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Ken Ishii is seen as the most successful Japanese DJ who has toured the World over and played at almost every large festival or event over the years of his career. Now after his last successful visit to Hong Kong, the man returns to bring us a set 'full of funkness and real techno'.
HKClubbing: After doing recordings for such things as TV commercials and a Play Station2 game, is their anywhere else where you would like to have your music featured?
Ken Ishii: I’m open with where my music is used in. I contributed an exclusive track for an established makeup artist Rumiko and her cosmetic brand RMK early in this year as well. Films are always my interest, especially experimental or cult ones. Recently I’m interested in doing some music for art installations and exhibitions.
HKClubbing: Can you comment on what we should expect from your new album planned for release this summer?
Ken Ishii: From the last few years’ tour experience I found out what I wanted to see / hear more from techno scene all over because it was a bit too same everywhere. So, what I wanted to do with this new album is to go back to my roots in techno, which is early Detroit stuff, and put its original good elements to the current techno dancefloors. This means it will be a dance album with more melodies, harmonies and funkiness. I’m currently starting a video production for the album with a CG artist Kazuma Morino, who did VJing on my last HK gig.
HKClubbing: Japan’s dance music scene is very individual and independent from the rest of Asia, why do you think this is?
Ken Ishii: Maybe because there are more music listeners who buy records, not like just party goers. Those music people have their own individual tastes and they want to hear their type of music each in clubs. We also have a better situation to buy records and CDs too.
HKClubbing: What are your thoughts about music on the World Wide Web?
Ken Ishii: As one music listener I think it’s interesting to have a possibility of finding what you want on internet as I’m basically a technology friendly person. As a recording artist internet can be fatal, of course. But nobody can stop the progression of technology, right?
HKClubbing: As the UK Festivals and Ibiza is just about to start what plans to do have around that time?
Ken Ishii: I don’t have plans to do those at the moment. Instead, I will do lots of big European events in the summer, like Holland, Belgium, Love Parade, Finland and France etc. I will also play in Thailand, Malaysia, Viet Nam, Philippines and Brazil later.
HKClubbing: Can we expect much of the same style of music like the last time you were in Hong Kong?
Ken Ishii: Although I don’t really remember what I played last time, it will be full of funkness and real techno!
HKClubbing: On your stop over to Hong Kong is there anything you look forward to seeing or doing in “Asia’s World City”.
Ken Ishii: HK is my favorite city. I know where to go. This time I heard there would be big fireworks in the harbour, which sounds nice to me…
Ken Ishii is releasing a new single this Summer and then the new album in Autumn. All these releases are on his new record label called “70 Drums", www.kenishii.com.
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