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Artist: Ryuichi Sakamoto
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Ryuichi Sakamoto:

Opus

The late legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto’s highly anticipated posthumous album Opus, a collection of works performed as a final concert in the fall of 2022 before Sakamoto’s death in early 2023, is released via Milan Records.

Alongside the release of Opus is a video of Sakamoto performing “for Jóhann,” one of the newly composed pieces on the album. It is a tribute to Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannson, one of Sakamoto’s close friends and colleagues, who passed away in 2018. Watch Here.

In late 2022, the Japanese composer, producer, and artist Ryuichi Sakamoto sat down at the piano for a final performance. Too ill to complete an entire set at once, Opus is garnered from multiple sessions shot and recorded in Tokyo’s legendary NHK 509 Studio. The concert was filmed and recorded without an audience, directed by Sakamoto’s son Neo Sora and turned into a film Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus, now available on The Criterion Channel.  

Opus was carefully curated by Sakamoto, with selections including his iconic film scores, Yellow Magic Orchestra classics, alongside pieces reflective of his eclectic career. “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence,” perhaps one of his most famous melodies, and beloved works "Andata,” "Aqua" and "Trioon" are represented as well as entirely new or never-before-recorded compositions.  “for Jóhann”, dedicated to the late composer and Sakamoto’s friend Jóhann Jóhannsson, “BB,” a tribute to filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, and “20180219 (w/prepared piano),” a previously unreleased solo prepared-piano track, are all new to Sakamoto’s vast repertoire.

Ryuichi Sakamoto:

Monster (OMPS)

The Hirokazu Kore-eda-directed film premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Best Screenplay award. The soundtrack contains existing pieces licensed from Sakamoto’s catalog alongside two new pieces specifically composed for the film “Monster 1” and “Monster 2” prior to his passing this past spring.

Composer: Ryuichi Sakamoto (1.96M Monthly Listeners)

When her young son Minato starts to behave strangely, his mother feels that there is something wrong. Discovering that a teacher is responsible, she storms into the school demanding to know what's going on. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher and child, the truth gradually emerges.
 
‘Monster’ Director Kore-eda Hirokazu on Working With Composer Sakamoto Ryuichi on One of His Last Musical Compositions
“Kore-eda hoped a collaboration would happen after an earlier opportunity to work together over a decade ago fell through. He penned a letter to Sakamoto, who said yes. However, Sakamoto, who died earlier this year, said he didn’t have the strength to write the music for an entire score.

Sakamoto contributed music for two scenes in the film, including an important scene with Saori as she confronts Mr. Hori on insulting and hitting the children at school. Sakamoto’s music underscores that moment. He also wrote the end cue. Unable to give him a full composition, Sakamoto gave the director access to use music from his last solo album “12.” “He is such a unique talent,” Kore-eda says.”

Ryuichi Sakamoto:

Travesia - currated by INARRITU

Milan Records today releases TRAVESÍA, an album of music by the late composer RYUICHI SAKAMOTO curated by award-winning filmmaker ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU. Available now both digitally and in vinyl format, Travesía features selections from Sakamoto’s prolific catalogue handpicked by Iñárritu, who famously collaborated with the composer on his Oscar-winning film The Revenant. Originally conceived as a surprise project celebrating Sakamoto’s 70th birthday, the album is the result of nearly two years of planning and six months of meticulous curation by Iñárritu. Now arriving in the wake of the iconic musician’s passing, Travesía, meaning “journey” in Spanish, takes listeners on a one-of-a-kind trip through the last four decades of Sakamoto’s musicmaking career, showcasing his immeasurable influence and lasting legacy – listen here.

Of the project, ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ IÑÁRRITU says: When Jean Christophe Chamboredon from Milan Records, and Norika Sora, Ryuichi’s manager, invited me to this project, my first instinct was to resist. Sakamoto’s musical universe is so vast that the responsibility to honor him by choosing only 20 stars from his complex galaxy would be practically impossible. But after finding out that they were planning this as a surprise present for him, I had no other choice but to accept the challenge.

Ryuichi Sakamoto:

12

Milan Records today releases 12, the new album from prolific composer, producer and artist RYUICHI SAKAMOTO. Available everywhere now, 12 marks the 15th solo studio album from Sakamoto and the first of new solo material since 2017’s async. The album features 12 songs selected from a collection of musical sketches Sakamoto recorded like a sound diary between 2021 and 2022 during his ongoing battle with cancer. Each track is titled and sequenced by the date in which it was written, culminating in a collection of music that provides an intimate snapshot into this period of Sakamoto’s life. Alongside today’s release is a special visual companion to 12 featuring the album’s closing track “20220304” and footage of the composer in Tokyo – watch here.  

