Reviews by LaLa |
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Apidya (End Credits) - arranged by Tim ForsythReview by LaLa, 01/12/2025 Top notch production crafted with so much care. No wonder it was the runner-up at BIT Live 2025's Remix Compo! Well done, Tim! Now, go ahead and finish it, please, because it feels like you got cut off at the 4 min mark due to the compo limits. 😉 |
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Cruisin - arranged by Jogeir LiljedahlReview by LaLa, 01/12/2025 I know this may sound like a cliché after the fact, but it's true: the first time I heard this remix after Jogeir submitted it to the BIT Live 2025 Remix Compo I thought: this is the winner. And so it was. Not just because its high quality production, not just because of the superb arrangement, but because of its humanity. It touched me, it moved me, and it still does every time I listen to it. Thank you, Jogeir! |
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Jack the Nipper - arranged by NecroPoloReview by LaLa, 24/11/2025 Sounded amazing on the speakers at BIT Live 2025. But even on a more meager setup this tune ROCKS. And the William Wobler inserts are brilliant. 🙂Should've been in the top 3 at the compo. |
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Warhawk - arranged by Puffy64Review by LaLa, 09/11/2025 It seems that once every 5 years Puffy64 emerges from his slumber to deliver us a rocking piece. I wish he did that more often - this just ROCKS! Can't stop listening to it! From the banging drums to the shredded guitars - what a great arrangement! And there are so many additional nice touches in this remix, too. Now I can't imagine Warhawk in any other way! |
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Memories Of Sweet - arranged by Marcel DonnéReview by LaLa, 05/11/2025 Simple and pure. But deeply from the heart. And nice touch with the video game SFX from Memories of Green. |
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Supremacy part 1 (o2 mix) - arranged by o2Review by LaLa, 05/11/2025 Supremacy oxygenated! I am a sucker for Jarre-esque remixes, so it's no surprise that I really like this remix, too. But not just because o2 managed to cross-breed Supremacy with JMJ's Oxygene, but also because he did it in such a tender, caring, and sophisticated way. Really, really nicely done! |
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The Way of the Exploding Fist OST version - arranged by Tollis offlineReview by LaLa, 27/10/2025 This is the second review I am posting about this remix. In the first one I wrote that I had a Well, I was wrong. Tollis contacted me privately about my first review, and after a few email exchanges he has given me enough assurances that that this remix was NOT created with Which I was actually relieved to learn, because this is a very good remix! I don't know if anybody else is familiar with the In fact, I wish this remix featured at least some authentic Chinese or Japanese instruments, that would've been the cherry on top. Another gripe I have with this remix: there are just way too many instruments placed in the middle, making the final mix sort of washed out (which was actually one of the reasons I originally thought that many of its instruments were AI generated). But technicalities aside, the end result is hugely enjoyable, and that's what's most important. |
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Subway Vigilante - arranged by protonReview by LaLa, 13/10/2025 All the instruments are painfully flat and void of any expression. The mix is way too busy on all frequencies. The lead sound is comparatively too soft (of course, it's hard to stand out when everybody else around you is SHOUTING). And WTF is that at 1:47? (And then again at 3:18 and 3:35.) Just not a pleasant listening experience at all. |
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The Great Giana Sisters Disco Party - arranged by Steve Foster offlineReview by LaLa, 22/09/2025 Oh, man, where to start? First off, let me say that this is a HUGELY enjoyable and dance-able piece, so mission accomplished! It also brilliantly incorporates many of the cliches of 1970s disco tunes - those archetypal disco strings, a driving bass line, the punchy drums. Yet, I find it hard to give it a red smilie, because at times the arrangement seems to fall apart a bit, knocking me out of my '70s disco groove. Maybe I am being too nitpicky?… Feel free to ignore these ramblings of a grumpy old man who will dance to this remix at any time, regardless. 😁 |
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Paperboy - arranged by SoundLogicReview by LaLa, 13/09/2025 The basic idea is solid. The chosen tempos of the various sections fit perfectly, too. Unfortunately, many of the instruments sound too flat. Also, I wish there was more glue between the various subtunes to make the flow feel smoother, right now the transitions are rather sudden (or non-existent). |
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Aztec Challenge (Desert Storm Mix) - arranged by Sven StormReview by LaLa, 10/09/2025 The first half of this remix is very much in the spirit of the original game, it has strong character, it has just the right amount of spooky and scary mixed together. After the beat comes in at 1:22 it devolves into average. And I'm not sure what that balalaika is doing in the mix. I wish the energy and the uniqueness of the first half carried over to the second half, too. |
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Dan Dare 3 - arranged by BeeZerkReview by LaLa, 31/08/2025 Thanks for posting the instrumental version of this remix, too! Although I think it's more than that: it's not just that the vocals were stripped, but sounds like you added the original melody back in place of the vocals, too. So, big kudos for that! I really like the vibe of this entire remix, can't stop bobbing my head to the rhythm! 🎵 |
