Christmas Special Editorial: 20 years of RKO (The charts revisited)
Published: 24/12/2020 by Neil Carr
In the year 2000 Jan Lund Thomsen's RKO (remix.kwed.org) was born. Finally, a resource that enabled remixers to uploaded their remixes for the world to enjoy. Before that time the remixing scene were made up of several websites spread around the internet. Finding these sites and jumping around from one to another was a painful and a somewhat chaotic experience. Over the years RKO would establish itself to be the one stop shop to get your c64 remix fix. In this Christmas editorial special we go back through the years and present the top 3 remixes voted by our readers from each year to the current day. So grab a cuppa sit back and enjoy whilst we take you on a nostalgia trip. Oh! and if you haven't voted yet on these remixes here's a chance to do so. Happy Christmas everyone.
*Ratings are correct at the time of publish. Ratings subject to varience should votes be cast.
YEAR: 2000
condor: Never commented this one... With Zoids, I think it can von title of your best remix.
Nebdar: Very good atmosphere build up and orchestral arrangment. Brilliant play and great work
jlrcuesta: One of the best remixes. Excellent sounds and structure.
92%
Nebdar: This tune has sole and purpose... Similar to the Twin peaks Tv series tune
soppa: Absolutely stunning remix, so simple (as the sid) but yet so eerie and deep feel to it, also love the selection of ambient sounds in this.
nonick: Excellent! But I'd like to know which Galway tunes have been recycled here.
93%
Trydowave: Best version of zoids. Obvious Jarre influence. Great stuff
countzorg: Shimmering
Melaure: Excellent, I have found Jarre's fealings in this tune :D
92%
Year 2001
machinae supremacy - Great Giana Sisters
Amiga4eveR: Outstanding!!!
Hex Madroom: One of my all-time favorites. A brilliant classic.
merl: Boaaaaaaah :D
96%
Tonka - Last Ninja - Palace Gardens (Loader)
L0rd3vyL: One of my favorite remixes, if not my favorite remix of the Palace Gardens Loader tune
Dr Hambone: Absolutely perfect from start to finish apart from the snare build up at 1. 15 which I find a bit over the top. Well done. This is my favourite remix I've heard!!!
Jogeir Liljedahl: What can I say! Probably the best tune on the site!! STUNNING!!!!!
93%
DHS - Max Headroom (Orbital 3241 Elevator Mix)
madrigal: Wonderful remix, DHS is a guarantee for quality!;)
NecroPolo: I think it's the best tune pack of Whittaker. The first section doesn't really cut through for me as much as the following parts - but that's just a subjective footnote, the remix is very cool all the way.
aero: Simply gorgeous
91%
Year 2002
Glyn R Brown - Firelord - Symphonic
Mitch van Hayden: What could I say? Give me more like this!
fraspras: A bit old sounded but great
Craze: Well, this is not the work of a hobby musician. This is professional. Extremely well performed and creative remix.
96%
Mahoney - Armageddon Man (Vocal Jazz feat. Karin Öjehagen)
eliot: One of the best remixes ever!
Caboose: Props to Karin Öjehagen for this one!
bordeaux: Thank you for this outstanding piece of art!
95%
Glyn R Brown - Gordian Tomb Adventures
inqisit0r: Glyn brown, nuff said
Nebdar: When you listen you think thats some movie trailer music. Outstanding :)
Sodden: Red face... Is a understatment, Simply stunning. After 31/01/02 Glyn is the master.
95%
Year 2003
Lagerfeldt - Dutch Breeze/Robocop 3 (Progressive Uplift)
Makke: Together with Reyn Ouwehands Deflector, this tune defines the perfect Commodore 64 remix.
decibel: I simply love this remix, I defy you to sit still while listening to it
emrebulsat: Perfect... The Powerful SAW Sound... Trance it...
93%
Thomas Detert - Supernova (the slow tune)
Zilog: Conquest of Paradise / Vangelis samples or else I'm mistaken => very nice!
Mordi: Awesome! I had no idea this tune was on this site. Wtf!
