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The Last Ninja Legends - arranged by Mr.E.Review by K8-bit, 02/08/2011 For the most part I really like this, it tugs at the nostalgia strings in a couple of ways. Obviously its covering some of the most famous C64 soundtracks ever, but also the instrumentation and arrangement has a very Amiga-ish approach.Normally, I have very little time for UNZ type remixes, but this one appealed. Its a bit long in places, also not enough variety in the instrumentation in the long to sustain proper interest. Some progression instrumentwise, or some filtering on the *very* amiga like chords would have given it more depth I felt. However, as an arrangement based on its nostalgic value, its melding of the themes, and the technical accuracy of the very distinct melodies - excellent. 😊 |
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Monty on the Run (Monty Gets Orchestrated 2011) - arranged by Peter ClarkeReview by Poppykuk, 31/07/2011 AM new to site but have always loved this tune - takes me straight back to the 80's! Have listeren to other Monty's this is the best remix out there! |
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Last Ninja 2 - The Mansion (ingame) - arranged by Puffy64Review by DjCzyszy, 24/06/2011 I think this is a very well composed and arranged metal interpretation of one of my favourite C64 tunes, but unfortunately muddy mastering, overcompressed lo-fi drum sounds and horrible sound quality don't satisfy my ears. |
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Jim Power End Level - arranged by PirxReview by Factor5fanatic, 23/06/2011 The instruments are nice and the tune is correct. My only problem with it is, I feel it should have had more variety (through instruments or pitch). Other than that, great job! |
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Shadowfire (first attempt) - arranged by CanvasReview by bitmage, 18/06/2011 An energetic version of Shadowfire - speedy and excellently flowing. Thanks for the very nicely played main melody. Even more plus is the fantastic part like the refrain at 1:22 - 1:50 The downside part is the bass-line in the most important riff, played at 0:40-0:53. The bass - which is of high importance here - is not at all pronounced. Don't take me wrong - it's still very good, but my rating would have beenExcellentif that riff would be better. All in all I feel very at home with this tune. Thanks so much for it. Christian |
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Last Ninja 2 (Central Park Guitar Remix) - arranged by Richard BraithwaiteReview by K8-bit, 17/06/2011 I would sum up a review of this track that I only hear recently from a random play on slayradio thusly:This is how I imagine Matt Gray wanted the original piece to sound. Fantastic. Also an example of where the use of the real C64 sound (by which I mean SID sounds) works to create a truly nostalgic fusion of retro and timeless instrumentation. |
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Flashback - Holocube - arranged by ManoReview by K8-bit, 17/06/2011 One of the standout pieces from the game gets a superb cover here. I've always had a softspot for some of the music in Flashback, this one in particular. The arrangement is clean, and has a bright, embellished piano, as well as some nice layers underpinning it. There have been a few covers of this track, but this is up there with my favourite (name eludes me at present)If this composer was to cover more of the themes from the game, I would be quite happy😊 |
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Tusker (Into the Heart of Darkness ft. Anna Black) - arranged by K8-bitReview by ethan_thorn, 30/05/2011 I don't know what to say other then very bloody awesome i love this track if this is not in your list of best C64 remixes then it should. |
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Tusker (Into the Heart of Darkness ft. Anna Black) - arranged by K8-bitReview by putzi, 30/05/2011 Technical: mixage is brilliant, EQ is especially rockish, overall soundscape is tight but not drowned at all: perfect.Artistry: this is one of the few remixes where you get both the original bits and more stuff added by the remixer. I recognise Matt Gray's bassy synth sound and at the same time it is Kate's rock-sound like in the earlier City Bomber-remix. A rare blend of artistry and nostalgia. Anna's narration supports the adventure-idea of the whole track which lets you forget that it is 8 minutes long! Nostalgia: yes, it is a remix of an original SID by Matt Gray. And more! Some SID-bits at 2:19 which then fade into the rock-sound: very cool, I love this part. |
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Double Density Commercial (In-Da-80s-Mix) - arranged by AmokReview by putzi, 30/05/2011 technical: some too strongly seperated channels or compressor too strong (when the base-drum kicks in from 0:58 to 1:14). Bass far too loud (I recommend Lagerfeldt's R-Type-remix as technical reference on a perfect mix), while synth-line drowned by the bass. The synths are very sweet sounding and well chosen.Artistry: true to the original. Nostalgia: close to what I imagine when listening to the original SID-tune, so perfect nostalgia here. |