Of the album, RYUICHI SAKAMOTO says, “In early March 2021, I finally ‘came home’ to my new temporary housing after a big operation and a long stay in the hospital. Around the end of March, just as my body was feeling a little lighter, I found myself reaching for the synthesizer. I had no intention of composing something; I just wanted to be showered in sound. I had a feeling that it’d have a small healing effect on my damaged body and soul. Up until then, I barely had the energy to listen to music, let alone play anything. But after that day, I began to occasionally touch the keys of the synthesizer and piano, and I began to record little sketches of sounds as if to write a diary. I tried choosing 12 of my favorite sketches for this album. There are no adornments—I’m intentionally putting them out as is. From now on, until my body gives out, I’ll probably continue to keep this kind of ‘diary.’”

In advance of the album’s release, Sakamoto recently debuted a special solo piano concert that was streamed online to an audience of over 60,000 viewers across the globe. His first live performance in two years, the concert was recorded over the course of a week at Tokyo’s legendary 509 Studio and features an hour of the composer playing new arrangements both spanning his repertoire and from his new album. 

Ryuichi Sakamoto:

Exception - From The Netflix Anime Series

Milan Records today announces EXCEPTION (SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NETFLIX ANIME SERIES), an album of original music by RYUICHI SAKAMOTO for Netflix’s upcoming sci-fi horror anime, and shares two tracks ahead of the soundtrack’s release on October 14. Available everywhere now is the series’ opening theme, “Opening for ‘Exception,’” an otherworldly orchestral piece featuring sweeping strings layered with piano and ethereal synths – LISTEN HERE. Featured in today’s newly-released series trailer, “Opening for ‘Exception’” debuts alongside a second track from the album entitled “oxygen,” an extended reprisal of the opening theme – LISTEN HERE. With an original story by Hirotaka Adachi (Otsuichi) and character designs by Final Fantasy’s Yoshitaka Amano, Exception debuts exclusively on Netflix on October 13, 2022.

Of the album, composer RYUICHI SAKAMOTO says, “I wanted to make the main theme a symphonic piece—the kind that has become a staple in science fiction since Star Wars. As for the soundtrack as a whole, I worked towards keeping it darkly ambient, wanting it to feel like one piece of music rather than separated by scene. That said, I did include a degree of harsh sounds in the fighting scenes. Overall, I was able to make a soundtrack I like very much.”  

Ryuichi Sakamoto:

Minamata OMPS

Milan Records today releases MINAMATA (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) with music by Academy Award®-, Golden Globe®- and GRAMMY®-Award winning composer and musician RYUICHI SAKAMOTO. Available everywhere now, the album features music written by Sakamoto for the Andrew Levitas-directed film based on true events, which follows an American photographer as he documents the effects of mercury poisoning on a coastal town in Japan. Also included within the 22-track album is the film's end credit song "One Single Voice," which is performed by Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins. Also available beginning today is a vinyl edition of the soundtrack pressed on a pair of 180-gram black vinyl discs and housed in gatefold packaging with a 12" photo insert, credits and liner notes from director Andrew Levitas. 

Ryuichi Sakamoto:

BECKETT (MUSIC FROM THE NETFLIX FILM)

Milan Records today releases BECKETT (MUSIC FROM THE NETFLIX FILM) by Academy Award®-, Golden Globe®- and GRAMMY®-Award winning composer and musician RYUICHI SAKAMOTO. Available everywhere now, the album features score music written by Sakamoto for the upcoming thriller directed by Ferdinando Cito Filomarino and produced by Luca Guadagnino. Also included within the 19-track collection is a new original song by producer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and vocalist Devonté Hynes entitled "Born To Be"– listen here. Beckett made its world premiere at the 74th Locarno Film Festival last week and debuts exclusively on Netflix - August 13.

Ryuichi Sakamoto:

The Staggering Girl OMPS

Milan Records today releases THE STAGGERING GIRL (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) with music by Academy Award-, Golden Globe- and GRAMMY-Award winning composer and musician RYUICHI SAKAMOTO.  Available everywhere now, the album features music from the Luca Guadagnino-directed short film, which was produced in collaboration with Valentino's creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli and showcases the fashion house's couture designs.  Having made its debut at Cannes Film Festival last year, The Staggering Girl will be available to watch exclusively on the curated streaming service MUBI tomorrow February 15.   

Of the soundtrack, composer RYUICHI SAKAMOTO says, "When approaching the score for The Staggering Girl, I wanted to incorporate the tactile sound of Valentino's fabrics. So I asked them to send me some samples and utilizing special sensitive microphones, I experimented ‘playing' the fabrics.  I love the sound and how it forces one's attention to a sound all around us, yet almost entirely ignored."

The Staggering Girl follows Francesca, the troubled, expatriate daughter of the acclaimed German-Roman painter Sophia Moretti, who has descended into blindness. Triggered by a stranger's secret confession, Francesca returns to her Italian childhood home to convince her ailing mother to follow her to New York. As daughter confronts mother, ghosts of Francesca's youth return in an onslaught of pain, memory and fulfillment. A film by Luca Guadagnino, scored by Ryuichi Sakamoto and produced in collaboration with Valentino's creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. Starring Julianne Moore, Mia Goth, KiKi Layne, Kyle MacLachlan, Marthe Keller and Alba Rohrwacher. 

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