The Yoko Kanno Reviews: CM Yoko

Although best known in the U.S. as a top composer for anime such as Cowboy Bebop and Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Yoko Kanno has had a lengthy and varied career. She has composed for live-action films, TV series and specials, and video games in addition to producing for other artists. However, her recent digital release, CM Yoko, goes into normally unreleased territory. CM Yoko is a collection of 23 tracks originally composed for Japanese television commercials. Ranging from the silly to the sweet and everything in between, CM Yoko is a fun, quirky collection that shows off the versatility of this prolific composer.

Given that the music on CM Yoko was written for TV commercials, most of the tracks run less than a minute. The shortest track is just 19 seconds long while the longest tops out at four minutes. This is both a blessing and a curse. You don't have to wait long for a so-so track to end but at the same time, you may wish that some songs were longer. One obstacle that this collection has to overcome for non-Japanese listeners is the unfamiliarity of the tracks. Those of us who do not live in Japan have not had the opportunity to see the commercials these tracks came from. There's no attachment to any of these songs and they have to stand up on their own outside of their original context.

Fortunately, most of these tracks are appealing even without the imagery to accompany them. The standout track on this collection is “Exaelitus.” The track features Origa, who previously sang the opening themes of Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. The collection's longest track, “Exaelitus” is epic and atmospheric with horns and some intense strings. If it sounds like it belongs in a car commercial that because it was composed for one.

There is a lot of variety to be found on CM Yoko. “Kare 100% Tres Bien” has a country/bluegrass feel to it but is a little off putting because the vocals are in French. “Don't Spend MONEY! MONEY!” is quite cheerful, upbeat, and very catchy. With simple English lyrics (“Don't spend money money money! / Happiness will come to you”), this track almost forces you to be happy. The commercial this song came from is just as fun and ridiculous and really has to be seen to be believed. Another fun track is “MAGISWEETS” which features vocals from Chara. Even in its scant 36 seconds, you can hear the narrative in this song. It starts off sounding like a lullaby, and then goes into spy movie mode before becoming a full-on pop track. A remix of this song is also featured on this collection and it takes the pop portion and extends it.

Many of the tracks on CM Yoko go for quiet beauty. Yoko Kanno is a pianist and the quieter tracks on this release play to her strengths. “Seeds Of Life” is a wonderful instrumental piece where her piano is accompanied by strings to great effect. “Melody” is an incredibly cute song where Kanno's piano is featured right alongside English vocals by Miyuki Hatakeyama and a group of children. By the time Hatakeyama sings “May your days be merry and bright” towards the end, you're already there. “em Outro Lugar,” credited to Kanno's early group Samply Red, is a slow jazz piece that's reminiscent of pieces from Cowboy Bebop.

Like the best commercials, CM Yoko is fun and entertaining. With 23 fairly short tracks, none of them has the opportunity to overstay its welcome. It also adds a new dimension to Yoko Kanno for those who only know her through her anime scores. Whether silly, cute, relaxing, or atmospheric, she's up to the challenge.

CM Yoko is available exclusively on iTunes. Although it's a Japanese release, it is available for download from the U.S. iTunes store.

Here are a couple of tracks from the album:

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This Week On My MOG

From my MOG:

This week's Yoko Kanno Day tracks:

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Also, check out my post "Did Kanye West Pick The Wrong First Single?".

And Now, Some Yoko Kanno

I've been posting Yoko Kanno tracks every Tuesday and Thursday on my MOG. If you don't keep up with that site, here are some of the tracks I've posted this month, which is dedicated to Cowboy Bebop:

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New At The MOG

If you haven't visited my Mog, you've been missing out on Yoko Kanno Days, my twice-weekly series where I share songs produced and/or composed by Yoko Kanno. The month of May is Cowboy Bebop month for this series and so far, I've shared "Piano Black" from OST 1, "Blue" from OST 3: Blue, and the live version of "What Planet Is This" from Cowboy Bebop: The Movie.

Also, I post about music-related blog posts on my Mog, adding relevant songs. For example, the posts about my Time Mixmania mix and the Bonus Mix feature songs from each respective mix.

So, while this blog is in another brief dry spell (at least three music reviews are on the way, trust me), check out MOG and mines while you're at it.

Introducing Kanno Days (Plus Some Other Stuff)

Ever since I joined in February, I've been enjoying MOG. With that, I've been trying to think of ways to do some exclusive stuff on there. Well, I finally thought of something.

Beginning today, I will be uploading a different Yoko Kanno song every Tuesday and Thursday to my MOG. I'm calling this "Yoko Kanno Days" or "Kanno Days" or something like that. The first edition is now up and it features "Tank!" from Cowboy Bebop.

Lest you think I'm neglecting this place, more reviews and other stuff are on the way. In fact, some of those reviews will be "blog first" in that they will appear here before they appear anywhere else.

Finally, although I don't like to comment on current events that often, my prayers go out to those affected by the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech University. This is one of those events that makes you realize how trivial things like the Don Imus scandal really are.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society OST

It's time for another installment of the Yoko Kanno Reviews, where I review the music of one of my favorite composers. This time around, it's for the Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society OST.

The Solid State Society OST is the fifth soundtrack from the GITS:SAC franchise, coming after OSTs 1-3 and Be Human. You might think that with four other albums preceding it that the SSS OST might just be the dregs. Fortunately, this is not the case. This is actually one of the best GITS:SAC soundtracks and probably the most consistent.

If there is one complaint I might have with the GITS:SAC soundtracks, it is that the instrumentals usually pale in comparison to the vocal tracks. That's not to say that there haven't been great instrumental songs on these albums (“Spotter” is better than most of Be Human) but none of them compare to tracks like “Christmas In The Silent Forest,” “Inner Universe,” or “Cyberbird.” On the SSS OST, the vocal tracks are still better than the instrumentals. However, the instrumentals narrow the gap this time around.