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Speedball - arranged by Tyranoid vs Michael StrongstreamReview by Ratty, 18/05/2011 I think this track is getting alot of bad press here for whatever reason.I play this track sometimes in clubs in England and people love it - simple as that. It's also part of my workout set. Yeah it's somewhat cliche'd but they do it well and obey the rules of the genre. And while the granular ratings of it's Technical Merit, Artistry and Nostalgia don't add up to top marks, on the whole this tune ROCKS and I love it! |
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Thanatos (dragon's dream mix) - arranged by Martin DoddReview by NecroPolo, 13/05/2011 As Hubbard often admitted, he loved to enter Jarre-land quite often to get inspiration from the synth wizard and adopting the pioneering spirit he created wonderful SIDs. Because of that, Hubbard's tunes in Jarre-isque soundscapes feel to be extremely natural and smooth. Add musical finesse, attention of details andone step beyond the originalway of thinking that expands the great base further and spice with classic warm Oxygene synth sounds = you get one of the nicest remixes this year. For a subjective note, this is my most fav Thanatos remix to date. |
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Firelord - Symphonic - arranged by Glyn R BrownReview by Ryrynz, 06/05/2011 While the samples are outdated now the overall flow of this is perfect. Personally I feel that this tune should be regarded as a masterpiece, it really does need a proper orchestral version done live to do it justice! |
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Trash Course Remix - arranged by CZ TunesReview by Mr P., 17/04/2011 -By and large, it's quite a solid remix, but lacking some creative touchesto really stick out. Oh yeah, I love the tune. But my liking stems basically from the original SID and not this remake. While being good enough to bring back some nostalgic feelings, it does little to enhance the original. The instruments could have been chosen better, especially the leads which sound fairly dull and feeble to me (I would even prefer those of the original). The drums are decent, however, and the beat pattern is slightly more varied, which is a good thing. The intro part is a great additon, too, and the outro rounds it all off nicely. You can also notice some added effects that give the tune a bit more depth. These are all on the positive side. The structure of the remix follows a traditional pattern without any surprise, but that's okay with me. Mixing is up to CZ standards, too. Quite strangely, the connective parts (bridges) somehow just sound better and more pronounced in the original. An even bigger problem is that the remix totally lacks any kind of climax! From 2:40, for example, you would expect things to rev up a little, but all you get is the repeat of the 1:20-1:50 passage… It's also disappointing to realize that the higher-pitched variation of the melody line (from 3:05 to 3:20 in the original SID) is totally left out, for who know why. Another possible solution to this flatness could have been the inclusion of lines from subtune 5 of the SID (0:47 to 1:30). That would have made a pretty nice and dynamic finish for sure. So, to sum up, it's a good remix but nothing special or brilliant. There is so much unfulfilled potential in this tune that I would love to see either CZ tunes or anyone else give it another try. For I believe this SID could be turned into a powerful hit by adding new instruments, tempo changes, melodic variations or other such ideas. But without them, unfortunately, it just goes along smoothly for that 3 and a half minutes, and although sounding quite fine, it never really kicks in. I can't help but feel that I've been left a bit unsatisfied, mainly because the remix doesn't show many signs of extra inspiration or vigour compared to the original. And that's exactly what Makke called too by the numbersin his shout. Anyway, I must thank CZ tunes for digging this one out, as it is the only remix of this great SID tune here. Yet, for the above mentioned reasons I can't give it any better than a Goodoverall rating. |
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AIDS Trouble - arranged by rambonesReview by Mr P., 03/04/2011 -Firstly, let me tell you that I regard it as a quality remix. Since I love the original SID, I was happy to find it here on RKO. The tempo is a 1:1 copy, and the instruments are chosen well to give the tune rich and polished sound, both resembling and enhancing the original. It's a pleasure to listen to right from the beginning. There are no mind-blowing new ideas, but it does the work pretty well, so why complain? The nostalgic feeling is right there with you throughout the tune, although some of the effects after 2:20 just don't suit the atmosphere and sound rather dissonant. Oh, and one thing I really miss from the remix is the powerful tempo change in the original SID (from 1:10 to 1:25) which is not re-created well enough here, although a new drumbeat pattern does come into play, adding some variety to the bassline. The ending is a bit hasty; it would have deserved a smoother fade-out or some kind of other finish. But even with these minor issues, it is an awesome piece of music and one of my personal favourites. Were it not for those out-of-place sound effects and the omission of that great 15-second up-tempo part of the original, I would surely have given this remix an 'outstanding' overall rating. It came close, nonetheless, and it's a real gem of the genre for sure. Well done! |
