Back In Time Live & Remix64 25th Anniversary Compo
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
humorguy: When you played a game a lot… And then 20 years later you hear the remix. You know, better than anyone who did not play the game, but just heard the Sid. This is why I know how great this is!!
Wilfred: I have listenea t least 50 times, but still very enjoying experience. Simply brilliant piece of music!
Capitaine: Crazyyy! It's just the original tune atmosphere. Many thanks for this 😊
92%
mfe: To take something so simple and make it this atmospheric requires skill. Kudos!
t0ester: Brilliant!!
Nebdar: This tune has sole and purpose… Similar to the Twin peaks Tv series tune
93%
Trydowave: Best version of zoids. Obvious Jarre influence. Great stuff
Nebdar: How such a small tune can be so much beautiful
humorguy: Oh sorry fell up from somewhere really nice. Big fat red one!
92%
Year 2001
machinae supremacy - Great Giana Sisters
Sperling: Great!!!
Breadbox Bill: Excellent!!
kokakoda: The best guitar rendition of a SID tune, ever. Period.
96%
Tonka - Last Ninja - Palace Gardens (Loader)
Tpmccusker: OOOF, good start! It's so fun and wild, it reflects the original so well!
Cifu1978: Really nice remix, with good tunes, good vibrations and good memories.
Dr Hambone: Absolutely perfect from start to finish apart from the snare build up at 1.15 which I find a bit over the top. Well done. This is my favourite remix I've heard!!!
93%
DHS - Max Headroom (Orbital 3241 Elevator Mix)
plokolp: Love this. 2 tunes in one.
aero: Simply gorgeous
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.
90%
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
Zoldex: Astounding!
raiden: Fucking Awesome! Glyn Keep this up will ya 😉
cosmic_gerbil: This is way cool… It reminds me of Lord of the Rings somehow
96%
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
bordeaux: Thank you for this outstanding piece of art!
Tasslehoff: Through the Soul
tazuk: Unbelievably good 😀
95%
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
Chappers: Glyn is a genius! You could be forgiven for thinking an entire orchestra was involved with this. Instant classic!
Mitch van Hayden: OMFG! Nobody could do this better.
ricky: Wow!
95%
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
vhold: One of the all time best.
aricz: Haha, YEAH! One of the best remixes I've ever heard. The. Sid too, Jeroen tel rules!😊)
infamous: Outstanding
93%
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
Ryrynz: Beautifully done.
snorski: Epic
Amok: OMG… Powerful, Epic, Awesome… Speechless…
93%
mz1453: Sounds like Kitaro! Relaxing, clear and yet powerful!
Gildan: Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy!
Mordi: Lovely rendition of a nice tune
91%
Year 2004
amigamer: I hear it… But I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!
Codetapper: Brilliant tune!
prq: Superb music and voices
97%
Nosferatu: It was nice to tell you in person how much I like this one.
Tomsk: Aye lad - this is indeed lovely
chilli_uk: Think Ive just come - awesome work
97%
DHS - The Human Race (Bando alle Seghe)
Breadbox Bill: Fantastic remix!
humorguy: In a different class. Like Mr. Brown and just one or two others not in the charts.
liontamer: I agree, a true stunner of a mix. I liked it initially, but the texture really grows on you over time. Very hot work.
94%
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
westerling: Great and original remix, but I wouldn´t mind if the vocals were louder.
humorguy: 9 for excellence 1 for courage 10/10!!!
romeo_knight: This is simply amazing! Makke, it's an honour to be beaten by you!
95%
Marcel Donné - Something Stranger Remake
infamous: This tune makes me want to have marcels babies…
Nebdar: Masterpiece of the true master
Melaure: Very relaxing
92%
prowler: Wonderful as always by Glyn. Mmm, the Recovery has been on my SID-playlist for 20 years now, which does not make things worse. Thanks Glyn!
Melaure: Wonderful
robertmansfield: Very nice arrangement and beautiful choir-sounds, so here goes the read smiler…
92%
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
pie vs pie: Truly outstanding
plokolp: Great use of vibrato. This tune builds and builds and then delivers. I'm sure I've heard this guitar tone and style on a how to plays blues guitar CD / video I bought once…
Waz: Wow, this is a considerable improvement on the first attempt. Some rocking guitars and some excellent arrangements make this an absolute must listen.
95%
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
klosterkatten: Perfect piano play, it feels like im never gonna get tired of this one.
dafunk: Oooh boy, I've been waiting for this for sooo long! 😊 Top notch moogie, my friend! 😃
Caboose: Groovey baby!
93%
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
gp300: An absolute masterpiece! IMO the best one of the three parts.
DMC: Pheeew. What can I say? This one is dope! 8:17 - 10:22 kicks ass!!! Mixing is sometimes a bit messy but nothing I can´t live with. Outstanding vote for outstanding work!!!
fastrobplus: 7:07 to 10:21 is your best work ever.