“Zero Signal” starts off with a patented Kanno vocal interlude then takes on a heavy, Nince Inch Nails-esque electronic feel. The addition of the guitars here gives it a unique feel to it that instantly makes it a Yoko Kanno song. “Solid State Society” is a wonderful, fast-paced song that feels a lot like a jam session. It starts off with just some piano, bass, and a little electronic percussion. Gradually, more and more instrumentation comes in and you hear everything from guitars to strings. It's an interesting song in that you almost feel like it could last for another two or three minutes.

“Blues In The Net” is really intriguing because it's a bit more hardcore electronica than you'd expect. About a minute or two in, the song develops this really sparse electronic sound to it. It's something you might expect from Mouse On Mars or Autechre rather than Kanno and it's surprising. The sparse electronica goes on for a while too before ending with some light strings and piano.

While the instrumental tracks are better here than usual, the vocal tracks still reign. Ilaria Graziano sings on the two best vocal tracks. “Replica” nicely combines electronic elements and strings to make a very good pop track. The rhythm here is fast-paced and the song will warrant repeat listens.

“From The Roof Top ~ Somewhere In The Silence (Sniper's Theme)” is arguably the album's best track. Graziano again provides vocals here. The song, commonly known as just “Sniper” among Kanno fans, has been one they've waited for on an album and it's far from a disappointment. Even the minute-plus jazzy interlude that precedes the main song cannot take away from its quality. This is a piece of pop perfection with a great beat and great production. It's not as quirky as, say, “Christmas In The Silent Forest” but it's just a really good song.

Origa, like Ilaria Graziano, gets two songs to sing on. The results here are a little more mixed. “Player,” which features Heartsdales, feels more like a combination of “Inner Universe” and “Rise” than something original. “Date Of Rebirth” fares a bit better. While it too is in the style of previous songs from the GITS:SAC soundtracks, it feels fresher.

Gabriela Robin, the vocalist long rumored to be Kanno herself, also gets two vocal tracks which are quite different from each other. “Take A Little Hand,” is a quiet, acoustic guitar-driven song dominated by Robin's vocals. However, “She Is” is the better song of the two. It's a moody, creepy electronic song where Robin delivers her vocals in a breathy whisper. Even though it's only about two-and-a-half minutes long, it's one of my favorite tracks. Even if I can barely understand what Robin's saying (if at all), “She Is” is a song that achieves what it sets out to do in an all-too-quick fashion.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the SSS OST. While there really aren't that many true standout tracks, there really aren't any true duds either. Even the songs I felt were a little lackluster are still enjoyable to listen to. I don't find myself skipping that many tracks on this OST. Even though this is the fifth GITS:SAC album, I still hope that a sixth one is on the way.

A Little Share

Sorry to those who were looking forward to this week's Sterfish Shares post on either Sunday or Monday. I won't be able to do a proper one until either very late tonight or tomorrow. That post will feature some songs by Luke Vibert. In the meantime, here's an extra song from The Other Side Of Midnight (which was featured in the previous Sterfish Shares post). I was asked to upload it, so here is "Fado" (or, really, "Fate") from that Yoko Kanno/Maaya Sakamoto album:

Yoko Kanno feat. Maaya Sakamoto - "Fado" from The Other Side Of Midnight

Sterfish Shares: Rare Yoko Kanno

If you look at how many posts have the Yoko Kanno label, you will see that I'm somewhat of a big fan of this Japanese composer. So, for the second installment of the new Sterfish Shares posts, I figured I'd share some harder-to-find Yoko Kanno tracks.

First up, are a couple of tracks from the album 23 Ji no Ongaku (Music For The 23rd Hour), a soundtrack to a live action drama series (see my review). The album is pretty much a collaboration with singer/actress Maaya Sakamoto and it's gradually become one of my favorite Yoko Kanno albums. I used two tracks from this album on the last mix I made and they are two of the three tracks I will be sharing from this album.

“Pepper Stretch” is an unusually catchy little song. It has a nice, light jazz feel to it and features vocal parts that are likely by Gabriela Robin, the singer who is rumored to be Yoko Kanno's alter ego.

Yoko Kanno - “Pepper Stretch” from 23 Ji no Ongaku (Music For The 23rd Hour)

“Trust Me” is a smooth, moody, smoky song with a nice sound to it. The lyrics are sparse but Maaya Sakamoto sounds very good here.

Yoko Kanno feat. Maaya Sakamoto - “Trust Me” from 23 Ji no Ongaku

The final song I'm sharing from this album is “Danielle,” a midtempo pop song. Kanno does these types of songs very well and this song, while a little more straighforward and conventional than her best pop stuff, is very good nonetheless. Maaya Sakamoto also delivers some good vocals here as well.

Yoko Kanno feat. Maaya Sakamoto - “Danielle” from 23 Ji no Ongaku

Next up, here is a track from Kanno's only non-soundtrack solo album, Song To Fly (see my review). “The Man In The Desert,” which features the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra And Chorus, is one of my favorite songs on this excellent album. It has a great classical sound and I love the way the chorus and orchestra sound so good together.

Yoko Kanno feat. The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra And Chorus - “The Man In The Desert” from Song To Fly

Finally, here is a track from a really rare album. The album is the NHK Special Chuugoku~12 Oku-jin no Kaikaku Kaihou OST (NHK Special China~1200 Million People's Liberation and Reform OST). This is a soundtrack to a TV special about China that aired on Japanese television (see my review). This album is out of print in Japan, so you can't get this as an import even if you wanted to.

The track I'm sharing is called “Mugen” (Dreams) and features vocals by Wuyontana. It's a nice fusion of traditional Asian sounds and more modern ones.

Yoko Kanno feat. Wuyontana - “Mugen” from NHK China Special OST

A few of Yoko Kanno's soundtracks are available domestically if you are interested in hearing more. They include soundtracks to Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Arjuna, Macross Plus, and Wolf's Rain. These soundtracks are damn near impossible to find in an actual store. Your best bet is either Amazon or The Right Stuf. If you want to get actual copies of her CDs not yet released in America, try CD Japan. You can find just about every major album of hers online through various means as well.

