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Rambo First Blood Arp 2 - arranged by Tim Forsyth

Review by LaLa, 06/11/2023

A very deserving winner of the BIT Live 2023 Remix Compo! It fulfilled two rules of the compo to the max: 1) arpeggio-heaven, 2) it is exactly 4 minutes long, which was the compo limit. 😁 An absolutely fantastic rendition of Galway's classic, loved it from the moment I first heard it. Congrats, Tim!

PS: Drambo - haha, that's quite a coincidence! 🤣

PPS: My favorite part of this remix: the break at 3:12. Totally makes the rest even more impactful.

PPPS: I get it, 4 min compo limit, but I feel the end is a bit rushed and this could've used a longer outro for the RKO release.

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End Sequence (Thanatos) - arranged by Eivind Sommersten

Review by tim_forsyth, 06/11/2023

Let me just start by saying that I thought Glyn R Brown was behind this tremendous remix. You’ve outdone yourself Eivind, and then some. A short but emotional original by DRAX has been elevated to new heights. Expertly broken down into 3 parts, the initial introduction with a fantastic brass lead guides you towards an unexpected and spellbinding vocal section that leaves a lasting impression. When the percussion with its heft and weight joins in with that guitar solo, I was carried away. With the choir chants at the end, I wanted more but realised we had reached our 4 minute limit. The mix is exceptional, everything is perfectly balanced, with depth, lightness and is epic when it needs to be without sounding overbearing. I was blown away when I heard it for the first time and it keeps delivering on (many) repeated listens. For a guy that commits awesome acts of funk on us RKO listeners, it is clear you are capable of so much more. Just amazing.
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Mr Danko's Opus - arranged by Glyn R Brown

Review by Shargo, 05/11/2023

An absolutely awesome remix. To manage the combination of a good SID and then treat it like a traditional orchestral arrangement is truly a great accomplishment. For a SID-remix it's on the longer side but constantly develops into new sounds. Only thing that nags me a little bit is the hint of a children's choir, but that's a personal thing. All in all my hat off to Danko for the composition and to Glyn for arrangement and performance, this might very well be the most beautiful remix I've heard.
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End Sequence (Thanatos) - arranged by Eivind Sommersten

Review by LaLa, 05/11/2023

That trumpet - wow! But wait, that singer - wow! But wait, that crescendo with the guitar - wow! But wait, now a choir, too - wow! But, but, but… it ends so abruptly! 😞 I understand the BIT Live Remix Compo had a 4 min limit, but you aren't facing such a limit on RKO. So, for the love of god, please, give us an extended mix! We want more!!! 😊

An absolute gem of a tune. Could be the soundtrack of my life…

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Plastic Pop (Plastic Fantastic) - arranged by Wobbler

Review by Danko, 04/11/2023

This is embarassing. I heard this when it was published, probably forgot due to all the other things in life to cater to. …then I attended the online stream from Bergen BIT Live 2023, and end game this popped out… …now there is no denial. Okay then. Wobbler, please appreciate the fact that there are well over a hundred remixes of Plasticpop. This is one of the better ones, shy of Mordi. Thank you for your interpretation.
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Mr Danko's Opus - arranged by Glyn R Brown

Review by Danko, 03/11/2023

What just happened?! Glyn R Brown, The Greatest C64 Remixer of All Time , taking music that I composed at ages 13 to 15 into consideration for a nine minute tribute? The word remix is totally out of context here. This is an interpretation worthy to stand on it's own, shoulder to shoulder with anything cinematic you can come to think of. The, to Glyn's previous repertoire, new element of spanish guitar strumming rhythmical chord progressions is a very clever and playful addition to break up almost nine minutes of Cinematic Orchestral supremacy. Every time I listen to anything by Glyn, I can hear him discovering a hidden chord progression or melody and bring it out of the original composition. This piece of music is no exception in that regard, I think I knew these simple, almost naively mundane, melodies from my childhood. Yet, Glyn found something else that I was not aware of existing in my own music. Technique - Are you kidding me? I know people making Cinematic music for a living, nowhere near as capable as Glyn. Artistic skill - Taking something of mine, and genuinely making it his own. That requires a true artist, not merely a remixer. Nostalgia factor - Holy shit. These original songs are 35-37 years old by now and an integral part of my childhood. I still remember the days when I composed them, where I was and how I felt. Not sure how to get any more nostalgic than that for me personally. It's going to take me some time to let this sink in, currently I am incapable of comprehending what just happened. Most likely I will freak out when I suspect it the least and the fact hits me like a ton of bricks. The fact that Glyn R Brown gifted me this tribute. I will never be worthy, Glyn. But I'll take it!
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Mr Danko's Opus - arranged by Glyn R Brown

