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.
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!!
banador: Just so good and interesting picture of the Nemesis that this music creates.
t0ester: Brilliant!!
Zilog: This is AWESOME!
eliot: The original can not be beaten by any remake :-)
Trydowave: Best version of zoids. Obvious Jarre influence. Great stuff
Melaure: Excellent, I have found Jarre's fealings in this tune :D
Nebdar: How such a small tune can be so much beautiful
Year 2001
machinae supremacy - Great Giana Sisters
Breadbox Bill: Excellent!!
AmiStyler79: Very good tune!
humorguy: The Commodore 64 and Rock'n'Roll. They have just had babies together!!!!! THIS ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!
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!
NecroPolo: A masterwork on a masterpiece. Period.
infamous: The transition in the middle is BRILLIANT, tonka really know's how to get into your head and make you listen up, top notch tune. Wish he'd do a few more such a great talent.
DHS - Max Headroom (Orbital 3241 Elevator Mix)
legus: Gooood!!!
chairmankaga: One of my favourite SID remixes.
humorguy: Great value for money DHS just keeps on doin' it!
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
fraspras: A bit old sounded but great
Gregory Atlas: Inspiration pure...!
Zoldex: Astounding!
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
sophisticated: OMG, what a fab song! Gänsehaut pur!;)
layson: Simply outstanding, definitely a top 5 track. Great piano and vocals.
humorguy: Had a tear... And I a MAN Goddammit!!!!
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
Nebdar: When you listen you think thats some movie trailer music. Outstanding :)
Grigul: My personal all-time favourite. One of the oldest tracks I heared at SlayRadio, and still love and enjoy it. Glyn R. Brown is a Master of c-64-remixes.
madrigal: Wonderful, with such "barbarian epic style". Glyn, this is your masterpiece!:)
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
donkeyspank: So good! The speech just adds to the atmosphere!
drax: Goose Bump alarm... One of the best remixes ever imo!
bordeaux: Still one of my favorite remixes ever after 3 years!
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
TNT: Since 8 years it's a pleasure listening to this and it's still one of my favorites.
Supergrobi123: Ooooooutstanding, man!!!
Ryrynz: Beautifully done.
myicq: This one on repeat, in a flight across the atlantic against the sunset. Simply awesome!
bratac: Simply wonderful!
Chainsaw: Very great
Year 2004
Craze: Hard to beat this one..
snorski: Absolutely epic
gamleerik: Totally awesome. We should have more like this, then the world would be a better place.;)
DHS - The Human Race (Bando alle Seghe)
Ishma: Excellent!!!
Ziphoid: Still, after all these years - this is simply beautiful!
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.
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
NecroPolo: AYYYEEE!!!! :D Yikes! Me likes!
DHS: Another standing ovation here. Makke can do everything (well, musically speaking anyway) :)
merl: One guinness please......:)
Marcel Donné - Something Stranger Remake
merl: ^^ Just amazing how one mans sound can rule my feelings for 5 minutes....... Jean-Michel Donné ROCKS!!!!!
devilhood: Fantastic texturing going on, the intro gives me goose bumps. I'm not a huge fan of the electronic sounding drum-kit though, but that's just me being picky ;=)
NecroPolo: Some synth epic stuff never hurts. Great work.
Waz: This is a bit good to say the least. Lovely use of guitar for the lead parts, which convey just the right amount of emotion. And plenty of gentle and neat touches to make it a beautiful emotional piece. Download it. Now.
kjetiln: Speachless
Melaure: Wonderful
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
duke: Great!:)
psybass: <3
XxDUSTYxX: This one is brilliant! The guitar-sound, the ambience and the mixing is just perfect! Thumbs up!
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
klosterkatten: Perfect piano play, it feels like im never gonna get tired of this one.
snorski: Excellent
milan72: BOMBASTIC!!!:)
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
duffbeer: Absolutely great. I even recognized a short excerpt from F-Zero - Mutant City 1, one of the first Super-Nintendo games.
bahamut_ger: What a great Mix!!!
kurganme: Yeah!
YEAR 2007
Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret (live at The Church)
prq: Absolutely outstanding, all instruments are excellent.
omoroca: Out-stan-ding! Added to my collection.
vurtx: As a remix its a masterpiece anyway, but for it to be live is just a true genius at work
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
LaLa: Great arrangement, great sounds, great mastering, great, great, great.
sidbrowser: Great to listen while driving in my car! Top Remix!
