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
Bjorn H.: One of the first C64 remixes I ever heard. Went with me on numerous travels. Two or three thumbs up.
RoJ: Outstanding is just the right word for this remix!!
jlrcuesta: One of the best remixes. Excellent sounds and structure.
92%
mfe: To take something so simple and make it this atmospheric requires skill. Kudos!
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.
Dumper: Absolutely brilliant.
93%
humorguy: Oh sorry fell up from somewhere really nice. Big fat red one!
Trydowave: Best version of zoids. Obvious Jarre influence. Great stuff
Nebdar: How such a small tune can be so much beautiful
92%
Year 2001
machinae supremacy - Great Giana Sisters
condor: This IS best Giana Sisters remix.
Sperling: Great!!!
Imphenzia: 100% for me, superb production quality, composition and arrangement. Retrointro and passage to modern remix is outstanding too.
96%
Tonka - Last Ninja - Palace Gardens (Loader)
Heshan: I LOVE this version and play it loud in my tesla
Jogeir Liljedahl: What can I say! Probably the best tune on the site!! STUNNING!!!
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.
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.
madrigal: Wonderful remix, DHS is a guarantee for quality!😉
90%
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
amfr: This is great!
Chappers: Flawless and simply brilliant! Glyn should be making big bucks producing quality like this for the big budget movies.
Ryrynz: Outstanding, such an epic improvement over the SID. One of the best remixes on RKO without a doubt.
96%
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
Melaure: Very nice voice
Caboose: Props to Karin Öjehagen for this one!
Tas: Sexy sexy vocals
95%
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
Chili-Man: A Masterpiece!!!
Chappers: Glyn is a genius! You could be forgiven for thinking an entire orchestra was involved with this. Instant classic!
madrigal: Wonderful, with such barbarian epic style. Glyn, this is your masterpiece!😊
95%
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
condor: You know, othere remixes were great but this remix is historical.
Zilog: No trouble here whatsoever, great track!
gforg: Auuusommee!
93%
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
lolicon: Love Vangelis, love this tune! Very well composed. This delivers!
snorski: Epic
Mordi: Awesome! I had no idea this tune was on this site. Wtf!
93%
jelly: Hauntingly haunting.
Chainsaw: Very great
myicq: This one on repeat, in a flight across the atlantic against the sunset. Simply awesome!
91%
Year 2004
Chappers: Yet another masterpiece from Glyn. He is the new Jerry Goldsmith!
raiden: A real Golden Composer Glyn Is the best A GOD!
Sodden: Fantastic tune!
97%
Makke: Marcel hits the jackpot once again! Absolutely flawless!
Zieman: You can fall into a SWEET, endless near-sleep while listening to this 😊
bastard: Sweet indeed! The more I listen to this, the more I love it… It's gotta be one of the best pieces on R:K:O…
97%
DHS - The Human Race (Bando alle Seghe)
Dumper: I gave this an orange before, but hearing it quite a bit lately I now feel it deserves a nice big red one.
vhold: Wow. The unorthodox elements work so well and really give this a totally unique character.
hispeed: An enigmaish layed back voyage into sound… One of my faves of your tunes really 😊
94%
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
aero: Simply world class
ulfepulf: Nice one 😊
madfiddler: Brilliant stuff again. Could have recorded some nice violin for this though!😉
95%
Marcel Donné - Something Stranger Remake
JemyM: Good lord. In an effort to find the most annoying song ever, this Microprose Soccer subtune won… I used to torture my sister with it when I lived back home, and you made a cover of it. And it sounds good!8)
ifadeo: F**k'n brilliant! OUTSTANDING!
Nebdar: Masterpiece of the true master
92%
o2: This is so damn nice.
mythrilnazgul: This is amazing. I love it.
humorguy: Now I understanded nothing ventured,. Nothing gained. Glyn ventured and boy! Did I gain!!! A little risky for the site and I love it!!!
92%
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
stigmata: If just all SID's could be remixed like this one. Thanks!
hillsman: The original was one of the best… So emotional and ahead of its time. This builds upon that superbly!
Engineroom: Epic. Just epic.
95%
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
klosterkatten: Perfect piano play, it feels like im never gonna get tired of this one.
bexs_79: Passionate…
koroner: Masterpiece!
93%
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
weasel: Hahaha!! Remixae SUPREMACY!!! Great version again, guys!! Yeah…
radsbr: Very good song!
pixelhaufen: Damn that track is so great!
93%
YEAR 2007
Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret (live at The Church)
humorguy: Amazing.
Dumper: Stunning.
boessu: Just outstanding work.
97%
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
Skitz: Dafunk needs a god damn recording contract! Everything he is producing lately is seriously good and commercially viable!
