If you don’t know who Yoko Kanno is, it’s not surprising but also sort of a shame [if you are a music fan]. She’s sort of the ruling queen of anime soundtracks – kind of a Japanese Danny Elfman if you will. Soundtrack composers of that ilk absolutely mystify me. How someone can move back and forth between so many styles of music and make it seem easy really floors me. I mean Jimmy Page probably was not a very good jazzman, but I doubt that Miles Davis could have come up with Kashmir either.

Someone who can competently write a bunch of guitar-tinged techno, work with an eclectic jazz-rock ensemble, and score for/conduct an orchestra…that’s powerful mojo.

Anyways, a year or so ago, when trying to amuse myself musically with my computer, I tried my hand at some remix-style re-arrangements of some of her pieces that I’m fond of. The thought at the time was to have some fun and do some learning and then perhaps shop them around to some targeted interest podcasts so someone other than Jamie might listen to them sometime. I’ve not gotten around to that yet. But it all got dubbed the “Yoko Kanno Remix Project” since it had a theme and it was something I intended to do ongoing work on. I ended up getting diverted and working on other things, but I might still might both shop it around and do more. When I started doing this, I did my work in a software package called Soundtrack Pro – an absolutely dismal piece of software. Unfortunately, most of these were not only done in STP, but also before I had actually read anything on properly mixing things. Only one of these was done after my transition to Logic 7, doing some reading, and generally getting a clue.

Oh, and to the best of my knowledge, I’m legally in the clear here what with these being remixes/mashups. But if I’m not, please contact me and I will do the right thing. I’ve had these tracks sitting around in my CD mastering software for a while now. Getting this part of the site going got me off my duff to finish what I’ve started. Now, on to the tracks:

- Rain (Fire Shower Remix):

Not the first one I did, but the first one I really liked. Second time was the charm in this case. So it comes first. A particularly dramatic/cinematic track from the infamous Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. I really dig the vocal work that Steve Conte has done on her soundtrack work – and you don’t get to replace Johnny Thunders on guitar for the New York Dolls if you’re not cool. He has that “haunting and/or dramatic” thing DOWN vocal-wise. Got sort of a trip-hop beat going on behind it and I tried to add more drama to an already dramatic piece. I will humbly say I listen to this one more than the original.

[rain-fire-shower-remix.mp3]

- Mouth On Fire (Hieroglyph Mix):

A lesser known track from the lesser known but still absolutely stunning Wolf’s Rain soundtrack. It’s not as widely revered as the Bebop soundtrack, but it’s still great. I think I did this one when I was trying to get away from doing stuff with a vocal component. Probably picked it since it was appealing at the moment somehow. Not a classic track, so not much to say I guess.

[mouth-on-fire-hieroglyph-mix.mp3]

- Cosmic Dare (Pretty With A Breakbeat):

Very popular tune from the Cowboy Bebop movie. This the only one done in Logic 7, after I had a clue about a few things. Everybody’s favorite Faye Valentine song. Pretty happy with the way this one turned out, plus since I did this one after I started getting some gear, I did some parts for this one myself rather than relying on my army of remix tools [there, the secret is out - I am a fraud]. It’s dancy, and poppy and if you don’t approve, well sorry.

[cosmic-dare-pretty-with-a-breakbeat.mp3]

- Mushroom Hunting (Too Good Mashmix):

Had some fun with this one. It’s a combination of sources from the songs Mushroom Hunting and Too Good, Too Bad from the Bebop series soundtrack. If I recall correctly, other than the house-y beat, it’s all sourced and stitched together from bits of the component songs. I think I was starting to get a bit of a clue on some individual track mastering on this one.

[mushroom-hunting-too-good-mashmix.mp3]

- Strangers (Flowers Bloom Remix):

Last and actually sort of least. But also first. This was the first one I tried my hand at. When I got that first vocal phrase to match up with the laid out beats, I did have that initial Eureka! moment. However, as is usual for me, I got way in over my head and too ambitious with the arrangement. I was also thinking “dancefloor” too much with this one so the middle section is kind of tedious I think. And it ends too fast. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard, but it’s not really in my personal playlist either. A particularly good tune from the Wolf’s Rain soundtrack with great vocals. Please don’t judge it by the mediocre job I did with it.

[strangers-flowers-bloom-remix.mp3]

So that’s it so far. I intend to do more. But I’m currently backed up with other things right now. I have no idea who will find these, but if you’re a fan of Yoko Kanno and like them, .