That's it for this edition of Sterfish Shares. I don't know what I'll put up next time. You'll just have to wait and see.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: 23 Ji no Ongaku

Yoko Kanno and Maaya Sakamoto have worked together on numerous occasions. Kanno has produced songs on Sakamoto's albums. Sakamoto has contributed vocals on several of Kanno's anime soundtracks including those for Arjuna, Wolf's Rain, and Escaflowne. These frequent collaborators work together again on 23 Ji no Ongaku (a.k.a. Music For The 23rd Hour), the soundtrack to the Japanese live-action drama series NHK Mayonaka wa Betsu no Kao (a.k.a. NHK The Other Side Of Midnight). It's another strong entry in Yoko Kanno's discography and is more mainstream-sounding than much of her other stuff.

Maaya Sakamoto appears on six of 23 Ji no Ongaku's 14 tracks. Similar to Cowboy Bebop, most of the vocal songs on 23 Ji no Ongaku are sung in English. Her vocals are great, although she sometimes sounds a little awkward singing the lyrics. “Here” is a soft, acoustic guitar-driven ballad that suffers a little bit from that awkwardness. However, there are little traces of that awkwardness on the midtempo pop song “Danielle.” When Maaya gets to the chorus of the song, she sounds very comfortable with her vocals. Her refrain of “Who can I turn to/When love's not enough?” is immensely appealing. This song is one of the album's highlights.

Sakamoto also stands out on “Trust Me,” a song with a smooth, smoky mood to it. Kanno's production is in top form on this song with its modern, smooth jazz sound and the echoey feel to Sakamoto's vocals. This is a song that's so good that it feels a lot shorter than its running time. Sakamoto sings in a language other than English (likely Portuguese) on the excellent “Fate.” The combination of strings and acoustic guitar lend the song a great sense of urgency. “Toto” is another nice piece of midtempo pop that sounds great.

While Maaya's vocal songs are great, the rest of the album is no slouch either. “Two Things,” the album's opening song, is a nice, jazzy number that a little reminiscent of latin jazz. “Pepper Stretch” is a light jazz number augmented with electronic elements and nice (but deliberately unintelligible) vocals by Kanno's alter ego Gabriela Robin. This song is pretty catchy (I had it in my head for days) and one of my favorites on the album. There are two songs that show off Kanno's more unusual musical side. “Talcum” is essentially some chants over electronic beats. “Penguin Repairman” can be best described as a combination of The Addams Family's Cousin It combined with electronica...and I don't mean that as an insult. “Unconditional Spectre” is reminiscent of Kanno's stuff for Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex in the way that beats and strings are combined. The album's final two songs, “Death By Fruit Knife” and “Noelle's Piano” are both showcases for Kanno's piano skills.

After listening to so many albums by Yoko Kanno, I'm amazed that her music continues to be pretty good. Whether I listen to something well-loved (such as Cowboy Bebop) or not as well-known (NHK China Special), the end result is usually the same...a solid album. If I had to rank 23 Ji no Ongaku among the rest of her stuff, I would put it towards the top. It's not exactly the most groundbreaking of Yoko Kanno's work. It's not an album that will blow your mind and bring you sounds you've never heard before. However, it is a very good album that really holds up on repeated listens and doesn't wear out its welcome. There is nary a song to skip over and the vocals by Maaya Sakamoto are well-done. If you can find a copy online, it's well worth getting.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: Kamikaze Girls OST

Kamikaze Girls is a live-action Japanese film that I must say that I know little about. I've heard nothing but good things about it and I've been interested in seeing it even before finding out that Yoko Kanno had something to do with it. After listening to the soundtrack, however, I think I may have to track down this film at a video store that actually stocks some foreign films.

Similar to the soundtracks for Sousei no Aquarion, the soundtrack to Kamikaze Girls is not entirely composed/produced by Yoko Kanno. Most of the songs are done by Kanno, although about eight or nine songs (by my count anyway) are done by other artists. Despite this, the soundtrack has a very consistent feel to it.

The music on the Kamikaze Girls soundtrack is light, breezy, and most importantly, retro. The songs harken back to many older styles of music. Old-time piano ragtime is brought back on songs such as three versions of “Momoko, The Stars Shine Bright” and “Sweet Home Ryugasaki.” “Punch Permafunk” is a burst of 1960's style soul. “Honey You” is a nice little piece of 1950's style pop while tracks like “Meatballs” (a song by The Fogs) and “Negligee Mary Jane” are throwbacks to the earliest rock and roll.

Many of the vocal tracks on the album were not done by Yoko Kanno. However, they continue the retro feel found on much of the soundtrack. Dany Vasnier's “Hola Hola” is summertime 1950's style pop fun. “Lucie Est Amoreuse” by Valerie Hohn, on the other hand, feels like a light pop song from the 1960's. I also enjoyed the power pop of Cecil on the song “Super Gshomin's Car.”

Not every song on the Kamikaze Girls OST sounds like it came from 40 or 50 years ago. “Flashback Waltz,” an instrumental string piece that opens the album, feels classical and a bit modern as well. “She Said” is a more modern sounding pop ballad that reminds me of similar songs Kanno has done. “Oikaze Fukumichi” is another string-driven piece that takes some themes from the more retro sounding songs on the album. “Television Killed The Shine Stars” is a short, melancholy piano piece.

Overall, the Kamikaze Girls OST is a good listen. It's a bit different from other soundtracks that Kanno has done, in part because much of it is really a tribute to older styles of music more than anything. She tackles some styles of music I've never heard her tackle (1950's pop, old-time ragtime/jazz) and comes out pretty good. Actual music from the various time periods referenced is probably better than what Kanno does but considering the type of music she's imitating/paying tribute to, this soundtrack is not that bad.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: NHK China Special Chuugoku OST

The last Yoko Kanno review I did was of the soundtrack to a live action movie that hasn't even been released in America yet. Now, I continue to dive into the obscure with the NHK China Special Chuugoku soundtrack.

