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
Dumper: Beautiful tune, great choice of instruments.
Capitaine: Crazyyy! It's just the original tune atmosphere. Many thanks for this 😊
omoroca: Jarresque like hell. This one goes straight to the heart. Years ahead of its time! At 3:10 I fall apart from enchantment. Goose bumps all over! Added to my collection.
92%
soppa: Absolutely stunning remix, so simple (as the sid) but yet so eerie and deep feel to it, also love the selection of ambient sounds in this.
mfe: To take something so simple and make it this atmospheric requires skill. Kudos!
Nebdar: This tune has sole and purpose… Similar to the Twin peaks Tv series tune
93%
condor: Agreed with ommoroca - wonderful!
Trydowave: Best version of zoids. Obvious Jarre influence. Great stuff
Melaure: Excellent, I have found Jarre's fealings in this tune 😃
92%
Year 2001
machinae supremacy - Great Giana Sisters
Man from Stars: Very impresive!
Hex Madroom: One of my all-time favorites. A brilliant classic.
AmiStyler79: Very good tune!
96%
Tonka - Last Ninja - Palace Gardens (Loader)
migu: This popped up from my RKO playlist on random. Hadn't rated this and couldn't believe it's from 2001 (it's dec 2015 now). Amazing work!
Nebdar: Awsome remix cool one with proper soul
decibel: Lovely, the fade out at the end is sublime
93%
DHS - Max Headroom (Orbital 3241 Elevator Mix)
legus: Gooood!!!
humorguy: Great value for money DHS just keeps on doin' it!
aero: Simply gorgeous
90%
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
Fhood: Excellent
Tas: Still sets a standard
Gunhed: How good is this!
96%
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
sophisticated: OMG, what a fab song! Gänsehaut pur!😉
mfe: Gorgeous, love listening to this when it's raining.
Tas: Sexy sexy vocals
95%
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
Gregory Atlas: Just awesome!
Ginjirou: Absolutely amazing. Required entry on any mp3 player I own. Simply sublime! Could be from a shaolin monk stage show…?
lonegunman: Really Cool. You do not hear the Synthi… Wonderful!!!
95%
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
vernest: This is an all time favourite of mine, and this version is so close to perfect. Making the most of the already fab original sid.
ulfepulf: Love it!
Makke: Together with Reyn Ouwehands Deflector, this tune defines the perfect Commodore 64 remix.
93%
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
soppa: Marvelous remix, the production is of course excellent but this is just so well thought out it's bound to stay on my playlist for a long long time.
lolicon: Love Vangelis, love this tune! Very well composed. This delivers!
LaLa: As a huge fan of Vangelis how could I vote anything but outstanding on this masterpiece? It sounds like something straight out of 1492 - Conquest of Paradise.
93%
Dan: Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy!
mz1453: Sounds like Kitaro! Relaxing, clear and yet powerful!
jelly: Hauntingly haunting.
91%
Year 2004
inqisit0r: Is that woman speaking hebrew? I swear I hear her saying moschiach
Cadwaladr: I used to play this in the arcades for the music, thank god it didnt sound this good or Id be totally penniless
Craze: Hard to beat this one…
97%
humorguy: It has the sad but driving of the original… That is enough. Yet it has more… More…
YogibearRenoise: Best Sweet RMX!
ifadeo: Nothing wrong with this remix, near perfection… Great work marcel…
97%
DHS - The Human Race (Bando alle Seghe)
jsl: Excelent mix!
Ishma: Excellent!!!
knut_musketier: It's great!! Vow!!!
94%
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
snorski: One word: GREAT!!
Waz: This is exactly how Ben would have done the tune if he'd been allowed to put all manner of Jethro Tull influence into the piece. Original and also quality, keeping the spirit of the original intact.
nicodaemus: Irish = yessir!
95%
Marcel Donné - Something Stranger Remake
Skitz: I can admit to cumming when I heard Feekzoids original remix - and this just had the same effect… A new pair of shorts please!
omoroca: Can't think of Something Stranger than not liking this tune. Great work! Added to my collection.
Dan: I upgraded this after a couple of listens… Just after that 3 min mark is just amazing… Its been a long time coming but Marcel sure knows how to work a tune
92%
Tas: I almost knew this would be outstanding before hearing it… As usual another top quality (mike oldfield-esque) track from Glyn.
boonz: Turn out the lights, stick the headphones on, close your eyes and listen to the music. So relaxing. Superb stuff this is!!
oddball: Awesome! Nice switch in style… I dedect a hint of Go West by the Pet Shop Boys, hehe… Smooth, light and fluffy tune…
92%
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
sebuko: Very good!!!
Ryrynz: Had this on my PC for almost 10 years and haven't voted on it. Emotion from the get go, I feel like it would almost belong on Cowboy Bebop or some other high profile anime closing. Incredible stuff!