Ryrynz: Beautifully done.
93%
bar: The art of Vangelis+The sound of Neuronium+The touch of Suzanne Ciani=one of the best tune on RKO
Dan: Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy!
exo: Simply a great song.
92%
Year 2004
juan: Awesome!
hazel: Just amazing... This is a masterpiece to be remembered forever!!
Makke: Glyn's the man! 'Nuff said!
97%
Haldor: One of the best C64 remix ever!
Zieman: You can fall into a SWEET, endless near-sleep while listening to this :)
Dan: Cant fault this, another great mix of this tune and when that guitar kicks in it sounds just perfect.... Fantastic work by Marcel, always a joy to hear something by him
97%
DHS - The Human Race (Bando alle Seghe)
boessu: This one has a unbelievable quality. Great work.
floaf: This is REALLY nice!
cyphax: My goodness this sounds good! Fabulous piece of work!
94%
Year 2005
Makke - Artura(Dublin Delight Mix) feat. Andreas Wallström
NecroPolo: AYYYEEE!!!! :D Yikes! Me likes!
Dan: Outstanding, Makke is one of the few remixers who constantly turn out quality and original pieces.... More please
madfiddler: Brilliant stuff again. Could have recorded some nice violin for this though!;)
95%
Marcel Donné - Something Stranger Remake
Waz: Marcel just completely rocks my world, again! An excellent improvisation on a quite limited SID with plenty of emotion and feel, and working around the original tune. Superb stuff.
Chainsaw: Very great
Tas: Ding, dang and dong!
93%
lem: Fine remake, well done!
prowler: Wonderful as always by Glyn. Mmm, "the Recovery" has been on my SID-playlist for 20 years now, which does not make things worse. Thanks Glyn!
Sodden: Top 10!,, Wonderful tune. Don
92%
Year 2006
Andy Gilmour & LMan - Robocop Title
humorguy: I am from London, UK. Was lucky to be 2 years in NY in the 80's this is what you could have heard on the radio, driving up the coast to Marblehead. Brilliant.
c64glen: Awesome, great version of a favourite SID. Omoroca is still a cock
moog: Great great!! Top (GUN) Stuff
96%
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Tristess
sergi80x: Great fusion between antique & modern instruments, good melody
koroner: Masterpiece!
g3r: The r n'b feeling to this track with that special lead is simply awesome.
93%
machinae supremacy - Sidology 2 Trinity
DMC: Pheeew. What can I say? This one is dope! 8:17 - 10:22 kicks ass!!! Mixing is sometimes a bit messy but nothing I can´t live with. Outstanding vote for outstanding work!!!
jokesoldier: Orange face + you got boost powa for the F-Zero intro!
drcode: This is absolutely amazing. The style fits extremely well for c64 tunes and many of the tunes are the favorites.
93%
YEAR 2007
Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret (live at The Church)
BAM: Couldn't stop listening to the Live SundayService version - this redone studio version is beyone belief, simply the definition of perfection
murQla: Absolutely fantastic!
MPaans: Awesome! Kinda reminds me of Pink Floyd :)
97%
Dafunk - Destruction - The New Beginning (rmx)
klosterkatten: This tune is great! You really improved! Well done, I cant give anything but this cute red smiley.
infamous: Brilliant. Nothing else needs to be said.
Man from Stars: I like it all impresinve rithmic music for me.
93%
sardjent: Very nice tune, you wouldn't happen to be a Skinny Puppy fan concidering the samples at the end?:)
the_jinx: Great feel to it.. Wonderfull stuff!!
Dumper: A great tune all round, Dafunk just keeps the quality coming, excellent.
93%
YEAR 2008
Mordi - Plastic Pop (I Miss You mix)
kai: Beautiful. Nuff said.
mace: True Jewel, love your pure perfect style in the mixes, more please!
bosone: This is a super production! Definitely not my genre, but I can recongnize a good work!:-)
93%
Dafunk - Hardcore Power (We Believe In Goa - Remix)
infamous: This gets a red face for turning into capella's move on baby half way through, the sudden flashbacks to the early 90's made me smile and do the little fish big fish dance.. AWESOME STUFF AS ALWAYS!
