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Ryuichi Sakamoto compiled one last playlist before he passed
The 33 track playlist features Alva Noto, Erik Satie, Ennio Morricone, J.S. Bach, Debussy, and Laurel Halo.
When David Bowie passed, he gifted the world his final album, Blackstar. Released a few days before his 2016 death, the timing was intentional. What followed was a worldwide listening session as mourning devotees, many of whom had obsessed over Bowie’s music and spirit for much of their lives, absorbed his final message as they grieved.
Though not billed as such, the late Ryuichi Sakamoto left his own glorious farewell work in 12, a mesmerizing solo piano album released in January that you need to hear if you haven’t already. He also left a playlist, called funeral, one that his management released on Sunday with a brief message.
“We would like to share the playlist that Ryuichi had been privately compiling to be played at his own funeral to accompany his own passing. He truly was with music until the very end.”
That final sentence bears repeating: “He truly was with music until the very end.”
Though only issued yesterday, the playlist has already spread to all corners of the world, where listeners still grieving the loss of the towering figure have been enjoying their morning coffee (or evening cocktail, or afternoon smoke) with works by Alva Noto, Nino Rota, Ennio Morricone, Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, J.S. Bach, David Sylvian and many others. A truly sublime listen, it’s one final offering from an artist who spent his whole life exploring sound –– and gifting the world his discoveries.