Sakamoto, David Byrne and Cong Su won the Academy Award for their score to the 1987 Bernardo Bertolucci film The Last Emperor, in which Sakamoto also played a small role. Sakamoto also wrote the film's musical score, and the theme song Forbidden Colours, sung by Sylvian, became a minor hit.Īs a long time fan of Virginia Astley's music he produced her 1986 album Hope In A Darkened Heart which included David Sylvian as a guest. Lawrence (Senjou no Merii Kurisumasu, aka Furyo) alongside Takeshi Kitano and British rock singer David Bowie. He appeared in the 1983 Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas Mr. He has also collaborated with, among others, David Byrne, Fennesz, Towa Tei and Supa DJ Dmitry (from the group Deee-Lite), Thomas Dolby, Bill Laswell, Nam June Paik, Boredoms, Roddy Frame (frontman for Aztec Camera), Iggy Pop, and Caetano Veloso. Sakamoto has collaborated with David Sylvian on a number of singles and most of Sylvian's albums. The band charted a British top 20 hit with Firecracker in the late 1970s (and are also remembered for Technopolis, Behind the Mask and Tong Poo), and were a seminal influence on the acid house and techno movements of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Sakamoto recorded his first solo album in 1978, which included the songs Thousand Knives and The End of Asia.Īround the same time, Sakamoto joined the internationally successful Japanese synth J-Pop trio Yellow Magic Orchestra, along with co-founders Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. with special emphasis on both electronic and ethnic music. He attended the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he earned a B.A. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Mother and Child (02:29)Ģ2.Ryuichi Sakamoto ( Sakamoto Ryichi, born January 17, 1952, Nakano, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese musician, composer, producer and actor. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Chisso Gate (04:23)ġ9. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Rally and Persuasion (01:45)ġ2. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Hidden Data (01:12)Ġ9. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Boy and Camera (01:34)Ġ7. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Minamata Piano Theme (02:50)Ġ2. Armed with only his trusted camera, Smith’s images from the toxic village give the disaster a heartbreaking human dimension, and his initial assignment turns into a life-changing experience.Ġ1. The vinyl release of Minamata is pressed on a pair of 180-gram black vinyl discs and comes housed in gatefold packaging with a 12” photo insert, credits and liner notes from director Andrew Levitas.īased on the book by the same name, Minamata tells the story of reclusive war photographer Eugene Smith as he travels Japan to document the devastating effect of mercury poisoning among coastal communities.
Of the film’s music and working with Sakamoto, director Andrew Levitas says “Ryuichi was my dream collaborator – he would be on any film – but on this mission in particular, there could be no one else…The music quite literally needed to represent both the absolute best of humanity as well as the worst…In my opinion, Ryuichi was able to elegantly ride this razor’s edge and deliver on this concept entirely” Also included on the original soundtrack is the film’s end credit song “One Single Voice” performed by Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins, who stars in the film alongside Johnny Depp. The sweeping, atmospheric and somber orchestral score is a poignant accompaniment to the story of industrial disaster in the Japanese port town of Minamata, as told through the lens of American photojournalist Eugene Smith. Minamata features music by internationally renowned composer, musician and environmental activist Ryuichi Sakamoto composed for the 2021 film directed by Andrew Levitas.