Skitz: Thankyou Thankyou - this tune always made me think of the old Ariston advert in the UK - but now it reminds me of this! GREAT GREAT GREAT!
95%
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
bexs_79: Passionate…
widar: Amazing, simply amazing! The best?
vernest: Love it!😉
93%
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
gforg: Great song!
.doC: An epic masterpiece
pixelhaufen: Damn that track is so great!
93%
YEAR 2007
Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret (live at The Church)
mfe: A birlliant mix that does more than justice to the original.
Dumper: Stunning.
8bit-army: Perfekt!
97%
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
klosterkatten: This tune is great! You really improved! Well done, I cant give anything but this cute red smiley.
Waz: Now this is lovely. Not only does it really have that flow and feeling of the original but it develops on it without being too obtrusive. Another winner from DaFunk.
Man from Stars: I like it all impresinve rithmic music for me.
93%
LMan: Very decent trance tune!!!
the_jinx: Great feel to it… Wonderfull stuff!!
moog: This tune I'm listening over and over again with my mp3 player.
93%
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
bunker: The first time I thought it was a silly little thing but I grew to love it and now think it's epic. Love the digital effects on the vocals.
defiance: Gosh. I can't do anything else but to chime in with the rest of the guys. Absolutely outstanding, ROTY-material for me. Stunningly clean production!
chilli_uk: How the hell can you slow down a tune and actually come close to maxing it - Makke is correct the autotuner is a problem, but if I could mark it - it would be 99% - jesus its cool, crisp original, and in its entirity weird but fun - what a package
93%
Dafunk - Hardcore Power (We Believe In Goa - Remix)
migu: Simply great!
chilli_uk: Its great and as always clear, concise and well mixed - would make a great track for a dj to mix to and with - great work
BeeZerk: Top notch tune, clear production, great transitions, prof arrangement and perfect lenght. The hookline is the thing I like the most, awesome work.
93%
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
Amok: Just great…
Zilog: Simply PERFECT
Dr-Duke: Very well done Peter W! (Not my fault but I love trance) 😊
92%
YEAR 2009
Firestorm - Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit)
Engineroom: Ten thousand internets for you, good sir. This is truly, wonderfully, fully epic.
mika: This re-interpretation of commando's SID is very original and quite a rollercoaster ride. I just promoted it to my shortlist of favorite C64 remixes
Melaure: Excellent
96%
Jogeir Liljedahl - Synth Sample - The Stationary Ark
cyphax: Something went REALLY wrong here because I've not heard this before and I'm like WTF! This is GORGEOUS!
Badla: Totally badlsk! Awesome.
LMan: Sweetness. The kind of remix I'd label definitive.
95%
schlicky: Everything Mordi does is outstanding!
Xplorer: Awesome
Twinbee: A classic then and a classic now.
94%
YEAR 2010
Mbraze: Awesome remake with awesome guitar solo!
pie vs pie: Two words… Monster Remix, no scratch that… 4 words… Remix of the year 2010
nummer2: Waited long time for a new sweet remix and this is just perfect.
95%
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
TheZee: A beautiful blend of sounds! You've got real talent mate, keep up the good work!😀
Karmar: Beautiful
Melaure: Excellent!
92%
SIDrip Alliance - From First to Last (AROK12 tribute mix)
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.
Makke: Standing ovations from me. Only one complaint: The drums sound way too flat, static and thin for this heavy track.
Arne: All in all a very good sounding remake of different Last Ninja musics. Thumbs up for this music!
92%
YEAR 2011
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Jazzcat (007)
_steve_: How can this be rated bad?! - were you even listening to the same song as everyone else?
nettuno: Excellent, melody, arrangement and a style unique. WOW!
LMan: The name's Funk. Moog Funk.
93%
Dees Productions: The perfect mix of a perfect song. Like to drizzle honey all over the floor and just roll around!
Melaure: Excellent work again, and as unreal says with a touch fo Amiga! Congratulations!
hillsman: An absolute screamer!
94%
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
Foxfield: I want to see a movie with this one in it's soundtrack.
Musoman: This was MY favourite Ocean Loader, brilliant
MattMaybee: Wow! Really different but really good!
94%
YEAR 2012
Melaure: D'ont understand schallmaeur, it is only the fourth remix, Wanna compare with Giana sisters? Well, great work, pure music.
winc: The sound in this the way it just mixes together, and the harmony just made this the best song of 2015!!
SPechmann: Awesome…
94%
Andreas Wallström and NecroPolo - DMC demo IV 2 (Celtic Mission mix)
Dees Productions: Wow, such a great sound and energy in this song. I really like this!
Firebolt: Excellent work. I also agree the drums should be a bit louder, more crushy.
LaLa: Head-bangingly powerful! Guitar-smashingly heavy duty! Rock on!
94%
infamous: Well fcuk me… Very nice sound, very powerful and has a good industrial feel to it… Very professional sound. Not much else I can say… Fantastic stuff.
