Reviews by LaLa |
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The Great Giana Sisters - arranged by Johan AnderssonReview by LaLa, 07/04/2022 The mixing sounds way too 'hot' in this one to me. Especially in the high-ends I am hearing some distortion. I had to bring the volume down to 1/3d of what I usually listen to in order to make this sound better in my headphones. The mixing is bad enough that it brought down my final vote a notch.Stylistically, not what I expected from Johan - which is great, I like surprises! But I wish the noodling on the lead guitar towards the end was present in earlier sections of the remix, too, because that's a real highlight in this piece. I like your use of piano in the arrangement, too. And all the ear-candy you snuck into it here and there.Overall, a great remix ruined by so-so mixing. |
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Robocop Theme Extended Remix (C64+Gameboy) - arranged by Gabriel WestReview by LaLa, 26/03/2022 Welcome to the remixing community!First, the positive about your remix: lots of variations on the main theme, which is really nice to hear, you didn't just cover the original 1:1, but went the extra mile with your arrangement - I really respect that. Where you remix is lacking is in the sound department. The drums sound especially noisy to my ears, the bass sounds rather dry, in fact, the entire piece could've used better mixing overall - the lack of mixing makes your piece sound very basic. I don't really hear any articulations employed on the guitar, I don't hear many variations on the piano, either - they both sound rather flat and emotionless. And the guitar tends to go to ranges that sound unnatural.All in all, a good first effort, your arranging skills show lots of promise, just need to work on your individual instruments and the overall mixing. Hope to hear more from you in the future! |
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Rambo III - arranged by Dr FutureReview by LaLa, 25/03/2022 As usual from Dr Future, pretty good instrumentation and arrangement. Plus points for the guitar improv at the end. However, minus points for borrowing several of the original's arpeggios - you converted some to chords, but others you did not. I am not against including SID arps in remixes per se, but to me it sounds out of place here. Also slight minus points for the slightly muddy mix (esp. at the low end), which is very uncharacteristic of you. |
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Enlightenment Druid II (Take me away) - arranged by Eivind SommerstenReview by LaLa, 22/03/2022 A modern production of several vocal (and possibly instrumental) hooks that I suspect come from sample libraries (in fact, I know exactly where the vocals come from 😉). Nothing wrong with that, I think you did a fabulous job of putting it all together and presenting a clean, crisp, contemporary piece with them and weaving the SID melody into it all. |
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Bubble Bobble (Live!) - arranged by Hampshire Regional High SchoolReview by LaLa, 08/03/2022 So, here I am, 22 years later in 2022, now with a daughter who is in a high school band in the United States. Therefore I have a newfound appreciation for this piece. Think about it: somebody went through the trouble of arranging this piece (even allowing for short solos here and there!), printing the score in umpteen copies for each of the band member kids, then probably went through several hours of practice with the kids - all just to have it performed to parents who probably know nothing about the origins of this piece of music. So - respect!According to an old MP3 download of mine, that somebody was a person with the name of Tim Winsky. I wish he continued adapting other C64 tunes for his high school band, too, but alas, this is the only one of his works we know of. Mr. Winsky, if you are out there - please, let us know how this all came about!Yes, the recording is not so good, but I think that's what gives this tune real character - it's very obviously played and recorded live. Considering it's a high school band, the kids are actually playing fairly well. Yeah, they are off here and there, but I think most high school bands could only wish they played this tight.Bravo, Mr. Winsky, bravo!I only wish Mr. Winsky made the score of his arrangement available to others, too, as I would surely ask my daughter's high school to add this to their repertoire, too… |
