VIA PRESS RELEASE | As one-third of Yellow Magic Orchestra and an Academy Award-winning composer for his work on the soundtrack for The Last Emperor, synth pop innovator Ryuichi Sakamoto is among the most groundbreaking artists to have emerged since the late ’70s. A musician’s musician, Ryuichi Sakamoto has created intriguing musical unions with artists such as David Sylvian, Iggy Pop, Tony Williams, Bootsy Collins, Jaques Morelenbaum and many others.
Originally released in 1998, BTTB (an acronym for “Back To The Basics”) was a major commercial hit for Ryuichi Sakamoto. The album is comprised entirely of original solo piano pieces, both delicate and frantic, with deep impressionist-inspired roots. Currently a rare and hard-to-find album outside of Japan, BTTB is being reissued in celebration of its 20th anniversary. BTTB – 20th Anniversary Edition includes all the tracks featured in the original release of the album, including the major hit “energy flow,” remastered for the 21st Century.
From the liner notes written by famous Japanese novelist H Murakami: “Personal and intimate music—somebody (an anonymous somebody) sitting alone in front of the school piano early in the morning, weaving a melody, exploring harmonies. Music that gradually fills a space with high ceilings that contains the wafting presence of rain. But music that leaves gaps where necessary. Once in a while, we need music like this and this way of being…no, perhaps all the time. We need it as much as we need hot black coffee at the break of dawn and a cat napping next to us in the afternoon.”
Milan Records is proud to be releasing BTTB—20th Anniversary Edition on November 9th, 2018. A deluxe double LP vinyl release is to follow in early 2019.
