Ken Ishi

1. CHARI CHARI ‘AURORA 2004’ (SEEDS AND GROUND)
A great house track with beautiful highlights. I love the acoustic guitar phrases and the female scat.
2. SUENO LATINO ‘SUENO LATINO’ (BCM)
I remember the first time I listened to this. I was still new to house music. I was a big fan of German psychedelic stuff so I was surprised how this record turned the original samples of Manuel Gottsching’s E2-E4 into modern piece of music.
3. JEFF MILLS ’THE HEALING CHANNEL’ (AXIS PROMO ONLY)
Jeff Mills gave this CDR to me at a BBQ party in Tokyo a year ago . No beats, but only simple pad sounds that promote nice sleep. My bed time music.
4. JAZZANOVA ‘THAT NIGHT’ (JCR)
This must be a few years old. Comparatively dancey approach from the band. This is really well produced in detail. I listen to this track more as a techno track. The vocals are cool too.
5. BRIAN ENO ‘APOLLO’ (EG)
One of Eno’s ambient series. My favourite song on this album is ‘Always Returning.’ It sounds like a lullaby to me. Really eases my mind. I would like to make a cover version of this song some time.
6. FRIPP & ENO ‘NO PUSSYFOOTING’ (ISLAND)
Two long experiments on both sides withno rhythms, just very deep and trippy dub guitars. Early ’70’s chill out stuff. I sometimes use this record as a sound effect when I DJ.
7. V.A. ‘VAL SINESTRA SHARING TIME’ (UNIVERSAL)
A promoter in Switzerland gave it to me. Wide selection mood music from old and new, such as “Summer Madness,” Marvin Gaye, Radiohead and 4 Hero. Good compilation for a winter time.
8. V.A. ‘MORE PSYCHEDELIC JAZZ AND SOUL’ (WARNER JAZZ)
My recent favourite CD. I like to watch underground ’70’s films. If they have a disco scene, the music always sounds like the tracks on this compilation. Titles by Keith Jarrett and Michael Bundt etc.
9. SOLID WORLD ‘CASTRO’S KITCHEN’ (IBIZARRE)
When I was in Ibiza in the end of this summer for DJ Awards, the artist gave me this CD. Good chill out music with a warm feeling. This reminds me of the days in the island.
10. KYOTO JAZZ MASSIVE ‘KJM10TH RE KJM’ (QUALITY)
I often bump into the band’s front man Shuya Okino in various places. I got this from him just a few days ago in a small club in Tokyo. We were both drunk! This is a remix album which celebrates their 10th anniversary.