Moto.tronic (+DVD) - Ryuichi Sakamoto

Advantages: Absolutely beautiful
Disadvantages: None that I can think of

...I've always loved this film, and certainly one of the things which made it so remarkable was this excellent score. Ryuichi Sakamoto wrote it on his own, as well as starring in the film as the implacable Captain Yonoi. The tunes contained on it are as follows: 1. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence 2. Batavia 3. Germination 4. A Hearty Breakfast 5. Before The War 6. The Seed And The Sower 7. A Brief Encounter 8. Ride, Ride, Ride 9. The Fight 10. Father Christmas 11. Dismissed 12. Assembly 13. Beyond Reason 14. Sowing The Seed 15. 23rd Psalm 16. Last Regrets 17. Ride, Ride, Ride 18. The Seed 19. Forbidden Colours The last track Forbidden Colours was remixed to become a very popular pop song which hit the charts (in Japan.) The music is I believe synth music, and it resembles in part piano music... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: By turns rhythmical and cutting edge; with a political mindedness it's not ashamed of
Disadvantages: The lyrics may be a little too political for some

...album also returns Sylvian to a position where he is able to shape music that is more familiarly song based, whilst hooking together strong rhythms (probably courtesy of Sakamoto as much as Sylvian, admittedly) and extending some of his semi-electronica experiments ala the gorgeous The Scent of Magnolia that opened his retrospective album: Everything and Nothing. It's a pretty simple affair all told. There are only really two songs on the EP, World Citizen and World Citizen - I Won't Be Disappointed, both songs displayed in their truncated and full form. Though we're treated to a rather fine re-mix by sound artist Ryoji Ikeda also. Lyrically, both tracks are also similar and have something of an anti-American bent (being the greatest capitalist power currently rolling over the world; also there are some post 9/11 references: "and... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Intelligent sculptures of sound
Disadvantages: Perhaps not enough variety throughout

...oddity. It really does sound as though the musicians have simply got together in the studio and let their creative instincts run free, with little regard for commercial aspirations or even popular acceptance. This is not a CD you put on to dance to, to sing along to or even to listen to in an active sense of the word. In the same way that Ryuichi Sakamoto makes his music, this is a collection of interesting sound sculptures that always avoids the obvious, is always seeking out new pastures and in these repects, this album is a resounding success. Every CD collection needs an album of this type, where the listener is transported into another world, whether it be Brian Eno, Sakamoto or the like. "Rain Tree Crow" is as good as any simliar artists in this undefinable genre and the only real sadness is that they are very unlikely to reform... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful