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
Wilfred: I have listenea t least 50 times, but still very enjoying experience. Simply brilliant piece of music!
RoJ: Outstanding is just the right word for this remix!!
das.Mordschaf: Its just GREAT <3
92%
Nebdar: This tune has sole and purpose... Similar to the Twin peaks Tv series tune
nonick: Excellent! But I'd like to know which Galway tunes have been recycled here.
eliot: The original can not be beaten by any remake :-)
93%
john4p: Brilliant.
condor: Agreed with ommoroca - wonderful!
Nebdar: How such a small tune can be so much beautiful
92%
Year 2001
machinae supremacy - Great Giana Sisters
stoo: There will never be a better Giana Sisters remix. These guys perfected it. Unbeatable.
Sperling: Great!!!!
Ansoe: ... What can I say? Awesome...
96%
Tonka - Last Ninja - Palace Gardens (Loader)
Cifu1978: Really nice remix, with good tunes, good vibrations and good memories.
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
93%
DHS - Max Headroom (Orbital 3241 Elevator Mix)
aero: Simply gorgeous
legus: Gooood!!!
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.
91%
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
Craze: Well, this is not the work of a hobby musician. This is professional. Extremely well performed and creative remix.
raiden: Fucking Awesome! Glyn Keep this up will ya ;)
Gunhed: How good is this!
96%
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
plokolp: One of the best pieces of music I have ever listened to. Never get tired of listening to this. Pink Floyd should recruit Karin for the Great Gig in the Sky!
aero: Going back in time again to listen to old favorites. This one is truly amazing!
Caboose: Props to Karin Öjehagen for this one!
95%
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
Ginjirou: Absolutely amazing. Required entry on any mp3 player I own. Simply sublime! Could be from a shaolin monk stage show...?
Dumper: Absolutely stunning.
humorguy: This is awesome. The first stirrings of a what has become a GREAT mixer.
95%
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
putzi: Perfection!
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.
aricz: Haha, YEAH! One of the best remixes I've ever heard. The. Sid too, Jeroen tel rules!:))
93%
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
lolicon: Love Vangelis, love this tune! Very well composed. This delivers!
Zilog: Conquest of Paradise / Vangelis samples or else I'm mistaken => very nice!
Supergrobi123: Ooooooutstanding, man!!!
93%
mz1453: Sounds like Kitaro! Relaxing, clear and yet powerful!
jelly: Hauntingly haunting.
bar: The art of Vangelis+The sound of Neuronium+The touch of Suzanne Ciani=one of the best tune on RKO
91%
Year 2004
Kicsipati: Awesome
betelzeus: Unmastered eh? Gotta say sounds great to me, and love the vocals.
Codetapper: Brilliant tune!
97%
Haldor: One of the best C64 remix ever!
Zatuffli: Great class! Very emotional, absolutely brilliant!:)
infamous: Excellent
97%
DHS - The Human Race (Bando alle Seghe)
eliot: Yes, yes, yes - another all-time favourite for me :-) And PLEASE remix much more C-64 tunes!;-)
load_error: Splendid work, atmospheric, emotional, solid... And the ENIGMA basis rocks!!!
condor: You have started with Enigma like drums, Jarre's like voices, and style of Deep Forest. Awesome!!!
94%
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
firefox: Thumbs up!
LaLa: OUTSTANDING! Perfect execution of Irish folk song feel, great lyrics, pretty good singing for a pub. The ending is a bit too abrupt, but other than that... OUTSTANDING!
bigtabs: Fantastic!
95%
Marcel Donné - Something Stranger Remake
load_error: Splendid.
XxDUSTYxX: This is really an outstanding and very catchy Remix! Thumbs up, man! - P. S. Grytulf: Release a better Remix... That would be the REAL surprise!;)
L0rd3vyL: Awesome remix, Marcel
93%
robertmansfield: Very nice arrangement and beautiful choir-sounds, so here goes the read smiler...
lem: Fine remake, well done!
aero: Fantastic, thanks alot glyn!
92%
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
mfe: Except for one cheesy niggle with this piece that makes me cringe, the rest is about as good as it gets!
anaconda: So 80's that it would have surely been on the charts back in '85!
