Vicor Music Entertainment. All music and vocals arranged by Yoko Kanno.
Shop: Cowboy Bebop Item Shop, Music, DVD, Videos, Books and Sheet Music

Track Listing:

1. Blue (Vocals by Mai Yamane, soprano Voice by Soichiro Otsuka with Gabriela Robin)
2. Words That We Couldn’t Say (Vocals by Steve Conte)
3. Autumn In Ganymede
4. Mushroom Hunting (Vocals by Tulivu-Donna Cumberbatch)
5. Go Go Cactus Man
6. Chicken Bone (Vocals by SYDNEY with sister R)
7. The Real Man
8. N.Y. Rush
9. Adieu (Vocals by Emily Bindiger)
10. Call Me Call Me (Vocals by Steve Conte)
11. Ave Maria (Vocals by Jerzy Knetig)
12. Stella By Moor
13. Flying Teapot (Vocals by Emily Bindiger)
14. Wo Qui Non Coin (Vocals by Aoi “ED” Tada)
15. Road to The West
16. Farewell Blues
17. See You Space Cowboy… (Vocals by Mai Yamane)

The first thing that will strike you here is the album cover. I find it most unusual among all Cowboy Bebop soundtracks that have colorful, striking artwork while this one has a simpler monochromatic artwork of what seems like a floating “feather” as in its title “Blue.” That alone gives you an idea of how the tracks will sound. As in all of its sountracks, you know that Cowboy Bebop does not stick with just one genre. At one point, you’ll feel melancholy then it gradually shifts your emotions to a more light and easygoing one. The tracks are arranged very well actually — in such a way that you didn’t know what hit you with the last song. You’ll move on the next lightly.

Mai Yamane, her voice deep and soulful as ever, sings the track Blue. If you watched Cowboy Bebop’s ending, you know that this track fits it perfectly. It’s a great track if you just want to be alone and reflect on things. Listen to the positivity in it. It’s uplifting.

Autumn in Ganymede sounds like lounge music which then shifts to the conga drums and sax combination Mushroom Hunting. Remember the episode called “Mushroom Samba?” Well, this track definitely captures the comedic feel of that episode. Edward and Ein chasing their wanted mushroom man with this in the background made the mood of the chase seem more like a totally nonchalant out of the way activity which is really like the character Edward. As the vocals here, in his high-pitched, black accent said, “Let’s kick the beat!” which means a start to the great Afro-jazz rhythm. Enjoy him talking, “Africa, India, Osaka, Tijuana!” as the percussion in the background wants to make you dance!

Go go Cactus man is your cliche Western track. But this is Andy’s track. Remember that episode with a bounty hounter named Andy in his spankin’ cowboy suit? So expect a cliche track with this character. My favorite track is Chicken Bone. Effortless vocals coupled with funky beats amidst a few soundovers “…destroy” to break the monotony.

You’ll find symphonic sounds in the track called Ave Maria as though you’re hearing Pavarotti or any of the three famous tenors. Road to the West was the background music used when Spike is thinking of Julia.

The clincher? The last one of course: See You Space Cowboy is Mai Yamane’s other version of The Real Folk Blues. My favorite track. If the original one sounded too emotional for you with Mai Yamane belting out all kinds of passion, she sings rather more somber and soulful in this one. New stanzas are added to the lyrics to which Mai Yamane emphasizes, “Love never dies, Love never fades away!” (This she sang in English.) That just made my day. It’s so Cowboy Bebop. It’s so soulful…. so… blue….

Vicor Music Entertainment. All music and vocals arranged by Yoko Kanno.
Shop: Cowboy Bebop Item Shop, Music, DVD, Videos, Books and Sheet Music

Track Listing:

1. The Real Folk Blues
   (by Mai Yamane)
2. Odd Ones
3. Doggy Dog
4. Cats on Mars
   (by Gabriela Robin)
5. Spy
6. Fantaisie Sign
   (by Carla Vallet)
7. Piano Bar I
8. Black Coffee

Oh yes. Only 8 tracks. 8 wonderful and astonishing tracks that just won’t make you forget what Cowboy Bebop is all about. While this is only a mini-album, this CD contains one distinguishing track — The Real Folk Blues, Cowboy Bebop’s ending theme by Mai Yamane.

Yes, I know what you’re saying. It’s also in other albums. This one is the original one. The album Blue has another version. If you loved the TV version, you better hear the full version in all its emotional heavy blues movement with its lyrics sounding nothing else but the best mush you’ll ever find. Llisten to the lyrics and it’s the best breakup song if i’ve ever heard of one especially with the amazing instruments in the background.