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The Last V8 - arranged by Eivind SommerstenReview by LaLa, 17/08/2025 A phenomenal new perspective on The Last V8! It's hypnotic, it's mesmerizing, the guitar adds raw edginess, and on top of it, it's all mixed to perfection. (I am especially fond of the crystal clear drums that really elevate the mix.) |
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Suicide Express 90's Trance mix - arranged by Steve FosterReview by LaLa, 04/08/2025 This is really good! I don't know where the vocals come from (real singer? AI? sample lib?), but it sounds amazing. My only wish is that it featured more of the upbeat 'dancey' parts, but that's just me splitting hairs. It's a really enjoyable remix as-is. |
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Sigma 7 Arok 2025 Entry - arranged by Tony Fluke73 WirenReview by LaLa, 24/07/2025 Along with Tim's 'Dan Dare 3' remix this was my other favorite from the Arok 2025 compo. Just so smooth and well arranged. Everything has its place in this piece and they work together to nicely. Just a wonderful musical experience! Thank you, Tony! |
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Dan Dare 3 - arranged by Tim ForsythReview by LaLa, 20/07/2025 Totally should've won the compo at Arok 2025, bar none! Brilliant! I can't stop listening to it over and over and over again! (And yes, I agree: it's quite surprising this groovy JT tune has so few remixes.) |
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Spellbound - arranged by BoloReview by LaLa, 04/07/2025 Kudos to you for tackling such a hard SID tune to remix on your first try! And you basically covered the tune in its entirety - respect! I think your instrument choices are pretty good, but I wish you added more dynamics to them. They all sound pretty much the same throughout the entire remix, with not much variation from section to section, or even from note to note. Even if you're going for a more 'artificial' sound (not trying to mimic a human orchestra), if you add expression, articulation and/or ornamentation to those instruments from time to time, they will sound much more interesting to your listeners. While I like the harpsichord (?) you introduced at 0:46), I would've switched to a different lead sound at 1:31 to keep things interesting. That rising sound effect at 1:54 - very nice! I really like the piccolo lead you introduced at 2:45, that's a nice touch! Starting at 3:08 you are alternating between the harpsichord and the flute - I quite like that! I like your use of a church bell in the coda (at 4:29), reminds me of my own, old remix of the same SID. 😉 Overall, lots to like here, some things need refinement, but for a first remix - you should be really proud of it! |
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Where Nostalgia Thrives (Hope In Dystopia) - arranged by Dr FutureReview by LaLa, 30/06/2025 The style and instrumentation is spot-on 80s, no doubt there. The lyrics are pretty good, too, although I think the pace of the lyrics do not always match the pace of the music, so at times they sound a bit awkward. Not your singer's fault, she is pretty good! |
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Commando (The Rockabilly Strut) - arranged by Johan AnderssonReview by LaLa, 28/06/2025 I just listened to theStray Cat Strut(never heard of this band before), and your remix sir, is a really, really good pastiche of that style and that specific song! Even before I listened to the Stray Cats, I thought this remix was really well done, but now I am even more in awe. (Just one small note: I think the mix is a bit too hot, comes across as a bit loud on my headphones. However, no distortions or any other artifacts.) |
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Nemesis the Warlock - arranged by Eivind SommerstenReview by LaLa, 25/06/2025 First of all, congrats on your 100th remix! Quite an achievement! Unfortunately, as much as I would like to, I just can't rate it a red smilie. While technically it's a superb production, emotionally it just doesn't quite grab me. Not sure why, because all the pieces are there: epic instrumentation, choir, big drums… Maybe it'll grow on me if I keep listening to it. |
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Batman (long) Violin version - arranged by Tollis offlineReview by LaLa, 22/06/2025 Neat idea, but it misses the mark bigly at several points. For example, the section between 0:53-1:30 sounds way too dissonant to me, dare I say, off-key. When the bass+drum comes in at 1:30, it sounds so much better. I also hear bum notes in the bass between 2:13-2:34. I also think the violin goes into high pitches that sound unnatural (e.g. at around 0:35-0:45). Maybe your violin samples just get stretched beyond their limit? All in all, a great idea to use violin as the basis for your remix, but it sorely lacks on execution at way too many spots. |
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Giana Sisters Remix - arranged by TheBrutalToothReview by LaLa, 09/06/2025 Hi and welcome to the remix community! I quite like the dulcimer-like instrument in the intro, I think it fits well. Then it turns more electronic with that fat lead, which was a bit of a surprise, but it still works. I like your ending, too, I think you managed to create a great outro for this remix. Nice remix, well done! |
