12

by Ryuichi Sakamoto

Overview

Ryuichi Sakamoto's album 12 is an audio diary consisting of pieces recorded following his 2021 diagnosis with rectal cancer. He had previously taken a yearlong hiatus following his 2014 diagnosis with throat cancer, which had gone into remission following treatment, and he reflected on the process with his exceptional 2017 full-length async. While that album was an inventive, ambitious work incorporating field recordings, spoken word vocals, and several guest musicians, 12 is considerably more stripped-down, created entirely by Sakamoto, mostly playing piano and synthesizers. The pieces are all titled after their recording dates, and are mostly presented in chronological order. The album begins with "20210310," a somber ambient drone consisting of slow, spacious movements akin to wading through water at night. Sparse, resonating piano notes appear starting with the second track, and a few pieces, including the more intimate "20211201," audibly feature Sakamoto's strained breathing. Though it sounds a bit unnerving on first listen, especially given the context of his diagnosis and deteriorating health, the breathing strangely has a way of blending into the music on repeated hearings, as if the listener is accepting Sakamoto's mortality along with him. "20220202," with dark, brassy synth pads and what sounds like distantly tolling bells, is starkly funereal. However, the mood lifts somewhat during the final five pieces, which are considerably shorter, and often more melodic, than the ones that preceded them. "20220302 - sarabande" is the only piece with a word in its title, and it has the sort of sentimental grace of his best-known piano compositions. Sakamoto died two months after 12 was released, and being aware that it was his final work adds emotional weight to music that appears fragile and delicate. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	06/23/2023
Label:	Milan / Sony Classical
UPC:	0196587898212
Rank:	12403

Tracks

Disc 1

1. 20210310
2. 20211130
3. 20211201
4. 20220123
5. 20220202

Disc 2

6. 20220207
7. 20220214
8. 20220302 (Sarabande)
9. 20220302
10. 20220307
11. 20220404
12. 20220304

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ryuichi Sakamoto   Primary Artist