As the name suggests, this is the soundtrack to a Japanese TV documentary on the country of China. It's actually a surprise that this even got released on CD at all. Although this soundtrack isn't to something as well known or as high profile as much of her anime work, it's a solid addition to her discography.

The album begins with the rousing "Main Theme" which gets reprised in three different versions later on the album. The original version is a nice orchestral piece that sets everything up nicely. "Mugen" features traditional-style vocals from Wuyotana. This song marries what sound like traditional Chinese instruments with modern production. I love the song's bass heavy sound, the piano (likely played by Kanno herself) and the interesting breakdown in the middle of the song. "Koma" is a nice combination of acoustic guitar and piano and reminded me a little bit of pieces heard in Wolf's Rain. Piano and vocals work together on two different tracks. "China" features the vocals of Gabriela Robin and is kind of quiet and mellow. In comparison, Wuyotana's vocals on "Hibari" are a bit more intense as they seem to convey longing.

"Yama" fits into that "old-world" style of tracks that Yoko Kanno has done on the soundtracks of shows like Escaflowne and Sousei no Aquarion. What sets it apart, though, is the leanings into jazz that start midway through the song. The "duet" version of the "Main Theme" is really a nice instrumental reprise of "Mugen." The piano version is nice as well but the standout track of the "Main Theme" alternates is the percussion version. There are no big drums to be found here. There is only light percussion that gives it an interesting sound. "Sayonara" is a wonderful acoustic guitar-driven piece that reminds me of some of Air's work on their album Talkie Walkie.

Overall, the soundtrack to NHK China Special Chuugoku is very good. It's just another example of Yoko Kanno's versatility. Whether she's scoring a futuristic sci-fi action series, a romantic fantasy/action series, a live-action samurai film, a video game, or a TV documentary, Kanno is able to create compelling and memorable music that fits the work perfectly.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews Master Post

The Yoko Kanno Reviews are a series of posts in which I review albums by one of my favorite composers. Yoko Kanno is a name known to anime fans because she has composed the music to several popular anime series and movies. This master post contains links to all the reviews in the series and will be updated as new entries are added.

Sousei no Aquarion OST I
Wolf's Rain OST I
Be Human
Sousei no Aquarion OST II
Arjuna: Into The Another World
Ashura-jo no Hitomi OST
NHK China Special Chuugoku
Kamikaze Girls OST
23 Ji no Ongaku
Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society OST

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: Ashura-jo no Hitomi OST

(The series lives again!)

Sometimes, I hear and enjoy soundtracks before I see the film or TV show they are from. This is often the case with anime soundtracks. I heard the Arjuna soundtracks before I watched the series (which probably explains why I was thoroughly disappointed in the show). In many cases, I end up listening to and enjoying anime soundtracks without ever seeing the show. I like the soundtracks to Noir, .hack//SIGN, Brain Powerd, and RahXephon, but I have watched, at most, only one or two episodes of these shows.

This type of thing rarely happens for live-action films. Usually, I hear the music in the film and if I like it, I buy the soundtrack. However, given that I am a fan of Yoko Kanno, I gravitate to whatever work she has done. For the first time, this includes a soundtrack to a live-action film…one I have yet to see.

The movie in question is calld Ashura-jo no Hitomi or Ashura, for short. Here's the description from IMDB:

Adapted from the successful play, the film takes place in the 19th Japan where a war between demons and their slayers is fought. Izumo, an Kabuki actor with a demon-slaying past, meets and falls in love with Tsubaki. However, something is not right as mysterious marks appear on her body as time progresses. At the same time, it is announced that Ashura, the queen of all demons, will be resurrected and bring destruction to the universe.

It actually seems like it could be a pretty cool movie and I'm kind of surprised that it hasn't made its way to America yet. In the meantime, I am certainly enjoying the music.

"Perdeski Cloyn" opens the album with an interesting Old World vibe. Ilaria Graziano, who previously appeared on Kanno's soundtracks to Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Wolf's Rain, provides vocals for the song and sounds pretty different from her usual self.

Most of the pieces are quite moody. "Tsukudajima Yarippanashi" switches back and forth between moody and rousing. The piece "Chirimen Air" has a feel similar to that of the song "Medicine Eater" from Escaflowne. It has a dark, strange feel to it without sounding creepy and you wish that it wasn't only about a minute long. Saxophones play a big part in "Ikki ya Kora" even while keeping the Old World feel established earlier in the album by "Perdeski Cloyn."

"Sakashi Mada" and "Maku no Uchi Western" sound closest to what you'd expect from a samurai film. The familiar strings heard in many a samurai film appear throughout the songs. What makes the songs stand apart are Kanno's unique percussion arrangements. They are especially apparent at the end of both songs. "Sakashi Mada" features some intense drums while "Maku no Uchi Western" has the variety of percussion we've come to expect from Kanno.

"Blues In My Heaven," the only other vocal track on the album, is a great pop song. Rin Oikawa provides vocals for this song and it's sung in English. I hadn't heard anything by Rin Oikawa before, but I like this song. She sings in the style of female singer-songwriters with a voice that's sort of smoky.

One of the standout tracks, however, is "Haraiso, Haraiso," the soundtrack's final song. It's nearly seven minutes long and a wonderful orchestral piece. The overall feel of this song is of sadness and I bet that it comes during an emotional part of the film. This type of piece is something you hear in a lot of films and Kanno's take on it may get to you.

Overall, the soundtrack to Ashura-jo no Hitomi is very good. It's more of a score than a soundtrack since all but two songs are instrumental and the instrumental pieces are pretty similar in style. Upon hearing this soundtrack, I have definitely become interested in seeing the film and how the music is used. Given how long it takes for live-action Japanese films to visit our shores, it may be a while before I get the chance to see Ashura.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: Arjuna: Into The Another World

Yoko Kanno has been involved in providing the music for several well-known, well-loved anime series and movies. However, for all the great works that she's been a part of, there are some duds as well. One such dud, in my opinion, is the anime series Arjuna. The characters are annoying, the environmental message is delivered with the subtlety of a hammer, and the creators write themselves into a corner by the end of the series. The major positive about this show (apart from the nice animation) is Yoko Kanno's music. The unusual, inventive music showcased on Into The Another World is way too good for the show it was written for.