Review by Poke16384, 03/11/2023

It's taken me a couple of days to find the words to say about this Glyn composition.. If you aspire to write orchestral/cinematic remixes, this is your benchmark.. Just when we think we've heard it all from Mr Brown, he raises the bar yet again.. It's not just the beautifully composed arrangement that makes this shine, it's the mix as well.. You can feel the power that is there in his orchestra but it is controlled so well, delivering just the right amount of emotion in just the right places.. The mix in this track delivers a truly authentic sounding cinema-piece.. You just know this would drop straight into a movie.. I think this is the best piece of Glyn R Brown that I've heard to date.. and how he has never won 'Remixer of the Year' is beyond me.. This year.. Surely!!
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Mr Danko's Opus - arranged by Glyn R Brown

Review by Tomsk, 02/11/2023

Hard to know where to start….superb choice and usage of varied and often unusual instruments. That intro man…god's sake! I've never heard such an uplifting piece as this for a long time, it's simply staggering. Incredible movement and flair throughout, with a semi-classical feel at times. This is next level orchestration, even for Glyn. Just simply stunning…STUNNING. I suspect even Danko will be floored by this tribute.
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Stranger in a Strange Land (Ensoniq Mix) - arranged by LaLa

Review by TSARHFC, 30/10/2023

I never write reviews but this is something else. I adore every imperfect perfect moment of this. This is what the remix scene is all about.
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Mr Danko's Opus - arranged by Glyn R Brown

Review by LaLa, 28/10/2023

Glyn may have called this Mr Danko's Opus, but he has absolutely turned it into Glyn's Opus.

A stunning display of the mastery of the cinematic orchestra, arranged and performed with the highest levels of professionalism. I cannot listen to this in the background - it demands my full attention, and when I close my eyes and go along with Glyn on the journey he invited us on, those 9 minutes just fly by.

Using Danko's 'Opus' series as a backbone, Glyn has weaved an intricate and marvelous musical story. From the soft sounds of a piano emerges a delicate intro that slowly turns into a romantic piece. After a short break we get a more forceful barrage of staccato orchestral hits - which ends abruptly as we suddenly drop into the deep and mysterious tones of woodwinds. From those depths we slowly emerge to the surface where we are greeted by an angelic voice and the brightness of high brass. Another break and we find ourselves - in a Spanish village where lovely flamenco music rules the world. As we leave the village behind, we are yet again introduced to an angelic voice that accompanies us on our journey together with a full choir. Our story concludes in an upbeat fashion where the entire ensemble of the orchestra is in full display. At the very end we are greeted by a children's choir (which I wished was featured longer). And… that was it? Yep, those 9 minutes flew by, didn't they?

Well, at least this is the story that I am hearing, but I'm sure everybody will find their own journey in this piece.

A mesmerizing tour de force from a very talented musician.

Just wow.

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Firelord - arranged by FastLoaders

Review by Poke16384, 27/10/2023

Well.. this is certainly a different Firelord.. although you don't suspect it until 25 seconds in. Then all of the toys come out the toybox at once and it feels a bit like all hell breaks loose.. Personally, I'm torn.. No doubt about Jarle's guitar playing ability but the drum-track is pretty full-on and relentless and the whole thing might have benefitted from a 'breakdown' somewhere before the 3 minute mark which is approaching the end.. The soundscape is typically Fastloaders throughout, apart from beginning & end.. A bit of extra credit for including parts of the original which never made it into either Glyn's or my versions.. Musically, this is a very competent rendition and has some invention in it. The guitars in harmony are a really good sound and somehow soften the attack of the melody.. I'm just not sure that the standard Fastloaders instrument soundscape is suited here with the energy and drive of those drums propelling us at speed towards the end, without a breath along the way.. The original had a strong medieval feel to the rhythm, even though it was a SID composition. That rhythm is lost here, apart from a couple of hints at it, here & there.. This is a good remix so I won't be unkind but it could maybe have benefitted from a different rhythm with a little more ebb & flow to it.. and also a gentler soundscape with possibly a bit more 'Acoustic' and 'Organic' in the overall sound ..
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Sigma Seven - Just a touch of Jazz - arranged by 0supereg0

Review by Waz, 25/10/2023

It's a fairly good effort to do something different with this. But I do think there's a little bit too much in the way of jazz noodling with a Kenny G styled saxophone which gets in the way of the main lead being given the room to flow and be the star of the show - which may need a mixing tweak to get that up front. It could also do with being a tad shorter to make it sound more punchier, as the original isn't that long to begin with. As Louis Balfour would say in Jazz Club - Niiiiiiiiiiice.
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Hades Nebula (Quinque annis post) - arranged by LaLa

Review by Waz, 24/10/2023

If you wanted John Carpenter to do a space themed horror with the soundtrack based on a Ben Daglish under-rated tune, then this is what you're looking for. Delightfully cinematic, with beautiful use of instruments, and attention to detail means each nuance is carefully placed.
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Complications - (E500 Funky Soul Mix) - arranged by Peter Clarke

Review by Waz, 24/10/2023

Take one of my favourite demo tunes composed by Tomas Danko (halcyon memories of the Mutant Refridgerator part of one demo in particular) and give it plenty of funky soul and a gorgeous vibe, and you have an impressive and excellent reworking. Attention to detail has been paid throughout so that the instrument placement is just right, nothing is wasted. And most crucially of all, the feel is all there, it has that in spades.
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Hades Nebula (Quinque annis post) - arranged by LaLa

Review by Poke16384, 14/10/2023

LaLa may be best known for the insightful verbal critique he provides on all of our remixes but here is a musical statement which should leave you in no doubt about his ability to weave magic with a musical keyboard.. The atmosphere of this piece carries all the power of an epic movie soundtrack in a subtle soundscape that does the job to perfection.. His interpretation of Ben's piece adds buckets of depth that the humble SID chip was never capable of delivering but never loses the essence of the original… It's a great remix.
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Endtheme (Encore500) - arranged by Jogeir Liljedahl

Review by LaLa, 14/10/2023

I fell in love with his version right away and I can't stop listening to it - Jogeir extended the short original into a beautiful five and a half minute long chill piece, and I'm so glad it also features that wonderful melody line of the original prominently. Sorry, all other talented remixers, but we have a winner - this is my absolute favorite from the Encore500 album, bar none.
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Hades Nebula (Quinque annis post) - arranged by LaLa

Review by Tomsk, 11/10/2023

I've always loved this remix. The additions add extra layers, and the new tighter timings also add improvement. The new subtle nods to Ben's other tunes for the most part fit nicely. Overall its the choice of soundscape and style that have always elevated this remix for me. It's dreamy and evocative, and I encourage you to give it a whirl. Great stuff!
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Complications (Encore500) - arranged by Peter Clarke

Review by Danko, 09/10/2023

Well, as I recall things it was the other way around with the C64 version happening later, but I digress… Friendly banter aside, this track shows Peter Clarke's strength as a professional musician on guitar and keyboard which is something I've been suggesting for him to get back into after a decade of fake symphonic orchestral remixes. So glad he did, because this one is one of the funkiest tracks on Remix64 this year and so different from all the numerous Complications remixes out there!
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California Games - arranged by LMan

Review by Danko, 07/10/2023

When Makke says it sounds 20 years old, is it because it is 20 years old or because Makke is right? Nobody knows. To me, personally, this sounds like an improvement over anything anyone would have attempted to produce 20 years ago. And that is all. Spring cleaning and moving on is awesome, Lman!
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Complications - (E500 Funky Soul Mix) - arranged by Peter Clarke

Review by Danko, 06/10/2023

Not my favorite Complications Remix, but the best Complications Remix. I wish I had nothing to do with it. Having been privy to how Peter approached this interpretation was impressive. Initially it was to be 70s Motown, then Disco pretty much came out of the mixing process. The end result is Disco without the Cheese, showing Peter's talent when it comes to choosing tasteful aesthetics. Peter got a severe upper hand by being able to play those funky guitar, Rhodes Piano and Hammond Organ licks live and with great articulation. To me, this is what makes all the difference in a world of 100% In-The-Box DAW Remixes. It did take a lot more effort when it came to the mixing and mastering, however in hindsight it was definitely worth all the ache, pain and harassment from Peter.
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California Games - arranged by LMan

Review by Tomsk, 01/10/2023

About time you got you finger out Markus 😊 Thumping remix, with lots of sonic ear candy cleverly mixed to keep this sounding fresh. I especially like the break drum sequence at 1:26, and those smooth pitch bending synths throughout. I do long for some snares in the drums later, rather than the four on the floor, to add variety, but all in all it's just good to have you back.
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Funkey A Soul (the hardest part) - arranged by Eivind Sommersten

Review by Danko, 30/09/2023

I wresteled this particular SID because the driver did not have hard restart making it difficult to groove. And here you go, groovin'… Figure, you did not have to wrestle any of that. Apologies for the waveform reset bugs, and glad to see you managed to ignore them.
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Good Enough (RKO edit) - arranged by JLD & ziona

Review by PhunkyData, 28/09/2023

Love it.! You get the point for sure.! Miau miau…miau…purr…purr purr…purr.! What`s that 15 words shit about? Honestly?
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Cobra (Chillout Mix) - arranged by Dr Future

Review by LaLa, 23/09/2023

The original by Sylvester Lévay is pretty laid-back, too, but you managed to make it even more chill by switching the lead to a sax. Which, BTW, sounds really good! A bit of a Spanish flamenco flair here and there on the acoustic guitar also doesn't hurt. 😉 And the entire mix, as expected from you, is squeaky-clean and clear.
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Nightdawn Lounge (Share your love with me) - arranged by Eivind Sommersten

Review by LaLa, 23/09/2023

I think it was a good choice to alternate between the vocals (from a sample library, I guess) and the melody lines of the SID and NOT pitch-correct the vocal samples to the melody of the SID. However, that also makes the structure of this remix a bit disjointed and to be honest, I think this remix would be great even without the vocals.

Plus points for picking this rarely (if ever) remixed SID, though - I wish there were more remixes of its various subtunes, because it deserves it.

As usual, the mixing is top notch, though, every instrument comes through crystal-clear. So, from a technical perspective this is a great remix, but the arrangement is not particularly exciting.

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Ocean Loader 2 (Year of the Analogue Horn) - arranged by Dan Tootill

Review by RaidenSkywalker, 11/09/2023

I must have listened to this 30 times today. What a fab remix of a classic tune, you did a fab job on this Dan, the arp bass sounds amazing. loved it, loved it, loved it……….
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Blue Comic Bakery Monday (Mashup Remix) - arranged by ALPA

Review by Danko, 31/08/2023

Fett nice, but where is the Blue Monday KikikikiKikikikickdrum. …och då är det alltså 'förlorat tillfälle' som skall in på lodrät nio.
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Human Race (tune 4) - arranged by Tim Forsyth

Review by Eivind Sommersten, 22/08/2023

First of all, kudos for the signature change - I think it works really well. It also helps bring out the alternating bass which is perfectly mixed and another standout feature of this remix. My gripe here is that there is too little variation in dynamics in the overall arrangement. After the bass comes in around 0:30 there really isn't that much change. In my humble opinion this remix would be perfect starting out super softly and saving more of the pomp (like the choir, which otherwise also works well) until the very end. Otherwise it's really good!
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Arabian Nights - Egyptian Style Intro - arranged by DoriMusicProductions

Review by DJs. DoMoDo, 17/08/2023

The musician who created the arrangement for this amazing piece did a professional job with thinking outside the box. Well done on the hard work.
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Commando (The Guitar Ballad) - arranged by Dr Future

Review by LaLa, 16/08/2023

Adding the obligatory Commando cover to your portfolio, eh? 😉 Honestly, the part I like the most is when you veer away from the original melody completely at 2:18. Otherwise, it's a pleasant, but fairly run-of-the-mill Commando hiscore cover. I really like the instrumentation, though, has a bit of nice Spanish flamenco flair to it.
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