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Another Tune for Joanne - arranged by Eivind SommerstenReview by LaLa, 02/06/2025 Having taken a stab at the same beautiful tune before myself (not very successfully, I may add), I've listened to this with a more critical ear than probably most people. - Wonderful piano intro! Love it. - That warm bass (together with the subtle acoustic guitar) is just so comforting. - Hmm, at 0:57 that chord cannot be right. It just doesn't sound right. - Absolutely perfect choice of instrument for the lead - but I am missing the subtle portamentos and the trailing slides. I always thought those were what made this SID so touching. - The short, stabby strings at 1:23 - again, a great choice. - It seems to end a bit early. Sounds like you just wanted to finish it fast. I'm missing a crescendo and a climax from the arc of this tune. All in all, great choices in instrumentation marred by a few questionable choices in arrangement. |
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Wizball ShapedSigns - arranged by V. KaufmannReview by LaLa, 28/05/2025 V. Kaufmann releases a remix only once every five years. But when he does… Epic and majestic are words that come to my mind with this remix. In style it reminds me a lot of Mike Oldfield, some of Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds' and a few tracks from The Alan Parsons Project. In other words, it reminds me of some of the best of prog/symphonic rock. The guitar lead was a wonderful choice, and so was the hard-hitting piano that comes after it. The entire arrangement is just top-notch. Every time I listen to it I discover something new in it. I also like that sudden-death ending - it leaves me wanting more. A stunning production! |
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Trap - arranged by Marcel Donné & Eivind SommerstenReview by LaLa, 25/05/2025 I admit, when it comes to I think overall this remix sounds a bit on the soft side for me. Some sections are just too soft on the instrumentation, and just a tad more cheerful than they should be (IMHO). Somehow, the original's moody, melancholic undertone seems to be lost in the synth sounds. It starts very promising, though: I really like the heartbeat intro with the trumpet lead, although I feel it's a bit lacking on the low end here - some more growl would've been welcome. Fortunately, the bass in the next section (2:10+) makes up for that, and the flute lead is just a lovely choice here. The And while I absolutely love the percussion in 4:57+, yet again, the presence of the synthy sounds just seem to drag it down a bit. Another good example of that is the synthy lead from 6:03+ that sounds out of place for me. Anyway, I won't go on any further, because this review is getting long enough already, and because I think you guys get the picture. My nitpicky hair-splitting aside this is a lovely, lovely production with so many good things going for it. I just wish it went deeper with a bit more grit. |
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Burning Mist (Hades Nebula+Thanatos, Fusion Remix) - arranged by VandahliaReview by LaLa, 05/05/2025 Great idea for pairing these two for a fusion remix! And it's arranged very well, I like the seamless flow of this remix. Unfortunately, the instrumentation sounds rather unsophisticated. The guitar sounds especially flat and soulless. It's a shame, really. |
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Barbarian The king - arranged by Tollis offlineReview by LaLa, 28/04/2025 Starts out very promising, very grandiose. Unfortunately, when the choir first comes in there's a very sharp drop in the volume levels for all the other instruments and the choir is a bit washed out, too, making it hard to understand. Some more attention to mixing would've been welcome here. Personally, I don't actually have a problem with the AI choir - after all, other remixers also use, for example, sampled orchestral sounds, since not every can afford to hire the London Symphonic Orchestra… I am much more disappointed by how little of Barbarian I hear in this remix. It's a fantastic, epic soundtrack and so little of it is present here. The AI lead singer, though, sounds really weird. Not very clear, maybe due to too much post-processing, or the AI generator just wasn't very good to begin with - I don't know, but it's definitely on the wrong side of the And then the tune just cuts off suddenly at the end - next time, let the reverbs all die out before you end your recording. All in all, I do admire the effort you put into this, but again, I wish it contained more Barbarian. |
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Zoom (2025 live) - arranged by NecroPoloReview by LaLa, 14/04/2025 Loved the Hypercharger version when you published that 7 years ago (where did the time go?…), love this one even more. Somehow it's both more raw and more refined at the same time. No clue how you do it, but it's fantastic! |
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Wings of Fury - arranged by Tollis offlineReview by LaLa, 14/04/2025 Shows a lot of promise. Seems to try to imitate the 'fighting hero' style Hollywood orchestral score, and while it suceeds in some aspects, it's not quite there, yet. Also: the MP3 download cuts off abruptly at 2:53, while the video continues for another 40 seconds. |
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Gordian Tomb - arranged by Tollis offlineReview by LaLa, 12/04/2025 Welcome to the remix community! This is a promising arrangement, although several of the orchestral instruments sound somewhat flat to me (esp the woodwinds). The percussion sounds powerful, though, and you made great use of it. Also, in the MP3 file it cuts off the tail end of the last reverbs - next time let them all ring out before ending the recording. All in all, not bad! |
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