Into The Another World strikes a delicate balance between the organic and the otherworldly. Non-electric instruments, tribal drums, and chants figure heavily into much of the music found here. However, these sounds are combined with traditional pop music sounds including piano, strings, electric guitar, and electronic synthesizers. Also, most of the vocals on this album are sung in an unrecognizable language. Only one song sung in this language, "Aqua," has a translation in the CD booklet. This makes listening to much of the album akin to listening to world music but the knowledge that no one speaks the language that is being sung adds an alien element.

There is a lot of excellent and immensely creative music found throughout Into The Another World. "Awakening" sounds a lot like a remixed version of a ritual. As the same incoherent words are repeated in female voices, tribal-style drums are combined with heavy bass, "organic" sounds created with electronics, strings, piano, and other instruments. The song has a strong, almost epic feel to it. Chants also dominate "The Clone" but this short song is divided into two parts. The first has predominantly female voices and features hand claps while the second features male voices and features powerful, electronic-assisted drums.

Although much of the album features chants, there is also more traditional sounding music to be found here as well. Multiple types of acoustic guitar dominate the mostly instrumental "2nd Life." "Feel The Circle" is a haunting, music-box style instrumental theme that is augmented by strings. "Bells For Her" is a solemn piece that is an excellent combination of piano and strings. "Motor Bike" is one of the few songs sung in a recognizable language (Japanese with an English translation in the booklet). It's a midtempo pop ballad sung beautifully by Maaya Sakamoto. She also wrote the lyrics (and sang the vocals) for one of the album's best songs, "Mameshiba." It's a solid pop track that benefits from Kanno's excellent production.

Into The Another World is one of Yoko Kanno's finest works. It's original, fascinating, and ambitious. It is also an album that is best enjoyed as a consistent listening experience, even if it is a little long with 20 listed songs and two bonus tracks. It is not the most complex album of music you will hear and the inability to understand much of what is sung is kind of a loss. What makes this album brilliant, though, is the way that it manages to both emulate and reinvent "primitive" music. Nothing else out there sounds quite like this and it's unfortunate that the show that features this music isn't on the same level.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: Sousei no Aquarion OST II

I enjoyed the epic, Escaflowne-esque feel contained on the songs the first Sousei no Aquarion OST but I was quite surprised by Sousei no Aquarion OST II. This one is definitely a step above the first soundtrack and contains first-rate music throughout.

Like the first soundtrack, Yoko Kanno collaborates with composer Hisaaki Hogari for the music. According to the information found here, they worked together on three songs while Hogari composed one by himself and Kanno composed the rest. When Kanno and Hogari work together, they produce some of the best songs on the album. "Cyberfolk Music" is a tour-de-force that effortlessly combines their respective styles. The combination of electronic elements, orchestral sounds, and Kanno's signature rapid-fire bass and drums result in a song that you wish was 10 times longer. "Psychedelic Academy" has both electronic and orchestral elements like "Cyberfolk Music" but it has a stronger electronic feel that takes advantage of Hogari's talents and has Kanno clearly in Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex mode. The epic electronic feel of this song would not have sounded out of place in a Matrix film. "Interstellar Connecting Ferry," the last song that the composers did together, is mellow and haunting. Choral vocals, a Boards of Canada-esque ambient feel, and light piano combine for a wonderfully moody piece. Interestingly enough, Hisaaki Hogari's solo piece, "The Baron And The Sun," contains no electronic elements at all. It's a soft, relaxed piece dominated by piano and acoustic guitar. It's quite the contrast to the music he and Kanno worked on together.

The rest of Sousei no Aquarion OST II is pure Kanno. Some of the songs contained here are easily among the best orchestral pieces she has done so far. The classical music influence is very strong here and the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra makes it all sound great. "Vatican Dance" is a lovely little piece while an organ gives a baroque sound to "Heavens Gate." The dark, choral vocals and themes present in "Exodus" and "Blaqarion" may sound a little too close to stuff from Escaflowne, but they are powerful and enjoyable to listen to. Kanno tackles opera again (she composed the music for the "Magnetic Rose" segment from the film Memories) with "Thoma's Oracle," a Phantom Of The Opera-esque piece featuring vocals by Dorota Lachowricz.

Kanno's non-classical pieces for this soundtrack are pretty good as well. "Dribble Dribble" is an exercise in Spanish-style guitar that works pretty well. "Diet Waltz" is an odd little ditty that combines electronic drums with a light violin. However, what really stands out is the talent of AKINO. She sings on several songs that show off her wonderful voice. My favorite in particular is "Genesis Of Aquarion" in which she sings in partial a capella with bless4. She sings in both English and Japanese and pulls it off very well.

Ultimately, Sousei no Aquarion OST II was a pleasant surprise for me. The music was consistently good and the collaborations between Hogari and Kanno were intriguing. The style for this soundtrack is very reminiscent of Escaflowne, but there is enough here to make it stand out. Here's hoping that a Sousei no Aquarion OST III is on the way.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: Be Human

When it comes to musical genres, composer Yoko Kanno has covered nearly everything under the sun. Her soundtracks for various anime series and films have had her doing everything from classical (Escaflowne) to pop (Macross Plus), electronic (Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex), funk (Cowboy Bebop),and even Brazilian-style jazz (Wolf's Rain). On Be Human, a side soundtrack to the Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime series currently airing on Adult Swim, she covers a wide variety of genres in the space of about 44 minutes. The result is an uneven album that contains songs that will both engage you and make you cringe.

