Reviews by LaLa

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Ocean Loader - Modern Metal Mix - arranged by Underphil

Review by LaLa, 17/08/2021

Overall, not bad, good use of the double guitars hard-panned left and right, but let me point out a couple of issues with this remix:

1. The intro (and the outro) is nice, but the licks really have nothing to do with the rest of the track, so they are a strange bookend.

2. The guitar lead starting at 2:01 (and @3:25) sounds extremely flat, void of any articulation.
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Power Drift (Low carbs more cow Bell) - arranged by 0supereg0

Review by LaLa, 14/08/2021

The mix is all over the place, the rhythm guitars are especially muddy. Got some nice ideas in there, but I think this track should've spent more time in the mixing department for polishing.
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Star Soldier - arranged by Aarrow

Review by LaLa, 12/08/2021

Kudos for picking an obscure little-known tune for your remix! The arrangement is not exactly sophisticated, but it's charming. Great choice of instruments. Looking forward to more productions from you!
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Bossa Nova - arranged by Eivind Sommersten

Review by LaLa, 06/08/2021

Perfect marriage of original SID and remix musical style! Finally, something different! Very nicely done.
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Hardware & Hubbard - arranged by Makke

Review by LaLa, 04/08/2021

Still sounding great after all those years! This has everything: multiple Hubbard tunes, hip-hop beat, Commodore ad samples, and lyrics that only a true C64 geek can understand.
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Microprose Soccer (Chug it) - arranged by Slaygon

Review by LaLa, 17/07/2021

Mordi has the mordifier, Slaygon has the slaygonizer. A larger-than-life cinematic version of a SID subtune that is less than 30 seconds long - it has been slaygonized. Dark and gritty, grandiose and in-your-face. If they ever make a Hollywood epic about MicroProse Soccer, this should be its title tune.
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Stranger in a Strange Land (Complete Mix) - arranged by 0supereg0

Review by LaLa, 11/07/2021

The issues with this remix are multi-pronged. While the original SID has a great hook, its overall arrangement is just nonsensical and mish-mashy. Unfortunately, that arrangement is followed here way too closely. Second, sounds like a lot of parts were based on a straight SID2MIDI conversion: they are lifeless, and barely add anything to the original arrangement. Third, while individually the instruments probably sound fairly decent, together they just don't convey any emotion - it's like robots playing them from a set score. 0supereg0 - I know you can do better than this.
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The Last Ninja - arranged by MASTER BOOT RECORD

Review by LaLa, 09/07/2021

A gritty, industrial approach to this oft-remixed theme, in an 'extended cut' style. I quite like the arpeggiated sequences, too.

But I think the real highlight of this remix is the clever re-arrangement of the tune, I really appreciate the effort that went into that. The more I listen to it, the more I like it.
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Why Not (Dope Out) - arranged by Eivind Sommersten

Review by LaLa, 09/07/2021

Wow, perfect marriage of original SID tune and remix style! Dig the electric piano 🎹 bouncing all around the stereo space. Dig the trumpet 🎺, too. Dig the sweet, sweet deepness of that bass 🎸, hotdamn! Digging the entire piece, period. ☺️ Wish there was more vocal 👄 shouts, though (like that oh-oh early on).
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Wizball Hiscore Goes To 11 - arranged by Tamas Kenez

Review by LaLa, 01/07/2021

It's a good arrangement, I like the guitar work, but the mix sounds somewhat muddy, its clarity is not as good as it could've been, IMHO. I get it, it's a live recording, but it could've used some cleanup in post.
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Gerry the Germ Caribbean Mix - arranged by Tamas Kenez

Review by LaLa, 01/07/2021

Welcome to the remix community, Tamas!

This was his entry to the 20th Anniversary remix compo, and I think it gives Johan Andersson a good run for his money. 😁 The intro sounds a lot like a lullaby, very nicely done there. But then it quickly transitions to a a full arrangement, which sounds lively and joyful. A great debut, I quite enjoy it!
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Great Tune - arranged by JLD

Review by LaLa, 27/06/2021

Wow, I also can't believe nobody has remixed this tune before! 😲 The drums really drive the energy in this remix, maybe a bit too much so. Lovely reverb on the lead synth! The guitar sounds too synthy to me, maybe adding more articulations to it could've helped fool my ears. Good choice of SID, great remix!
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The Last V8 - arranged by Johan Andersson

Review by LaLa, 16/06/2021

I really, really like the 70s funk feel of the intro (reminds me of those 70s cop TV shows), too bad it's not carried forward to the rest of the tune. Also, I keep missing the … immediately! from the speech samples, it just doesn't feel complete to me without that, and it drives me nuts! Am I the only one? 😊 Other than that - top-notch stuff yet again from Johan.
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Last Ninja - The Wilderness (TweakerRay ReMix) - arranged by TweakerRay

Review by LaLa, 16/06/2021

First of all: welcome, TweakerRay!