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The Impossible Mission Story - arranged by Talking Air CommandoReview by LaLa, 02/04/2011 This appearing on April Fools' Day on RKO, I was a bit skeptical, but it's actually a nice, grandiose ~15min epic featuring speech samples from Impossible Mission (and more). Just don't expect a level of Hans Zimmer or John Williams from it: neither the samples, nor the arrangement is up-to-par.But nice touch with the Mission: Impossiblereference towards the end. 😉 |
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Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit) - arranged by FirestormReview by ulfepulf, 26/03/2011 This is great! The effort alone is worth the red face. You obviously know what you're doing, e. g. the winds/strings alternation, the placement of the string runs, and stuff such as the breakbeat begins halfway into thechorusaround 2:29. Most people would have run it from 2:24. Things like that's cool as hell! Btw: Eftos is having his period |
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Cauldron (Drumstep will chew your lips off mix) - arranged by InfamousReview by OJ Oscillation, 26/03/2011 another grime style here. hmmm, how does it feel?all in one the style is done well, but the synth lead line is set to double speed. perhaps using it at normal/half speed with dub fx would have done more impact otherwise there isnt much cauldron feeling (i think) left to the original (i remember the slow groove of this cool tune). somehow this rmx doesn't get to the core of the tune. so i consider this rmx as an experimental work. in the end: give it several tries to experience another point of view to this theme. |
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Cauldron II (The Witch Who Stepped in Dub) - arranged by HazelReview by OJ Oscillation, 26/03/2011 this is making megrime😊 i'm not very touched with the grime genre, but this one takes it definitely there. cool wobbling bassline, slow beats and a well defined recognition of cauldron theme in there. but there's one thing that bothers me: the mixdown. too harsh top loops and touched too much distortion in most instruments. (yeah, i know, this pushes up the energy of the tune, makes it more allert attention). but for me, a bit calmer selection of some channel tracks would have been more attractional for me, keeping it more interesting. after all this mix is a really good attempt. thank you for your vision/input of dubstep/grime mr. hazel. |
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The Last Ninja - Level1- guitar cover - arranged by PthomiReview by Grarfloup, 25/03/2011 The guitar play is really good imho (even if I don't play guitar), and very fast.Even if the production is demo-like, it is really a good work. With a good production it would simply be awesome😃 Long live to C64 metal! m/ |
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Sweet - arranged by Rune-Bertil'sReview by LaLa, 23/02/2011 This is brilliant. You've taken my favorite SID tune and managed to turn it inside-out - and strangely enough, it works!The intro sets up a fast pace, but the slow(er) sax lead compliments it nicely. This duality remains throughout the remix, giving the moody melody an uptempo swing backing. I think the instruments could use more polishing, but the ingenuity of this remix is in the arrangement. Well done, thanks for letting me hear this tune in a completely different context! |
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The Human Race (From Past to Present mix) - arranged by GibsReview by Pepino, 16/02/2011 OK Gibs, I understand your preference for this tune, but…You have a gift, this is obvious, and I can't understand that more than a half of the cover of this tune, sounds like another common tune, it is just OK. The whole thing changes when you introduce your guitar. Then you transform the tune into a crack one. I don't know to explain that, but your guitar gives an extra and definitive touch to almost every tune you perform. The real pity is that in this song, the guitar enters tooooo late. It is so good as always, but it is not miraculous, and it is not enough to make me forgot the first part. Other question is : Why have you post twice the same song with two names in Amiga and C64? . It could confuse somebody. By the way, I do not lose the hope to hear a target renegade cover from you. Hugs!!! |
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Asia Dreams - arranged by CZ TunesReview by LaLa, 14/02/2011 Take the aspirations of Reyn's ''Asian Legends'' and use a somewhat different mix of tunes based on a SID mix - you get the idea!Nicely done, but more refinement of the sonic soundscape would've elevated it further. For example, choose one: Koto's italo disco or traditional Asian instruments. The two somehow don't mix. Also, the transitions between some of the tunes are too abrupt (contrast with the smooth-flowing Reyn classic). But you know what, yes, it has its shortcomings, but the more I listen to it, the more I like it! |