Why else could this be a great album? It’s a combination of jazz and Shibuya Kei. If you’re an ‘underground’ techno-retro music fan, you probably heard of Cornelius, Fantastic plastic machine, Kahimi Karie and of course, Pizzicato Five. Already, these bands are having a cult fan base in the United States but in Japan where everything trendy today could easily be out of style tomorrow, they may declare this movement dead although no one can deny once you’ve heard these sounds, a combination of vinyl records and the new blues mixed together, the result is undeniably classic. If it sounds ’60s or ’70s to you, it’s because that’s what the 1990s Shibuya Kei phenomenon was all about — the sounds on vinyl records but of course being a Japanese movement, the English sounds that were imported were given a bit of “now” flair.

Hearing Cats on Mars, a bubblegum synthesizer pop number with a catchy breakbeat, the vocals actually sound like Kahimi Karie to me. The last track Black Coffee sounds like a bit of Fantastic Plastic Machine and the new retro sounds I hear on French radio. A sample of the conversation is sampled in, “Would you please have some coffee with me?” to which the girl answers… “Nnn-o!” Her “Nnn-o!” sounds totally cartoony. What a fun piece this is!

In the track called Spy, the opening guitar riffs really epitomise the title of this track. Smoky lounges, car chases and flirtations with agents of the opposite sex come to mind when listening to this. Oohh… this CD is very versatile!

All in all, if you love Cowboy Bebop, love an eclectic mix of jazz and Shibuya Kei, this will be the best eight tracks in your life! Otherwise, if you just go for the Cowboy Bebop sound and don’t want to mix in with the new genre I just told you, go for the that great Cowboy Bebop OST 2 or Blue. My suggestion though… try something fun. You’ve heard of the godfathers of Shibuya Kei called Pizzicato Five at least once in your life so you better try something different such the WONDERFUL tracks in this album.

Vicor Music Entertainment. All sounds arranged by Yoko Kanno. Radio MC Yota by Oxygen Funk.
Shop: Cowboy Bebop Item Shop, Music, DVD, Videos, Books and Sheet Music

Track Listing:

1. Radio free Mars talk 1
2. Tank! - Luke Vibert Remix
3. Radio free Mars talk 2
4. Forever Broke
5. Radio free Mars talk 3
6. Cats on Mars
7. Radio free Mars talk 4
8. Piano Black - Ian O’Brien Remix
9. CAT BLUES - Mr. Scruff Remix
10. Radio free Mars talk 5
11. Fe - DJ Vadim Remix
12. Fantaisie Sign - Ian Pooley Remix
13. Radio free Mars talk 6
14. Space Lion - 4 Hero Remix
15. Radio free Mars talk 7 - [0:23]

Listen to the percussion as the ‘DJ’ with a Latin or Jamaican accent speaks. You can hear he’s kinda smooth talking in a way! The format of this CD is CREATIVELY done as though you are in a radio show where the DJ who calls himself “Mr. Martian” babbles as a start that his program has “no sponsors, no commercials and no guarantees….Theeeese are the only rules.” Upon describing the Seatbelts, he rambles on that “she wrote the music that kicks…rockzz..”

Expect a lot of techno pop and jazz in this remixes album. Of course… that’s what it’s all about. And who wouldn’t be pleased? This is already great music! And nothing is better than the same great music re-engineered. Don’t worry about anything. Only Britney Spears broke the rule that all remixes sound more fun.

Atmospheric tunes lay as background for some of the tracks. I enjoyed the remixes of Tank! and Cats on Mars , two of Cowboy Bebop’s resident tracks in almost three of its other soundtracks.

If you look at the track listing above, you can see that this album is self-made. The names of Ian Pooley and 4 Hero among them? Whoa! When the great names in techno and drum and bass are up there, this tells you that this is one great collaboration!

If you hear someone say, “if you’re not a fan of techno, this is not a good investment…” I suggest you burn that person immediately. I will. Who am I to generalize what non-techno fans will like? I’m not a techno nor trance fan yet I totally dig even the ambient samples in these tracks. Or if you’re not a techno fan, why not try something new? Most likely, you love Cowboy Bebop that is why you’re checking this track, right? Let me tell you something… I wasn’t a fan of jazz until I was into Cowboy Bebop. The anime Cowboy Bebop itself is a totally new experience. This CD, done as though it is a radio show, is a nice candid one.

If you feel though that you just feel like jamming to the usual Cowboy Bebop sounds you hear in the anime, try going for OST2 and Blue instead. If you want to try something new, this is a great one! Don’t worry. Not much of a culture shock.