XxDUSTYxX: This one is brilliant! The guitar-sound, the ambience and the mixing is just perfect! Thumbs up!
96%
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
olla: Simply great!! Keep it up Moogie...
koroner: Masterpiece!
REYN: Great great remix! And also a very nice composition! Superb..
93%
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
jokesoldier: Orange face + you got boost powa for the F-Zero intro!
chainblade: This is just awsome! Not as good as episode 3, but still this is outstanding
gforg: Great song!
93%
YEAR 2007
Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret (live at The Church)
Amok: Nothing left to say...
chilli_uk: Flash Bastard - Awesome - now get a hair cut - lol AWESOME TOTALLY
bordeaux: :) enjoyed the entire session :) thumbs up!
97%
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
k_rostoen: What Skitz said.
klosterkatten: This tune is great! You really improved! Well done, I cant give anything but this cute red smiley.
LaLa: Great arrangement, great sounds, great mastering, great, great, great.
93%
Jax: This can sit on repeat forever without you getting bored of it. Very varied, great all round, and definitely one of the best mixes for a while - I LOVE it! :) Even sounds a bit like "Above and Beyond" in places!
LMan: Very decent trance tune!!!
Makke: It can only be Dafunk!
93%
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
Makke: Not at all my cup of tea, but it's a fresh take on Plastic Pop, and very professionally executed. I'd drop the autotuner, but hey, that's just me.
germantaz: Congratulation. Everything everybody said is true. In my opinion it could be a bit faster ;o)
stoo: Absolutely stunning. I must be weird coz I don't hate autotuner at all. The production is probably the best I've heard on RKO. I could listen to this all day, I don't care if it rots my teeth.
93%
Dafunk - Hardcore Power (We Believe In Goa - Remix)
Ishma: Excellent!!!
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
Grigul: Awesome, absolutely awesome tune. Maybe the best one of Dafunk. Great Job!!
93%
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
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.
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)
Peter W: Knockout!!!
vincenzo: This. Is. Fu*cking. Brilliant. One of the bestestest remixes ever! Congrats, firestorm!
slaygon: It's not only good. It's not only awesome. It's Firestorm.
96%
Jogeir Liljedahl - Synth Sample - The Stationary Ark
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?
Boz: Welcome back Jogeir. One of my all-time favorite SIDs has been remixed to perfection.
TNT: This is my ALL TIME favorite remix! Very emotional. I just love it!
96%
Mrcookie: With this one, it can load for hours without making me impatient
XxDUSTYxX: Thumbs up! This one is brilliant!
redhot: Perfect remix!
94%
YEAR 2010
nummer2: Waited long time for a new "sweet" remix and this is just perfect.
horizoner: This one blew me away - AWESOME!!!
Mbraze: Awesome remake with awesome guitar solo!
95%
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
Mitch van Hayden: Superb!
Karmar: Beautiful
C64ever: Really good this, nice and mellow to listen too.
92%
SIDrip Alliance - From First to Last (AROK12 tribute mix)
weasel: Wow! Truly _outstanding_, indeed!!! Thank you _very_, very much!! :-D
Makke: Standing ovations from me. Only one complaint: The drums sound way too flat, static and thin for this heavy track.
Mordi: Flakey lead, but otherwise great.
92%
YEAR 2011
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Jazzcat (007)
Dees Productions: Are you serious? Really, man this made me want to pack that pipe with thart jazzy stuff and sit that lounge all night in'. Wow what a jazzmeister! Lovin' this!
Mordi: Been listening to this regularly since it's release on SceneSat Vol 2. Outstanding as ever.
Karmar: Bad? Why? It's amazing cover! THX moog!
93%
Dees Productions: The perfect mix of a perfect song. Like to drizzle honey all over the floor and just roll around!
chabee: Nice Re-Remix :)
aero: It just feels groooooooove!
94%
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
MattMaybee: Wow! Really different but really good!
Staticborris: Excelent. Love the movie score feel to the track, keep up the great work
Unzen: Excellent tune - memories come flooding back :). Top work!
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.
redhot: Still a great classic
ulfepulf: Kult!
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!
LaLa: Head-bangingly powerful! Guitar-smashingly heavy duty! Rock on!
tazuk: Awesome :o)
94%
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.
