Reviews by LaLa |
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The Last Ninja 3 Intro - arranged by IceXuickReview by LaLa, 05/04/2003 In its current form this remix is not much more than an enhanced SID tune. Many parts of the original were left in verbatim (or so it sounds), including the arpeggios, which was an especially big mistake. The addition of effects and monstrous drums doesn't add too much except loudness. I still much prefer Reyn's own version of his tune on Nexus 6581 which has a definite orchestral feel. That's more fitting for the LN3 Intro than this electro-opera with its trumpet-like analog lead. |
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Zamzara (Spice Mix) - arranged by Gustav TaxénReview by LaLa, 05/04/2003 A nice groove is what makes this remix pretty good, although I think the snare-like drum has annoyingly too many high frequencies (read: it's noisy). Funky bass line, pleasant electric pianos and a fitting lead characterize this remix. Unfortunately that synth-flute lead later gives way to an overfiltered annoyance. Luckily it doesn't last too long. The serene ending is quite lovely. |
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Ocean Loader Four - arranged by YoshiReview by LaLa, 05/04/2003 A solid average remix, nothing surprising, nothing exciting, nothing outstanding, but nothing bad, either. The thumping base drum is rather overwhelming, but I like the choice of lead instrument. |
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Cybernoid 2 (Dancing baby mix) - arranged by Noviello PippoReview by LaLa, 05/04/2003 It is said that in general it's not advisable to pan drums hard left or hard right, but that's how this remix starts - and even continues. I find that rather disorienting. Worse, this panned-left practice later spreads to other instruments, too. In fact, Pippo admittedly had some serious trouble with his equipment during recording - but he still decided to upload the remix. Why, oh, why??? It's too bad because his work wouldn't be so bad, in fact, it would be a fairly good electro-dance remix. Unfortunately, the extremely poor recording quality completely destroys the experience. |
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Human Race - arranged by Markus SchneiderReview by LaLa, 05/04/2003 Here is a remix where all the sounds seem to be really good, but together they don't make much sense to me. I really like the electronic choir in the background, but the lead sound sort of destroys them. The clapping is great - but what's the point of having it here? The drums provide a nice rhythm but stylistically sound out of place. I wish the occasionally appearing female singer was featured more prominently and more frequently. All in all, technically it's great but artistically only so-so. |
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Comic Bakery (Retro Magic) - arranged by HazelReview by LaLa, 05/04/2003 I feel like this remix just drags on and doesn't really go anywhere. Which is not too good, because it stretches quite long. I feel no passion, no inspiration. The drum loops are okay for a hip-hop or rap style but don't really have much to do with the rest of this remix. |
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Last Ninja (The Wilderness) - arranged by CytexReview by LaLa, 05/04/2003 Sometimes after I'm done listening to a remix I get the feeling that the remix was done just for the sake of doing a remix. That's precisely the case here. I don't see the rhyme or reason this remix was made for, I don't find a coherent message in there, nor any purpose. It's just -is-. The instruments don't show much cohesion, though the bassline is quite good. All in all, this feels like l'art pour l'art and I'm not a big fan of that. |
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Technocop - arranged by golReview by LaLa, 05/04/2003 Fun, cheerful and very 80's! The selected instruments are rather tacky and they give the entire remix a very kitschy feel. Which, I think, is part of the charm of this piece. Nicely done! |
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Last Ninja 2 (The Sewers) - arranged by GZILLAReview by LaLa, 04/04/2003 Sinister sounds abound, some of them have a distinctively electronic feel, there also some orchestral strings in there. I think those bell-like sounds break the mood a bit. Other than that this remix is hard to categorize: it's quite weird and scary, which, I guess, is the whole point! |
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Last Ninja - The Back Gardens - arranged by SoAReview by LaLa, 04/04/2003 Okay, I give up: which subtune does this one remix? RKO says it's #6, but I find that hard to believe as I hear very, very little resemblence. The opening and closing minutes of this tune demonstrate the archetypal oriental feel very well, I especially like the subtle use of flutes. But I am more mystified by the different style that is in the middle, it's a bit like an old MOD with better instruments. Overall, it's not too bad, but doesn't really capture my attention. |
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International Karate (Tasty Dance Mix) - arranged by YziReview by LaLa, 04/04/2003 As Homer Simpson would say it: mmmmm, tasty!… … Absolutely awesome bass sound that endangers your speakers and tasteful drums that provide many hints of the original. Very subtle rhythmic chords add another dimension to this remix. The lead is also pretty close to the SID original, which in this case is not a compliment, because at times it feels too thin as compared to the rest. However, the melody is reproduced very faithfully which pleases me a lot. I only wish the entire IK tune was represented here, because Yzi decided to remix only the first half of it… |
