Ryuichi Sakamoto - "12" album review
Ryuichi Sakamoto - 12 album review
The infatuation with imperfection diverges from one's expectations of a studio album, and challenges listeners to face the uncomfortable in a pleasant manner.
Prolific electronic and film composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto, recently released his fifteenth studio album, 12. The late in life opus is a tremendously personal statement from the composer, especially after being diagnosed with cancer for a second time. 12 collects twelve improvisational compositions for piano and synthesizer, all performed by the composer. The recording quality is reminiscent of a home studio. As 12 goes on, Sakamoto's labored breathing and the clacking of piano mechanisms morph into intimate, extra-musical accompaniments to each track.
12, released by Milan Records in mid-January, is considerably less formal than much of Sakamoto's earlier work. The recordings are a curated collection of sketches created by the composer throughout his ongoing cancer treatment from March 2021 to April 2022. Each title is a string of numbers detailing the date of composition and recording. Due to the nature of the album, 12 is purposefully non-polished, with Sakamoto even stating he is "intentionally putting them out as is." The infatuation with imperfection diverges from one's expectations of a studio album, and challenges listeners to face the uncomfortable in a pleasant manner.
The opening track, "20210310", draws us into Sakamoto's soundscape with a singular synthesizer note, slowly expanding and taking over the piece. The most beautiful track on the album is "20220302 - Sarabande", also the only track with a subtitle. Sakamoto's Sarabande is a traditional Bach-inspired dance piece, and the track which most heavily showcases his love of melody. Closing off the album is the only recording presented out of chronological order, "20220304". The final track is just over a minute long, and is a tintinnabulating collection of various bells, their ringing gesturing in a seemingly supernatural presence.
Like Sakamoto's previous work, 12 is filled with tonal, pop-inspired harmonies, occasional melodic lines, and textures reminiscent of post-minimalism and ambient synthesizer music. Technically speaking, the sketches are simplistic in nature, as the composer maximizes the emotional capacity of each sound he creates. 12 is the work of an individual truly at peace when seated at the keyboard. Sakamoto's control of both the piano and synthesizer is what sets the album apart from other albums of the genre.
12 is available for listening on all major streaming platforms now.
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