Reviews by LaLa |
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Displaying Reviews 421 - 450 out of 630 |
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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 isnot 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 remixwas 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 andthey 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 Ifind 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 soundthat 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 definitelyfeels 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 mindwhen 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 callenhanced 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 jobof 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 recordedin 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 somereason 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 thespaceyeffects 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 covershows 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 ajazzy 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 toOuwehand'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 alittle 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 quitepleasant. 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-styletune 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 Kraftwerkreferences 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 modernKraftwerk 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 danceremix. 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 openingseconds 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 toappreciate 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 Arabianattribute 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 standardchill-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 blendof 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 ingenious! 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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Last Ninja - Wilderness Woodhouse Mix - arranged by Chris MReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 It starts with a pretty good groove, but it continues in a disappointingfashion: the lead sounds are weak and out-of-place, there are way too many tingly and bellish overtones. If the intention was to evoke oriental feelings, the result is a total failure. The arrangement is not too bad per se, but the instruments should've been selected more carefully. |
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The Last Ninja (clouded mind version) - arranged by mymessedupmindReview by LaLa, 01/03/2003 A very interesting experiment where the Last Ninja tune is slowed down and itis put into a sort of ambient wrapping. I don't think it's as artisticas it was probably intended to be, but it is certainly a notable effort. It's a pretty good for a chill out track as it's very pleasant to listen to. |
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Lightforce (another Lightforce mix) - arranged by J LofReview by LaLa, 04/02/2003 J Lof manages to breath new life into one of the most remixed tunes simply by speeding it up. That and choosing killer sounds for his remix. Add a rather danceable rhythm to this bowl of soup and you got one pretty good Lightforce cover. |
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Platoon (Stratovarius Mix) - arranged by ifadeo offlineReview by LaLa, 04/02/2003 Strangely appealing and decidedly electronic, this remix is not trying to do too much but still achieves a lot. I quite like the bass sound in it and the whole electronic feel that it projects. |
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Commando (Orchestral - Compo Edition) - arranged by LarsecReview by LaLa, 04/02/2003 I've heard so many remixes of the various Commando tunes, I lost count. This one starts very slow with a single wind instrument playing the lead of the hi- score tune - a very nice piece of remix. Then it switches to the main theme with a more grandiose style. High marks for choosing a SID tune that doesn't lend itself naturally to the symphonic treatment, but except for a few inspired spots (which are mostly where the choir is audible) I find the arrangement crooked and somewhat misdirected. Also, most of the instruments are panned dead center which sounds especially unnatural in a symphonic piece. |
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