Reviews by LaLa |
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Displaying Reviews 151 - 180 out of 630 |
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Eskimonika - arranged by DankoReview by LaLa, 27/01/2022 Eskimonikais a SID I wasn't familiar with before - made in 2008 by Dane (of Mitch & Dane fame) and here reworked by Danko in a way only Danko can. Twisting and distorting sounds to his will, but still keeping the original melodies intact results in a pretty hardelectronic piece that remains hugely listenable (or as Mr. Clarke - who is no fan of the genre - would say, tolerable… Quite the compliment, haha!). It's not really unz-unzmusic, though, because its rhythm is genre-defying, but it's still unmistakably Danko-esque with memorable melody lines played with crystal-clear synths backed by complex arpeggiated rhythms. Also, thank you, Tomas, for introducing me to this hidden gem of a SID! |
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Shadowfire - arranged by Romeo KnightReview by LaLa, 27/01/2022 This remix is courtesy of a legendary scene musician who no doubt destroyed some of his electric guitars in the process. I was extremely pleased to see Romeo Knight's name pop up on the Encore64 album and his rendition of Fred Gray'sShadowfiretotally rocks, literally and figuratively. He is demonstrating complete mastery of his instruments on this track, which is an absolute tour de force, a headbanger, and now I have trouble imagining this Fred Gray classic in any other way - a sure sign that Romeo Knight managed to create a superb remix of it. |
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Denarius - arranged by Glyn R. BrownReview by LaLa, 27/01/2022 On the Encore64 album this is Glyn's second remix and it sees him return to the style that made him famous: epic orchestral cinematic style. I am getting very strong vibes of recent Hans Zimmer soundtracks in this piece where Glyn is not afraid to flex his artistic muscles by mixing choir-embellished symphonic soundscapes with electronic sounds. The original SID was composed by Peter Clarke, but in Glyn's hands it's elevated to heights I don't think Peter could even dream of back in 1987. This track is an adventure all by itself and immensely satisfying to listen to - an instant classic. |
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Opus III - arranged by DankoReview by LaLa, 27/01/2022 Thoseglitcheffects starting at 1:33 really made me do a double-take at my equipment when I first listened to this, so kudos for almost giving me a heart-attack. 😁 Other than that, pastiches of '90s mellow electronica abound in the second part of this remix: creamy, lush pads supported by a simple, but strong staccato bass line. Quite a delight! |
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Immortal Flash #02 - arranged by VincenzoReview by LaLa, 27/01/2022 A great synth-heavy remix. This one makes me smile, because I am a fan of the synthwave style (or retrowave or whatever you want to call it) represented by his piece. It's not as heavy- handed as to be dripping with '80s nostalgia, but the source of inspiration is certainly unmistakable. If you are not familiar with the original SID by Zardax, don't fret, I wasn't, either. It's a good SID, but Vincenzo really brought it to life with his modern-yet-retro instrumentation, and I wouldn't be surprised if it became a dance-floor favorite. |
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Deformata - arranged by DankoReview by LaLa, 27/01/2022 Evoking the style of 1990s piano house it wouldn't be amiss on the dance floor, either - but then, we don't expect anything less from Danko, do we? In a nod to the past this track also features a healthy amount of SID sounds (or at least sounds that remind me of the SID's analog oscillators) weaved delicately into the arrangement, and it's also infused with a healthy dose of something that I can only describe asdemo scene stylemusic. Really enjoyable! |
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Cyberdyne Warrior - 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 ofCareless Whispervery 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 thatflashbackstyle 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 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 abest ofremembrance. 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 Absolutely high marks for the unique approach to this SID tune, the sound palette you used here is totally |
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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 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 isWOW. |
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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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Prelude & Fugato - arranged by BeeZerkReview by LaLa, 29/10/2021 While the SID (and thus, its remix) is based on a Bach piece, BeeZerk managed elevate it to new sonic heights with elegance and grace. Sounds wonderful! |
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Myth - History In The Making - arranged by Marton BenczeReview by LaLa, 28/10/2021 Hello and welcome to the Commodore remix community! Üdvözlünk! A synth-heavy version of the classic Jeroen Tel tune, which goes to the dark side more than once. It's put together well, although I think the overall arrangement could be a bit more sophisticated. Looking forward to hear more remixes from you! |
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Ocean Loader 4 (Beneath the Current) - arranged by Octupus Tea offlineReview by LaLa, 26/10/2021 Welcome to the Commodore remix community!
