Name: Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto
Brand: Ryuichi Sakamoto

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

WWSLP 024LP

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2019-11-08

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Forced Exposure

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

3700604722298

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Total Cap

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Genre US

Asian

Label US

WEWANTSOUNDS

Ryuichi Sakamoto was a Japanese musician, composer, and actor born on January 17, 1952 in Tokyo, Japan. He studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music where he specialized in composition and electronic/ethnic music. Sakamoto began his career in the mid-1970s as a composer, arranger, and producer for popular rock, jazz, and classical artists in Japan. He gained fame as a member of the synth-rock band Yellow Magic Orchestra. Throughout his career, he collaborated with various artists including David Sylvian and appeared in films such as Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence alongside David Bowie.
Sakamoto's musical talent extended to film scores as well. He won an Academy Award for his score to the 1987 film The Last Emperor directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. Additionally, he composed soundtracks for Pedro Almodovar's High Heels and Oliver Stone's Wild Palms. Sakamoto was married to Japanese pianist and singer Akiko Yano with whom he collaborated on some recordings.
Aside from his musical achievements, Ryuichi Sakamoto was also known for being critical of copyright law which he believed to be outdated in the information age. His legacy lives on through his daughter Miu Sakamoto who is also involved in the music industry under the alias Sister M.

Wewantsounds present a reissue of Ryuichi Sakamoto's first solo album Thousand Knives Of, originally released in 1978 on the sought-after Better Days label. Save for a small-scale release in 1982, this is the first time the album is being released on vinyl outside of Japan. 1978 was a key year for Japanese music. Haruomi Hosono, one of the country's most innovative musicians had just formed Yellow Magic Orchestra pursuing the sonic experimentation he had started with his solo album Paraiso. The album, recorded between December '77 and January '78, featured both Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi. Hosono quickly invited both musicians to form YMO but before the group could release their first album, Sakamoto entered the Nippon Columbia studios in April 1978 with a plan. Sakamoto had become an in-demand session musician after studying composition at the Tokyo University of Art and had played on many key albums of the time, such as Taeko Ohnuki's Sunshower (1977) and Tatsuro Yamashita Spacy (1977). This led to an invitation by Hosono to feature on Paraiso. A penchant for avant-garde and improvisation had gotten Sakamoto interested in electronic music early on, and with Thousand Knives he decided to get Hideki Matsutake on board as he had mastered the art of synth programming following a stint with Electronic Music pioneer Isao Tomita. Thousand Knives took several months to record as Sakamoto would be busy during the day with his session work and would only record at night. Named after Belgian-born poet Henri Michaux's description of a mescaline experience, the album is a reflection on how synthesizer technology might come to change the face of music. The first side conceived as a long suite opens with the title track and a recitation of the Mao Zedong poem "Jinggang Mountain" filtered through a vocoder, before morphing into a mid-tempo synthpop instrumental. It is followed by "Island Of Woods", a ten-minute track buzzing with insect-like synth sounds. Side one ends with "Grasshoppers", a beautiful acoustic piano melody underlined by a subtle synthesizer soundscape. Side two opens with "Das Neue Japanische Elektronische Volkslied", acknowledging the influence of the German sound spearheaded by Kraftwerk. The track features a mid-tempo metronomic beat skillfully intertwined with a Japanese folk sounding melody. The album ends with two catchy up-tempo synthpop tunes in the form of "Plastic Bamboo" and "The End Of Asia", which both became staples of YMO's and Sakamoto's live shows. YMO's sound included various influences from its three members but there is no denying Thousand Knives paved the way for the group's Computer Music sound. Remastered from the original tapes by renowned producer and engineer Seigen Ono.

Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto

Music US