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Lightforce (Power Remix) - arranged by Markus HollerReview by LaLa, 04/04/2003 I think the subtitle is misleading, because power it ain't. It definitely feels more powerful as the guitar lead comes in about halfway through, but it needs more powerful drums to make it, well, more powerful. Nice use of those filtered electronic sounds that essentially provide the backbone of the tune, just like in Hubbard's original. All in all, a forceful remix that falls a tad short of expectations. Oh, and I think it's also too short. |
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Wizball Highscore (sid-cover) - arranged by Kent WalldénReview by LaLa, 04/04/2003 Dreamy, electronic, fantasy-land-like. These are the words the came to my mind when listening to this remix. But it's not ambient, it's more like something from a fairy-tale that makes children smile. I think the arpeggios and the bass feel a little out of place and the drums could use more reverb, but it's quite good already as it is. |
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Star Lifter - arranged by MaindrianReview by LaLa, 04/04/2003 Great distorted guitars presented in their raw form. It's a very edgy remix, but I do not quite think it's like hard rock. I think the stereo space could've been better utilized, either by panning the instruments wider or by adding panned echo/reverb. Also, I don't think a lot of post-production was done on this piece - and it shows. |
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Times of Lore (Retro Remix) - arranged by MaindrianReview by LaLa, 04/04/2003 It starts in a style that I like to call enhanced SID. Then it transforms into an acoustic affair with plenty of nice guitars, which makes the remix very organic, very human. It's a nice piece of work for sure, somewhat reminiscent of early Mike Oldfield, but it has a missing ingredient. I don't know what, but the lack of it dampens my enthusiasm towards this remix. Maybe because nothing else is really supporting those guitars. Or because the final mixing feels unpolished. Nevertheless, it's quite pleasant. |
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Miami Vice Loada - arranged by MistaDistahReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 Teetering on the faster edge of the chill-out crowd this cover does a poor job of emphasizing what I think is the essence of Galway's original: the evolution of sound and musical patterns. The morphing here is gone, replaced by more discretely defined musical sections. Those sections, however, are very good by themselves and turn this piece into a Pink Floydish hypnotic dream (as demonstrated by those electric guitar sounds with lots of tremolo). All in all, a pretty good piece that falls a little short of being excellent. |
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Arkanoid (version x mix) - arranged by FTCReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 The echo chamber quality of the lead makes me believe this remix was recorded in a huge ice cavern, while the supporting instruments sound tube-like to me. Until the middle of the remix when it does a strange switch to a quite different set. This switcharoo left me confused and dazed. I think what this remix misses is direction. |
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Sanx(ion) from the moment we kissed - arranged by J LofReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 High-paced, energetic remix with a fairly unimaginative drum line. For some reason at times it reminds me of the soundtrack of The Matrix movie. I think with a better constructed rhythm section this remix would be a real winner, but in its current form it leaves me a bit cold. |
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Crazy Comets - arranged by YoshiReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 I like the spacey effects heard here and there in this remix, I also like the bassline, but I don't think this remix fills out the audio space and frequency spectrum it was given and thus sounds a little pale. It has a good groove to it but it's not supported by enough instruments. A nice effort that doesn't go far enough. |
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Platoon (Sub tune 3) - arranged by Clayton MarslandReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 I think there's more to Jonathan Dunn's original piece than what this cover shows of it. First I'd throw out that thin and shrieky lead and replace it with something of more authority. Then I'd add more punch to the supporting instruments. I dig the bassline a lot, so I'd keep that. I'd also keep the beginning, it works really well, but I'd shorten it a bit to get to the point (the melody) faster. All in all, I think Marsland needs to spend more time on perfecting this cover. |
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Laxity Again (mellow mix) - arranged by Joe [Stainless Steel] BarwickReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 This Laxity tune is, IMHO, much underrated. I think it'd lend itself more to a jazzy treatment, but this approach is not too bad, either. It's more of an electronic ballad with definite sad undertones. I wish there were more variations in this cover, though. Kinda nice but I wasn't blown away by it. |
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Last Ninja Remix (A Ninja By Night Remix) - arranged by Eric DelosReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 Slow-paced cover, but I think more is missing from it than what it adds to Ouwehand's tune. I can't put my finger on what is missing from it, this tune just doesn't make much sense to me: strings and piano, no proper beginning, no proper ending, it just _IS_. |