93%
YEAR 2007
Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret (live at The Church)
Cifu1978: Perfect. Cannot express more plainly.
anaconda: I can't listen to a synth-only remake after this.
soul-diver: Absolutely marvelous!!
97%
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
snorski: Smooth!! Like it a lot!
NecroPolo: Not my style but it's perfectly done.
infamous: Brilliant. Nothing else needs to be said.
93%
93%
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
dafunk: Very interesting take. Thanks!😊
Dr-Duke: Very well done Mordi! *takes hat off* And here comes the red one from me… *click*
komma8.komma1: This song is fun and peppy. I love it.
93%
Dafunk - Hardcore Power (We Believe In Goa - Remix)
Caboose: This is nice!
brix: First I thought it was just very good, but from 4:00 the tune really gets the shit going! Outstanding stuff. Partytime!
infamous: This gets a red face for turning into capella's move on baby half way through, the sudden flashbacks to the early 90's made me smile and do the little fish big fish dance… AWESOME STUFF AS ALWAYS!
93%
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
LaLa: Wonderful!
Amok: Just great…
Makke: All I can say is: Propper job, Peter! Very well done.
92%
YEAR 2009
Firestorm - Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit)
Mordi: Heh. Ridiculously well done remix. _truly_ outstanding. Incredibly movie-like. One of the top-10 on the whole site for sure.
pj: You took me by surprise. Very powerful and original interpretation.
madfiddler: Simply awesome! WELL DONE!
96%
Jogeir Liljedahl - Synth Sample - The Stationary Ark
fastrobplus: This is in my opinion the best remix of 2009.
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?
Dr Future: Jogeir, I REALLY want a child from you!
95%
ScottMcUK: Thank you soooo much for this. Hope you pay homage to some of the other Ocean Loaders also.
condor: Very nice remix… Can listen it all day long.
Tomsk: Still one of my favorites… A class act!
94%
YEAR 2010
JerryPerez: Rest in Peace
ulfepulf: Jeje
pie vs pie: Two words… Monster Remix, no scratch that… 4 words… Remix of the year 2010
95%
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
Mordi: Cool tune. Great sounds and lovely percussion. I love your style!
C64ever: Really good this, nice and mellow to listen too.
condor: Sounds, details… Brilliant! Reminded me to moog's remixes.
92%
SIDrip Alliance - From First to Last (AROK12 tribute mix)
Arne: All in all a very good sounding remake of different Last Ninja musics. Thumbs up for this music!
Danceaway: Love it, top mix and it blends through each track perfectly, looking forward to seeing you guys live at somepoint in the future… Keep it up guys!!!
maindrian: Makes me want to dry hump my speakers. It's THAT filthy. The lead does feel a little flimsy over the top of all that crunchy guitar, but boy, oh boy, does that guitar crunch.
92%
YEAR 2011
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Jazzcat (007)
LMan: The name's Funk. Moog Funk.
chabee: The sax plays amazing! Nice work!
Melaure: What a wonderfull piece of Jazz. Sax, guitar,. … Not far from perfection!
93%
LMan: I love DRAX' melodies, and I love Modi's remix.
Ryrynz: Once again Mordi delivers us beautiful sounds.
Wilfred: My first favourite on remix64, simple, beautiful arrangement
93%
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
Palin: Oh… So immersing.
NecroPolo: I'm not really into orchestral remixes but only lack of hearing would let me say that I don't appreciate the work behind it much. It's a great track with great arrangement but I like the other version better.
Foxfield: I want to see a movie with this one in it's soundtrack.
93%
YEAR 2012
Melaure: D'ont understand schallmaeur, it is only the fourth remix, Wanna compare with Giana sisters? Well, great work, pure music.
drax: That is an excellent remix of one my oldies 😊… Quite like the intro of it 😊… Very well done - I am so flattered that you remix so many of my sids 😊
snorski: Sweet!
94%
Andreas Wallström and NecroPolo - DMC demo IV 2 (Celtic Mission mix)
chabee: Great work guys! Rock!😊
Bigraw: Beast! 😃
tazuk: Awesome 😀
93%
L0rd3vyL: Awesome. Love me some rock, and you do Armand's tune supurbly.
Vaggelis Papadopoulos: Amazing and powerfull Remix NecroPolo!! Kudos brother!!
mfe: I'm not a metal fan per se, but I know when it is well done. This is well done.
93%
YEAR 2013
Mayhem: Not a SID familiar with, but the remix sounds great 😊
horizoner: Really Outstanding!
deleyt: Nice Jarre! Very soothing.
93%
LukHash - Supremacy (youtube vid)
weasel: LukHash is a BLAAAST!!! 😃 Really, really cool stuff he's doing here! KEEP ON GOING, pal! *Thumbs UP!*
NecroPolo: SID remixing at its best IMO as besides melody it is also a respectful tribute for its unique sound, too. I miss a smarter ending maybe - but I don't care. Great stuff!
p2: Love it! Just like all the other work of LukHash!