Razmo: Really nice to hear a synthy Jarre'ish tune in here... Top red smiley for this. Only thing I can put my finger on is the imense wall of sound.. It's very thick sonically on the verge of becoming muddy in tone, but it's just at little...
monty: Never expected Kitaro to join RKO. Welcome, dude! :D
94%
LukHash - Supremacy (youtube vid)
AmiC64: For me the BEST Remixer EVER!!!! ZAJEBISTE!!!!!
p2: Love it! Just like all the other work of LukHash!
LokkoLori: Obey Master LukHash!
93%
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
_steve_: Wow. Beezerk does it again! This is just fantastic.
Danceaway: TOP track and agree with above... This is nice and I can play in the car with Summer time by will smith....
Lclhstr: Not my favourite style by any measure, but man :) put your HENZA-henza-HeNzA!:)
93%
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
LaLa: Grungy, metallic, dirty. Just like war. I can just see the platoon marching through the muddy jungle. Very, very well done!
Makke: NiN anyone? Loving it!
Dees Productions: Outstanding! Allthough using the signature samples this is totally a brainbuster! Making it to my top20 at once! Brilliant work dude.
95%
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
K8-bit: Beautiful. Hairs on the back of neck rising kind of good. Please do more Last Ninja themes like this!
thomassd: Cool!
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.
93%
Markus Schneider - Enlightenment - Druid II
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
LaLa: Cinematic! Epic! Orchestral! Welcome back, Markus!!!
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 :)
93%
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
_steve_: An incredibly emotive piece
Dr-Duke: OMG, this is awesome Slaygon. Well done in memory of Paul. Pls, extend it!
LMan: Sweet, sweet violins.
96%
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
XxDUSTYxX: Great work! Very enjoyable!
chosc: Hello! Well Done man, your tune is so wonderful and sometimes it remembers me of the old kung fu movies.
linus: Extremely lovely!<3
95%
MRT - Eagles (Easy Flight mix)
JustPhreak: Awesome job!!
JChambers: Amazing work!
Dr.Piotr: Lindsey Stirling she played Mr. T
94%
YEAR 2016
Mordi: Cool! Very original take on the source. I like the mood.
wbdeejay: Love the phat bassline driving this awesome dance mix along, overlaid with delightfully simple melodies.
Megaboost: Absolutely Fantastic! Haven't heard anything this good in Years.
96%
Johan Andersson - Out Run - Splash Wave (surf mix)
vurtx: Just perfect in all areas.
Kate Eternal: Perfect remix!!
LaLa: 100% Beach Boys feeling.
94%
Dr.Piotr: Leds dance!!! Greats!
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.
95%
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
Ryrynz: Great stuff
L0rd3vyL: Fantastic remix, dude
Mordi: Wow! Cool stuff!
97%
JustPhreak: Really nice!!
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
Ryrynz: Would like something more like Apollo2k's version but no denying the quality of this.
94%
96%
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
Clyder64: Wow... Very pleasant and relaxing tune. Great work
Breadbox Bill: This Remix is amazing!
Jojje70: Crisp and very well produced with nice improvs!
96%
Marcus: The perfect mix! The shouts speak for themselves. Could be a Hans Zimmer score!
KoYamaRo: Nice Arrangement and Mix, a Masterpiece!
Erestor: Perfect!
96%
94%
YEAR 2019
Peter Clarke - Firelord - Symphonic (a nod to Glyn)
C64_Gamer: Love the 2002 version and now I love this too
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!
97%
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!!
Dan: Glyn.. Nuff said
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!
c64glen: Outstanding. Unfamiliar with the original but there Pink's "Who Knew" in there.
Mordi: Dane meets Liljedahl! Highly enjoyable!
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?
peltazoid: Amazing!
XxDUSTYxX: Extremely catchy feel-good music!:)
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.
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.
NecroPolo: Welcome to the movie :)
95%
SIDNIFY - The Last Ninja - The Wilderness
NecroPolo: Spendid work lads!
Tomsk: Quality right here. Brilliant mastering, superb use of the original SID, and punchy as anything! Love this!
Mano: Solid, Well done.
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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