_steve_: Fantastic sounds. Absolutely brilliant track
Peter W: Here's that dreamy sound again with a taste of a melodic trance breeze, great stuff!
93%
KF: Top Stuff…!
moog: This tune I'm listening over and over again with my mp3 player.
klosterkatten: Funky.
93%
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
Ryrynz: You gotta like this kinda slow sweet beat type music to appreciate this remix… Something more upbeat would have been cool. Production is top notch and that's why im giving it red.
selvatico: Simply outstanding
moog: Try to remove vocals and You have orange one 😉, anyways I love this arrangement.
93%
Dafunk - Hardcore Power (We Believe In Goa - Remix)
BeeZerk: Top notch tune, clear production, great transitions, prof arrangement and perfect lenght. The hookline is the thing I like the most, awesome work.
Agemixer: Nicely advancing one, good development since the original which is awesome aswell! I just love all the melodic silent moments in the middle and especially all those dafunk style, strong low modulation sounds… Kickass!
migu: Simply great!
93%
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
L0rd3vyL: My second favorite Peter W tune.
Nebdar: It is so nice to listen to it. The time pass so quickly
Varan: Builds up the mood very nicely the first minutes and then releases a nice melody. Very dreamy indeed. The ending feels a bit flat though.
92%
YEAR 2009
Firestorm - Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit)
inqisit0r: Stuff it. Ill give it an outstanding. What makes it good seriously outweighs its imperfections. (eg, the transition to guitar at 3:16 is great. But thats the end of the track. The rest after 4:29 is just following the rules with a lacking end section)
C64.COM: Yeah, it's really THAT good!
drm: Outstanding remix from a pro musician!
96%
Jogeir Liljedahl - Synth Sample - The Stationary Ark
condor: Reminded me to Kitaro's masterpieces… And My immortal. Beautifull arrangeemnt.
LMan: Sweetness. The kind of remix I'd label definitive.
Badla: Totally badlsk! Awesome.
95%
Kate Eternal: Out-stan-ding!
prowler: Wonderful! I can never hear enough good covers on the all-time SID classics 😀
Twinbee: A classic then and a classic now.
94%
YEAR 2010
Melaure: Great job!
pie vs pie: Two words… Monster Remix, no scratch that… 4 words… Remix of the year 2010
p2: One off JB's better songs even gets better every time it's remixed!! F*cking great gituar solo & sound!! We want more, we want more… Di!! This version together with Marcel Donne's and Lagerfeldt's version is my top 3 of Sweetness! -p2/h3@tw@v3
95%
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
_steve_: I can't add anything that hasn't been said above. Fantastic remix!
Melaure: Excellent!
Karmar: Beautiful
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!
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!!!
92%
YEAR 2011
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Jazzcat (007)
LMan: The name's Funk. Moog Funk.
jokesoldier: No need to say that's really, really, really nice& smooth 😊
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?
93%
aero: It just feels groooooooove!
omoroca: Wonderful, as always! Mordi=Jogeir? Added to my collection.
Melaure: Excellent work again, and as unreal says with a touch fo Amiga! Congratulations!
93%
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
Shark: Liked it a lot and loved the THX type logo theme around 1.30.😊
Unzen: Excellent tune - memories come flooding back 😊. Top work!
YogibearRenoise: This sounds really great and is now one of my favs of RKO! Could you please make an orchestral version of song 1 in HVSC of Tai-Pan? That's my fav sid of you! Thanks for this!
93%
YEAR 2012
Dees Productions: Right on the money! You've managed to capture every detail in the tune this time! This is it, great expression in the lead, nice JL-drums, laid-back arps. What more than a fist full of gold.
Comajim: Aah, nice composition and melody!
Brosa: As usual - Mordi = The sign of quality.
94%
Andreas Wallström and NecroPolo - DMC demo IV 2 (Celtic Mission mix)
bizarro: I often thought of remixing that SID by myself. But this rendition is hard to beat 😀
DHS: Wow! I mean… WOW! Fuckin' WOW!
Slayer: Now, thats music!😊
93%
L0rd3vyL: Awesome. Love me some rock, and you do Armand's tune supurbly.
teo: Great remix, has it all what's needed!
Dees Productions: Awesome!
93%
YEAR 2013
monty: Never expected Kitaro to join RKO. Welcome, dude! 😃
Nebdar: You hit my soft spot witthis remix too great job
Mayhem: Not a SID familiar with, but the remix sounds great 😊
93%
LukHash - Supremacy (youtube vid)
oxygen: I really liked your original tone, wonderful work piece
JumboKatt: Best ever, unbeatable!
_steve_: Very powerful chip mix. Another fantastic mix
93%
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
bastard: Impressive production. If I'd known the original tune, I would have rated it red++
gol: Had to search for my password to login, because this is dope and it had to be said
_steve_: Wow. Beezerk does it again! This is just fantastic.