Waz: Now this IS nice, and even nicer than the old version Dafunk did. Chucked this through my Mission m73 biwired floorstanders and that bass is pumping to say the least. The latter part sounds epic trance style too, it rocks!
chilli_uk: Its great and as always clear, concise and well mixed - would make a great track for a dj to mix to and with - great work
93%
Peter W - Stargate (Not As Trancelucent As)
L0rd3vyL: My second favorite Peter W tune.
Varan: Builds up the mood very nicely the first minutes and then releases a nice melody. Very dreamy indeed. The ending feels a bit "flat" though.
prowler: Very professional dreamtrance! A bit sleepy at times, but very enjoyable.
92%
YEAR 2009
Firestorm - Commando (Sound of SceneSat Edit)
Peter W: Knockout!!!
bosone: Perfect for an hollywood movie!!!!!!!! Absolutely great!!
red_devil: Yes! This is good stuff! Badly influenced by Hans Zimmer (Gladiator & The Rock) but that is not a bad thing. Perfect arranged!
96%
Jogeir Liljedahl - Synth Sample - The Stationary Ark
RemixFan: Impact on RKO!!! Nice ONE
cyphax: Something went REALLY wrong here because I've not heard this before and I'm like WTF! This is GORGEOUS!
Zlorfik500: A wild and unfettered masterpiece!
96%
Skitz: What can I say! Simply Outstanding!
FuzzyDweeb: My favourite version of the classic!
NecroPolo: Haha, I got ya! You get a. Sid file, just run through your MORDIFIER plugin - and that's it :) Quality work, as always.
94%
YEAR 2010
The SIE: Do u mean Tears in my eyes? Cuz I have them. Great Duo. Expand it.
nummer2: Waited long time for a new "sweet" remix and this is just perfect.
ulfepulf: Jeje
95%
Chabee - Baboon (Skydive ReMix)
Unreal: Yeaa! It is a great remix now!! I loves the feel, and the various elements and samples in the music! Congratulations, I am waitin' the next one, my friend!:)
_steve_: I can't add anything that hasn't been said above. Fantastic remix!
Melaure: Excellent!
92%
SIDrip Alliance - From First to Last (AROK12 tribute mix)
Makke: Standing ovations from me. Only one complaint: The drums sound way too flat, static and thin for this heavy track.
weasel: Wow! Truly _outstanding_, indeed!!! Thank you _very_, very much!! :-D
catcher40: Amazing is all I can say. Took me back to the good old days of playing LN, loved every minute.
92%
YEAR 2011
moog (Sebastian Bachliñski) - Jazzcat (007)
nettuno: Excellent, melody, arrangement and a style unique. WOW!
Melaure: What a wonderfull piece of Jazz. Sax, guitar, ... Not far from perfection!
NecroPolo: _steve_: Someone needs to grow taste or ears, maybe both :) I'd really appreciate some explanation coming with bad rating instead of trolling with no name. That's coward in a way, eh?
93%
LaLa: Per-fect. Soft to the ear, smooth to the brain.
YogibearRenoise: Great as almost always!
_steve_: Great as usual... Very chilled
94%
Peter Clarke - Ocean Loader 3 (Cinematic remix)
YogibearRenoise: This sounds really great and is now one of my favs of RKO! Could you please make an orchestral version of song 1 in HVSC of Tai-Pan? That's my fav sid of you! Thanks for this!
_steve_: Fantasitc. Like the slower pace of this one
karl_xii: Fantastic, gives me the shivers when listening
93%
YEAR 2012
drax: That is an excellent remix of one my oldies :)... Quite like the intro of it :)... Very well done - I am so flattered that you remix so many of my sids :)
redhot: Still a great classic
finnr: Love it. Funky as the original, all the effects added are spot on. One of my fav sids, and now one of my fav RKOs.