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Way of the Exploding Fist (Metal Mix) - arranged by Pan's DelightReview by LaLa, 20/02/2022 Welcome to the Commodore remix community! While an interesting idea, the strange juxtaposition of plinky-plinky synths and hard rock doesn't really work for me, I'm afraid. Most of the instruments also sound too dry, and while it could've used some mixing, too, unfortunately, my basic problem with the arrangement juts cannot be solved easily. |
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DashN's take on Ocean loader 4 Reload - arranged by DashN offlineReview by LaLa, 18/02/2022 Ah, so you've attempted this remix again in the same style! That underlying groove from Jan Hammer's Crockett's Theme - still a great idea and it's easily recognizable in this one, too. That lead, though - ouch. I suspect it was played, not sequenced, but along with the dissonant notes and the bad timing, it just ruins this remix. Also, yet again, just like in your previous remix, you didn't do the Hammer-style pitch-bends which he is known for. Soundwise the lead is better, but execution-wise it leaves a lot to be desired. |
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Ghosts 'n Goblins (RockMetal Cover) - arranged by Vaggelis PapadopoulosReview by LaLa, 16/02/2022 I saw Vaggelis' name pop up and I was already excited. Then I listened to his remix and I was ecstatic. ROC=K ON! 🤘 What skills on the guitar! Also, nice touch with the additional choir.And that surprise outro at the end in Greek folk music style - I almost fell out of my chair when I first heard it. 😂 What a great idea! 😃👍 Now I am wishing for an entire remix in that style!!! |
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Panther (Storm in teacup remix) - arranged by ElroReview by LaLa, 15/02/2022 Welcome to the Commodore remix community! This is a really good introduction for a first remix! I quite like the intro, and I like how it transitions to the main beat and theme. I like how you tried to retain the feel of the original with the lead sound. The entire arrangement has a cohesion that is rarely heard from newcomers. Very well done, hope to hear more remixes from you soon! |
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'Clever Music' Medley - arranged by TomskReview by LaLa, 13/02/2022 Pardon my pun, but this is not just a [i]Clever[/i] medley, but it's also a very clever medley. The way the individual themes are weaved together it's so seamless, it sounds so effortless, it's jaw-dropping. (Although I know it must've required a ton of work to put it together like this. It's always hard work to make something sound so easy. 😀)On top of it, the instrument selection is spotless, too. The piano, the guitar, the sax, the vocal backing, the drums - all top-notch, and they all play together or alternate in a very natural way, depending on what a given section dictates. And I can't really complain about the mixing, either.At times this remix is poignant, at times it's uplifting, and it's pure nostalgia all over. One thing is sure: this piece will touch you one way or another. Well done, Tomsk, I really enjoy it! |
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Ghosts 'n Goblins - arranged by Emanuele Siward PallozziReview by LaLa, 13/02/2022 Whoa, quite an entry for a newcomer! It's so good, I wish it was longer. Smashing! |
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Crazy Comets (Komet Non Stop 2022 re-remix) - arranged by MakkeReview by LaLa, 13/02/2022 20 years later and even better than the original remix. Makke changed what needed to be changed to make it sound more modern (the instruments sound better, the mix is cleaner, the vocals stand out more), but left alone that was already very good to begin with (the overall song structure, the electro rhythm, the lyrics). As a Kraftwerk fan, I really liked what Makke has done with this SID tune in 2002 - and this latest version sounds even better. (just listen to them side-by-side and you'll hear the big step up in production value.) |
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Sanxion (Don't Fall Asleep) - arranged by WobblerReview by LaLa, 13/02/2022 I love it! And despite its subtitle, I think I will fall asleep to this, it's the perfect tune for that! A bunch of wonderful spacey pads, a subtle violin, a beautiful, gentle arrangement at 72 bpm - everything is here, ready for chilling on a Saturday night! |
