Ryuichi Sakamoto’s 1978 debut, Thousand Knives Of… is getting the reissue treatment. The album will finally see its first wide release on vinyl outside of Japan on November 8 via Wewantsounds. It’s also being reissued on CD.
The LP has been remastered from the original tapes by Seigen Ono, and features a new introduction by Paul Bowler. Originally released in 1978 on the Better Days label, Thousand Knives Of… was recorded just before the debut LP from Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sakamoto’s group with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. The LP takes its title from the poet Henri Michaux’s description of a mescaline experience.
Sakamoto scored an episode of the British TV series “Black Mirror” earlier this year. Coda, a documentary on his life and work, was released in 2018.
See where Ryuichi Sakamoto landed on Pitchfork’s list “The 50 Best Movie Scores of All Time.”