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
cinemaniac: Perhaps the best remix of this, the best C64 theme out there ever!
Wilfred: I have listenea t least 50 times, but still very enjoying experience. Simply brilliant piece of music!
jlrcuesta: One of the best remixes. Excellent sounds and structure.
92%
Dumper: Absolutely brilliant.
Zilog: This is AWESOME!
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
Melaure: Excellent, I have found Jarre's fealings in this tune 😃
john4p: Brilliant.
92%
Year 2001
machinae supremacy - Great Giana Sisters
d0cfunke: Ver nice guitarversion!!
Hex Madroom: One of my all-time favorites. A brilliant classic.
Barss: One of best c64 remix ever made… Machinae Supremacy rocks!
96%
Tonka - Last Ninja - Palace Gardens (Loader)
Cifu1978: Really nice remix, with good tunes, good vibrations and good memories.
Rko_fan_since_03: I heard this one for the first time over 6 years ago and am still amazed every time I listen to it today. My favourite Last Ninja remix.
TNT: Even after 10 years this amazing track is still one of the best. It survived the hard selection of remixes and can still be located in my iPod.😊
93%
DHS - Max Headroom (Orbital 3241 Elevator Mix)
legus: Gooood!!!
humorguy: Great value for money DHS just keeps on doin' it!
plokolp: Love this. 2 tunes in one.
90%
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
datucker: Very impressive, and even more impressive considering it was made in Fruityloops…
Ryrynz: Outstanding, such an epic improvement over the SID. One of the best remixes on RKO without a doubt.
Trygil: Such a sweeping remix. I felt like I've been taken on an incredible adventure! Love it!!
96%
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
bordeaux: Thank you for this outstanding piece of art!
Melaure: Very nice voice
damax: One of the best remixes Mahoney ever produced. And Karin Öjehagen just rulez!
95%
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
Chili-Man: A Masterpiece!!!
Nebdar: When you listen you think thats some movie trailer music. Outstanding 😊
Ansoe: Powerful, magnificent!
95%
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
putzi: Perfection!
humorguy: Perfect instumentation, rockin' feet tapping… Well you know the rest!
NecroPolo: That's what I'd call a proper sonic threatment! Not my style but I don't really care when I meet such high quality work.
93%
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
Dumper: Truly wonderful.
humorguy: I give this an Outstanding, because it Satnds Out from the rest by quite a margin. Excellent.
Ryrynz: Beautifully done.
93%
91%
Year 2004
Waz: Damn this is very very good. Lots of symphonic stuff that reminds me of the recent King Arthur movie, sensible use of vocals (very a la Enya for some reason) and thoroughly enjoyable.
Gregory Atlas: Just amazing…
Nebdar: Put it on slay radio
97%
inqisit0r: Awesome, marcel got my attention after listening to something stranger
Gildan: Cant fault this, another great mix of this tune and when that guitar kicks in it sounds just perfect… Fantastic work by Marcel, always a joy to hear something by him
Peter S: Fantastic!
97%
DHS - The Human Race (Bando alle Seghe)
quapil: This one is just great, one of the best remixes
esg: I love this song and the two musician too!
Skitz: It just proves that DHS can make more than just UNZ! This is lovely!
94%
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
weasel: Haha!! GREAT version!! Reminds me of certain mahoney tracks, too!! 😃
alexanderband: That´s how to do it.
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.
95%
Marcel Donné - Something Stranger Remake
LaLa: Fourteen years later and still sounding amazing!
Chainsaw: Very great
Makke: Ok… Now I have to change underwear…
92%
Sodden: Top 10!,, Wonderful tune. Don
merl: … Wow: O. I wish Glynn was my music-teacher!
robertmansfield: Very nice arrangement and beautiful choir-sounds, so here goes the read smiler…
92%
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
infamous: Bloody brilliant… Nuff said
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!
psybass: <3
95%
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
ender: ::thumbs up::
Ph0B1uS: One word, Brilliant.
gibs: The lead synth is not a problem for me. I like it. Great piece.
93%
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
romeo_knight: I WAS WRONG! Just listened to it on Slay Radio and it's fuckin outstanding!
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!!!
Dr. Bongo: I REALLY like this. I`m jelous of the guitar work, wish mine was up to that standard.
93%
YEAR 2007
Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret (live at The Church)
Waz: Stunning. Absolutely stunning.
dream_19: This is ultimate!
inqisit0r: Very nice. Update:This obviously deserves an outstanding. Amazing. This is a flowing, imaginative, original composition. Everything comes together.