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.
gol: Amazing sound
Dumper: A great tune all round, Dafunk just keeps the quality coming, excellent.
Nada: This is professional stuff. Depeche Mode sound like Michael Bolton next to this!!! Dafunk, you rule!
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
boyowilkins: Another fantastic remix - where on earth do you get the time :-)
bosone: This is a super production! Definitely not my genre, but I can recongnize a good work!:-)
Dumper: Definitely Mordi's best remix to date, one of those catchy tunes that you keep wanting to play again.
Dafunk - Hardcore Power (We Believe In Goa - Remix)
knotti: Oh yeaa partytime!!
Nada: Nice!!!
BeeZerk: Top notch tune, clear production, great transitions, prof arrangement and perfect lenght. The hookline is the thing I like the most, awesome work.
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
prowler: Very professional dreamtrance! A bit sleepy at times, but very enjoyable.
Zilog: Simply PERFECT
xo: Su-bloody-perb.
YEAR 2009
Firestorm - Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit)
Fozzee69: This is the best remix so far! Sounds like so many different film scores including James bond, Leon the professtional and many more! Love it!
red_devil: Yes! This is good stuff! Badly influenced by Hans Zimmer (Gladiator & The Rock) but that is not a bad thing. Perfect arranged!
bosone: Perfect for an hollywood movie!!!!!!!! Absolutely great!!
Jogeir Liljedahl - Synth Sample - The Stationary Ark
Melaure: Masterpiece
Mrcookie: Smooth and beautiful
omoroca: Beautiful! Added to my collection.
Danceaway: Best oceanloader remix I've heard... Very nice
Raffox: Mordi you rock
Dumper: Stunning, and a beautiful use of sounds.
YEAR 2010
Ryrynz: Awesome, though I still prefer Marcel Donne's version. His background tune adds alot of oomph and this ones a bit blippy. This tune instead focuses on the lead and thats what makes this tune get a red.
Mbraze: Awesome remake with awesome guitar solo!
Arne: Awesome one - absolutely great remix!!! Chappeau!
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
condor: Sounds, details... Brilliant! Reminded me to moog's remixes.
Karmar: Beautiful
TNT: This is for sure one of the best remixes I've ever heard! Absolutely magnificent!
SIDrip Alliance - From First to Last (AROK12 tribute mix)
hillsman: Some of the leads aren't great, but this is an otherwise awesome compendium of some top LN tracks. Not a huge electric guitar fan, but it sounds great here!
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!!!
catcher40: Amazing is all I can say. Took me back to the good old days of playing LN, loved every minute.
YEAR 2011
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Jazzcat (007)
Mordi: Been listening to this regularly since it's release on SceneSat Vol 2. Outstanding as ever.
NecroPolo: _steve_: Someone needs to grow taste or ears, maybe both :) I'd really appreciate some explanation coming with bad rating instead of trolling with no name. That's coward in a way, eh?
_steve_: How can this be rated "bad? ! " - were you even listening to the same song as everyone else?
hillsman: An absolute screamer!
Ryrynz: Once again Mordi delivers us beautiful sounds.
YogibearRenoise: Great as almost always!
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
_steve_: Fantasitc. Like the slower pace of this one
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.
Palin: Oh... So immersing.
YEAR 2012
chabee: Great! Well done!
Chordian: Absolutely wonderful remix. The chorus bits invoke true frisson.
Zekses: Simply outstanding as usual. I love your remixes!
Andreas Wallström and NecroPolo - DMC demo IV 2 (Celtic Mission mix)
LMan: Yeah ROCK! The awesomeness! Can you guys make a remix of "Commando", just like this one?
Mordi: Sweet track!
drax: Pure awesomeness!!!! One of the best remixes I have heard ;)
L0rd3vyL: Awesome. Love me some rock, and you do Armand's tune supurbly.
mfe: I'm not a metal fan per se, but I know when it is well done. This is well done.
LMan: Thank you for pointing out the tragic fate of Armand, his outstanding SID, and this outstanding remix.
YEAR 2013
bastard: Wonderful!