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Mega Apocalypse - arranged by N-JOYReview by Marraldinho, 10/02/2011 Nice vocals over house style music. Seems to be lacking something though, the oomph that made the c64 original so good. It lacks a good bass line, and emphasis in certain parts of the song. Having said that, it sticks close enough to the original to remind of why I loved this tune so much. |
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Knucklebusters - arranged by Marcel DonnéReview by Maki, 09/02/2011 The raw feeling of this song leaves one wanting that final punch to the groin that it seems to lead up to. The heavily distorted guitar riffs seem to infiltrate your ears with military precision to rip your eardrums to shreds. Yet, when you think nothing worse can come, the noise at the end drives your mind over the edge and delivers that final blow that sends all thought fleeing to the farthest regions of your mind. And that's just as it should be!A wonderful tune that keeps you longing for more, like a good sparring match which drives you to the edges of your ability and leaves your body burning from exertion and waiting for the next time you can push your limits. It's amazing how quickly chores are done when done to this tune, and it seems like a wonderful tune to work out to, whether in the gym or with a partner. The build-up is masterfully done and the different instruments all complement each other. It's like a predator stalking its prey and luring it into an ambush. It won't hit fully until you're already in its grasp and can't escape. While some might lament the noise at the end, or the long duration of the tune, the simple fact that the noise itself sounds like it was directed, and each note chosen with precision to get the desired result, makes this tune one of the highest up there in terms of artistry and technical merit. For me, however, having never played Knucklebusters, my nostalgia rating is but one less. This is mainly due to the sound feeling a bit newer than the waveforms I recall from the Commodore 64, although this might be my own interpretation of the sound. But it still manages to draw one back to thoughts about the masterful componists of the C64 era. In short; I love this tune! |
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Cauldron II (The Witch Who Stepped in Dub) - arranged by HazelReview by NecroPolo, 06/02/2011 Damn!You should have displayed some warning for this one 😊 One of the most powerful SID remixes to date, perfectly executed. When it comes to power and music, I really like to push the pedal to the metal. But man, this one is pushed into the damn tarmac through the chassis, with one slow move… |
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Golden Axe Title - arranged by daXX offlineReview by Pepino, 28/01/2011 Daxx, the world is bad, but I don't think that deserves the punish of not having another remix from you yet.I expect everything from you. Your talen can remix a theme into a Tecno, epic ore whatever one. I do prefer this one. It is amazing to realize that a not very fit original soundtrack can be an absorvent melody worth of Polidouris. |
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Green Beret (live at The Church) - arranged by Reyn OuwehandReview by Pepino, 28/01/2011 Ok, incredible. This shows that music is not hundred of instrument, neither sophisticated effects. Hearing this song prompts lots of unusual feelings, loneliness, relaxing, mistery…It is quite difficult to review it, because there is not a lot of examples to compare. It is unique. Don't ask me exactly why, but it is to start to hear it, and anybody realizes that it is out of the common. The best, and only a miracle could make it better. |
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Test Drive 2 - Relax & Clip Your Belt - arranged by gibsReview by Pepino, 28/01/2011 Definitely, the best version of this theme I have never heard. It is better than last Kris version, and, of course, all those tens of good-intentioned versions.The feelings of putting this music on my car, remembered me those old times of playing this game. I love cars, and if there is a music I can identify with the pleasure of driving, is precisely this one. Thanks Gibs, you got it, and I got it. Don't forget Target renegade. |
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The Last Sun 2010 - Official Remix - arranged by gibsReview by Pepino, 28/01/2011 It is no my favorite from Gibs - Test drive was the summit - but it is a fantastic remix.It is a pity that I didn't hear before the original music, so the nostalgic factor is not strong at all. Anyway Gibs is one of the best remixers of this site, and it is doing his best to become my favorite, and overthrow Reyn (what is extremely difficult). Your guitar is overtalented and makes a cool melody, into a powerful Nº 1 hit. You have a gift. I want to beg one petition. I have been waiting for a loooong time the definitive remix of Target Renegade. There are some nice version over there, but I want just you, to arrange that music as it deserves. It needs your hands on your guitar, do it!! |
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