It's clear from the cover of Be Human that this soundtrack would be different from the GITS:SAC soundtracks that came before and after it. Unlike the other covers that feature main character Motoko Kusanagi, the cover of Be Human features a "tachikoma." Tachikoma are spider-like robots used by the characters in the anime series. The robots have very advanced AI (they are about as smart as children) and can think for themselves. Most of the music on Be Human deals with these robot characters and the music from the "Tachikoma Specials" is included on this album.

Be Human runs the gamut in terms of the types of music it contains. The album opens up with the slow, slightly somber title track. The song is about a desire that lots of robots have in science-fiction works...the desire to become human. The childlike perspective of the tachikoma results in lyrics like these: "I'd roll around the mud/and have lots of fun/then when I was done/build bubblebath towers and swim in the tub." The somber electronic tones of "Be Human" give way to hard rock on "Trip City," a song about a robot having some serious issues. Things get even more varied from here.

Songs like "Patch Me" and "Let's Oil" are quick bursts of pure techno. "Tachikoma no Iede (Runaway Tachikoma)" is the complete opposite of those songs with its light combination of piano and flute. "Rocky wa Doko? (Where's Rocky?)" is a light, sweet little instrumental that features strings, acoustic guitar, and some European elements. You get a taste of Japanese rapping on "Cream" while "Spotter," one of the best tracks on the album, is an excellent combination of electronic beats and strings. "Piece by Ten" is a full-on orchestral piece performed by the Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra while "Good By My Master" would not have sounded out of place in one of the Matrix films.

With all this variety, you know something is gonna have to give and it does. "FAX me" ranks with "24 Hours Open" from the Cowboy Bebop movie (which was just a Muzak-esque instrumental with gunshot sounds) as one of the dumbest songs I've ever heard from Kanno. The song is simply a combination of a traditional classical piece with fax machine/modem beeps running through it. Even though it's less than 90 seconds long, it annoys me to no end. Also, I could've done without most of the seven "hidden" tracks that come from the "Tachikoma Specials." You will either love or hate the cute, kawaii vocals on "AI Sentai Tachikomans (AI Combat Team Tachikomans)." Personally, I couldn't stand them. "PO'd Pod" is a video game-esque song that's a step below the video game fan remixes out there.

While Be Human has its moments, it's pretty uneven and a little odd at times. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who wasn't already a Yoko Kanno fan. If you are new to Yoko Kanno, there are several soundtracks that will give you a better idea of her talent. Among albums that have been released domestically, check out either of the two Macross Plus soundtracks, the first Arjuna soundtrack, or the first Wolf's Rain soundtrack. If you are willing to buy imports, I suggest you check out the first and third Cowboy Bebop TV soundtracks (or the CD-Box, if you can find it), virtually any of the Escaflowne soundtracks, or Song To Fly, her only solo, non-soundtrack, release.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: Wolf’s Rain OST I

In the anime series Wolf's Rain, a group of wolves who can disguise themselves as humans find themselves on the run as they help a mysterious girl and try to find the mythical Paradise. This music for this series fits the story well as composer Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Ghost In The Shell: SAC) uses everything from orchestral pieces to Brazilian-style jazz.

Most of the music contained on Wolf's Rain OST I has a relaxed, sometimes somber pace. Very few songs are close to being fast-paced. The album's opener "Stray" (which is the show's opening theme) is among those few. Steve Conte seems to sing from the perspective of the main character as he sings "Is there a place waiting for me?/Somewhere I belong/Or will I always live this way?" Conte's other contribution, the acoustic guitar-driven "Could You Bite The Hand?" has a dramatically different perspective: "Do you still think that we're not brave if we don't bleed?/We've seen so much blood and violence already, how much do you need?"

The instrumental pieces show some variety. "Requiem" and "Paradiso" (the album's closer) are both moody, piano-driven pieces. "Requiem" combines the piano with strings for a song that sounds both intense and flowing. "Paradiso" has a more dramatic effect as many of the same themes from "Requiem" are combined with saxophone. "Pilgrim Snow" has a light feel dominated primarily by an interesting harp melody. "Shiro" is a very nice and memorable string-driven theme. "Tip Toe Waltz" and "My Little Flower" were recorded in Poland with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and it shows. There is a wondrous power in these two short songs that stands out from the other instrumental pieces. Both songs sound absolutely beautiful. Then again, I doubt that anything played by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra would sound anything but beautiful.

However, the highlights of the album were, for me, the songs recorded in Brazil. This soundtrack (of all things) was my first exposure to Brazilian-style jazz and I enjoyed every minute of it. "CORAÇÃO SELVAGEM" is one of three songs to feature vocals by Joyce. She sings in what is likely Portuguese over a soft, smooth melody. On "Dogs And Angels," Joyce just scats her way over a wonderful array of sounds that include piano, strings, and acoustic guitar. "Run, Wolf Warrior, Run" has Joyce singing in English in a song that features wonderful vocals and excellent lyrics by Chris Mosdell. The imagery contained in them adds to the wonder of the song: "Are you hunting for mystic mountains/Where the air is like liquid laughter?" My favorite song from the Brazil sessions (and by far my favorite song on the album) is "Strangers." Raj Ramayya provides the vocals for this smooth jam that is easily among the best songs Kanno has done. This is a song that hooks you at the beginning and doesn't let go. Every time I listen to this album, I always listen to this song.

Over time, I've begun to appreciate Wolf's Rain OST I more and more. One of the reasons I really like this album is because it introduced me to a sound I had not heard before. Even if I find that the songs recorded in Brazil are lackluster compared to "real" Brazilian music, I'll have a fondness for them because they were what I was first exposed to. Even without the Brazilian songs, the rest of the album stands up for itself whether it's the jazz-inflected pop of "Valse de La Lune" or the somber piano-driven sounds of "Gravity." This 2004 Annie Award-nominated score is excellent and another notch in Yoko Kanno's long list of musical achievements.

Right now, only this, the first soundtrack, has seen a domestic release. The second soundtrack, Wolf's Rain OST II, is only available as an import.