I like this remix from several aspects, but it feels more like an enhanced SID to me due to the overwhelming presence of SID-like sounds and SID arpeggios and whatnot. Nothing wrong with that (we like SID sounds!), it's just… largely the same as the already outstanding original SID tune. I like the atmosphere in this remix, I like the sounds - but I also liked those in the original, and here it's not much different. I guess, in summary: plus points for execution, minus points for lack of originality.
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M.A.C.H - Subtune 3 (extended) - arranged by Tim Forsyth

Review by LaLa, 27/05/2021

What a great remix! 😎👍Yet again, Tim hits it out of the ballpark. The first half of this remix is a pretty amazing remix of the SID itself. Then Tim decided to add a second half consisting of his improvs and variations - and it sounds fabulous! Definitely has undertones of Jarre in there (Zoolook, Revolutions), and it's done very elegantly. Well done, Tim, well done!
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The Last Hero - arranged by Wallstrom & Friends

Review by LaLa, 25/05/2021

What a great collaborative remix! Andreas on the drums goes crazy as usual. 😊 Necro is smoking hot on the guitar, Laxity kills it on the keyboards, Marc on the bass just kicks ass… Well done, everybody! Personally, I think it deserved to finish higher in the Remix 64 20th Anniversary Compo, but at least I can give it all the red smilies I want right here. 😊
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Time's Up (Unusual Suspects mix feat. Vir) - arranged by Mordi

Review by LaLa, 21/05/2021

Wow and holy s**t and whoa!!! People, we need a new smilie: a red smilie is just not good enough any more to express how excellent this is! We need a flaming red smilie for this one! The compo version you submitted to the Remix64 20th Anniversary Compo was already good enough for 3rd place there, and that had only a Mordified synth lead. Here with the sweet, sweet vocal you just elevated this remix to a whole new level. Sounds like those singing lessons Lea gave you have paid off - your voice has improved a LOT, Mordi! 😉

I don't know who came up with the pop song lyrics (you, Mordi, or Vir, the singer), but it's absolutely fitting. And you did a fantastic job dressing up the solo vocal with harmonies and effects. I just can't say enough good things about this remix! Superb!

I think from now on when people chuckle at me that I am totally into remixes of nerdy Commodore-64 SID tunes, I will just show them this song and I'll enjoy watching their jaws drop. Suck it, non-nerds!

#DemandAFlamingSmilie
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Delta - arranged by SoundLogic

Review by LaLa, 15/05/2021

I quite like it! A mostly guitar-based arrangement with additional synths. It all blossoms into a nice groove which keeps the tune going. Then there's a nicely positioned break, then the groove picks up again… All in all, it's very nicely done!
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Ghosts'n Goblins - arranged by SoundLogic

Review by LaLa, 15/05/2021

This is a remix of two personalities. I quite like intro where you went in the opposite direction of the usual horror-themed remixes and created a more mellow choral piece. The electric bass guitar shattered that serenity - but then you went back to being mellow with the flamenco guitar (?). This constant flip-flopping in the arrangement was an odd choice, IMHO. I can't really decide whether that's a good thing or not.
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Turbo Outrun (Track 2) - arranged by SoundLogic

Review by LaLa, 15/05/2021

Pretty danceable, I like the groove you developed for the remix. But I think it falls short in the mixing department: the overall sound is too 'airy', too 'light', rather than 'edgy' and 'punchy', which is what I would've expected based on the arrangement. Too bad, because you have some really creative ideas sprinkled throughout the remix (like the vocal-based bass starting at 3:08).
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The Last Ninja (The Inner Sanctum Loader) - arranged by SoundLogic

Review by LaLa, 15/05/2021

Very nice guitar licks in the intro. The complete lack of legato in the singer's voice is rather off-putting, though. Then comes a pretty good beat overlaid with some okay-ish instrumentation. Overall, not bad, some neat ideas in it here and there - but not very exciting for me, either.
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Commando Glissando - arranged by The St. Albans Rob Hubbard Fan Club offline