93%
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
Dees Productions: Outstanding! Allthough using the signature samples this is totally a brainbuster! Making it to my top20 at once! Brilliant work dude.
LaLa: Grungy, metallic, dirty. Just like war. I can just see the platoon marching through the muddy jungle. Very, very well done!
NecroPolo: Evil 😊
94%
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
Mayhem: Excellent for what's there, now how about the whole track?😊
omoroca: Best R:K:O upload in months! Although this sounds unfinished somehow! Is there any more of this? I love the self-esteems this tune comes with. Added to my collection.
bahamut_ger: Oh my God. VERY NICE MEDLEY. Thank you for that one. One of the Best I heard so far
93%
Markus Schneider - Enlightenment - Druid II
Ahriakin: Great work! Another for the 'cant believe that's a C64 remix' playlist for the family 😊
L0rd3vyL: Really nice take on a C64 Classic. Reminds me of something Glyn R. Brown would do. Just Incredible!
mfe: It gets a red face, but… That 'cello with its own room reverb against the more open reverb of the rest of the mix sticks out like a sore thumb.
93%
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
Kate Eternal: Incredible remix!
Dr-Duke: OMG, this is awesome Slaygon. Well done in memory of Paul. Pls, extend it!
Rock: Beautiful track!
96%
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
omoroca: Wonderful! Added to my collection.
ChrisBond: Really good!!!
gerd: Excellent choice of instruments
95%
MRT - Eagles (Easy Flight mix)
Dr.Piotr: Lindsey Stirling she played Mr. T
LMan: Lovely style.
JChambers: Amazing work!
93%
YEAR 2016
spavatch: Excellent remix, wonderful in every way!
Mordi: Cool! Very original take on the source. I like the mood.
DSMarine: I never liked the dance places back in the day… But maybe I just needed tracks like this one. D
96%
Johan Andersson - Out Run - Splash Wave (surf mix)
Tomsk: So much fun to listen to! Excellent
L0rd3vyL: Another fine remix from Johan Andersson
gABBa =aGp=: Hey boy, you ever were on woodstock? Great tune!😊
94%
verm71: Exquisitely produced thumpy dance track!
bgmnt: One of the best!
NecroPolo: Despite that I hate dancing and dreamy stuff to quite a high degree I'd be a fool not to see the values of this quality track. Great work and a floor filler contender on a demoscene party.
94%
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
XxDUSTYxX: That's so dope! |m|
Haxel: Beautiful mixing and gorgeous arrangement!
Mayhem: Well this is a fine way to introduce yourself 😊
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
Shargo: MRT and Danko o/ O/ o/
Castor: Awesome!
94%
StormChild: My favorite remix of Albedo alongside with RunStop64's version(s)!
beldin: Synth heaven!
Zilog: So sweeeeeeeeet!
96%
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
LMan: Super sweet rock ballad. All thumbs up!
L0rd3vyL: Love this remix. Amazing work, Jarle.
LaLa: Wow! Just wow! Perfect!
96%
marcel: Is there a superlative for epic? If there is, than this remix is it! Amazing bit of work Sir!
Marcus: The perfect mix! The shouts speak for themselves. Could be a Hans Zimmer score!
KoYamaRo: Nice Arrangement and Mix, a Masterpiece!
95%
FastLoaders - Ghouls and Ghosts
LaLa: Straight off their Progressive 64 album. Superb there, superb here.
Ryrynz: Professional. Excellent.
hillsman: Unbelievable. Please do a Ghouls 'n' Ghosts album!!
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.
Poppykuk: Great arrangement. Keeps the atmosphere of the original but sounds huge.
_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.
96%
Glyn R Brown - Firelord (from 8Bit Symphony)
L0rd3vyL: Awesome
kwed: Turns out the only way to top Glyn R Browns 16-year old symphonic remix was to have Glyn himself come back and update it. Amazing stuff and instant classic if I ever heard one!
Gildan: Glyn… Nuff said
97%
mrt: Fantastic work! Thanks
rnuls: Fantastic song from Jogeir
aix: I don't comment very often, but when I do… Whoa.
97%
YEAR 2020
Mordi: Awesome track, Peter! Your britishness is really shining through in this one, with the ELO references.😃
hillsman: A worthy best remix winner IMHO - very special indeed.
Murdock: A really lovely great work, Peter 😊
96%
Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon - Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix)
NecroPolo: Welcome to the movie 😊
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.
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.
94%
SIDNIFY - The Last Ninja - The Wilderness
Tomsk: Quality right here. Brilliant mastering, superb use of the original SID, and punchy as anything! Love this!
JLD: Superb!
XxDUSTYxX: Thank you for your powerful and catchy hi-quality remix, SIDNIFY! Ben Daglish will never be forgotten!
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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