Ken Ishii – Daybreak Reprise – Sunriser Remixed review

Artist: Ken Ishii
Title: Daybreak Reprise – Sunriser Remixed
Label: 70 Drums Japan
Genre: Techno
Format: Digital
Buy From: Juno Download

Out on the techno veteran’s 70 Drums label, this is a collection of remixes from highly regarded Japanese producer Ken Ishii. For 16 years now, Ishii has been producing Detroit-influenced techno that carries with it a strong retrofuturistic flavour that harks back to Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra. He’s also soundtracked the movie Pi, and had the strange but undeniably cool honour of composing music for the opening ceremony of the Winter Games.

His own mix of “Sunriser” is a pleasantly mellow and more introspective journey, whereas the FLR’s Vox Rise remix is much more pumped and hyped-up, with an awesome breakdown and some added vocal samples that don’t distract from the original’s dreamy mood.

Sometime Ishii collaborator 7th Gate does wonders with “Organised Green”, mixing up genres with tons of style to create something that either Underworld, Shinichi Osawa or Barry White would be proud of. Belgian producer Fabrice Lig also has a lot of fun with the same tune, keeping the original’s distinctive modulating lead sound and adding some nice tech touches and a vocal for good measure. All the mixes on bring something truly fresh to Ken Ishii’s work and certainly won’t disappoint fans.

Review: Oliver Keens