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Parallax (JunoPowerMix!) - arranged by SumegiReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 Sounds like something that was put together on a soft-synth like Reason with a little laziness. It's a bit too repetetive and the instruments sound somewhat flat. The arrangement is not very imaginative, either. I can't say I'm impressed by this remix a lot. |
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Last Ninja Remix - Sewers (soft mix) - arranged by CytexReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 Moving along at a nice and relaxed pace this cover of a remix is quite pleasant. I especially like the long delays (echoes) on that sax-like lead. It's a nice piece even if nothing special. |
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Magical Sound Shower (Carribean Edit) - arranged by GhostReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 Steel drums galore - which is understandable. The idea of a Caribbean-style tune is novel but it wears thin pretty fast. There's only so much you can do with steel drums. If this remix was only half this long it would've had more punch. Plus I think the mixing of the tune could use some help to boost the sounds of the steel drums which sound dry and a bit too distant. |
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Storm (Its more fun to remix) - arranged by ifadeoReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 Even if you never listened to this cover you'll recognize two Kraftwerk references here: first, the name of the remixer which is a reference to Kling- Klang Studios, second the reference to the It's more fun to compute Kraftwerk piece. The cover itself also contains some Kraftwerk references: the opening seconds remind me of Autobahn, the more or less simplistic arrangement also smells of Kraftwerk. Unfortunately, most of the sounds selected for this cover are of the modern Kraftwerk variety and I am not too fond of them in this context. A neat idea that needs to be worked on more. |
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Ocean Loader 2 (Dance X-Periment) - arranged by Sonic WandererReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 Don't let the almost romantic intro mislead you: this is a genuine dance remix. So genuine, in fact, that it's in the dime-a-dozen category: chew it once then spit it out. |
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Grand Prix Circuit - arranged by AmpReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 A fairly straight cover of Kris Hatlelid's famous digi tune. The opening seconds with the racecar sounds are very appropriate, then it continues in a promising fashion, but after that there are several problems with this cover. First, the lead sound is a washed out pad instead of a more edgy sound. Then the oh-so-important electric guitar hits that make or break the original have been tamed here so much that it makes the tune sound weak. Having a piano in there later was also a mistake. All in all, this cover just doesn't gel together very well: it can't decide whether it wants to be edgy or not and that's not a good thing. |
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Arabian Zoids (Themed Solo) - arranged by LarsecReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 Ever since Jarre's Millennium concert at the pyramids of Ghiza I've come to appreciate Arabic music more and more, especially modern Arabic pop and Arabic singing. This chill-out cover of Zoids has some of the latter - and that's where the Arabian attribute ends. So in this sense the title is a bit misleading. It may have started as an Arabian style cover, but then it morphs into a standard chill-out track, then into improvisational noodlings based on some SID classics. In other words, if you want to hear a coherent SID remix, steer far away from this one. The individual chunks of this remix are interesting, but as a whole they don't make any sense to me. After this 9 and a half minute long track I was left confused, not satisfied. The good point is that the technical quality of this track is pretty high. |
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Cauldron II - I am a Pumpkin Man - arranged by traumaReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 This tune is pretty awesome for several reasons: first it's an excellent blend of a capella vocals and a heavier rhythmic overlay. Second, I find it very funny - if you don't smile when this cover starts, you are not getting the joke or you never played the game. This is because the vocals actually make sense! Third, it has a very good progression to it: it starts in a humorous way with only vocals. Then a hard rock singer's voice comes over all this as frustration builds. Then the rhythmic overlay provides even more drama. After a short and very appropriate bridge section - which features Kraftwerkish drums - the tune culminates in a crazy organized chaos that sounds similar to a heavy metal concert mostly because of the presence of heavily distorted electric guitars. I find the result absolutely ingenius! It's an excellent, excellent piece!I am pumpkin man! ADDENDUM: Recently I've been listening a lot to this awesome tune, thanks to re-discovering it on the BIT Live DVD. My only gripe about it now is that when the purely a cappella part ends and the drums kick in, the signature base of the original tune (I am a Pumpkin Man and I'll be jumping… jump, jump, jump, jump, jump) is no more. That's a bit of a shame, but I still think the remix is awesome as is. Can't get enough of Pumpkin Man! PS: This will be played a lot on Halloween night to scare the trick-or-treating kids… |
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