Mix Up, Vol. 1

AMG Review of Mix Up, Vol. 1

Ted Mills
All Music Guide

Takkyu Ishino's solo DJ mix ditches any concessions to the pop and ock world and delves straight into hard techno/house, dishing up an hour-plus meal of relentless beats, chopped-up and mangled samples, and undulating synth patterns. If Ishino is a master of anything, it's in setting his pieces at a rolling boil, then turning up the heat, whether he's remixing or mixing together like-minded artists. This was volume one in a series meant to give listeners a taste of a particular DJ's style. Volume two features Jeff Mills, the popularity of which brought European echno fans back to this volume, raising the profile of Ishino outside Japan. (This release is known as International DJ Syndicate Mix 1 in Japan).