (Reviewed 2011)Played it some years ago in a club, very danceable and many persons asked me about this tune |
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Green Beret (live at The Church) - arranged by Reyn OuwehandReview by Arcade4ever, 16/10/2011 One of the best C64 Remixes I've ever noticed.The instruments are great, the song could be a ballade from Metallica, the technical quality is awesome and the tune is unforgettable. The sound gives a feeling about the tension before the battle of green beret, more as the original tune could ever do. One of my everlasting favourite C64 remix |
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Ocean Loader 3 (21st Century SID Remix) - arranged by Peter ClarkeReview by CookieMonster64, 06/10/2011 Like those before me, (LaLa and Iconoclast), I didn't get this the first or second time through. There's a lot going on in this remix and you don't hear it all at once. Now, I can't stop listening to see if there's more in there I still haven't heard. I wasn't old enough to have heard the original playing on a C64 and discovered it about 5 years ago. Love the original and Love this! |
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Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix) - arranged by Peter ClarkeReview by CookieMonster64, 06/10/2011 Listening to this version after Peters other Ocean Loader remix really brings out the contrast between the two. This remix oozes emotion and feeling in the arrangement. I love the different tempos and the highs and lows. LaLa said itA Masterful Arrangementand 3 straight reds from me. |
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Ocean Loader 3 (21st Century SID Remix) - arranged by Peter ClarkeReview by LaLa, 02/10/2011 It's always a pleasure to hear remixes done by the authors of the original SIDs, and this one is no exception.I'll be honest, I was a little apprehensive when listening to this remix the first time, but once I've read Peter's comments on this remix it suddenly made sense to me: the monophonic instruments, the arpeggios, the analogue warmth - all of it. Oh, and I absolutely love the drums on this one! Well done, sir, and thank you for this gem! |
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Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix) - arranged by Peter ClarkeReview by LaLa, 02/10/2011 This has always been my most favorite Ocean loader and hearing it in an orchestral interpretation by the original author himself is really special.The arrangement is masterful, the slowed down tempo really fits the grand orchestra sounds. Just wonderful, wonderful stuff. Thank you! |
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Last Ninja 2 The Office Loader - arranged by TNTReview by K8-bit, 26/09/2011 I like this a lot, mainly because I loved the original tune (and all the nostalgia associated with it!) but also because this arrangement reminds me ofNetrunnerby Tim Wright (Cold Storage) which was one of the notable original music pieces in Wipeout 2097Thank you |
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Newcomer (Symphonic Rework) - arranged by VincenzoReview by NecroPolo, 13/09/2011 If you never played the game, the original SID may not ring the bell that much but having the old memories and countless hours spent inThe Islandback in the time, this remix stimulates the right nerve. Well executed orchestral work reflects the feel of the game. Vincenzo's XXI. Century skills and ears enhanced and refined the old intro tune into an awesome movie-style monumental entrée. The game itself is one of the longest C64 RPGs ever created, in two levels: one for the gameplay and one for the development curve that is around 20 years (!) in the making http://www. newcomer. hu/ This remix is a wonderful tribute. Standing ovation from me! |
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