The Yoko Kanno Reviews: Sousei no Aquarion OST I

After just finishing The Rock Reviews, I now bring you a brand new series of music reviews based around one of my favorite composers, Yoko Kanno. I've reviewed quite a bit of her work on this blog and most recently, I sent my Driving Mixmania match and Jim at Patriside a 3-disc set of her work. This series will consist of reviews of the following soundtracks: Sousei no Aquarion OSTs I & II, Ashura-jo no Hitomi OST, Wolf's Rain OST 1, and Be Human from Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Three of these reviews, including this opening review, will be exclusive to this blog and not cross-posted anywhere else.

The first soundtrack reviewed as part of this series is Sousei no Aquarion OST I (Genesis of Aquarion in English). For this soundtrack (as well as the second one), Kanno is one of two contributors. Credit for this soundtrack is shared between Kanno and Hisaaki Hogari, a composer with roots in electronic music who has provided music for several anime himself. According to this link at the Yoko Kanno Database, Hogari composed four of the 18 tracks on this first soundtrack.

Ever since Escaflowne, Kanno hasn't really done a soundtrack that has completely matched it in feel. In the pieces she has composed for Sousei no Aquarion, Kanno seems to have gone for a feel that is very close to her work for Escaflowne. "Aquarius" is a song in the tradition of Kanno's Escaflowne work. The song has a suitably epic feel due to the collaboration with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus. The fluttery strings and woodwinds stand out in "High Spirit" and "Brown Horses" has an ethnic feel and melody as simple and memorable as the classic "Shadow Of Doubt" from Escaflowne.

In addition to the orchestral works, there are other types of songs to be found. "Sousei no Aquarion," which shares its title with the show itself, is an upbeat pop song with nice vocals by AKINO. "Becoming A Bird," with vocals by Aoi Tada, is a smooth, relaxed pop song that floats along. Then there is "Kikaitenshi Aquarion," a song with an excellent combination of the electronic and the organic as chorus vocals are melded to a strong, upbeat electronic track. The link I mentioned above credits Kanno solely for this song, while I have also heard that it is really a collaborative effort between Kanno and Hogari. Either way, it is a great song.

While I've been focused on Kanno's contribution to the soundtrack, I am not about to forget the great contributions of Hisaaki Hogari. His songs are dramatically different from those Kanno contributed, but they never sound out of place with the rest of the soundtrack. "Macho Battle" is a wonderful techno song with elements of rock as well as some Kanno-esque vocals. "Max Bomber Girl" is a light, breezy electronic song. "Michelle" is a light pop song with vocals by an artist who lends his name to the song (I have to wonder if Michelle is as much a real artist as Gabriela Robin is...). Ethnic influences can be heard in the upbeat techno of "Dragon Reika."

As a soundtrack, Sousei no Aquarion OST I has a sweeping, epic feel. The orchestral pieces by Kanno are some of the best she's done since Escaflowne and much of her work here is very similar in tone to her soundtracks to that show. However, what sets this soundtrack apart from Escaflowne are the great electronic contributions from Hisaaki Hogari. They fit the overall feel of the rest of the album even while they are the polar opposite to the orchestral pieces. I enjoyed much of the music on Sousei no Aquarion OST I and when the show comes to America, I hope the soundtrack(s) do as well.

Kanno’s Song To Fly Is Beautiful, Unusual

When you think about it, film composers are some of the most prolific artists out there. They compose and create (with the help of various collaborators and musicians) an album's worth of music within just a few months at most. It can take some artists years to create a new album but a film/TV composer is expected to create that much quality music in a limited timeframe. I know there are quite a few differences between a composer and an artist, but you can't deny that the comparison is remarkable.

I mention this because I've sometimes wondered what would happen if a composer created music just for the sake of it. Danny Elfman, one of the greatest film composers working today, used to do this as a member of Oingo Boingo. However, I wonder what kind of music people like John Williams would create if they could just compose whatever they wanted. You can get an idea of this from Song To Fly, the only non-soundtrack album Yoko Kanno has done as a solo artist.

For those who have read my reviews of the Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex soundtracks, I don't have to explain that Yoko Kanno is to anime what Danny Elfman is to movies. She has created tons and tons of music for many high-profile anime series. However, Song To Fly is not associated with any anime series or movie. It's not associated with anything live-action either. Although it is rumored that the music was composed for a PC game of some kind, there is no reliable evidence to suggest that Song To Fly was created for any other purpose than to just make an album. This makes the contents all the more interesting.

Song To Fly is a short album. It only has 11 songs and is less than 48 minutes long. However, those 11 songs contain the creativity, beauty, and quirkiness that only Yoko Kanno can provide. The sounds of the Cosmic Voices of Bulgaria begin the album on the song "Atomic Bird." Most of this song consists of only their voices. The only other instruments heard on the entire song are drums. The lack of instruments (and the fact that it is unclear what language is being sung) give the song a decidedly tribal feel. There are other unusual things to be found on this album as well. "Next Time" is just plain strange. The gravelly vocals of Franco Sansalone are complimented by music that sounds both old-world and circuslike. The lyrics, which include lines like "Comatose radios," are just as strange as the rest of the song. There isn't a more fitting song title than "ABC Mouse Parade," a song that has vocals by Gabriela Robin (a.k.a. you-know-who). The song really does sound like a song that a parade of mice could sing. It's light while at the same time being as over-the-top as good parade music is. Towards the end of the song, it breaks down into something very different (and more traditional) than the rest of the song.

"This EDEN" is a wonderful song. There is an ethereal wonder and a baroque feel to this song, especially with the operatic vocals. Frequent Kanno collaborator Steve Conte puts in another reliable performance in the ballad "Nowhere And Everywhere." Steve sings from the point of view of a spirit with lyrics such as "Don't you know me?/I'm the one you used to talk to/You stopped believing/But still I followed/Everywhere you go." Kanno collaborates with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra (and their chorus) on three songs. These songs are probably the best songs on the album. Kanno has worked with the Warsaw Philharmonic before on Escaflowne and Macross Plus. They make beautiful music together and it shows on this album. "The Man In The Desert" starts off slow, but builds into a wonderful cacophony of beautiful voices and beautiful music. "The Ship" is a song so wonderful that it's a shame that it wasn't in Escaflowne. In fact, I wonder if classical music fans could even deny its brief brilliance. The Warsaw Chorus puts in a wonderful a cappella performance of Kanno's twist of "Hallejuah." Jadwiga Rappé's operatic vocals on the sparse "Lydia" end the album.