93%
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
omoroca: Brilliant! Amazing! This year's summer smash hit! Added to my collection.
Cyanuric: A little thin if you ask me but cool stuff nontheless!
Melaure: Top of the charts!
93%
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
NecroPolo: Evil 😊
The SIE: Outstanding it is…
Nightmare23: Great one, the speech at the end was a bit sloppy and could have been better.
94%
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
DJNutzZ: YES!!!
slaygon: Absolutely gorgeaus! (although slightly over-compressed)
Snake1: Excellent!
93%
Markus Schneider - Enlightenment - Druid II
speedy: He's back with really top notch orchestration and mega pro hollywood sound. I waited soo long for a new release. More please!
betelzeus: Holy Shnikeys That's awesome… Angels and Demons meets Pirates… Some of the 'machine gun' strings bother me just a little. Other than that though… Nice… Very nice, definitely a red from me 😊
Marcus: Just aewsome!
93%
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
ChrisBond: Perfect!
GlenBenton: Brilliant!
L0rd3vyL: What an amazing mix. Early favorite for Best C64 remix for 2015. Can't wait to see what this year has in store.
96%
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
LaLa: Lovely arrangement, Western-style oriental ambience done right.
LMan: Beautiful.
Ahriakin: Great version, fantastic mix.
95%
MRT - Eagles (Easy Flight mix)
blubberdiblub: Wow, just wow! The reverberation creates a dreamy atmosphere, the bass line so powerful and the strings simply lovely.
mfe: Takes a few too many liberties with the melody for my liking, but it's well mixed.
LMan: Lovely style.
93%
YEAR 2016
symbols: Most Excellent Sir! Bodayshus!
spavatch: Excellent remix, wonderful in every way!
Shark: Superb remix and liked the Cybernoid 1 part towards the end. Great stuff!
96%
Johan Andersson - Out Run - Splash Wave (surf mix)
Supergrobi123: Beautiful, nicely-balanced Remix
ChrisBond: What can I say, perfect Beatles like 😊
vurtx: Just perfect in all areas.
94%
Ispace: 10 years on, I still love this music… And you?
Dr.Piotr: Leds dance!!! Greats!
bgmnt: One of the best!
95%
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
Flyingsaucer: Wonderful!!! Very Very Nice!!!
teo: What a great first remix! Igy tovább!
L0rd3vyL: Fantastic remix, dude
97%
Ryrynz: Would like something more like Apollo2k's version but no denying the quality of this.
NecroPolo: Not my kind of stuff at all (there is no blood) but it is quality at its best. Great work!
Double_maggic: Listen - vote - repeat…😊
94%
96%
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
DSMarine: This tune always hits me in my weak spot, and this version is superb!!
Clyder64: Wow… Very pleasant and relaxing tune. Great work
LMan: Super sweet rock ballad. All thumbs up!
96%
kwed: Epic is the only word that can describe this one.
LMan: Superb
speedy: Uhh, what to say. Great track!
95%
FastLoaders - Ghouls and Ghosts
LaLa: Straight off their Progressive 64 album. Superb there, superb here.
L0rd3vyL: Lovely.
LMan: Perfect.
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.
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.
bastard: Absolutely wonderful arrangement!
96%
Glyn R Brown - Firelord (from 8Bit Symphony)
Gildan: Glyn… Nuff said
Seedgroup: Pure Gold!
Ryrynz: Love this but prefer the 2002 version's overall expression, just needs a remix up to this level of quality and boom… Masterpiece.
97%
Mordi: Dane meets Liljedahl! Highly enjoyable!
omoroca: After 20 seconds I knew I have to vote Outstanding. Because… It is. Great job!
mrt: Fantastic work! Thanks
97%
YEAR 2020
hillsman: A worthy best remix winner IMHO - very special indeed.
Tomsk: Startlingly good remix. Strings, bass, lead, guitar all blended together with care and love. I can even forgive the 'shoehorned' vocoder, because it makes me smile. Wonderful all round!
Paulie68000: One of my all time favourite arcade pieces; I love the seamless blend of genres from the opening strings to the guitar break near the end. Pure class.
96%
Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon - Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix)
Poppykuk: Another musical journey with peter clarke. I hear the other players and it all works beautifully together. I love the way the soundscape changes.
Marcus: I can't remember the game but wow what a score!. If this great track is 3rd place what is 2nd and 1st in the remix competition.
Ryrynz: The synths don't really have the punch I want, they really need to be front and center, orchestra sounds good. Overall a nice atmosphere. Dat Slaygon tho… @3:30 my jam.
94%
SIDNIFY - The Last Ninja - The Wilderness
Mano: Solid, Well done.
MatrixRevolution: Amazing!
NecroPolo: Spendid work lads!
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.
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