Yoko Kanno. Hajime Mizoguchi. Hiroki Wada.
Shop: Escaflowne Item Shop, Music, DVD, VHS, Manga/Books

Track Listing:

1. Yakusoku wa iranai (I Don’t Need Promises)
   Vocals by Maaya Sakamoto
2. Flying Dragon
3. Dance of the curse
4. Murder
5. Escaflowne
6. Angel
7. Cubic
8. Romance
9. Ne Zu Mi
10. Wings
11. Gloria
12. Eyes
13. Poketto wo karanishite (Empty the Pocket)
    Vocal - Maaya Sakamoto
14. White Dove
    Vocals by Aceilux
15. Mystic Eyes
    Vocals by Hiroko Wada
16. Deja Blue

Tenkuu no Escaflowne’s first OST starts you off with nothing else but Yakusoku wa Iranai sung by Yoko Kanno’s regular, Maaya Sakamoto. Notice the rhythm and you’ll find that it’s 3/4 per measure and those rhythms are always very catchy and easy to remember. (In music, 3/4 usually have simpler melodies and most children’s nursery rhymes have that kind of beat. However, Yoko Kanno utilizes such a beat to her advantage in that it aptly fits the lyrics as they were sung.) What is best of course is that hearing the full version with the the choral backgrounds and even the sound of the bagpipes as part of the instrumental makes you want to sing the line, “Kimi wo Kimi wo aishiteru…” (I… I love you) even more.

Wait till you get to track 3, Dance of the Curse, Escaflowne’s main battle theme which you will find in all OSTs including the Escaflowne: Girl in Gaia movie OST. Latin chorus sparked by intense beats of percussion and instrumentals define the intense moment of the battle scenes in Escaflowne as this is being played in the background. The Latin chorus sings “Es-ca! Flow-ne!” in a manner similar to that of the Star Wars: Episode 01 chorus in the background as Obi-wan fights with Darth Maul. The difference? Yoko Kanno was three years ahead in using Latin choruses to best define the dramatic conflict.

As this OST is filled with quite compelling sounds done no less than by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, you will also be pleased with the vocals included in this track. The track White Dove may be done in English but it is does not compare to Maaya Sakamoto’s Poketto wo karanishite. The intro of which sounds like Irish music similar to The Corrs’ intros. Maaya Sakamoto’s voice sounds so downright kawaii that you later find yourself singing and stomping your feet to the a catchy and fun rhythm. The second to the last track Mystic Eyes is a deviation from everything because Hiroko Wada himself composed and sung this pop number which is also Escaflowne’s Ending Theme.

Yoko Kanno.
Shop: Escaflowne Item Shop, Music, DVD, VHS, Manga/Books

Track Listing:

1. The Vision of Escaflowne
2. Fanelia
3. Ask the Owl
4. Charm
5. Country Man
6. A Mole Man
7. Cradle Song
8. Machine Soldier
9. Shadow of doubt
10. A Far Cry
11. Market Place
12. Medicine Eater
    Vocals by Gabriela Robin
13. Godds Drunk
14. Cat’s Delicacy
15. Love
    Vocals by ACEILUX
16. Hitomi’s Theme
17. If You

Tenkuu no Escaflowne’s second OST proves that the talents of the great Yoko Kanno never ceases to amaze. The opening track alone is a mixture of sounds inspired by Gregorian chants mixed with some African tribal drumbeats and Oriental gongs. The next track, Fanelia, sounds typical medieval Irish music as those played in their festivals and banquets. The track actually reminds me of an old English countryside complete with thatched roof houses and red bricks. Ask the Owl, on the other hand, is a mixture of Turkish or Arabian music along with the mystic chants of the East on track called Charm.

Watch out for Machine Soldier. At first the sound synthesizers and heavy percussion clearly depict the sound of metals clanging or heavy machinery being soldered or used at work. If you don’t mind the heavy clanging noise, you can enjoy its techno beats in the background depicting power machines or heavy computers assessing the machinery which makes construction seem like a symphony! On the next track, you will just love the string quartet here. A constant cello with the fast tempo of the violin creates a stunning musical irony and opposition which then merges into one melody that itself gives you a perfect musical image of the title of the piece Shadow of Doubt. You will genuinely appreciate the sound of the violin here not as an instrument for setting the mood of romanticism but a piece accentuating the conflict.

As for the vocals, A Far Cry is a seductive jazz piece with whispery and “hissy” vocals. Love by Aceilux is also in English yet the melody in it compared to the experimental instrumentals in the selection makes it seem so ordinary. If You has vocals very deep and airy which starts with only the piano as an accompaniment to her voice. The electric guitar in the refrain is a typical one for most melodramatic pieces and when one listens to the lyrics, it sure enough heightens the sadness.