Back In Time Live & Remix64 25th Anniversary Compo
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
Capitaine: Crazyyy! It's just the original tune atmosphere. Many thanks for this 😊
prq: Excellent tune
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!!
92%
mfe: To take something so simple and make it this atmospheric requires skill. Kudos!
Zilog: This is AWESOME!
eliot: The original can not be beaten by any remake 😀
93%
humorguy: Oh sorry fell up from somewhere really nice. Big fat red one!
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
LMan: Not my cup of tea, but it surely rocks 😊
Hex Madroom: One of my all-time favorites. A brilliant classic.
kokakoda: The best guitar rendition of a SID tune, ever. Period.
96%
Tonka - Last Ninja - Palace Gardens (Loader)
L0rd3vyL: One of my favorite remixes, if not my favorite remix of the Palace Gardens Loader tune
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.😊
Jogeir Liljedahl: What can I say! Probably the best tune on the site!! STUNNING!!!
93%
DHS - Max Headroom (Orbital 3241 Elevator Mix)
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.
plokolp: Love this. 2 tunes in one.
aero: Simply gorgeous
90%
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
cosmic_gerbil: This is way cool… It reminds me of Lord of the Rings somehow
Tas: Still sets a standard
Man from Stars: Great!
96%
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
NecroPolo: Awesome one!
Tas: Sexy sexy vocals
Mrcookie: Marvelous!
95%
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
Ansoe: Powerful, magnificent!
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.
Dumper: Absolutely stunning.
95%
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
schnaggi: Yeeeeah!
infamous: Outstanding
Sargon: Outstanding Remix!
93%
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
NecroPolo: This one is stunning. Damn! Quality is timeless.
Dumper: Truly wonderful.
lolicon: Love Vangelis, love this tune! Very well composed. This delivers!
93%
bar: The art of Vangelis+The sound of Neuronium+The touch of Suzanne Ciani=one of the best tune on RKO
exo: Simply a great song.
jelly: Hauntingly haunting.
91%
Year 2004
97%
Nebdar: I like the background music,
migu: This is just perfect for me. Love the Sweet theme.
humorguy: It has the sad but driving of the original… That is enough. Yet it has more… More…
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!😉
vosla: STUNNING!!! But those hating Enigma won't love this one.
Ishma: Excellent!!!
94%
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
merl: One guinness please…😊
alexanderband: That´s how to do it.
Peter W: These lyrics, these lyrics are horribly great! What a cool idea, and to pull this off! OX Great job guys!
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)
Nebdar: Masterpiece of the true master
Melaure: Very relaxing
92%
dafunk: Sooo beautiful! In places reminds me of enya and enigma…
prowler: Wonderful as always by Glyn. Mmm, the Recovery has been on my SID-playlist for 20 years now, which does not make things worse. Thanks Glyn!
lem: Fine remake, well done!
92%
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
gibs: Yeah that piece rock, and has a very very very good sound… Very good production with good arrangements… Very proffessional
Caboose: Amazing! I just signed in to vote on this incredible track!
Engineroom: Epic. Just epic.
95%
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
snorski: Excellent
soppa: Whenever I get fed up with customers at my work, I just put my voip in to paperwork mode and sit back and listen to this! I love how moogs remixes are of great quality and mixing but still have that oldskool demoscene feel to them!
milan72: BOMBASTIC!!!😊
93%
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
bahamut_ger: What a great Mix!!!
LMan: Yes, they obviously still know their shit.
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)
prowler: Have you contacted mr Galway about this?
Zilog: Unbelievably cool. Period.
bordeaux: 😊 enjoyed the entire session 😊 thumbs up!
97%
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
prowler: It seems like Dafunk is really in the zone right now, producing like sonic wanderer did some years ago 😀
chilli_uk: In the past you have been guilty of mastering issues - I cant fault this years work and this is AWESOME
infamous: Brilliant. Nothing else needs to be said.
93%
Makke: It can only be Dafunk!
kwed: Just gets better and better each time I listen to it. If this one doesn't end up in the top-5 ROTY 2007 list I'll be *very* disappointed.😊
eliot: Thiz time he got it right…
93%
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
Amok: Mordis masterpiece. Awesome production. The vocals fit perfectly. Hats off, mate 😊
nummer2: What can I say its Mordi time again 😃 Nice to see that you read the song in a several way as Anthonys The Past Remix.
k_rostoen: Very well done!
93%
Dafunk - Hardcore Power (We Believe In Goa - Remix)
migu: Simply great!
Trace: How are you not signed yet?? This is commercial quality, GREAT! 😃
Grigul: Awesome, absolutely awesome tune. Maybe the best one of Dafunk. Great Job!!
93%
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
Dr-Duke: Very well done Peter W! (Not my fault but I love trance) 😊
xo: Su-bloody-perb.
condor: Bravo! Althought I hate hats, Ilove sound selection.
92%
YEAR 2009
Firestorm - Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit)
Hex Madroom: Brilliant! Another masterpiece from firestorm! We want more! 😃
madfiddler: Simply awesome! WELL DONE!
rico: Amazing…
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!
Boz: Welcome back Jogeir. One of my all-time favorite SIDs has been remixed to perfection.
Codetapper: Simply beautiful!
95%
Ryrynz: A perfect remix of this classic tune, who ever gave this an average face, SHAME ON YOU! I wish it was a bit more open (less dynamic compression?) and a higher bitrate would have been nice.
horizoner: Speechless…
Tomsk: Still one of my favorites… A class act!
94%
YEAR 2010
mfe: Love the execution of this version.
GlenBenton: Outstanding!!!
omoroca: Gibs rules! Added to my collection.
95%
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
Melaure: Excellent!