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JT 42 (We Got the Fire) - arranged by Eivind SommerstenReview by LaLa, 12/02/2022 Clever use of vocals, I really like it when you duck the chords with filtering to bring the singer forward. Crispy clean mix - maybe too clean if you were going for a full 80s style like the original Level 42 song. Your drum set is simply magnificent, excellent, punchy sounds! The piano improvs towards the end are really cool, too.And now for the negatives: the ending is a bit too abrupt for my taste. I wish there was some more variation in the rhythm section (other than the breaks) - it's certainly fine as is, it's a great groove by itself, but my ears get a bit tired of it by the end of the song. At times I wish the vocal was fattened up a bit more with (pitch-shifted) layering, especially when it's singing the We got the fire hook. That lead sound from 1:33 - I don't care for it much. That should've been a lead guitar, IMHO, that would've been killer.Despite my complaints it's a really good track, but I think with a bit more work it could've been outstanding. |
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Steel Ranger End Credits - arranged by Markus SchneiderReview by LaLa, 05/02/2022 There's no substitute for talent. Never in a million years I would've thought that the original SID could be turned into such an epic piece - but here it is, thanks to Markus. Sounds absolutely fantastic! My only gripe is about its length: it could've been twice as long and I would've still complained about it being short. Oh, well, that's what the loop button is for. 😉 |
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Missing you - arranged by JLDReview by LaLa, 05/02/2022 I am ashamed to admit that this is another SID I wasn't familiar with before. It has a really catchy melody in its chorus and thankfully, JLD retained it in full with all its nuances. Really like the electric guitars in this remix, I think they turned out quite well (despite being plugin-based). Great job overall, I really enjoy it! |
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Mutants (The Mantra) [Cinematic64] - arranged by SlaygonReview by LaLa, 28/01/2022 It's gritty, highly textural, with lots of distortion and industrial sounds - just be careful with that volume button so it doesn't blow out your sub-woofer. This is still one of my favorite tracks from Cinematic 64. |
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Cyberdyne Warrior (Encore64) - arranged by Glyn R BrownReview by LaLa, 27/01/2022 Not what you'd expect from Glyn! it is a very modern take on the tune where vocal chops play an important role, mixed with SID sounds and some synth-pop elements. It may be a surprising stylistic choice for Glyn, but it's absolutely smashing, a complete earworm, and sets a very high standard for the rest of the Encore64 album. |
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Spy Vs Spy (Spy Disco Spy Remix) - arranged by Stello DoussisReview by LaLa, 06/01/2022 Funky 70s styling (with modern production techniques)! All we are missing is the shiny disco ball 🕺… … This is off the hook, dude - far out!… … Upon multiple listens, maybe the filtering effect is overused a bit too much. But now I'm splitting hairs. Upon even more listens on different equipment, one more critique: the final mix is way too hot (loud). Congratulations, you won the loudness wars… 😒Still an awesome tune, I thoroughly enjoy it! 😀👍 |
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Giana Sisters (Menu Title Cookified) - arranged by HanseeReview by LaLa, 31/12/2021 Welcome to the remix community! This is a really good remix, dancey-synthy, and with a more creative arrangement. You may be a newcomer here, but it's pretty obvious you are not new to music-making… Hope to hear more remixes from you in the future! |
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Jeroen (Careless Edit) - arranged by Dr FutureReview by LaLa, 24/12/2021 You've matched the instrumentation of Careless Whisper very closely, kudos for that alone. The guitar sounds really good, but I think the sax could've been played a bit higher, and the strings sound too mechanical (lack of legato?). Minor gripes, though, considering how good the overall arrangement is. |
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London Demo (Christmas at Reyn's mix) - arranged by Tim ForsythReview by LaLa, 15/12/2021 Since I wrote my shout, I listened to it a few more times. I still like that flashback style intro, the 80s style instrumentation in the rest of remix is near perfect, I get the whimsical nature of this remix (and I embrace it) - but somehow it just still doesn't gel in my mind as a whole. I prefer the 95% Wham-free version on Soundcloud… |
