Episode 37 –Ken Ishii - Naiad

It’s 1989 when university student, Ken Ishii, visits a musical instrument store in Tokyo, Japan. Ishii has long been enthralled by electronic music, such as that made by the Japanese group, Yellow Music Orchestra. It is however what he interprets as the less complicated production qualities of the techno coming out of Detroit at the time, that really galvanises his passion for this type of music, deciding that this is the kind of sound he wants to make and play himself. In the music store that day, Ishii accordingly purchases a Korg M1 synthesiser, which he learns is able to function as an all-in-one music workstation. Four years following this, Ishii will have released his first productions through one of the world’s most important techno record labels, including the track, Naiad.