Metal_VIB: Pure porn! A tad too mellow for my taste though, but a really good arrangement of the track.
C64ever: Really good this, nice and mellow to listen too.
92%
SIDrip Alliance - From First to Last (AROK12 tribute mix)
K8-bit: I really really like this… I love the guitar play, and the nostalgia the montage brings me… But I think more variation in the SIDdy parts would've been better… Too much reliance on the samey triangle lead IMHO.
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.
Spite: A very good (and unique) remix of Last Ninja tunes. A but flat on the drums and the bass could go up a bit, but the uniqueness of the remix still makes it one of the best rock-remixes so far this year.
92%
YEAR 2011
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Jazzcat (007)
Melaure: What a wonderfull piece of Jazz. Sax, guitar,. … Not far from perfection!
LMan: The name's Funk. Moog Funk.
jokesoldier: No need to say that's really, really, really nice& smooth 😊
93%
NecroPolo: Drax gets Mordified. I like both factors.
_steve_: Great as usual… Very chilled
Wilfred: My first favourite on remix64, simple, beautiful arrangement
93%
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
Staticborris: Excelent. Love the movie score feel to the track, keep up the great 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!
Musoman: This was MY favourite Ocean Loader, brilliant
93%
YEAR 2012
94%
Andreas Wallström and NecroPolo - DMC demo IV 2 (Celtic Mission mix)
k_rostoen: Wow! The tune works really well with this music style. Sounds great!
LaLa: Head-bangingly powerful! Guitar-smashingly heavy duty! Rock on!
Snip: Holy crap! 😊 What a massive attack! 😊 As a kid I usually imagined SID songs like heavy rock pieces. So that's it! 😊 Masterpiece!
93%
mfe: I'm not a metal fan per se, but I know when it is well done. This is well done.
teo: Great remix, has it all what's needed!
werdy: Sorry but I can't be objective - original sid is one of my favorite music and this remix is OUTSTANDING. Pure energy everywhere.
93%
YEAR 2013
deleyt: Nice Jarre! Very soothing.
KhaosLight2: Jarre in 2013 ❤️
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…
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!
tacocat: Best ever, unbeatable!
Volkans80: Very good
93%
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
bastard: Impressive production. If I'd known the original tune, I would have rated it red++
ziona: Awesome piece, very pleasant, I am addicted to it, looping all day!
Danceaway: TOP track and agree with above… This is nice and I can play in the car with Summer time by will smith…
93%
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
80sFreak: Just awesome!
mfe: Brilliant mix of this song, well done. Though I would have left out the vocal sample, personally.
Worped: Absolutely epic!
94%
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
Snake1: Excellent!
K8-bit: Beautiful. Hairs on the back of neck rising kind of good. Please do more Last Ninja themes like this!
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
Marmue: This is incredible!
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 😊
drm: Good one it fits the game well.
93%
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
Kate Eternal: Incredible remix!
gator: This is an amazing track!
Rock: Beautiful track!
96%
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
Rapture: Class! The melody at 0:38 reminded me of Joe Hisaishi Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away!
0021agimA: Perfect work Dr Future!
ChrisLo: Wow! Perfect piece, arragement, sounds, ambient!
95%
93%
YEAR 2016
symbols: Most Excellent Sir! Bodayshus!
Sokratekk: Would fit in any Italo Disco set… Great!
Blackstar: For me this is a just as a perfect remix of a C64 tune should sound like.
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
finnr: Awesome. Has been on repeat for more than an hour now 😊
L0rd3vyL: Another fine remix from Johan Andersson
94%
hillsman: Catchy! Quality!!
Dr.Piotr: Leds dance!!! Greats!
verm71: Exquisitely produced thumpy dance track!
94%
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
Ryrynz: Great stuff
Mayhem: Well this is a fine way to introduce yourself 😊
Tomsk: These guys can do no wrong. Sensational remix
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
LaLa: A surprisingly downtempo, melancholic arrangement, which I didn't think I'd like, but this is expertly crafted! Just lovely!
HighCSharps: Awesomeness in one word!! Thanks
94%
96%
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
xgener8or: Really good vibes 😊 Could be at the end of a movie with a ferrari driving into the sunset along a mountain road. Haha
lubber: Perfect cover! Thanks for those 3, 5 minutes!
YogibearRenoise: Awesome!
96%
Ryrynz: I still like x-formz one a bit more but this is great. Can we get a FLAC please?
nous: Amazing!
Tas: WOW! Love the angry yet calm feel. Markus, this is sooo good. Thank you for sharing this.😊
95%
FastLoaders - Ghouls and Ghosts
JChambers: LOVE IT!
symbols: Seu Geuuud!
kwed: Too much (prog) rock for one hand!
94%
YEAR 2019
Peter Clarke - Firelord - Symphonic (a nod to Glyn)
Breadbox Bill: I love it!
_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.
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.
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
SID-Spieler: Epic Tune
speedy: EDIT: Great stuff after several listenings and better than first one.
97%
rnuls: Fantastic song from Jogeir
omoroca: After 20 seconds I knew I have to vote Outstanding. Because… It is. Great job!
PixelGrinch: Outstanding Remix! THANK YOU, Jogier
97%
YEAR 2020
MagicMosher: Really cool!!!. Absolute banger once again my man
Mayhem: Erm… Wow!
Mordi: Awesome track, Peter! Your britishness is really shining through in this one, with the ELO references.😃
96%
Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon - Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix)
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.
Glyn R. Brown: The more I listen to this track, it just gets Better & Better 😊 Great work Guys…
NecroPolo: Welcome to the movie 😊
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!
Bistecca104: Wow! Just WOW!
NecroPolo: Spendid work lads!
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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