Jelly Tones [Import]

Ken Ishii | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 29, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: R&S Records
• ASIN: B000007149
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,065,695 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Tracklist : 1 Extra 8:46 2 Cocoa Mousse 6:48 3 Stretch 7:21 4 Ethos 9 6:23 5 Moved By Air 4:55 6 Pause In Herbs 5:47 7 Frame Out 6:31 8 Endless Season 9:46

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Japanese scene may have truly took off globally here., December 3, 2000

By 

Meekiahman (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jelly Tones (Audio CD)

As I speak from personal experience, the recent history of the Japanese underground club scene could have continued to go understated if not for this manga-inspired Jelly Tones, which I consider as Ken Ishii's watershed, even if I sometimes feel the straight-ahead techno of Innerelements is a better accomplishment. No doubt the anime MTV video of 'Extra' helped a lot in raising Ken Ishii's profile, and more importantly, brought the whole idea of the 'Ken Ishii Sound' and Japaneses-style minimalist techno down south of the Asian region to my friends' exposure 3 years ago. Jelly Tones as a studio production album is a very creative exercise at synthetic cheesiness with funny bleeping, clicking and sqawking sounds and so on, hence the 'manga-inspired' label. Very instrumental and melodic trance music that's not for the dancefloor and almost ambient, grooving but not pounding bassline, and filled with warmth. It may not sound as good as it seems, it just seems more important than it sounds. Then from then on, Ken Ishii as a techno-futurist constantly changes his musical directions in the name of creativity. By the way, I'm still enjoying Jelly Tones ever since I bought it 3 years ago, and my version has Dave Angel and Boom Boom Satellite remixes. I also recommend another album called 'Grip' which Ken Ishii did for Sublime Records under the pseudoname 'Flare'. To further experience the 'Ken Ishii Sound', listen to sound samples at his official website.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great early work by Ishii, June 18, 2000

By 

cubase di pilsen "‹^› ‹( &#... (60608-CHICAGO, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jelly Tones (Audio CD)

Although the sound of this album may be a bit dated, at its time, Ken Ishii's "Jelly Tones" was paving a new sound. Techno music at the time was sounding much the same, but when Ishii's "Extra" came out, coupled with the supurb video on MTV's 'AMP', this album reached a whole new audience. A mixture of trance, minimalist techno, and breakbeats now and then, the album definitely delivers. What's special about the album is the fact that Ishii tries out different styles and elements in his tracks. This is definitely one to add to your collection.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Japanese techno, April 5, 2006

By 

M. E. BURNS "lover of fine media" (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jelly Tones (Audio CD)

Sparser than Flatspin and not as colorful as Sleeping Madness, Extra is full of clean, understated, dancable techno, fond of video game style bleeps but never adverse to live percussion. All the tracks with the exception of Cocoa Mousse (which I found to be strikingly boring) make for great study music and remind me in places of Kenji Kawai's soundtracks for the Ghost in the Shell movies. Highly recommended.