A nice, minimalist arrangement which would be fitting as the soundtrack to a kids toy. Nice touch with the waves sample ( The mix sounds too dry, I think adding some reverb would've helped create a better aquatic atmosphere. But not bad for a first remix, not bad at all! |
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Lightforce (2021 Edit) - arranged by Dr FutureReview by LaLa, 24/10/2021 I have no idea how you manage to get your mixes sound so crisp and clear, but doesn't matter on what system I listen to this one, it just punches through speakers and headphones no problem. Anyway, I gave your previous version an orange 2 years ago, and this one definitely earns the red one. More guitars, less reverb/echo on the lead, and just an improved sound overall. I wish the guitar lead was more nuanced at places (like at 4:36 maybe should've used mutes instead), but that's just a minor gripe. I really like it! |
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Lightforce - arranged by Tim ForsythReview by LaLa, 19/10/2021 Tim is proving himself to be quite the remix meister, and here's another proof of that. A surprising, but very creative intro followed by a more upbeat PS: Prior to release Tim put up just the intro part of his remix in the R64 forum for people to guess which tune's remix it is. I don't think anybody got it right, including me. That was a fun little game. 😉 |
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Gaplus - arranged by Eivind SommerstenReview by LaLa, 05/10/2021 As happy as I am to finally hear a remix of this almost-forgotten Jeroen Tel tune, this one leaves me a bit unsatisfied. The simplistic arrangement is obviously intentional, but it feels to me there's a The whistling towards the end was a pleasant surprise, even if it's a bit out of tune here and there, but that just makes it sound more real. 😉 |
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Last Ninja Remix - The Sewers Intro (2021 Remix) - arranged by Fabio MarinelliReview by LaLa, 29/09/2021 This remix creates a really nice atmosphere right out of the gate. It's a nice mixture of gentle mystery and a subtle, creepy background. But… just when I am about to get into it, it ends. More, please! |
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Lightforce - arranged by Skaven252Review by LaLa, 17/09/2021 Wow, quite an honor to see Skaven's name pop up here - a legend all by himself! It's actually kinda funny to see the moniker He has graced us with his first ever SID remix submission - and what a remix it is! A hybrid symphonic-electronic cinematic style tour-de-force. It's 6+ minutes long, but there's not a single boring moment in it. My favorite is probably the super-raspy brass from 2:23 - holy moly, that just cuts straight through to my bones! An absolutely jaw-dropping production, just top-notch. Love it. 👍👍👍 Welcome, Skaven, and I hope you'll take the time to create more SID/Amiga remixes in the future, too! |
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Supremacy (Cobalt8 Mix) - arranged by RamjetReview by LaLa, 11/09/2021 Welcome to the remix community, Ramjet! 🙋♂️ A fairly straightforward cover of the classic SID, closely following the original's arrangement. So, nothing to complain about there. What's missing here is some sophistication in the instrumentation. I don't know if that was deliberate, but they all sound fairly flat with little movement, other than some reverb that got sprinkled around. I'd say pretty good for a newbie, so keep at it! |
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Terra Cresta - arranged by Tim ForsythReview by LaLa, 27/08/2021 Tim must have a built-in awesomizer. Somehow he was able to take an iconic Galway tune and make it even better. We don't even get to hear the iconic lead until 3 minutes into the tune, but it's not like it's all boring up to that point, on the contrary. And that lead: why mess with perfection, just use the SID as-is! And then he goes into his now-signature improv section that always elevates his remixes to new heights, and it's no exception here. I'm absolutely blown away by this remix! |
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Black Lamp - arranged by SlaygonReview by LaLa, 22/08/2021 While sonically perfect, it feels like this remix is trying to compress about 10 minutes worth of musical material into 3. 5 minutes of a whirlwind. I get it, that was the time limit of the Árok compo, but it makes the arrangement feel a bit too mishmashy to me. |
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