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DeathWish III remix - arranged by LaurikkaReview by LaLa, 15/12/2021 Welcome to the Commodore remix community! This remix is a decent entry by a first-timer, it follows the original's arrangement fairly closely with a nice choice of instruments (I quite like those brassy chords from 0:56). But it does show some common teething problems: the instruments sound somewhat lifeless with not much variation to them. The drums sound a bit too dry in the mix. It also sounds to me like the overall instrumentation has some holes in it - many times I feel like I should be hearing something more and instead there's just the bare-bones minimum.But overall, it shows a lot of promise, and I hope we'll hear more remixes from you in the future! |
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Christmas at Reyn's - arranged by Tim Forsyth offlineReview by LaLa, 14/12/2021 I quite like the concept in the intro, sort of a best of remembrance. Really like the 80s soundscape from 1:00, totally vibing to it. But the vocoded/synthesized voice singing Last Christmas… Not sure about that one. |
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Bubble Bobble (Moody Trailer remix) - arranged by ColmarrReview by LaLa, 17/11/2021 I am going to be a bit harsh on this remix, mostly because it advertises itself as a trailer remix, which raises my expectations. From that perspective, the first minute or so of this remix - red smilie for sure, it's very well done. However, it never really seems to move on from there and gets stuck in an orchestral hits + piano cycle. Which does not sound very exciting to me after its novelty wears off.Absolutely high marks for the unique approach to this SID tune, the sound palette you used here is totally trailer quality, but I think it would've been more successful if more thought was given to the overall arrangement. |
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End Sax (sans sax) - arranged by Eivind SommerstenReview by LaLa, 17/11/2021 I would like to know what's in the water in Norway, because it seems that almost every remix submitted from that country is of incredibly high quality!The intro of this remix sounds like 4 different sample loops mixed together - I don't know if that's the case, but not that it matters, because once that piano lead floats in, I am already melting. And when the beautiful vocal replaces the piano, I feel like I am floating towards heaven.This remix really hits a soft spot in me. Actually, it's more like it caresses a soft spot in me. The violin, the strings, the singer, the soft drum rhythm - it all feels just right. Whether they're sample loops or not - who cares. Eivind managed to create a wonderfully emotional piece out of DRAX's relatively short SID piece. Bravo! 👏👏👏 And thanks for sharing it with us! 👍PS: Haha, yes, it is funny that a song with sax in its title has no sax in it. 😁 |
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Alloyrun - arranged by SIDNIFYReview by LaLa, 17/11/2021 SIDNIFY don't release frequently, but when they do, it's high quality stuff. No exception here, with their now-signature 'wall of sound' in-your-face arrangement, sprinkled with a generous amount of electric guitars and SID sounds. And when the hurricane-force winds generated by the speakers off this remix finally end, the only proper reaction is WOW. |
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Nemesis the Warlock - arranged by Skaven252Review by LaLa, 15/11/2021 I really like the industrial, almost steampunk style here, but I have trouble accepting that electric violin-like lead on top of all that. It feels a bit too whiny to me in this context. It's a fantastic sound all by itself, but together with this 'heavy' metallic backing - I'm not sure. Otherwise, this is a superb arrangement, and it really paints a picture: when I close my eyes I am seeing big factory machines playing this remix, with giant vats containing liquid steel all around, big sparks flying from from each drum hit… |
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The Last Ninja - The Wilderness - arranged by Johan AnderssonReview by LaLa, 13/11/2021 Lovely flute, great trumpet - a unique, but undeniably signature Andersson-like take on a classic SID. It all sounds very organic, cohesive, perfectly mixed. Just great all around! |
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Giana Sisters - Arok - arranged by Glyn R BrownReview by LaLa, 10/11/2021 Boggles my mind how this placed only 4th at the Árok remix compo in 2021… This is a finely tuned epic choral-orchestral-cinematic take on Hülsbeck's classic tune. Throw in some vocal chops, maybe a pipe organ here and there, mix it up with some generous reverb - then add that special sauce that only Mr. Brown possesses, and you get a masterpiece. Mind blown! 🤯 |
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