97%
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
chilli_uk: In the past you have been guilty of mastering issues - I cant fault this years work and this is AWESOME
snorski: Smooth!! Like it a lot!
bratac: Excellent, it has melody and yet is trancy.
93%
emrebulsat: Very nice. I like Dafunk's stuff
Peter W: I love the beat in this track, so simple but brilliantly sounding. Very easy to listen too, dreamy! Thanks for a great track Dafunk!
sardjent: Very nice tune, you wouldn't happen to be a Skinny Puppy fan concidering the samples at the end?😊
93%
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
k_rostoen: Very well done!
bosone: This is a super production! Definitely not my genre, but I can recongnize a good work!😀
aero: Love it!
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.
Dr-Duke: Is it just me, or seems there to be a little Boz-train after the beginning? *smiles* Besides joking, very nice track Dafunk. Personally I most love the intro on this one.
spellcoder: Bit of '90 Cappella en some Scooter style
93%
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
prowler: Very professional dreamtrance! A bit sleepy at times, but very enjoyable.
Makke: All I can say is: Propper job, Peter! Very well done.
condor: Bravo! Althought I hate hats, Ilove sound selection.
92%
YEAR 2009
Firestorm - Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit)
RemixFan: WOW all one opinion this is able to do only Firestorm! Great Remix
Dumper: Eftos, at least he doesn't copy other peoples tunes like you do. Great Remix.
Mordi: Heh. Ridiculously well done remix. _truly_ outstanding. Incredibly movie-like. One of the top-10 on the whole site for sure.
96%
Jogeir Liljedahl - Synth Sample - The Stationary Ark
chabee: I love it!!!
Zilog: Smooth as always, Jogeir…
LMan: Sweetness. The kind of remix I'd label definitive.
95%
redhot: Perfect remix!
schlicky: Everything Mordi does is outstanding!
NecroPolo: Haha, I got ya! You get a. Sid file, just run through your MORDIFIER plugin - and that's it 😊 Quality work, as always.
94%
YEAR 2010
k_rostoen: What Mayhem shouted
drax: Excellence!!! I think there is a bug in the original sid-file. Just found the original prg-file and it sounds a bit different… This one covers the sid-file from hvsc.
xo: OMFG - a masterpiece!😀
95%
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
drax: What an amazing sound and atmosphere - would have been nice to hear some of the original lead in it though… Eventhough it might not have been suitable for this remix… This is really awesomeness!!!
Unreal: Yeaa! It is a great remix now!! I loves the feel, and the various elements and samples in the music! Congratulations, I am waitin' the next one, my friend!😊
Dees Productions: Great pads, sweet leads, fresh bassline, fine percussions = Lovely choon! Can't wait for your next masterwork! Respect.
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!
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.
Waz: Let there be rock! It's a very good rendition of several LN tunes but done seamlessly with plenty of good nods to the original. It really does need some harder drums though, otherwise excellent all round.
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?
Melaure: What a wonderfull piece of Jazz. Sax, guitar,. … Not far from perfection!
LMan: The name's Funk. Moog Funk.
93%
Wilfred: My first favourite on remix64, simple, beautiful arrangement
omoroca: Wonderful, as always! Mordi=Jogeir? Added to my collection.
LaLa: Per-fect. Soft to the ear, smooth to the brain.
93%
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
Pandarific: I absolutely LOVE THIS!
Unzen: Excellent tune - memories come flooding back 😊. Top work!
_steve_: Fantasitc. Like the slower pace of this one
93%
YEAR 2012
Brosa: As usual - Mordi = The sign of quality.
DSMarine: One just doesn't walk past Mordi's music XD. Great as always.
Chordian: Absolutely wonderful remix. The chorus bits invoke true frisson.
94%
Andreas Wallström and NecroPolo - DMC demo IV 2 (Celtic Mission mix)
Firebolt: Excellent work. I also agree the drums should be a bit louder, more crushy.
chabee: Great work guys! Rock!😊
Bigraw: Beast! 😃
93%
teo: Great remix, has it all what's needed!
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.
Vaggelis Papadopoulos: Amazing and powerfull Remix NecroPolo!! Kudos brother!!
93%
YEAR 2013
Mayhem: Not a SID familiar with, but the remix sounds great 😊
chilli_uk: Mix between kreftwork and jarre - so so clever - love it
deleyt: Nice Jarre! Very soothing.
93%
LukHash - Supremacy (youtube vid)
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!
AmiC64: For me the BEST Remixer EVER!!! ZAJEBISTE!!!
JustPhreak: Solid and powerful remix! Thumbs up, LukHash!
