Romeo Knight - Alleykat

Track info
Alleykat
Arranged by:
Romeo Knight Veteran
Member profile:
Original SID:
Original composed by:
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Duration:
4:16
Released:
26/02/2005
All-Time charts position:
1253
Score:
83%
Story
Alleykat always quite fascinated me because of its spacey melody and this very strange rhythm feel.
I'm not really sure about this but it almost sounds like Steve Turner had no idea that he composed this song in 6/8 beat and placed the drum instruments just where he found free places in the patterns. Weird result, almost making you feel you're listening to a 4/4-beat!

My approach had some kinda concept:
1. Convert it 1:1 as an enhanced electronical version (including the "wrong" beat)
2. Do it the rocking way with human feel and drums that bring out the real timebase
3. Combine them with some psychedelic part (I call it the "Whole lotta love"-part). It connects both worlds using electronic sci-fi sounds and effects with a live played eighth bass groove.
Further details:
I wanted to let the tune rise dynamically as well cos the lead melody appears three times in both parts.
The electronic part:
1. Lead instrument made of 2 layers sinus waveforms.
2. Lead instrument made of 1 layer sinus, 1 layer square wave with live modulated pulse width. Accompany instruments get to the fore.
3. Lead instrument made of 2 layers square wave with live modulated pulse width. Accompany instruments' low pass filter modulated in higher frequency range.
The guitar part:
1. Lead played with neck pickup.
2. Lead played with bridge pickup and more distortion. Pad added in the background.
3. Lead played with bridge pickup and more extreme phrasing, rhythm guitar is played 'let ring'-style.

I used: My Ibanez RG 7-620 and my new Yamaha RBX-375 5-String bass with Guitar Rig, Battery samples, Reaktor and a few other vst synths.

Hope you enjoy it!

(@ Tank69: Yes, it is! )
Alleykat
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Loved the original SID and this is a really good remix of it.
Great mix of a great sid, nuff said :)
Weird!
The synth part flows, the rock part rocks - each outstanding in its own way. A bad idea to put them together with little or no transition, IMHO. Original, but bad.:)
A really unusual mix, but I like it :)
Really different, and although it may take some getting used to, well worth perservering. Great stuff.
Original and well sounding the 1st part, but about average. \X/ the second part, as usual from RK. The 2 parts compensate themselves in some way.
Not a fan of the sid, but the quality of Romeo's work here is damn good.
Flawless Victory!
As mentioned by other here it's a bit of an unusual composition, but damn it rocks. Play it loud. LOUD!:)
Very enjoyable to listen too
Nice & funny :-)
First half is utterly crap. Why did you have to bring that in the song. The last half is good. Too bad, the song had potential.
The first half, while true to the original, just sounds so wrong. The second half more than makes up for this though
Soulfull played rock
It's an Ok remix.
It's just as quirky as the original SID, and then slapped with drenching talent. Romeo Knight once again kicks butt!!!
Awesome work by Romeo - everything the guy touches turns to gold!
Strange musical trip. Something is developing into something else, yet remains organic.
Loved the original, and I love this version... Great contrast
Great version of this tune. Well done.
Review by the_jinx
10/03/2005

Technique

Artistic skill

Nostalgia factor

Overall rating

I really like the sound of this song!!

Anyone else notice the "Windows 98? startup sound" halfway..
Review by OJ Oscillation
14/05/2006

Technique

Artistic skill

Nostalgia factor

Overall rating

the 1st part comes with a synthetic sound which fit the tune quite well, whereat the rhythm is flowing like kinda odd and interesting. after that the break with the windows sound-gimmick prepares the tune for a very solid rock number. romeo pulls the right stunt with his guitar and squeezes the essence out of the original sid with his superb skills. there's nothing more to say then : hold ya nuts and let's rock!