Review by LaLa, 06/05/2021

I was fortunate enough to be able to listen to this remix as soon as it was uploaded to the Remix64 20th Anniversary Compo. I listened to it at least 10 times in a row right away. And I still keep listening to it - I just love it! The arrangement is simply amazing, especially considering how differently the original SID was arranged by Rob. The instrumentation is also spot on, and I just can't stop bobbing my head to this tune! It's a wonderful mix of disco, 80's orchestral pop and modern-day synthwave. I'm sure this remix has its flaws, but I'll let other people find those this time - I'll just keep enjoying this remix day after day!
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Noisy Pillars (Italian Infection) - arranged by Wobbler

Review by LaLa, 06/05/2021

Italo Disco style - me like. All the sounds - me like. Except one: the cough. OK, I get it, that's a rip, too, and a signature sound of this style, but along with the subtitle Italian Infection, personally, I find it distasteful in this age of the pandemic and not funny at all. Remove that, and you get a red smilie.

PS: I had a little chat with Wobbler which made me realize that I apparently misunderstood the message he tried to convey with this remix. It wasn't meant to make fun of the Covid pandemic at all. I'm writing this here in the hopes that nobody else will think of this remix that way, either.

I wish your wife a speedy and full recovery, Wobbler!
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Stationary Ark - arranged by Tomsk

Review by LaLa, 06/05/2021

This remix reminds me of a finely woven tapestry where each strand, each color, each motif was made with the utmost care to ensure that when you step back and look at the entire piece, it remains a beautiful piece of art. All the nuances, all the articulations must've taken Tomsk a long time to get just right in this mostly orchestral remix, from the guitar to the strings, from the piano to the flute. I think the choice of the waltz-like, but 4/4 based rhythm was a fine one, too. I really like what I am hearing here!
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Afterburner (High Energy Prog Mix) - arranged by Peter Clarke

Review by LaLa, 06/05/2021

High energy, indeed! This remix starts strong and it never lets up. It really captures the high-octane tempo of the original (both Jeroen's and Hiroshi Miyauchi's). The instrumentation is prog-rock, and the arrangement is really befitting that genre.

I am also glad Pete had the compo version's mixing reworked by Danko for this RKO release, it sounds so much better now!
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Thanatos (when the panic sets in) - arranged by Tim Forsyth

Review by LaLa, 04/05/2021

Perfect soundtrack to the sad movie of the Covid-19 pandemic. The lo-fi piano, the subtle strings, the long intro with the twisted ambient samples… This is a piece that was definitely created by the heart, not by the mind.
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Warhawk Of The Worlds - arranged by The St. Albans Rob Hubbard Fan Club offline

Review by LaLa, 28/04/2021

The more I listen to this, the more I like it. It's highly cinematic in style, and I really like its slow breathing, up-and-down tempo throughout. The arrangement may be on the simple side, but it's effective. The instrumentation is very nice, and I think the entire piece is just put together rather well.
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Afterburner (High Energy Prog Mix) - arranged by Peter Clarke offline

Review by LaLa, 21/04/2021

While the arrangement and the instrumentation is the high-quality we've come to expect from Mr. Clarke, something is off with the mixing of this track. Namely, the guitars in the left and right channels sound like they were recorded with mics that were placed far away from the guitars. Or maybe it's some weird phasing issue between them. Bottom line is, they just don't sound as natural as the guitars in your other remixes, their sound has a certain metallic tincan quality to them.
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Broken Circuit part1 - arranged by NecroPolo

Review by LaLa, 18/04/2021

Classic Necro, solid stuff. It's baffling to me why it didn't score higher on the R64 20th Anniversary remix compo. How you manage to mix SID sounds and heavy guitars with all that distortion and still getting a clean mix out of it all is beyond me. And your work on those guitars - just damn.
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Deactivators - arranged by Glyn R Brown

Review by LaLa, 17/04/2021

Our first RKO entry from the Remix64 20th Anniversary Compo! I am not ashamed to admit that I cried when I saw that Glyn has submitted an entry to the compo, and I was moved even more when I heard what he has submitted. It was truly an honor to have you enter the compo, Glyn! This may be a short remix, but it's ever more impactful. Amazing arrangement featuring a male and a female choir, and even a children's choir. All backed by a superbly arranged orchestral bed. Simply brilliant.
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