Chainsaw: Just awesome great. This rocks!!! Red smile, because there is no higher one!
Ryrynz: Love it.
94%
YEAR 2013
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.
Zilog: Beautiful
C64ever: Nice track.
94%
LukHash - Supremacy (youtube vid)
JustPhreak: Solid and powerful remix! Thumbs up, LukHash!
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!
_steve_: Very powerful chip mix. Another fantastic mix
93%
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
omoroca: Brilliant! Amazing! This year's summer smash hit! Added to my collection.
NecroPolo: Man that's some serious summer hit stuff that is beyond being a cool SID remix. Awesome work!
JLD: Amazing remix!!
93%
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
Worped: Absolutely epic!
mfe: Brilliant mix of this song, well done. Though I would have left out the vocal sample, personally.
The SIE: Outstanding it is…
95%
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
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.
mfe: Nice, rich textures even from simple sounds, lovely layering. Sounds great both at low and high volume.
Jojje70: The female vocals does a wonderful job in this remix, totally lifts it to a higher level! Great production and arrangement, nicely done.
93%
Markus Schneider - Enlightenment - Druid II
drm: Good one it fits the game well.
speedy: He's back with really top notch orchestration and mega pro hollywood sound. I waited soo long for a new release. More please!
Marcus: Just aewsome!
93%
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
Jonazz: Oh… Yeah my film composer do it again! He really are on fire…!
Makke: This is simply brilliant!
LaLa: Fresh off his win at ROTY 2014, Slaygon drops another beauty on us. Wonderful cinematic emotions - I only wish if it was longer…
96%
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
Ahriakin: Great version, fantastic mix.
omoroca: Wonderful! Added to my collection.
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
95%
MRT - Eagles (Easy Flight mix)
LaLa: Very chillax. Clean and refined, unique and personal. Me like!
NecroPolo: This track has antique aesthetics and balance. The style is not really for me. The quality is.
timmya4000: Absolutely fantastic, top notch, faultless
94%
YEAR 2016
Blackstar: For me this is a just as a perfect remix of a C64 tune should sound like.
symbols: Most Excellent Sir! Bodayshus!
Sokratekk: Would fit in any Italo Disco set… Great!
96%
Johan Andersson - Out Run - Splash Wave (surf mix)
hillsman: Loving these Surf remixes! I really like this one and its perfect for Johan's style
vurtx: Just perfect in all areas.
Sanjo Ride: Loved this, was juming around in my seat
94%
JustPhreak: Just great!!
LaLa: When listening to this tune I'd like to stand on a hilltop and yell out: This is what the scene is about!!! Kickass 80s feel coupled with a kickass demo tune.
bgmnt: One of the best!
95%
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
XxDUSTYxX: That's so dope! |m|
Flyingsaucer: Wonderful!!! Very Very Nice!!!
ShakeZpear: Wow - gimme more of this!
97%
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
redhot: Awesome, especially the bass line
Double_maggic: Listen - vote - repeat…😊
94%
Zilog: So sweeeeeeeeet!
XxDUSTYxX: Awesome!
nummer2: Absolutly great. Man I follow your mixes for so long but you improved on some unbelieveable level. Its perfect. Were you get all these cool sounds and ideas from. 😃
96%
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
Mordi: Awesome rendition. Superb guitar work!
Jojje70: Crisp and very well produced with nice improvs!
MatrixRevolution: I love this Melody!!!
96%
kwed: Epic is the only word that can describe this one.
marcel: Is there a superlative for epic? If there is, than this remix is it! Amazing bit of work Sir!
Anthony Walters: Awesome! - Hollywood is calling…
96%
94%
YEAR 2019
Peter Clarke - Firelord - Symphonic (a nod to Glyn)
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.
C64_Gamer: Love the 2002 version and now I love this too
bastard: Absolutely wonderful arrangement!
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
SID-Spieler: Epic Tune
speedy: EDIT: Great stuff after several listenings and better than first one.
98%
omoroca: After 20 seconds I knew I have to vote Outstanding. Because… It is. Great job!
Mordi: Dane meets Liljedahl! Highly enjoyable!
aix: I don't comment very often, but when I do… Whoa.
97%
YEAR 2020
peterparker: Nice and fitting guitar solo!
Unzen: Epic tune as per usual!
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!
96%
Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon - Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix)
Glyn R. Brown: The more I listen to this track, it just gets Better & Better 😊 Great work Guys…
XxDUSTYxX: Excellent collaboration! Thank you very much for this Remix, ziona, Slaygon and Peter Clarke!😊
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.
95%
SIDNIFY - The Last Ninja - The Wilderness
Bistecca104: Wow! Just WOW!
NecroPolo: Spendid work lads!
Ryrynz: Doesn't get much better than this, it's got all the elements of a top notch remix, love the fresh new SID sound, what an evolution! Holy shit @3:00, bro we need more remixes from you here!
95%
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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