94%
Andreas Wallström and NecroPolo - DMC demo IV 2 (Celtic Mission mix)
truck: \m/ [insert worthy comment I'm just not coming up with right now here]
weasel: BRING IT ON!!! *headbanging.... Although no really long hair!! ;-D* Working really _great_ this version for this great SID.
Bigraw: Beast! :D
94%
teo: Great remix, has it all what's needed!
XxDUSTYxX: Awesome Remix, so much energy! Arman was a legend. He and his music will be missed.
infamous: Well fcuk me.. Very nice sound, very powerful and has a good industrial feel to it.. Very professional sound. Not much else I can say.. Fantastic stuff.
94%
YEAR 2013
monty: Never expected Kitaro to join RKO. Welcome, dude! :D
Grigul: Wow, great tune. The influence by Jean-Michel Jarre is obviously, but hey - I'm a huge fan of Jarre since 1979. Great Job, Peacemaker.
Dees Productions: Impressive work there mate! You really managed to capture the "OMP" sound and made it sounds like JMJ! :) Right on there!
94%
LukHash - Supremacy (youtube vid)
NecroPolo: SID remixing at its best IMO as besides melody it is also a respectful tribute for its unique sound, too. I miss a smarter ending maybe - but I don't care. Great stuff!
MORBID: Such a brilliant remix!
Crono: Masterpiece!
93%
BeeZerk - BeeZerk - Blasphemy (Feat. Pallaso & Kage)
archon: Wow, great mix and fitting the vocals in just perfectly!
Danceaway: TOP track and agree with above... This is nice and I can play in the car with Summer time by will smith....
Cyanuric: A little "thin" if you ask me but cool stuff nontheless!
93%
YEAR 2014
Slaygon - Platoon (Inexperti belli)
The SIE: Outstanding it is..
NecroPolo: Evil :)
Nightmare23: Great one, the speech at the end was a bit sloppy and could have been better.
95%
Robert Engstrand - The Mansion Gardens (Last Ninja medley)
NecroPolo: Very nice and fluent production with superb vocal tracks. My 2 picky notes are: 1- for energy it feels a little like an aeroplane with spinned up engines that doesn't take off at the end; 2- I really miss some witty outro that matches the brilliant track.
Jimbob: A hugely enjoyable track. The vocals work amazingly well.
Zilog: Goosebumps everytime!
93%
Markus Schneider - Enlightenment - Druid II
Ahriakin: Great work! Another for the 'cant believe that's a C64 remix' playlist for the family :)
DHS: Wow! I mean, WOW!
LMan: Markus Schneider is back, better than ever.
93%
Year 2015
Slaygon - Never Die (Skitz lives forever)
Jonazz: Oh.. Yeah my film composer do it again! He really are on fire..!
Dr-Duke: OMG, this is awesome Slaygon. Well done in memory of Paul. Pls, extend it!
LaLa: Fresh off his win at ROTY 2014, Slaygon drops another beauty on us. Wonderful cinematic emotions - I only wish if it was longer...
96%
Dr Future - Fist II - The Legend Continues
chosc: Hello! Well Done man, your tune is so wonderful and sometimes it remembers me of the old kung fu movies.
omoroca: Wonderful! Added to my collection.
Kate Eternal: Purrrfect!
95%
MRT - Eagles (Easy Flight mix)
mfe: Takes a few too many liberties with the melody for my liking, but it's well mixed.
blubberdiblub: Wow, just wow! The reverberation creates a dreamy atmosphere, the bass line so powerful and the strings simply lovely.
NecroPolo: This track has antique aesthetics and balance. The style is not really for me. The quality is.
94%
YEAR 2016
Dr.Piotr: Best guitar by Imany and god action on the bass
ChrisBond: Wow - that is a really good remix, good sounds good arragement, but a little static beat - love it anyway, and thanks a lot for the Cybernoid I Bonus at the end - lovely
wbdeejay: Love the phat bassline driving this awesome dance mix along, overlaid with delightfully simple melodies.
