Ryuichi Sakamoto’s management has shared a playlist of music that he made shortly before his death in March.
Labelling it the late artist’s "final playlist," Sakamoto’s management said he created the 33-song collection "to be played at his own funeral to accompany his passing." Opening with a track by his collaborator Alva Noto, the playlist goes on to feature classical works by Claude Debussy, Johann Sebastian Bach and Maurice Ravel, as well as music by Ennio Morricone, David Sylvian and Bill Evans Trio.
The final track on the playlist is Laurel Halo’s 2020 cut ‘Breath’. Speaking about her track’s inclusion, the artist said: "Like many in the electronic music community, I was deeply saddened by Ryuichi’s passing. We had exchanged some emails about six months prior, talking about a potential collaboration that never came to pass.
"I had no idea he was working on this playlist, and to have work included among his collaborators and such timeless music in this way is an uncanny honour beyond comprehension. That the track is called ‘Breath’ and last on the playlist is not lost on me. I would like to think this is his sense of humour shining through. I’m grateful to Ryuichi for his encouragement and enthusiasm: it’s a reminder to openly share love and appreciation for one another."
You can check out the full playlist here.