When someone has as large a body of work as Yoko Kanno does, it's hard to not think of other work that she's done as you listen to her songs. Also, it's also easy to take great work for granted when it's part of a large catalog. I first heard Song To Fly years ago on low-quality audio files and enjoyed it, although not as much as her other work. Now, after revisiting this album in a much higher quality version, I think it stands as one of the best works she has ever done. It is beautiful, epic, and strange. I sincerely hope that some company, whether it be Geneon, Bandai, or a label dealing with world music, brings this wonderful album to the United States sometime in the future.

Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex OST 3 Is Another Solid Kanno Soundtrack

Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex OST 3 is the latest soundtrack release from Yoko Kanno, one of my favorite composers. It's another solid release for Kanno and proves she still, amazingly, has a lot of creative energy left.

Each soundtrack for Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex has been different. The first soundtrack was primarily hard pumping rock and techno-influenced pop. The Be Human soundtrack was primarily really strange music, since it contained the score from the Tachikoma shorts. The second soundtrack contained a combination of very good slow to mid-tempo vocal tracks with instrumental tracks reminiscent of her other works. This new soundtrack is mostly instrumental and again references her other works. To give you an idea of the variety contained on this soundtrack (and frankly any Yoko Kanno soundtrack), I'm going to do something quite rare...I'm going to do a song-by-song review of the album's 17 tracks.

1. "The End Of All You'll Know" (vocals by Scott Matthew): This is an interesting way to open the album. It's a sad, piano-driven song with Scott's distinctive vocals.

2. "Torukia" (vocals by Gabriela Robin, a pseudonym for Yoko Kanno): This one hits you right away. It sounds like a blast from the 80's with its synths and drums. Kanno puts her own unique spin on this 1980's throwback with her unusual vocals, acoustic guitars, strings, and tribal influences. This song puts me in the mind of her underrated soundtrack to the not-so-good anime Brain Powerd. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, this is the type of music she actually recorded in the 1980's.

3. "Know Your Enemy" (instrumental): This one is a nice soundtrack piece that is uniquely Kanno. Strings combine with a smooth beat and piano to create one very nice song.

4. "Laser Seeker" (instrumental): This song is an upbeat rock song, although it's not as hard as some of the stuff from the first soundtrack.

5. "Break Through" (instrumental): This is an upbeat song that starts off as techno but quickly becomes pop as real instruments replace the electronic sounds.

6. "Flying Low" (instrumental): This song has a heavy, midtempo rock feel to it for the most part but mellows out a little bit in the middle. I wonder if she worked with some of the same musicians she has worked with in the past. When I first heard it, I was reminded of the work of Tsuneo Imahori, the man who composed the music for Trigun and a frequent Kanno collaborator.

7. "Europe" (instrumental): With the saxophone solo that opens this song, thoughts of Cowboy Bebop came to mind. However, once the saxophone is augmented with strings and other instruments, the song gets an epic (yet light) jazz feel.

8. "Hantou no Higashi" (instrumental): An orchestra is in full force on this song, which is reminiscent of Kanno's work for the anime Macross Plus. The song is slow and solemn in tone for the most part but there are points that it takes a wonderful, fleeting feel to it as well.

9. "Mikansei Love Story" (instrumental): This is a nice, smooth song driven by acoustic guitar. It's reminiscent of some of the work from Wolf's Rain.

10. "Christmas In The Silent Forest" (vocals by Ilaria Graziano): Honestly, this song sounds like a tribute to the music of Bjork. It is very reminiscent of Bjork's songs from the off-kilter instrument arrangement to the crescendos and even in Graziano's vocals (which are very good, by the way). Nonetheless, this song is wonderful. Can you imagine the music that Bjork and Yoko Kanno would produce if they ever collaborated? I'd love to hear that.

11. "Access All Areas" (instrumental): A quick little techno-influenced rock song.

12. "Sacred Terrorist" (instrumental): This is a slow, melancholy piece that reminds me a lot of her work from Escaflowne. The orchestra sounds great.

13. "Dear John" (vocals by Scott Matthew): This is a midtempo rock/pop song. What sets it apart is the way the vocals by Scott Matthew are used. His vocals are distorted for the most part. The parts where you expect lyrics are filled (barely) with a breathy, electronic voice.

14. "35.7c" (instrumental): This short song is basically synths and a somber sounding trumpet. I haven't seen GITS:SAC in a while, but I wonder if this was used during a funeral scene.

15. "Smile" (instrumental): This song has everything but the kitchen sink. Electric sounds combine with piano, strings, and random ethereal vocals to create something that swings from nice to creepy very quickly. It just has to be heard.

16. "Flashback Memory Stick" (vocals by Origa): This is a nice, minimal, and short reprise of "Inner Universe," the first opening song for the show (it's on OST 1).

17. "Dew" (vocals by Ilaria Graziano): This piece of pop is a nice way to end the album. Pop is probably what Kanno does best and this nice, smooth song shows it.

There we have it, another very good Yoko Kanno soundtrack. If you liked any of the other GITS:SAC soundtracks, you will probably like this one. I hope Bandai releases this one stateside. The first soundtrack and the Be Human soundtrack are available now from Bandai while the second soundtrack is set for release in August. Your best bet to find these soundtracks would be either online, Suncoast, an anime/comic book store, or possibly a Mom/Pop record store. I have never seen any Bandai or Geneon anime soundtracks in Best Buy or Circuit City. Yoko Kanno's soundtracks are worth the effort to pick them up.