96%
Johan Andersson - Out Run - Splash Wave (surf mix)
ChrisBond: What can I say, perfect Beatles like :)
hillsman: Loving these "Surf" remixes! I really like this one and its perfect for Johan's style
Sanjo Ride: Loved this, was juming around in my seat
94%
NecroPolo: Despite that I hate dancing and dreamy stuff to quite a high degree I'd be a fool not to see the values of this quality track. Great work and a floor filler contender on a demoscene party.
hillsman: Catchy! Quality!!
LaLa: When listening to this tune I'd like to stand on a hilltop and yell out: "This is what the scene is about!!! " Kickass 80s feel coupled with a kickass demo tune.
95%
YEAR 2017
SIDNIFY - Supremacy (Overprime mix)
teo: What a great first remix! Igy tovább!
Sascha Michael Theel: Outstanding!!! I love it!!!:-)
Brosa: Holy cow... Full throttle, love it!
97%
redhot: Awesome, especially the bass line
NecroPolo: Not my kind of stuff at all (there is no blood) but it is quality at its best. Great work!
Shargo: MRT and Danko o/ O/ o/
94%
96%
YEAR 2018
FastLoaders - Commando High Score
FNL: Excellent! :-D
LMan: Super sweet rock ballad. All thumbs up!
bahamut_ger: Great Work!!!
96%
marcel: Is there a superlative for epic? If there is, than this remix is it! Amazing bit of work Sir!
Tas: WOW! Love the angry yet calm feel. Markus, this is sooo good. Thank you for sharing this.:)
nous: Amazing!
96%
FastLoaders - Ghouls and Ghosts
LMan: Perfect.
drm: Quality tune!!
Mordi: Nailing all the arpeggios on guitar. Impressive remix!
94%
YEAR 2019
Peter Clarke - Firelord - Symphonic (a nod to Glyn)
JustPhreak: Outstanding work!
C64_Gamer: Love the 2002 version and now I love this too
Breadbox Bill: I love it!
97%
Glyn R Brown - Firelord (from 8Bit Symphony)
L0rd3vyL: Awesome
Chris Abbott: A huge upgrade to the iconic 2002 version. Make sure you catch the "pure symphony" version at http://www.8-bit-symphony.com
_steve_: This is simply amazing. The only way to top it is being at the live performance in June
98%
c64glen: Outstanding. Unfamiliar with the original but there Pink's "Who Knew" in there.
symbols: Funkyness!!
Mordi: Dane meets Liljedahl! Highly enjoyable!
96%
YEAR 2020
NecroPolo: Lovely stuff Peter! I love the guitar playing especially.
Paulie68000: One of my all time favourite arcade pieces; I love the seamless blend of genres from the opening strings to the guitar break near the end. Pure class.
ziona: Excellent execution, and now I can’t even get it out of my head!:)
96%
Peter Clarke, ziona & Slaygon - Tales of Boon (The Collaboration Mix)
Ryrynz: The synths don't really have the punch I want, they really need to be front and center, orchestra sounds good. Overall a nice atmosphere. Dat Slaygon tho.. @3:30 my jam.
XxDUSTYxX: Excellent collaboration! Thank you very much for this Remix, ziona, Slaygon and Peter Clarke!:)
Poppykuk: Another musical journey with peter clarke. I hear the other players and it all works beautifully together. I love the way the soundscape changes.
95%
SIDNIFY - The Last Ninja - The Wilderness
MatrixRevolution: Amazing!
Bistecca104: Wow! Just WOW!
Tomsk: Quality right here. Brilliant mastering, superb use of the original SID, and punchy as anything! Love this!
95%
People, we should considder ourselves lucky to be part of a community diverse enough to cover everything from the solitary hobbyist with a copy of Fruityloops to an 80-piece symphonic orchestra. The solitary remixer can afford to be out of pocket on a remix since the music isn’t his/her day job - the professional musician doesn’t have that luxury. Dismissing one over the other isn’t a way to take the hobby in new directions. If you prefer the freely available renditions, that’s fine by me - but don’t knock commercial efforts simply for having a cost. No one is in this to get rich.
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