Jojje70: Never heard the original SID but the melody and chord progressions are just fantastic! Beautiful and atmospheric, it´s an amazing tune that gives me goosebumps! Great work!
Nebdar: You hit my soft spot witthis remix too great job
LukHash - Supremacy (youtube vid)
L0rd3vyL: My favorite remix of this tune. Good job, 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!
JustPhreak: Solid and powerful remix! Thumbs up, LukHash!
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
ziona: Awesome piece, very pleasant, I am addicted to it, looping all day!
Amiga4eveR: !!!!!
LMan: Wow this is some serious billboard-charts-wothy summer pop!!
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
Mordi: Very nice soundscape! Not familiar with the original tune.
80sFreak: Just awesome!
The SIE: Outstanding it is..
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
timmya4000: Outstanding!!! Great choice of sounds. Love that bass
Hoylander: WOW! This is one of the best remixes I've heard here in a long time! Very expressive and emotional, very well arranged and produced. Totally loved when the Palace Gardens theme was introduced towards the end. Again great job with this one!
Jojje70: The female vocals does a wonderful job in this remix, totally lifts it to a higher level! Great production and arrangement, nicely done.
Markus Schneider - Enlightenment - Druid II
Thiad: This is Great. Cool Remix.
Gocab: Nice take and realy great hollywood sound.
Ahriakin: Great work! Another for the 'cant believe that's a C64 remix' playlist for the family :)
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
_steve_: An incredibly emotive piece
LaLa: Fresh off his win at ROTY 2014, Slaygon drops another beauty on us. Wonderful cinematic emotions - I only wish if it was longer...
Dr-Duke: OMG, this is awesome Slaygon. Well done in memory of Paul. Pls, extend it!
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
Ahriakin: Great version, fantastic mix.
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
NecroPolo: All I can say, it nailed the feel of the original to the bone. Goosebumper.
MRT - Eagles (Easy Flight mix)
JustPhreak: Awesome job!!
LMan: Lovely style.
James T. Kork: Just brilliant.
YEAR 2016
Shark: Superb remix and liked the Cybernoid 1 part towards the end. Great stuff!
mika: Aaaaand that one is going straight to my car playlist
Blackstar: For me this is a just as a perfect remix of a C64 tune should sound like.
Johan Andersson - Out Run - Splash Wave (surf mix)
Sanjo Ride: Loved this, was juming around in my seat
hillsman: Loving these "Surf" remixes! I really like this one and its perfect for Johan's style
vurtx: Just perfect in all areas.
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
ZetaNicco: Your Will Be Doneeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Mordi: Wow! Cool stuff!
MatrixRevolution: Wow!! What a Guitar!!
Double_maggic: Listen - vote - repeat...:)
kwed: One of the best Plastic Pop arrangements ever. If not the best.
Ryrynz: Would like something more like Apollo2k's version but no denying the quality of this.
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
Ryrynz: Sounds a bit too crisp at the start in comparison to the rest.. But I'll let it pass.
XxDUSTYxX: Great work, Jarle!
Shark: Perfect!
YEAR 2019
Peter Clarke - Firelord - Symphonic (a nod to Glyn)
bastard: Absolutely wonderful arrangement!
JustPhreak: Outstanding work!
C64_Gamer: Love the 2002 version and now I love this too
Glyn R Brown - Firelord (from 8Bit Symphony)
Grigul: Is there anyone who can beat Glyn R. Brown? No, only Glyn himself - and he did it. He took one of his greatest Remixes - and improved it to a higher level. The old one is still epic - this one here is (my opinion): The Most Epic Track Ever!!
L0rd3vyL: Awesome
_steve_: This is simply amazing. The only way to top it is being at the live performance in June
aix: I don't comment very often, but when I do... Whoa.
c64glen: Outstanding. Unfamiliar with the original but there Pink's "Who Knew" in there.
mrt: Fantastic work! Thanks
YEAR 2020
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!
XxDUSTYxX: Extremely catchy feel-good music!:)
Mordi: Awesome track, Peter! Your britishness is really shining through in this one, with the ELO references.=)
Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon - Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix)
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.
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.
SIDNIFY - The Last Ninja - The Wilderness
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!
JLD: Superb!
hillsman: One of the best remixes on RKO.... Period.
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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