93%
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
bastard: Impressive production. If I'd known the original tune, I would have rated it red++
Danceaway: TOP track and agree with above… This is nice and I can play in the car with Summer time by will smith…
JLD: Amazing remix!!
93%
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
80sFreak: Just awesome!
druu: Outstanding indeed! From the very first version to this piece of gold, it just keeps getting better! Chills well deserved.
mfe: Brilliant mix of this song, well done. Though I would have left out the vocal sample, personally.
94%
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
Neo-Rio: Deus-Ex: Human (or ninja) Revolution? I'm not sure if it was a deliberate homage to that game, but I loved it. Perhaps if SID lead sounds were a bit lower, it'd be perfect. As it is, send it to Eidos Montreal and see what they say!
Mayhem: Excellent for what's there, now how about the whole track?😊
Jimbob: A hugely enjoyable track. The vocals work amazingly well.
93%
Markus Schneider - Enlightenment - Druid II
NecroPolo: Man I must admit that in general I greatly dislike orchestral remixes. At least the ones that are not created with so much expertise like this one. It blasts the rest out of the pool (sorry guys). Kudos Markus!
drm: Good one it fits the game well.
Danceaway: Markus… This is just simply STUNNING mate… And you have moved up in the Orchestra arrangements for sure, love your past work but this is just STUNNING… Well done
93%
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
LMan: Sweet, sweet violins.
ChrisBond: Perfect!
Dr-Duke: OMG, this is awesome Slaygon. Well done in memory of Paul. Pls, extend it!
96%
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
linus: Extremely lovely!❤️
Ahriakin: Great version, fantastic mix.
Aule: Atmospheric Masterpiece!
95%
MRT - Eagles (Easy Flight mix)
JustPhreak: Awesome job!!
LMan: Lovely style.
blubberdiblub: Wow, just wow! The reverberation creates a dreamy atmosphere, the bass line so powerful and the strings simply lovely.
93%
YEAR 2016
Megaboost: Absolutely Fantastic! Haven't heard anything this good in Years.
spavatch: Excellent remix, wonderful in every way!
Samarium13: Very punchy feel, great beat!
96%
Johan Andersson - Out Run - Splash Wave (surf mix)
symbols: So Pulp Fiction! 😃
Tomsk: So much fun to listen to! Excellent
Aule: The Beach Boys would have done it exactly that way!
94%
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!
hillsman: Catchy! Quality!!
94%
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
MORBID: Oh yeah!
Brosa: Holy cow… Full throttle, love it!
Tomsk: These guys can do no wrong. Sensational remix
97%
Double_maggic: Listen - vote - repeat…😊
Ryrynz: Would like something more like Apollo2k's version but no denying the quality of this.
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
94%
96%
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
Clyder64: Wow… Very pleasant and relaxing tune. Great work
MareckiMarek: Perfect!
YogibearRenoise: Awesome!
96%
WizardOz: Epic!
kwed: Epic is the only word that can describe this one.
horizoner: Brilliant, just brilliant!
95%
FastLoaders - Ghouls and Ghosts
Amon73: Uno dei migliori che ho ascoltato qui 😊 Ci vorrebbero più FastLoaders nel mondo 😊 Perfetto!
hillsman: Unbelievable. Please do a Ghouls 'n' Ghosts album!!
Mordi: Nailing all the arpeggios on guitar. Impressive remix!
94%
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
96%
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
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!!
grin: I really love these interpretations, very effective ear libricators!
97%
c64glen: Outstanding. Unfamiliar with the original but there Pink's Who Knew in there.
Mordi: Dane meets Liljedahl! Highly enjoyable!
PixelGrinch: Outstanding Remix! THANK YOU, Jogier
97%
YEAR 2020
Ryrynz: Oh my lord. Is anyone else basically after a version of this but with a bit more of a drawn out emotional vibe to it?
Walter12: Best… remix… EVER!!
Poppykuk: This is a dangerous remix! You listen to it and then it is in your head for the rest of the day. Such a good interpretation of a favourite game-tune of mine,
96%
Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon - Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix)
tw1l1ght: Wow! You guys better be careful not being 'asked' to get a permit from the community before being allowed to submit more entries in that trio -> Puts each of your best sides into a complete package of awesomeness! ❤️ @3:30 - SO Slaygons part!😉
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.
Glyn R. Brown: The more I listen to this track, it just gets Better & Better 😊 Great work Guys…
94%
SIDNIFY - The Last Ninja - The Wilderness
XxDUSTYxX: Thank you for your powerful and catchy hi-quality remix, SIDNIFY! Ben Daglish will never be forgotten!
JLD: Superb!
MatrixRevolution: Amazing!
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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